| The Squat "The squat is my lift. I own this lift. I love this lift." The squat is the most important lift there is. It’s a TOTAL body lift, not just a leg work out like many people think. Every muscle of your body is used when doing a proper squat. If you could only pick one lift to build muscle, it should be the squat. The squat is also the most difficult lift. It requires both mental and physical stamina. Most people are able to squat a lot more than they think they can. Some people who do only ten reps and think they can not do any more, could probably really do 20 reps if they really dug down. Since this lift draws upon the strongest muscles of the body, if you are intense enough, you will be able to do more reps than ever thought, even when you feel pain. How to Squat Staying tight is the most important thing to remember. You have to control the bar and the weight and dictate what is going to happen. This is important to remember: you own the bar and you control the weight -- the weight doesn’t control you. First, put the bar in the groove in your upper back -- not too high, and not too low. While remaining under control, slowly step back. Feet should be shoulder width apart, or slightly wider. Toes should be slightly pointed out. With intensity, flex your abs and lower back. Your first decent should be from the hips. Sit into it. If you draw an imaginary line from the bar to the ground, the line should never cross your knees. The bar should always stay behind the line. Keep your head up and look up. Your back should be arched. Imagine a string with a bobber on it hanging from your butt down to the ground. The bobber should never swing or move during a squat. It should be totally motionless. If it does move, you are out of control. If it does not move throughout the lift, you are in the perfect position. Now imagine another line. This time it’s from your knee to your hip bone. This line should be parallel to the ground when you get into position. Most people don’t go low enough. If this imaginary line is not parallel to the ground before you begin to straighten your knees, then you are not low enough. Don’t be tentative. Don’t feel your way down. Go down strong and in control. Control the weight. Once you’re down, explode up out of the hole and complete the lift. You must consistently keep your entire body — every muscle of your body—in a position in which all of your muscles contribute to the one ultimate and all encompassing goal -- TO GET THE WEIGHT OUT OF THE HOLE! Tips Wear tight clothing Tight shirt, spandex pants, tight socks. This will give you feeling of tightness all over. Think that you own the bar and the weight. Sometimes I draw an up arrow on the side of the weight. This psychologically tells me that the weight is going up! How often should you squat? If you’re going heavy, squat only once a week. When you’re going lighter, a couple of times a week is O.K. To incorporate squatting into a training program, do it on a leg day when you’re doing leg extensions, leg curls, or dead lifts. This will round out the leg day nicely. Sets and Reps The best way to warm up is by doing a couple of sets of 10, 8, or 4. Then do a heavy set of 2. Follow up with a burnout or until you reach absolute failure. This usually equals about 20-25 reps. Should you wear a belt or not? • When using light weights, it’s not good to wear a belt. Going without the belt will help to strengthen your abs and your mid section, and will also help you to concentrate on your form. • However, when you go heavy, wear a belt as tight as possible. Your shoes should be tight and strong. When I really go heavy, I wear squat shoes or boots. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I believe the squat is the king of all lifts. It separates the men from the boys. Everyone asks how much can you bench. The bench is nothing. The squat is where it’s at. |
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