Barbell squats are the most effective exercise for strengthening leg muscles. Due to improper performance can cause many injuries to the back and knees. This article details the execution technique, pluses and varieties of squats.
What are barbell squats
Squats - one of the basic exercises that allows you to develop strong legs. And this is not all its advantages. Without this exercise, there is no good athleticism. In addition to the buttocks and quadriceps, the muscles of the cortex, lower back and stabilizers of the shoulder girdle are involved in the execution. The accumulation of great strength and the construction of a powerful corset is impossible without the use of such an exercise.
The effect of weight on a large group of muscles causes serious stress on the body, forcing the body to adapt, releasing testosterone and growth hormone, which allows for more rapid development of muscles.
No exercise, not counting deadlift, does not involve as much energy reserves. What distinguishes an casual gym visitor from an athlete? Powerful foundation. Legs are a visiting card of an athlete. Ask a weightlifter, bodybuilder, anyone who knows firsthand the power sports, how to become strong? The answer is simple: squats with a barbell on the shoulders.
In the technical aspect, the exercise is difficult to perform, unlike isolated movements. It is rather traumatic with incorrect setting of legs, body and other nuances. To achieve maximum effect without harming the body - read the article to the end.
Myths about the dangers and futility of squats
The abundance of information often does not allow a detailed understanding of the issue, which gives rise to many myths. Visitors to gyms, particularly males, rarely include this exercise in a training program. Let's analyze the main myths and misconceptions:
- Misunderstanding. Guys do not want to load their legs, afraid of strong growth of the buttocks and lower body. But in vain. Squats with a barbell for men is the basis of stable muscle growth. The body will not grow only in the shoulder girdle. In addition, everything is interconnected. Moreover, it takes years to develop huge quadriceps. Do not be afraid of disproportionate growth, leaving the squat to the ladies.
- Injury hazard. There is an opinion that such an exercise will give the performer broken joints and hernias in the future. Do not lie to yourself. With the right technique, squatting is no more dangerous than other movements. Next, we will analyze the execution of the exercise in more detail.
- Uselessness. Many, training their legs, perform only extension, lunges and running, considering the replacement a worthy alternative. People forget that the enormous load of squats with a barbell on their shoulders makes the body secrete hormones and speeds up metabolism, which will bring more benefits than a thousand leg extensions in the simulator.
The movement is really difficult in technical terms and if not performed correctly will result in personal injury. But having studied all the intricacies of the exercise, you can get only the pros, which can not be acquired by substitutes.
When to start a squat
It is recommended to perform the exercise from the very beginning of sports. It is also indispensable for thin people with a lack of muscle mass. The use of a large number of extensor muscles, joints and stabilizers will have a better anabolic effect, in comparison with isolating exercises.
People who want to get rid of extra pounds should also pay attention to the squat. Multi-articular movement consumes a lot of energy, allowing you to burn more calories. Moreover, the acceleration of metabolism will positively affect the process of fat burning.
Varieties of basic exercises
There are 4 variations of barbell squats that allow you to work out your hips and quadriceps:
- Classic squats with the barbell on the shoulders.
- Front squat when the bar is located on the shoulders in front.
- Squats in a specialized rack.
- Squat in the GACK simulator.
The first option is the most common due to accessibility and simpler technology. You can train with this method in any gym and even at home, having a barbell and a partner who will help put and remove the bar.
The second option will allow you to work out the quadriceps in more detail, reducing the load on the lower back and hips. Performances in this style are more difficult technically. The weight of the projectile is reduced due to partial isolation.
Stand and HACK simulator are similar. They allow people with anthropometry not suitable for regular squats to train their legs. People with a long thigh and short tibia will experience additional strain on their knees. It cannot be reduced without reducing the amplitude. GACC and stance completely relieve pressure on the knee joints. The only negative is that such simulators are not always present in the gym.
The correct position of the neck on the shoulders
On how the projectile is fixed, it will depend on which area the load is shifted. The best position is the middle of the trapezoid, perhaps a little lower. It will be more convenient for tall people to squat by placing the barbell lower. Low - higher. An unacceptably high position when the bar lies on the middle bundle of deltoid muscles (shoulder). Moving closer to the neck is dangerous to health.
A high position shifts the balance to the front, which may cause a fall forward. In addition, the higher the projectile, the stronger the load on the knee joints becomes.
The correct option is the middle and low position. The pressure from the projectile is evenly distributed over the spine, hip joints and feet, excluding injuries. Not always the flexibility of the elbow joints allows low fixation. Here you need to try the most convenient option.
What amplitude will give the best result
A common question is how deep do squats? It is worth determining what goal a person pursues when performing an exercise. The main task of the squat is to pump strong quadriceps. As indirect - strengthening the hips, lower back and core muscles.
The correct bar squat technique involves lowering the pelvis to parallel to the hips with the floor, creating a 90 ° angle. And if you reduce it? The movement below involves the muscles of the hips. Many athletes lower the pelvis "to the floor", forgetting what kind of load the knees get. Moreover, with insufficient elasticity of the biceps of the thigh in the lower position, the lower back curves, creating a load on the spine. Such squats are very traumatic.
Is it worth it to additionally load the hips, creating an unnecessary load on the knee joints and spine, when there are many safe exercises? Everyone decides for himself.
How to put your feet wide
The legs are already set, the greater the load will go on the outside of the leg, creating an isolation effect for the quadriceps. With a wide location, the muscles of the inner side of the thigh are connected, so this setting is most common among the female half of visitors to gyms.
