Exercise Essentials, Part 1: Squat
The squat would have to be one of the most famous exercises in all of weight training excercises out there. It is probably considered the king of all exercises howerver it would also have to be one of the most misunderstood and underutilized exercises. Â If you want to build large amounts of muscle mass then the squat is the perfect exercise.Everyone should be including some kind of squat variation in their programming,
What is a squat?
The squat techique is rather simple , we do it all the time when we sit down.. Â There are many different variations of the squat technique , but really the squat is rather simple.
Why squat?
The squat the king of all exercises, it's a great lower body muscle builder in existence, many consider it a quadriceps dominant exercise, however the squat doesn't stop there , it hits every major muscle group in the lower body including the quadriceps (front thigh), glutes (butt), hamstrings (back thigh), gastrocnemius and soleus (both calf muscles), as well as many stabilizing muscles.  As well as also hitting the lower back, abdominals, and many upper body stabilizers, depending on the method of loading
So that explains why many consider The squat the king of all exercises . Â Because the squat recruits so many muscle groups, making it a great exercise for fat loss programs. Another plus for Squats is that they make some fantastic looking legs…
Types Of Squats
There are so many squat variations out there, I would be crazy if I said I could list them all. Â Here is a list of several of the more common and useful varieties.
There is a myth ciruculating around gyms that Squats are dangerous. Like any exercise squats are perfectly safe as long you perform them correctly and use the right form and technique.
Performing a squat correctly
While the techniques for each squat a little different , there is a few core things that are important to to remember about form.
 Below is his squat demonstration video
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDa34zWwMgA]Squat Technique - YouTube[/ame]
Summary
points on squats
The squat would have to be one of the most famous exercises in all of weight training excercises out there. It is probably considered the king of all exercises howerver it would also have to be one of the most misunderstood and underutilized exercises. Â If you want to build large amounts of muscle mass then the squat is the perfect exercise.Everyone should be including some kind of squat variation in their programming,
What is a squat?
The squat techique is rather simple , we do it all the time when we sit down.. Â There are many different variations of the squat technique , but really the squat is rather simple.
Why squat?
The squat the king of all exercises, it's a great lower body muscle builder in existence, many consider it a quadriceps dominant exercise, however the squat doesn't stop there , it hits every major muscle group in the lower body including the quadriceps (front thigh), glutes (butt), hamstrings (back thigh), gastrocnemius and soleus (both calf muscles), as well as many stabilizing muscles.  As well as also hitting the lower back, abdominals, and many upper body stabilizers, depending on the method of loading
So that explains why many consider The squat the king of all exercises . Â Because the squat recruits so many muscle groups, making it a great exercise for fat loss programs. Another plus for Squats is that they make some fantastic looking legs…
Types Of Squats
There are so many squat variations out there, I would be crazy if I said I could list them all. Â Here is a list of several of the more common and useful varieties.
- Back Squat: Hold bar on the back of your neck or your upper back.
- Front Squat: Hold the bar along the clavicles.
- Sissy Squat: Dumbbell held behind legs while the heels are lifted off the ground. Then, lean back while keeping the torso area straight.
- Jump Squat: Jump off the floor when going back up from the squat.
- Overhead Squat: Hold bar overhead with a wide arm grip.
- Zercher Squat: Hold bar on the inside of your elbows.
- Box Squat: Sit on something, like a bench, at the bottom of the squat.
- Hack Squat: Barbell is held just behind the legs.
- Single-leg Squat: Raise one leg up while squating.
There is a myth ciruculating around gyms that Squats are dangerous. Like any exercise squats are perfectly safe as long you perform them correctly and use the right form and technique.
Performing a squat correctly
While the techniques for each squat a little different , there is a few core things that are important to to remember about form.
- Push through your heels - Your weight should always been on your heels, not the balls of your feet. Â Keep your feet planted, push through your heel and don't come up on your toes.
- Keep your back neutral – Make sure that your lower back doesn't round forward. Â If it does, decrease the load or the depth (again). Â
- Don’t look up – Keep you head aligned with the angle of your spine.
 Below is his squat demonstration video
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDa34zWwMgA]Squat Technique - YouTube[/ame]
Summary
points on squats
- The squat is the king of all exercises it's considered the best overall lower-body muscle builder.
- You should be doing at least one form of squat in your training program,
- Always use correct form and technique