Certainly one of the key exercises for a hard gainer. In terms of muscle involvement, central nervous system and hormonal response, only deadlift is equal to squats. It is not for nothing that people of ectomorphic somatotype with high body weight deficit are advised by some to leave only squats in the training program. However, on the role of squats for athletes slowly building muscle mass,.
It's time to talk about the amplitude of the barbell squat. Many people wonder what kind of squat to choose - traditional deep squat, lift to parallel or stop on half squats? Each of the three versions of the same exercise is effective in its own way. The deep squat engages as many leg muscles as possible, from the quadriceps to the gluteus muscles. The advantage of deep squats is not only in quantity, but also in the quality of muscle engagement - with this amplitude, they contract as much as possible. In turn, half-squats involve the buttocks and biceps muscles of the thigh in the work a little less, but they load the quadriceps more, since the partial amplitude makes it possible to work with much more weight, which has an excellent effect on the hormonal response. Parallel squats (when the hip is in a horizontal position) is a kind of compromise between the first and second kind, between a lot of working muscles and a lot of weight. You can argue for a long time about which is better. But it's wiser to worry about which option is right for you. Remember: squatting options are primarily a choice according to your individual physiological characteristics, and not a question of their effectiveness. Whichever option you choose, it will still be squats. Anyone who argues that, for example, only deep squats have the right to life, hardly thinks about the fact that not everyone is given a deep squat RIGHT.
What is the CORRECT squat?
Generally speaking, there are two decisive points in the technique of this exercise. The first moment is the obligatory parallel direction of the thigh and feet. Squatting with your feet and hips pointing in the same direction. A common mistake is the feet are slightly apart to the sides, and the hips are directed straight or even inward when the weight is unbearable. The consequences are serious injuries to the knees (meniscus).
The second moment is associated with the trajectory of movement of the torso and legs and depends on the forward tilt of the trunk, the ability to hold the vertebra and on other physiological characteristics. The correct trajectory of movement is checked by the degree of protrusion of the knees and head (torso) in relation to the projection of the toes - the knees and head should not go beyond this conditional line (while a minimum exit of several centimeters is allowed). Why is it so? Because with this - correct - position, the center of gravity of the bar is at the center of the foot, and not at the toes. When squatting with a barbell on the shoulders, the correct distribution of the load on the legs and back is possible only if the barbell "presses" on the center of the foot, and not on the toes or heels. If the center of gravity falls on the middle of the foot, then when lifting from the bottom point, it will be possible to press with the whole foot on the floor - as if pushing away from it. This will ensure correct technique in the up-sit phase. To understand if the technique is correct when lifting (and when lowering), you need to analyze the side view (barbell movement). The bar should both lower and raise strictly along a vertical line (without bending the trajectory to the left or right)!
The consequences of improper technique are back injuries or an elementary lack of progress in strength and muscle growth of the legs (the load is not intended).
If you can't do the exercise correctly, you should pay attention to something else - front squats (with a barbell on your chest). In this exercise, the projection of the weight of the barbell is automatically distributed correctly, since the body is not able to bend forward, because it is impossible to hold the barbell in an inclined position. For this reason, this type of squat will be more rational for some trainees.
Test to determine CORRECT squat technique
There is a simple home method for determining the correct technique in squats (meaning squats with weights on the shoulders): you should face the wall at a distance of your toes (it is allowed to increase the distance by 5 / ± 5 / cm). In this position, you need to do a squat (no weight, hands behind your head, or with something on your shoulders that simulates a bar). If you succeed, then there are no problems with the technique. If it did not work out, then your knees are too far forward due to an incorrect position of the pelvis or too much forward bending of the torso due to an incorrect bend of the back. That is, the failure is due to the fact that a wall prevents the body from sitting down.
And where are the squats deep, parallel and partial?
It's simple: if you have performed the test squat against the wall with full amplitude, then the classic deep squat is your exercise. If you fail at the moment when your hips have taken a parallel position (or close to it), then squats to parallel are anatomically more suitable for you. And finally, if you were unable to perform the test squat, and the problem arose in the initial phase of the amplitude, then stop at the partial amplitude.
With all this, it is important to know the following: Failure to perform the Wall Deep Squat Test is due to several reasons.
The first reason is a lack of experience (relevant for beginners) or an elementary ignorance of the correct technique by experienced trainees (people with an experience of squatting often perform this exercise incorrectly just because they have not realized how to perform it correctly). This reason can be easily eliminated by training the correct movement technique with the help of an instructor or a competent partner; or by practicing on your own against the wall.
In solving this issue, an important place is occupied by the distance between the feet and the presence / absence of a base under the heels. When doing the test, experiment with narrow, regular, and wide spreads. Obviously, one of them will be the most convenient, and the other will be the least convenient. So you can understand what distance between the feet is right for you. The same goes for the need to fit a raised heel.