The standard setting implies a middle position. Feet shoulder width apart. Feet turned outward at a slight angle (30-45 °). Knees bend strictly in the direction of the feet. Unacceptable "falling" of the knees inward. This promises serious injury.
Optimal Squat Position
Throughout the entire movement, the back should remain straight, without the slightest deflection in the lower back. Also, the spine is almost perpendicular to the floor in almost all amplitude. Contrary to opinions, a weightlifting belt is needed only on near-critical scales. With a heavy projectile weight, a lot of pressure is created on the muscles of the cortex, which can create microtraumas and painful strains in the lumbar region. With a working scale, a belt is not needed. Its absence will create the conditions for the natural formation of a strong muscle corset.
If the hip biceps are not flexible enough, stretching will not allow you to keep your lower back straight at the lowest point of the amplitude. A bend can form a stretch in the sacral region. Therefore, you need to spend 5-10 minutes stretching before training.
How to put your heels
An ideal squat with a barbell on your shoulders includes the correct arrangement of the heels. Performing an exercise with a gap in the heel or on toes, in addition to losing balance, strikes the knee joints. Displacement of the load in the frontal part over time will erase the joints in the "dust".
Initially, it’s very difficult for many people not to tear off their heels. The fact is that the ligaments in this area are practically not involved in everyday life. To do this, beginners put small disks or other objects under the heels. In parallel, stretching is performed, and in 1-2 months a person gets rid of the lining. You can immediately buy specialized shoes - calipers. These are boots made of strong material, on a small heel, which firmly fix the ankle joint, protecting the legs from injuries.
How not to hurt your knees
In the future, the knees will get the greatest load. Therefore, the correct location and bending is an essential attribute of correct squats with a barbell. The main nuances:
- knees should not go beyond the toes;
- bend your legs with your knees pointing to the outer corner;
- do not "fall through" inside.
Going beyond the toes is a basic mistake by beginners and very dangerous. In this position, strong pressure is created on the joint. You should accustom your body to a squat by deflecting the pelvis back, and not by taking the knee out of the toe line. You need to start with small loads, gradually increasing them. Then the movement will be brought to automatism.
Proper exercise technique
Following all the instructions on points, you can easily master the technique of doing squats with a barbell:
- Place the bar holders just below shoulder level. This will help to easily remove and return the bar after the exercise.
- Sit under the bar, bending one leg, leave the other in the original position, forming a "scissors".
- The palms are 20-30 cm wider than the shoulders.
- Bending the lower back, with the help of the legs we return to the starting position.
- With feet shoulder width apart, begin a smooth downward movement.
- When the pelvis reaches the level of parallel with the floor, we extend our legs.
Please note that the head should be slightly raised. This will save you from pulling the bar forward. For many newcomers, it will immediately be difficult to understand where the line is when the amplitude is completed. To do this, under the buttocks, a bench or any other object is set to the height of the parallel. Man crouches to touch. This technique will allow you to build up a sense of the depth of doing squats with a barbell.
Squat Rack and GACK Exercise Machine
Often, a person is not able to correctly follow all technical instructions when performing an exercise. The cause may be early injuries of the spine and knees, but most often - anthropometry. For example, too long bones of the hips and short legs will not allow squatting without knees in the toes, thereby creating a traumatic situation.
For such cases, there are special racks and HACC simulators. In the first case, for squats with a bar, the bar is fixed on the power frame, excluding free weight pressure. The technique is a little different. Feet are placed not at the level of the body, but a little in front. With this movement, the load on the knee joints is completely eliminated.
HACC serves the same principle. In the simulator, you can put your legs as conveniently, thereby distributing the load. You can bring it forward, creating a special emphasis on the buttocks. GACC is also used for leg presses - one of the basic exercises for increasing strength and mass.
The only drawback is the lack of free weight. This simplifies movement, allowing the stabilizer muscles not to get involved. Therefore, the overall anabolic effect of such an exercise will be lower. But such an option would be better than complete isolation, such as leg extension in the simulator and others.
How often to train legs
The legs are the largest muscle group. The moment of supercompensation occurs after a longer time than in small muscle bundles. The optimal time for recovery is 1-1.5 weeks between heavy strength training. Between these exercises, you can give your legs a light load in jogging or in small masses to increase blood flow and nutrient intake.
No need to force events, loading the lower body several times a week. Excessive exercise will cause catabolism. It should be remembered that from squats with a barbell muscles grow, they need a good rest.
For experienced athletes, you can add to the training program for a week for two days with a squat. In this case, hard training is carried out on one day, and light on the other, when the weight does not exceed 60-70% of the performance indicators. However, for unfit muscles such exercises will be detrimental.
How many reps do squats
The number of sets and reps depends on the goal. If the main desire is to increase strength indicators, then it is enough to perform 3 working approaches, without taking into account the warm-up weights. The first approach is near-maximal. In the second approach, a weight is taken that rises a maximum of 6 times. In the third, an attempt is made to take a new weight (if there was a margin in the second) or repeat the first approach. Movement for 5-6 repetitions.
If the main goal is to build muscle, then the amount changes. It is necessary to remember which muscles of squat with a barbell train. The legs are the largest group. Muscles grow at the time of recovery after destruction. Therefore, the number of repetitions will be 10-12 times with 4 approaches.
Bottom line: to do or not to do?
The conclusion is this: squats with a barbell must be done by everyone, regardless of gender and experience. This is the best basic exercise that involves calves, quadriceps, buttocks, back, arms, core muscles and stabilizers. It has a strong anabolic effect. With the right technique, the risk of injury is minimized. Do not give up such advantages.