The Squat

The squat is a total body exercise. While predominantly working the legs, you will notice that to feel stable, you need to use your core and back as well.

Take in a deep breath and brace yourself as you unrack the bar. You will want to have the bar set up in a rack so you can perform a "mini" squat to get it out. You do not want the bar above your shoulders forcing you to do a calve raise to unrack the bar. That will be detrimental to your set up and stability once the weight gets more challenging.

A very efficient way to step away from the rack with heavy weight is called a three step walkout. One foot back, second foot back into proper position, third step is adjusting the first foot if need be.

Step back away from the rack, attempting to use the method seen both in my video. Feet should be just outside of shoulder width and toes angled slightly out. This position tends to allow for minimal joint stress and maximal depth during the movement.

It should be noted, that not everyone's squats will look the same. Femur and Torso length can really change the mechanics between individuals. I have a short torso and long femurs. People with my build tend to have a more hip dominant squat with more forward lean. Individuals with longer torsos and shorter femurs will have a more quad dominant squat and will likely be more upright during their squat.

Once you are ready to descend, I recommend breaking at the hips slightly before bending the knees. This loads the bigger/stronger muscles of the hips first and helps keep unneeded stress off the knee joint. However, someone who is more quad dominant may find that breaking the knees and hips at the same time works well for them.

As you push the hips slightly back, begin to lower yourself by bending the knees. As you are descending, make sure to push the knees out slightly. They should be moving out over your toes or even slightly lateral to the toes. You do not want the knees buckling inward.

Attempt to reach a bottom position where the thighs are parallel with the ground. Admittedly, you may have to work hard to achieve this position. And for very tall people or people with certain hip/femur connections, it may not be possible. Do not compromise your back in an attempt to get too low. Only go as low as you can while maintaining proper form.

At the bottom position, your back will be angled forward but the spine will be in a neutral or slightly arched position. You never want to let your upper or lower back round/slouch over. This compromises the safety and stability of your spine.

You want to maintain tightness in the legs, abs and back during the entire movement. Begin to drive upward making sure to use the glutes along with the quads to finish the motion. As you are coming out of the bottom and have passed the most difficult point, you will likely start to exhale.

Have questions? Leave a comment on YouTube.