The second reason is anatomical, usually associated with an unusual proportion of the length of the thigh and lower leg or the large length of the legs relative to the length of the torso, which is characteristic of tall ectomorphs. In these physiological settings, it is very often simply impossible to sit down so that the knees remain within the desired range. But in this case, a slight protrusion of the knees forward will be within normal limits. However, it is worth knowing that it is difficult for such athletes to perform deep squats with large weights, it is easy to get injured, and the difference in working weights for full and partial amplitude will be huge.
Thus, before drawing conclusions about your failures in this testing, do not be too lazy to find out what the real reason is that you were not able to fully crouch against the wall. Next, decide which amplitude matches the capabilities of your body.
© Bodybuilding for hardgainers
Sports are impossible if there is no appropriate physical training. You can get it by doing the simplest of exercises - deep squats. Despite their simplicity, they simultaneously give the body sufficient exercise.
To achieve this goal, it is important to choose the right execution technique.
For a novice athlete, it is useful to learn about the benefits of squats and the possible dangers.
By doing them, the athlete includes the maximum amount of muscles in the work. No other exercise can compare with them in terms of sports load. They train the hips and lower back, pelvic muscles. In addition, they normalize hormonal levels, improve metabolism, giving the body the opportunity to build muscle mass.
Deep squats during morning exercises energize the day.
It is no coincidence that the normalization of hormonal levels was mentioned. Correct squats are a boost to the production of testosterone, the hormone responsible for muscle growth.
Scientists have found that testosterone levels increase with the load that muscles receive. During such training, it spreads to a large number of muscles.
The harm of deep squats
But, despite the benefits of squats, they are harmful to people with spinal diseases.
With the wrong technique, you can injure the knee, and even worse, the spine. Spinal hernia is a complex disease that causes a lot of suffering. Therefore, beginners in training and those who are not considered a beginner in sports need to work out the technique.
Correct deep squat technique
The main thing is not to rush: the load is increased gradually. Start with a low number of reps, adding them as you grow in fitness.
Squats are attractive because you don't have to go anywhere - you can do deep squats at home. From activities that involve lifting and lowering your own weight, it is unlikely that muscle mass will increase. But they will help to reduce excess weight, increase endurance and fitness.
- Exercise without sudden movements, making sure that the back remains straight. Extend and bend your legs slowly. Do not tilt your head - look straight ahead.
- The deeper the athlete squats, the more benefits they bring to the muscles. You can do squats in the morning, while exercising, in the afternoon, or during an intense evening workout. Trainings are recommended to be carried out every other day, performing at each lesson 5 sets, consisting of 20-30 repetitions each.
- If you do exercises in the morning, you don't need to break your own record. Their task is to charge the body with energy, not make it tired. For morning workouts, 2 sets of 10 reps are recommended.
- If, after an intense workout, your muscles hurt, you feel weakness in your legs, this is normal, and you don't need to be afraid: your legs have received the necessary force and now need rest for a day or more.
Doing squats at home does not have to follow a strict pattern. Everyone has the right to invent their own, based on their goals. If the goal is to increase endurance, the optimal number of repetitions is selected, which are performed at a high pace.
Deep squats are one of the most technically challenging barbell squats. This exercise puts a powerful load on the muscles of the lower body, and placing the weight on the shoulders forces a huge array of stabilizer muscles to work. Such squats are traditionally performed by weightlifters, but with proper dosage of the load, they can be used in strength training of any athlete, both men and women. Let's take a closer look at this exercise.
Why squat below parallel?
Before examining the technique of the exercise, let's clarify why you need to do deep squats at all. Do they have any advantages over classic barbell squats? Or maybe they do more harm?
Let's start with how full squats differ from regular squats, namely the depth of the sitting. When performing the exercise, the pelvis drops almost to the floor. This mechanic increases the range of motion, which means that the muscles work harder. A deep or full squat is a powerful exercise for developing leg mass and strength. The quadriceps get the maximum load, the muscles of the buttocks also work, the back of the thighs and calf muscles are turned on. In addition to affecting the muscles, the exercise develops explosive strength and endurance well.
Who needs to do these squats and why:
- Weightlifting athletes. Everything is clear here, they have deep squats with a barbell traditionally included in the training program and are a necessary element for mastering.
- Powerlifters to increase performance in strength training. Despite the fact that deep squats are not a competitive element in powerlifting, their periodic inclusion in the training program can give a good boost to muscle development.
- Bodybuilders can do this exercise with the goal of gaining mass in their quads.
Depending on the specific goal, each athlete chooses the weight and the number of repetitions-approaches.
