Barbell Squats
What's the king of all exercises? Many experts believe that barbell squats is still the best exercise you can do at the gym! You seem to get more bang for your buck when you perform barbell squats, compared to other exercises. You can burn more fat, build more muscle, and boost your metabolism, by performing barbell back squats. Keep reading to learn more about all the benefits of barbell squats.
Squat Technique
It all starts with proper technique. This monster movement can cause injuries if NOT done correctly. You should always perform squats with a neutral spine. Never round your back. An easy trick to remember is “butt out, chest out.” This will keep your spine in line correctly. In the image below, you can see how the athlete has kept a neutral spine through out the movement.
Regardless of the width of your stance, your toes should always follow your knees. In other words, if you have a narrow stance, then your toes should point forward. If you start with a wider stance, then your toes should flare out. Improper form can put an extraordinary amount of stress on your knee ligaments.
Stance Width
Speaking of width, do you know how wide you should start? You should always start with whatever is most comfortable for you. The most important thing is that you keep a neutral spine and you take care of your knees. I personally like shoulder width for my clients and more myself.
However, Sogabe et al. (2010) concluded that a stance of about 150% of shoulder width produces more power than a narrow stance. But don't go too wide. A stance of 200% shoulder width did not produce as much power. Therefore, start at shoulder width and move out if it’s comfortable. And if your goal is power production, you should definitely experiment with a wider stance.
If you like exercise science and/or sports nutrition, you may like our classes. Click the image below for more info on all of our classes.
Squat Depth
How low should you go? You should always squat to a comfortable depth. The most important thing is safety. But if you can go low, then the lower the better. A deep squat is what is recommended for the most gluteus maximus activation. Caterisano et al. (2002) tested three different squat depths for activation of the gluteus maximus among other muscles. The data suggest that the lower you go, the more the gluteus maximus will contribute to the total concentric forces of the movement. Start off with partial squats, and as you warm up, increase the depth of your squats.
If you can't go that low, don't worry, can may be able to go lower in the future. If you have squatting and you add stretching to your routine, you muscle will be able to squat at a deeper level. Therefore, don't forget to stretch your legs and the rest of your muscles after each workout. There are many benefits to stretching. Click this link to read more on the Benefits of Stretching.
And, if you need help with an exercise plan, a nutrition plan, or some stretches, click on the image below to contact a certified personal trainer.
Quadriceps
Squats vs. Leg Extensions? I see many gym members run for the leg extension machine thinking it’s the best exercise for the quads. But, is the leg extension machine better than barbell squats? Signorile et al. (1994) compared the EMG activity of the quadriceps muscle while the subjects performed barbell squats and knee extensions. The data showed that there was more electrical activity in the quadriceps muscle during the barbell squat exercise, than the leg extension exercise.
The leg extension exercise may be good for quads if you have time, but, if you only have time for 1 quad exercise, the science would say choosing barbell squats is your best bet! Another great exercise for quads is front squats. Click this link to read more about Front Squats.
Core Muscles
Your core muscles during squats is very intriguing. Not only is the barbell back squat the king of leg exercises, but it may be possible that barbell back squat is also the king of your core! If you think planks are great ab exercises, then you’re really not going to believe this! Van den Tillaar et al. (2018) compared core activation between a plank to failure versus a 6RM barbell back squat. It turns out that the rectus abdominis and obliques were equally activated in both exercises; but, the erector spinae muscle was more active in the barbell back squat. Therefore, athletes may be better off spending more time squatting and less time planking, to increase strength and power in their legs and their core.
A strong core and six pack abs are two different topics. But, if your goal is six pack abs, then we have some tips and tricks. Click the image below for more info on achieving your six pack abs.
Burning Fat
As we all know, the best movements for burning calories and losing weight are total body movements. Therefore, nothing packs a punch like the good ole barbell back squat. If your goal is to lose weight, then you need to include as many total body movements as possible. The barbell back squat targets many muscles, plus burns many calories, which will lead to eventual fat loss. Squats will not be as good as running for total caloric expenditure, but if you can include squats in your routine, you will get the benefits of strength training and cardio exercise in one punch!
Want more weight loss tips? Click the image below to read our best tips on losing weight.
Knowledge is Power
And if you want more tips on exercise and nutrition, add your email below. You'll receive weekly tips directly to your inbox. Plus, you'll also receive the occasional coupon code for our classes.
Summary
There are many great benefits to adding squats to your workouts. But, not everyone can perform a squat right now. Some of us have a bad back, bad knees, or other ailments preventing us from doing squats. But getting back to squats is a great goal. Start with partial squats and some stretching to your routine, and soon performing squats won't be an issue. Eventually, you’ll be back to squatting heavier weights like a champ!
In the meantime, working out legs is important. The leg press machine is a good starting point. Click this link to read more on the Leg Press. Happy health and happy training!!
Written By
RAEscobar, PFTA instructor and personal trainer
Sources:
Caterisano, Anthony, et al. “The Effect of Back Squat Depth on the EMG Activity of 4 Superficial Hip and Thigh Muscles.” Journal Of Strength And Conditioning Research, vol. 16, no. 3, Aug. 2002, pp. 428–432.
Signorile Joseph F.; Weber, Brad; Roll, Brad; Caruso, John F.; Lowensteyn, Ilka; Perry, Arlette C. “An Electromyographical Comparison of the Squat and Knee Extension Exercises.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: vol. 8, no. 3, Aug. 1994, pp. 178-183.
Sogabe, Akitoshi, et al. “Influence Of Stance Width On Power Production During The Barbell Squat.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (Lippincott Williams and Wilkins), vol. 24, Jan. 2010, p. 1.
van den Tillaar, Roland, and Atle Hole Saeterbakken. “Comparison of Core Muscle Activation between a Prone Bridge and 6-RM Back Squats.” Journal Of Human Kinetics, vol. 62, June 2018, pp. 43–53.