Tag: Squats
5 Reasons Why You Should Never Squat
Reasons Why You Should Not Squat
Squats are one of the most popular and despised exercises. Squats are a compound exercise which utilizes multiple muscle groups and joints. While the benefits of squats are widely known, they aren’t for everyone.
Back Injuries
People with back injuries should avoid squatting. Squats can put a lot of tension on your lower back and can lead to an injury if performed with an improper form. Squatting with back problems is asking for trouble.
No weightlifting belt or spotter can save your back from poping if you use an incorrect form or go too heavy on the squats with a back injury. Stretching and warming up your lower back before a leg workout is always a good idea whether you have a back problem or not.
Weak Knees
For some people, squats can cause knee pain. If you feel an uncomfortable joint pain every time you squat, you should probably avoid the squat rack for the time being and consult a physician.
Joint pains can be fixed by using supplements. Supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin have been proven to bring relief from joint pains. There also have been cases where people have developed old man knees by squatting with improper form.
Unusual Physical Characteristics
Not all of us were born to squat. People with unusual physical characteristics like long legs or torso can face genuine problems while squatting. People with long legs, tight calves or ankles might have relatively poor mobility and can find it hard to squat with proper form without recruiting secondary muscles like the lower back.
Alternatives Might Be Better
The ultimate goal of performing squats is to build stronger and muscular legs. You don’t have to be fixated on squats if you can reach this goal through other exercises. Everyone’s body works a little differently and some exercises might target your quads better than old-school squats.
While the squats are complete leg builders, if you want to focus primarily on your quads exercises like extensions and lunges might target the muscles more effectively. You should focus on what works better than following the herd into the squat rack.
Machines Can Be More Efficient
Some people complain of never getting a pump while performing the barbell squats. Using machines can put constant tension on the muscles. Isolation exercises like the leg extensions and leg curls can help you get a muscle-ripping pump.
Squatting on the smith machine or performing hack squats can be a great alternative for people who find it hard to maintain a straight back on the barbell squats. Other barbell squat alternatives are dumbbell goblet and dumbbell sumo squats.
Squats can be overlooked but training legs can’t be. If any of the above-mentioned reasons ring true for you, work around these problems and try getting comfortable with squats. Working with a coach on your form can help fix your problems with the squats.
How often do you squat? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Instantly Improve Your Squats and Leg Gains with these 5 Tips
5 Tips to Improve Your Squats
Chicken legs are probably one of the most common sights to be seen in gyms around the world. It is no secret leg days are one of the most despised days in the life of a bodybuilder. But make no mistake, a pair of shredded wheels is what separates the men from the boys.
Legs are the foundation of your physique. If you want to have a strong upper body, you need to have a rock solid lower body. Leg presses and leg extensions are cute, but it’s the squats which have proven to be the most effective leg builders.
People don’t like to squat since they are hard to perform. Most of the people who do perform them, don’t do it right. In this article, we will help you fix your form so you can reap the most rewards from this exercise.
1. Don’t Bend Your Back
Most people make the mistake of bending their back while squatting. While a normal arch on the way down is okay, it shouldn’t look like you’re performing half squat and half good mornings.
You can use your nose as a pivot point. While you squat your nose should look like you’re jumping straight into a swimming pool. If it looks like you’re diving into the pool, you’re doing it wrong.
2. Keep Your Head Turned Up
Warming up your lower back and legs before a leg workout is always a good idea. If for some reason you have a stiff lower back or hamstrings, you might have a tendency to bend forward. Doing so will put pressure on your glutes and lower back and take off the stress from your quads.
Keeping your head turned up and looking towards the roof can help you in keeping your back straight. The more you keep your back straight, more will be the tension on your quads.
3. Flair Out Your Knees on the Way Down
While squatting, some people push their hips back which brings their back into the movement as they have to bend forward to complete the movement. The right way of performing a normal squat is to push your knees out and going straight down while keeping your back straight.
The right starting position for a normal squat is to have a shoulder-wide stance with your toes pointing out slightly. Imagine as if you were sitting in between your knees. Don’t push your hips back as if you were to sit on a chair.
4. Keep Your Body Tight
Like every other exercise, squatting isn’t about going through the motions. You need to maintain a mind-muscle connection with your quads throughout the movement. Keep your quads tight and squeeze the hell out of them at the top of the movement.
If you want an intense quad pump, perform this exercise with a constant momentum while keeping your body tight. Don’t pause at the top or the bottom and flex your quads at the starting position.
Breathing is another very important aspect of squatting. While you’re at the starting position, take in a deep breath. Hold your breath and keep your core tight on the way down. Breathing out on the way up will help you generate thoracic pressure.
5. Use Accessories
Using accessories in your workouts can improve the results. A weightlifting belt can help you to generate thoracic pressure and will enable you to lift more weight. Knee wraps and sleeves can provide you support on heavier lifts by giving you that extra push from the bottom of the movement.
A Barbell squat pad is another great accessory which many people diss. Greats like Tom Platz used the barbell squat pad, so you should check your ego before stepping into the squat rack the next time.
How much do you squat? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Build Huge Wheels With This Hack Squat Guide!
Don’t neglect this gem if you want even better leg development!
If Tom Platz, aka the “Quad Father,” did the hack squat then we will too… only with good form though! His leg development was untouched and people still remember his mind-blowing quads until this day.