You can often hear that deep squats are recommended for girls looking to build up the muscles of the buttocks and improve the shape of the legs. This statement is generally true, but there is one but.
Yes, of course, the lower we squat, the better the glute muscles stretch and the more work they do. That is, according to this indicator, deep squats are much more effective than usual. But, it should also be said that the main load in this exercise is still taken by the quadriceps. That is, for the most part the front surface of the thigh sways, and secondarily the muscles of the buttocks. And for many girls, it is critical that the buttocks are large, rounded, but the legs do not look pumped at the same time.
Therefore, the inclusion of such squats in training programs for girls should be treated wisely. If you need to load your glutes, try glute bridges, wide lunges, back exercises, and other exercises.
Potential harm to exercise
So, we have sorted out the pros of deep squats, let's move on to the cons:
- The exercise is technically difficult indeed. To do it right, you need not only physical fitness, but also good stretching and flexibility in the hip joint. This exercise is not recommended for beginners.
- Heavy squats with a barbell (and even more so - below parallel with the floor) create a high load on the entire musculoskeletal system. If you do an exercise with a lot of weight, but your body is not physically ready for it, overstrain and injuries will not keep you waiting long. Too much weight will not allow observing the technique, and any violation of the technique threatens with unpleasant consequences.
Separately, it should be said about the effect of deep squats on the knee joints. And in general, how deep can you squat so as not to harm your knees. This topic is hot enough and there is no consensus on it. As a factor of harmful effects on joints, opponents of such squats cite:
- Bending the knees at an acute angle.
- Leading the knee out of the toe line.
Yes, full squats involve bending the knee at an acute angle. Anatomically, this joint is designed for such a movement. You can calmly sit down without weight, and nothing bad will happen. The muscles and ligaments work, the joint flexes, everything is as it should be. But the key word here is "no weight." Initially, the human body was not designed to perform movements with large weights.
Strength athletes strive to maximize the capabilities of their own body and work on this purposefully. They strengthen both muscles and ligaments, perfect the technique. The second argument is basically the same.
In other words, bending the knees at an acute angle, as well as extending them beyond the line of the socks (otherwise it is simply impossible to sit deeply), is harmless if your muscles are able to ensure a stable position of the joint, and the ligaments are sufficiently elastic. And the higher the weight, the more stringent this requirement. Therefore, before starting to do full squats with a heavy barbell, athletes practice the technique for 3 months and perform lead exercises.
The key to avoiding injury is hidden in a careful attitude to the body, a sober assessment of your capabilities and the lack of haste when you want to get results.
Of course, if you already have a knee injury (was once), you should not squat without consulting a doctor.
Execution technique
First, prepare yourself a "workplace". The barbell with the weight you need should rest on the struts.
Go to the bar and grab it with your hands. Bending your knees, sit under the apparatus, placing the bar on your trapezoid. Your feet should be under the bar. Pull your shoulders and elbows to your body, fix the barbell on your shoulders as securely as possible.
- Keeping your back straight, look up slightly. Using the effort of your legs, remove the bar from the stops. In this case, body weight falls in the middle of the feet.
- Take two or three small steps back, place your feet shoulder-width apart, turn your toes slightly to the sides. You should be as comfortable as possible.
- Sit down, keeping your body straight. At the same time, the knees move in the plane of the toes and do not roll inward. Having passed parallel with the floor, it is important not to allow the buttocks to curl forward. The back should be straight, try to keep the lower back still.
- Having reached the bottom point, when the hamstrings touched the calves, tense the muscles as much as possible and make a powerful upward movement. When lifting, as with graying, it is important to keep the body upright and not topple forward.
- Straighten your knees fully. You have completed the movement. Then, depending on your goals and training method, you can return the bar to the stops or do the next repetition.
By observing the technique of execution and carefully considering your feelings during training, you can achieve maximum results not only in squats, but also increase performance in other strength exercises. The deep squat is great for developing the muscles of the legs and buttocks. For girls, exercise can also be recommended as a comprehensive lower body workout.
One of the most effective exercises you can do is squats. Damn it, this is almost the best exercise for the legs, buttocks and lower legs. Squats of various types work the hips, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and lower legs, and also affects the abs, shoulders and back.
The perfect squat is a symphony for the muscles of the whole body. They build muscle well (especially with weights and barbells) and burn fat due to their high energy content (read: a lot of calories are burned). But how low must you fall? Figuratively speaking, of course.
The ideal squat is a deep squat in which the hips drop below the knee. Some call them "ass to the grass." Deep squats use more muscle and burn more calories. They are especially good for building a good, strong butt. Did I tell you that many girls like strong buttocks that look cool? And this is so! But this is not the only benefit of deep squats, for which, by the way, preparation is necessary. Without strong core muscles and high mobility, the risk of injury from deep squats, with or without weights, increases significantly. As one friend of mine says: "If you don't squat deep, you don't squat at all!" Of course, there are some types of squats that should be done in a 90 degree hip-to-calf position, such as the Bulgarian split squat, but that's not the point here.
