Squat is a push type exercise that a lot of people avoid. But it is must-have basic exercise, especially for gaining weight and muscle mass! Some would even say “train your legs if you want to get big arms!” and I almost agree with this, because you can not build unlimited mass and gain weight on the upper body only – you must build strong body in general! Remember that.
In this article I will tell you some basics about squatting and technique.
The main muscles worked in squat are quadriceps, but squat also trains glutes, hamstrings and calves, and muscles in lower back. A squat also gives a great testosterone boost! That is because almost all of the body works when you try to stand straight with a heavy bar on your shoulders. Also squats help for better posture. So who wants to gain some serious weight, be strong, well-built and self confident?! As I thought – all of us, so read further and I will explain the basics to start squatting without injuries.
The Right Squat
At the beginning we will learn how to squat with an empty barbell. Sounds funny, but it would not be funny if you failed your squat with a really heavy bar… so let us learn the basics and then move on to the Big Things. So, place your barbell little bit lower than your shoulders are so that you can easily get it out the rack holding the bar on your shoulders. So step under the bar and place the bar on the top of your shoulders (do NOT place the bar on your neck… it can end really bad…) If the bar feels really uncomfortable you can put a towel under it, but you will get used to the bar as you squat more. Another thing – stay PERFECTLY at the centre of bar… or else you will lift more weight with one leg and this will cause misbalance, and you can end up with some injuries. When you have done all of this, grab the bar with your hands – try to keep your hands about twice as shoulder width wide. If you will hold the hand too close it will add extra stress to your shoulders. As you squat keep your feet flat on the ground, if you will struggle, you can fall down with the bar on your shoulders – that is really OUCH! Keep this all in mind and keep your back straight when you squat, look forward, not on the ground – this will also help you to keep your back straight which is very important. If you will keep all these things in head, your squat should be flawless and weight gain a lot more impressive.