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Maximize Your Squat
"Who Else Wants To Learn The Strength Training Secrets Of How to Build Super Strength in Record Time?"
If you have been spending your training time on standard bodybuilding style exercise - congratulations you have developed half the muscle tissue in your body. But if you want to take your body to the next level of power and development, you have to deliberately go after it with a specific mix of training.
Unless you build in power and strength training with specific exercises, you will never reach your full potential for power, strength, and yes, SIZE.
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How To Maximize Your Squat
by Magnus
The squat is arguably the king of all exercises. It is one of the best lower body exercise - an exercise that can make a professional bodybuilder cry when trying to grind out the last few reps. The squat works your gluteus maximus, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and the abdominus rectus. It also helps to build overall muscle mass while burning fat. It is also known to stimulate the production of testosterone and growth hormone. Arnold Schwarzenegger once said in his blueprint training program that "Squats arer the most important exercise to create thighs, big thighs". The movement is simple - just unrack the bar, place it on your upper back, take a few steps backward and place your feet shoulder-width apart, then take a deep breath, lower yourself down and repeat.
MAXIMIZING YOUR SQUAT
I observed that when lifters ask some trainers on how they can maximize their squat, they just tell them to squat more and often. Some will even tell them to perform assistance exercises like lunges, good mornings, and deadlift. Yes, they are right! The more you squat, the more you know how to squat but you can't maximize your squat if you don't perform squat with proper form. The truth is that you will just get better at squatting with improper form. Improper squat form can lead to lower back and knees injuries.
The only way you can maximize your squat is to perform with proper technique, you should be able to perform 30 reps of body weight squats with proper form before you even walk to the bar. One of the mistakes people make is raising their heels during the movement. Most people think raising their heels when squatting will activate their calves. Raising the heels can make you jerk forward, slip and fall.
In this article, I will break down how to squat with proper form and how you can increase your squat.
1. Unrack the the bar and place it on your upper back. Do not make the mistake of placing the bar on your neck. This is one of the mistakes most guys make in the gym. Squatting with the bar on your neck will make you round your back which can result into injury. This can keep you out of the gym for weeks.
2. Stand with your feet a little bit wider than shoulder-width apart. Breath in, Push your chest out, keep your back in a neutral position and lower yourself in a controlled manner. Rounding your back can place unnecessary stress on your lower back which can cause injury.
3. Lower yourself down. The eccentric part is very important, bend your knees and lower yourself down in a controlled manner until your butt is lower than your knees (going too low will place more emphasis on your glutes and hamstrings), then push yourself up with your heels. This may be difficult to achieve if you are lacking flexibility on your lower back and hips. Your back should be in a neutral position when going up. Always flex your glutes at the top. Breath out when you get to the top. Your heels should be on the ground throughout the movement, also ensure that you push your knees outward when going down.
Beginners should start with light weights and also make sure that you squat with a spotter. You should stop the exercise immediately if you experience pain in your lower back and knees.
Here are some tips on how you can maximize your squat:
WARM UP
Always start your workout with a warm-up. Warming up prevents injury. A proper warm up prepares the muscles for the heavy weight by elevating the heart beat, It also increases the supply of blood and nutrients to the muscles.
I usually start my warm up with body-weight squats. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, place your hands on the back of your head, chest up, keep your back straight (neutral position), then lower yourself down and repeat, perform a set of 20 reps. You can perform squat with an empty bar, barbell row, and just anything to help warm up the lower back and knees before you get under a heavy bar.
LIFT HEAVY / INCREASE YOUR REPS
Many people are often confused when they are told to lift heavy. A weight is considered to be heavy if you can only lift it for 1-6 reps. One of the ways you can maximize your squat is to increase your strength. This is one of the reasons why powerlifters are stronger and can lift more weight than bodybuilders. Heavy weight and low reps is known to build the type 2 muscle fibres (fast twitch). Another way you can maximize your squat is to increase your reps. High reps between 8-12 reps is known to increase muscle size. Make sure that you increase the weight, reps or perform extra sets every workout. Your body won't grow if you don't give it reasons to grow.
SQUAT TWICE A WEEK
Many people will call this overtraining but - you go hard or you go home. I discovered that my squats increased and I even added some inches to my wheels when I switched from squatting once in a week to twice. I usually perform squat on Thursday and Saturday. I train heavy on Thursday - 3 sets of 5 reps and light on Saturday 3sets of 8-12 reps.
USE A WEIGHT LIFTING BELT
Always use a weight lifting belt during heavy lifts. A weightlifting belt will not only prevent you from breaking your back during heavy lifting, It also help you to maintain proper form. I usually use them especially during heavy lifts.
WEAR THE RIGHT SHOES
Proper shoes can reduce injury risk and prevent slipping. It can also increase stability. I love squatting with flat sole shoes, I will recommend Chuck Taylors or Olympic shoes. Olympic shoes allows you to go deeper when squatting.