Long considered the gold standard of exercises in weight rooms and most athletic programs around the world, squats are one of the most beneficial movements to do, not just for shapely, toned legs, but for overall fitness as well.  Squats work the glutes, quads and hamstrings with incredible effectiveness and efficiency.  They also work stabilizing muscles such as the core and calves, especially when done with weights.  Barring injury, squats should serve as a foundational exercise in your fitness routine whether you’re doing bodyweight squats, kettlebell squats or even jumping squats. 

As with all exercise movements, squats are most beneficial when done with proper form.  Here are five tips to insure a better, stronger, more productive squat:

Knees Out – Your knees should never buckle inward at any point when performing squats.  This creates instability and, worse, can cause injury to you knees and back.  It’s important that your knees point slightly outward, especially as you prepare to drive up for the concentric portion of the movement.  To insure this, begin the movement with your feet pointed out at a slight angle.  Your whole body will align more naturally during the movement and you will also generate more power and drive from your hips as you move upward.

Look Forward – A common mistake people make when performing squats is to look up on the eccentric and concentric phase of the movement.  Some people even strain their entire head skyward.  Not only does this create greater instability in the movement, it also puts an unnecessary amount of stress on the neck by compressing the cervical spine.  Try to look straight ahead during the entire movement.

Keep Your Lower Back Arched – Maintaining an arched lower back is essential for many movements including the squat.  Most injuries to the lower back occur because the lower back stays rounded while performing squats or accidentally rounds at some point during the movement.  This rounding of the back shifts a significant amount of the weight (bodyweight or otherwise) onto the lumbar region rather than the legs.  Over time, this can lead to a sore back, a lower back spasm or, worse, a herniated disc.  A good practice is to stick your chest out like you’re a superhero when squatting.  This will allow your back to arch naturally and more effectively.  Also, before using weights, whether dumbbells, kettlebells, or a barbell, check your form in a mirror doing only bodyweight squats.  Often the lower back will round when you transition from the eccentric, downward phase of the squat to the concentric, upward phase.  Be aware of this and correct it.  Practice makes perfect.   

Drive From The Heels – Heel drive cannot be emphasized enough when squatting.  It provides a much more stable platform for your body rather than being on your toes.  It also allows you to fully engage all of your leg muscles.  If you’re doing bodyweight squats or using light weights, try doing them with bare feet or in your socks and focus on driving from your heels rather than the front of your feet.

Mobility – As with most exercises, flexibility is an important aspect for properly performing squats, not just in the quads and hamstrings, but also in the hips and ankles.  Greater mobility creates less resistance and more fluidity for the phases of the movement.  As part of your warm up, try holding a full, deep squat as a stretch for a minute or two to really allow you muscles and ligaments to loosen up before actually training.  Over time, this simple stretch (along with others) will greatly improve your range of motion in your hips, quads and ankles.

Often, injuries develop over time, not all of a sudden.  Bad form in any movement should be addressed immediately.   Not only does it allow for a safer movement, it allows for faster, more balanced muscle growth.

Best,

Zuzka

P.S. If you want to get in shape and see fast results, then sign up for the Zgym and workout with me 7 days a week.