Time and time again I see it down the gym. I'll be in the middle of my intensive routine that I consistently do three times a week, I'll finish off one of my exercises and I'll make my way over to the squat rack only to be greeted by a bicep boy who's clearly not got a clue what he's doing or why he's doing it. It annoys me so much, mainly because it's like looking in the mirror and seeing myself 7 or 8 years ago. I remember how much time and effort I wasted down the gym for little to no results. I think to myself "If only I could teach that kid to squat, dead and bench properly, he'd be well on his way to achieving a better physique". Let this be a lesson to you, don't be another bicep boy victim. Apart from the fact that they are all tiny because they haven't been training correctly - they are also the butt of all the jokes!
In this article I'm going to quickly describe the correct technique for squatting correctly so that when the bicep boys have finished, you can give your legs the workout that they deserve.
How to squat
1. Mount the bar on the squat rack just below should height. The bar should be just below should height because the perfect place for the bar is just below the hard bit on your spine. Generally speaking you'll find that powerlifters adopt a lower bar than conventional bodybuilders but it is also largely to do with biomechanics.
2. Walk up to the bar, put yourself in a position to take the bar off the rack. When you lift the bar off the rack, do so like you mean it!! Don't slowly lift the bar off, push it off with force - it's a mental thing; I don't know why but when you lift the bar off quickly it just feels lighter!
3. Walk out backwards steadily. ONE step is fine - you don't need to go for a walk around the gym.
4. Feet should be slightly wider than your shoulders with your feet flared at an angle of between 20 and 45 degrees. This angling allows you to get deep in the squat and is an especially useful technique if you're not very flexible!
5. Start the descent by pushing your bum as far out behind you and sitting down like you would on a toilet. Make sure your knees follow the lines of your feet (flared).
6. At the bottom of the squat the top of the quads should be below parallel and you should remain tight in your hamstrings. DON't loose this tension - if you do, you'll have a hard time getting it back up. Don't bounce off the floor, make a smooth powerful transition.
7. As you lift the bar back up, DON'T lift your chest up!! The chest must stay down. Keep the tensions in the hamstrings and drive the bar up keeping a tight, strong back.
8. Return to starting position.
It's probably true that describing the squat in an article isn't the best for of medium, however sometimes it can be useful to have written instructions to take to the gym and remind you what you should be doing. For a more visual lesson, use YouTube to find any video by Mark Rippetoe - this guy is one of the best power and strength coaches in the world. Watch one of the videos of him coaching the squat and you'll have a great idea of what you should be doing.
Shut up, squat and see you at the gym!
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