When we think about exercises for legs there is one that stands out above any other exercise. Squats!! They are the exercise that every person that goes to the gym loves to hate. Why? Because you know you have had a real tough and effective workout after you have finished.
Squats along with deadlifts are probably the exercises that will give you the quickest gain in overall strength and muscle. They require the use of almost every muscle in the body and this in return helps develop an all round muscular and lean physique. Squats primarily target the hamstrings, quadriceps, gluteus, and lower back. For all the ladies reading this is the exercise that will give you the tight round butt.
Squats are used by athletes from all sports – they are the foundation for explosive speed and power. Squats will also help you develop your base and core strength and plays a vital part in great abdominal development. When you squat you use your body’s core muscles to help balance the weight. Your core muscles are the area around your trunk and your pelvis. When you have good core stability, the muscles in your pelvis, lower back, hips and abdomen work in harmony. Weak core muscles leave you vulnerable to poor posture, lower back pain and muscle injuries.
Resistant training helps the body to increase testosterone and growth hormone during and after a workout. Testosterone and growth hormones build more muscle. Depending how intense your workout actually is the more testosterone and growth hormones your body will release. There have been a number of recent studies to show that both squats and deadlifts increase testosterone and growth hormone more than any other exercises. So I highly recommend including both squats and deadlifts in your workout routine.
For performing squats you have to be very careful that you use the right technique. While it is one of the most effective exercises it is also one that causes the most injuries. This is because it is so commonly performed incorrectly.
To perform squats correctly adjust the squat rack so that the bar sits around your chest height. You do not want to use your tip toes to un-rack the bar. This is one way many people get injured. The bar should sit just below your real deltoids and trapezoids. Do not rest the bar on the top of your trapezoids – this will make your neck very sore and is not very secure.
Place your hands across the bar and grip it with both thumbs facing towards your head. Use a wide or narrow grip. Experiment with both and use whichever one feels more comfortable for you.
Take the bar off the rack. Take one step back with your feet around shoulder width apart and your toes pointing straight ahead.
Once in position slowly descend as if you are about to sit on chair with your head up facing roughly a meter above your height. Pick a spot on the wall and focus on that as you go down and come back up driving through your thighs and with your heels firmly planted on the floor.This will help you balance and prevent you from going forward. It is okay to lean a little forward but do not bend at the lower back, instead lean forward through your hips.
As for how far you should go down in the movement – you should go down till your thighs are both parallel with the ground.
Try not to make any excuses to keep this exercise out of your routine – I really do believe that it is one of the foundation exercises to building a great body faster.
How To Do Squats
