I have said many times over, the best lower body exercises for overall strength and tone are squats, leg presses and lunges. I have discussed how various foot placement and how pushing through the heals vs. through the balls of the feet will target different areas of the lower body. Today I will give a few pointers to not only make doing squats more effective but help to minimize injury as well. While squats are in my opinion the king of lower body exercises, they can also come with a high injury risk if performed improperly. Below are a few tips to maximize benefits while minimizing risks.
Save Your Neck
When doing squats, rest the bar so that as much of it as possible is touching your shoulders and upper trapezius area. Resting the bar on the upper back and neck compresses the spine, and causes you to round your back as you squat. This can lead to spinal and shoulder injuries while placing undue stress on the erector spinae (lower back) muscles.
Lose the Weight Belt
I find it hard to believe that people other than powerlifters still use weight belts! The days of the old school neanderthal muscle head have all but died away in the 80s and 90s. I still see some old school guys wearing belts for every lift... I think it's more to hold their bellies in! Training with a weight belt overtime will actually weaken your abdominal muscles. They create intra -abdominal pressure designed to protect and stabilize the lower back muscles. They should only be used when attempting maximal lifts in exercises such as squats, deadlifts and overhead presses.
Sit Back... Lift More
When squatting, sit your butt back as if you are sitting in a chair. I recommend using a bench when first squatting to learn the proper range of motion and form. By sitting back you allow your hips and gluteal muscles to bear much of the load. This will allow you to use more weight and get better results. Use light weight and gradually build up as you get proper form and range of motion. Keep Your Head Up! Where your head goes, the body will follow! Have you ever been driving and looking out the passenger window only to find yourself veering out of your lane? Keep your head up when squatting. I tell people to look where the wall and ceiling meet. This will help keep your back straight. Look down and you will round your lower back risking injury.
Keep The Hips Loose
Keep your heels on the floor when you squat. If you can't, your hips flexors are too tight. I've seen people place a piece of 2X4 or a weight plate under their heels. This is ok if you want to focus on your quadriceps when squatting. However, if you are doing it because you can't keep your heels flat when squatting, try this stretch: Hold the sides of a squat rack or bench press and lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the ground while driving your heels into the floor. Hold for 30-60 seconds. Repeat this stretch and over time you should increase your range of motion. This is also a great warm up for squats and leg presses.
* Feel free to contact myself or other Certified Personal Trainer for proper instruction on how to perform a squat.
** Always check with your physician before beginning any exercise program to ensure you have no limitations and/or restrictions.