Are deep squats bad for your knees?
No! Contrary to popular belief, squats below the knee are not bad for the knees. Recent research in American medical journals has shown that in terms of direct knee exposure, there is no difference between shallow squats, parallel hip squats, and deep squats.
In fact, deep squats can increase knee stability. Most of the connective tissue in the knee is made up of two ligaments: the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments. Research shows that the deeper you squat, the less pressure inside the knee joint. This is a great way to make your legs stronger. Also, a number of studies have shown that parallel squats with heavy weights are less effective than deep squats with lighter weights. The glutes are 25 percent more loaded during deep squats than any other.
How to do deep squats?
Caution. Deep squats are more difficult and, if performed incorrectly, riskier than standard variations. Treat this with understanding - this is not biceps curl, everything is more complicated here. There are a myriad of joints and muscles that work together in a very wide range of motion to accomplish this action. This is why you need to pay special attention to things like mobility, flexibility, stability and coordination. Sure, it might sound like newbie bullshit and some kind of paranoia, but trust me, injury dude is an extremely dubious pleasure. There is no need to rely on the Russian maybe, under the Soviets, by the way, weightlifters trained the performance of basic elements with minimum weights for three months. And they weren't weaklings!
1. Mobility
Mobility is defined as the body's ability to complete a task without the aid of other muscles and movements. This is also called compensation. Remember how you tried to do, say, any free weight exercise, provided that you took on a little more weight. Your body on the last approaches begins to reflexively push the projectile up or in the right direction. This is compensation. For such a complex action as a deep squat, you need to do without compensation.
For this you need flexible ankles, hip flexors and knees. Get some work done, get a massage, take a relaxing bath.
2. Prepare your body
After a full warm-up, which includes dynamic stretching, try a few idle squats. The heavier the weight, the more important it is for the muscles of the torso, shoulders, and upper back to be able to efficiently interact with each other, creating quality support for the weight. Flex your hips, tighten your abdomen, squeeze your glutes, and engage your upper back. This will happen when you bring your shoulder blades together and pull your elbows down, or when you pull the bar down a little while squeezing your shoulder blades. It helps stabilize your body position and makes it clear that you are using the right muscles.
3. Start squatting with minimal weights
The parallel hip squat gives you the ability to lift more weight, but deep squats involve more muscle. For starters, I recommend that you start with no weight at all or with a light bodybar. Then go to an empty fretboard. Then put on weight. The main thing is that the squatting technique is correct.
Deep squats are an incredibly valuable tool for building strength and losing fat. The main thing is to do everything right.
It is believed that deep squats harm the knee joints. It is logical to assume that as the knee flexes, the pressure on the soft tissues surrounding the knee joint increases. But is it really so? Let's turn to science.
According to research Hartmann, Wirth & Klusemann (2013), the force applied to the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee decreases in the lowest range of motion. In this case, the greatest compression force on the knee joint is provided by shallow squats. Thus, the opinion about the increased risk of osteoarthritis and osteochondrosis from deep squats is unfounded.
Basic principles of using deep squats:
- Joint load and freedom of movement are reversed. This means that as the load increases, the freedom of movement in the joint decreases, and vice versa. This process is due to the fact that the heavier the load we experience, the more attention we pay to the correct technique.
- Rhythm and synchronization of joint movement. Joint Synchronization - The ability of multiple joints to move together to provide rhythmic movement and distribution of effort in multi-joint movements such as deep squats. Ideally, the ankle, knee and hip joints flex and straighten in a harmonious manner. Restricted ankle and hip joints can disrupt their synchronization and prevent deep squats. Therefore, a good choice to start working on full range is to raise your heels or hold the harness with your hands to counterbalance the hip joints.
- Pain is the main signal to change technique. If squats cause pain, modify the exercise: stance width, range of motion, speed, or direction of pelvic movement. If pain persists, see a specialist.
Variability of movement is the basis of progress and health
Our joints and muscles are capable of doing the same physical work in different ways. This is called “variability”. When training in the gym, and in particular, using squats, it is necessary to practice various variations of the exercise - use deep and shallow squats, change the width of the rack, speed, direction of movement of the pelvis, working time (number of repetitions), etc. Why is this so important? The fact is that a decrease in the variability of exercises (in other words, performing the same movements in the same way) can cause fatigue injuries due to strictly limited development of muscles, joints and ligaments - as soon as you give a slightly different load or change the motion vector, they will receive a traumatic effort.
Video: Technique for doing deep squats with a barbell.