“The Squat”

The squat is considered the king of all strength training exercises. It is a fundamental and highly functional movement. We literally squat hundreds of times a week. Sitting, standing, climbing stairs, getting in and out of vehicles, lifting objects, etc. are all variations of a squat. This multi- joint movement recruits the quadriceps, gluteal and hamstring muscle groups. The primary muscles used are the quadriceps, secondary are the glutes, and the hamstrings act as stabilizers. This exercise is key for all sports and general fitness goals alike.

You should keep a strong core or midsection throughout the entire movement. The deeper the squat, the more muscle recruited. As you become more skilled with the squat technique and flexibility increases, you will want to increase the range of motion to make the exercise more intense. Your goals should always be full range of motion and proper technique first. Don’t worry about adding weight until you have a perfect body weight squat.

To perform a squat safely and effectively, first and foremost you must warm up and stretch the major muscles involved in this exercise. It is also a great idea to mobilize the hip joint and surrounding muscles. You can mimic the exercise in a fluid or dynamic motion as to prepare the muscles, ligaments and tendons for intensive work load and reps.

The proper body mechanics must be followed to avoid injury and not develop bad habits in training. There are some key points to keep in mind and fundamental guidelines that should always be considered.

1. Head stays up in a neutral position. Avoid looking down which will cause the shoulders to round. Avoid looking up at the ceiling as it will put strain on the spine. Look just above head level.

2. Posture is everything. Keep your shoulders back and your chest up and out. Engage the lower back and maintain a lumbar curve through the entire movement. The lumbar curve or “the arch” will keep the back upright and safe during the squat.

3. Sit down and back as if your hips were on a slide. The depth of the squat will depend on the experience, technique, limitations and flexibility of the trainee.

4. You can keep your toes straight or turn the toes out slightly. What is most important is to keep the knees in line with the toes. The knees must track over the toes. The knees should never push forward over the toes.

5. When you hit the bottom of your squat engage your quads, glutes and hamstrings. Drive up and out of your squat pushing off your heels with a strong, direct and fluid movement. Always remember to breathe out or exhale through the extension and exertion phase of the exercise. Look to achieve strong and full hip extension at the top of the movement. Avoid locking or hyper extending the knees.

Brian McDonough CPT
FITT101