Now, the hack squat is a very effective compound exercise and a good alternative to a leg press or squat on some training days. But, there are a few ways to do it, which makes it a viable option for building mass and strength.
Now, some gyms may not have a hack squat machine and that’s ok… we’ll show you some good alternatives. But, we’ll focus on the movement as a whole and explain how to utilize it for your aesthetic benefit…
We’re going to explain what the hack squat is, which muscles are involved, a comparison to the back squat, a how-to guide, and some killer variations…
What is The Hack Squat?
A hack squat is generally performed on a sled angled at 45 degrees. It allows you to train without relying on a lot of trunk stabilization or balance like many machines.
And, you can better squat through your heels similar to a leg press machine since you can position your feet farther up on the platform. But the hack squat is actually closer to the Smith machine in exercise execution and body placement.
Now, this variation is no more dangerous than doing a free weight back squat if you have proper form. And there are other effective variations of this exercise which we’ll discuss shortly.
Muscles Worked
The hack squat works the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and core. But, the main focus is the quads as is with the conventional barbell squat.
Now, squats, in general, are a great compound movement since they can really pack on the mass and strength. And they’ve been used for decades to build big, strong legs.
But, thankfully we have machines to mix things up and create variety while allowing us to focus more on the movement rather than trying to balance a large amount of weight.
So, the hack squat places a big emphasis on the legs period!
Hack Squat Benefits vs. Barbell Back Squat
The hack squat is very effective for leg development but is it better than the back squat? Yes and no!
But both training modalities are useful and have their pros and cons…
Hack Squat Benefits
A study showed the hack squat produces a significantly higher 1-RM than the back squat. This is because you’re in a fixed position which stabilizes the trunk, so you can focus only on the movement. (1)
Your trunk involvement is much more limited with this variation. And this is good if you want to place a large load on your quads.
Back Squat Benefits
However, overall activation of muscle in the trunk is higher in the back squat (Except in the rectus abdominis), which proves there are pros and cons to different exercise variations. (1)
Now, as long as you’re doing other free weight movements to activate the core, you should be good. What’s the point of getting big and strong with a powerful core… it doesn’t work that way.
The trunk muscles must be just as developed to ensure muscular balance.
How To Do the Hack Squat?
Here are instructions for both the machine hack squat and barbell hack suat.
Choose a reasonable weight where you can get at least 12 repetitions without going to failure.
This will ensure you maintain good form and prevent injury or discomfort.
Hack Machine Squat
Stand on the platform so your back is against the machine and your shoulders are beneath the padding.
Your feet should be wider than hip-width distance apart and closer to the top of the platform so that your knees are not above your heels.
Now, squat down slightly past parallel.
Then, push up through your heels back to a standing position.
Perform the desired number of reps.
Barbell Hack Squat
The barbell hack squat is more difficult than the machine version because free weights require stabilization and balance. And, you’re arms are positioned behind you back.
But, the barbell hack squat is actually closer to a reverse deadlift than a squat. So, the back is also engaged during the movement.
Stand in front of the barbell so you’re facing away from it.
Grip the barbell behind you wider than shoulder width apart and keep your back straight.
Now, drive upward through your heels and move your hips forward to allow the barbell to move all the way up. Squeeze your glutes during the positive portion of the exercise.
Slowly lower the barbell back down to the floor.
Perform the desired number of reps.
Important Tips:
Always keep your feet higher up on the platform so that your knees do not move forward. Not doing so could cause knee pain/injury. This foot position is also very important for people with ankle mobility issues.
Stop immediately if you feel a lot of back pressure and lighten the load. If you feel prolonged back discomfort, then do not continue.
For the barbell hack squat, thrust your hips forward to allow for proper movement execution into an upright position.
Don’t be afraid to train heavy but it’s smart to remain within your strength limits while maintaining proper form, as your spine and knees will bare a lot of the resistance load.
The barbell variation may be better for athletes concerning performance carryover into sports. But, the hack squat machine will improve strength.
Alternative Variations
Single-Leg Hack Squat
If using a machine, you can train one leg at a time which provides unilateral (Affecting one side) benefits.
This is great for bringing up a lagging leg by preventing the dominant leg from doing all of the work. And a neural event occurs which is called “cross education of muscles,” which actually activates the same muscle on the opposite limb. (2, 3)
But unilateral training is also beneficial for the injured and rehabbing individuals since less weight is used and this is better for the lower back. (4)
But, you won’t be able to use as much overall weight and that’s ok becaue you’re really isolating one side. Simply lift one leg and perform the movement nice and slow.
You’ll probably be very sore in the morning by isolating each leg.
Smith Machine Hack Squat
The setup here is the same as the machine hack squat by positioning yourself at a 45-degree angle. And don’t worry; you’re not going to fall back if you’re doing the exercise properly.
But, it’s good to place stoppers where they would catch the bar in the worst case scenario.
Here’s how you do it…
Step under the bar so your traps are beneath it as you would a normal squat.
Place your hands a little closer to your traps than you normally would.
Now, walk out so that you’re leaning back at a 45-degree angle but keep your knees slightly bent.
Squat down slightly lower than parallel as you would a machine hack squat. And make sure to keep your back straight.
Perform the exercise for the desired number of reps.
Hack Squat (Tom Platz Style)
Tom Platz’ quads were some of the best EVER! And they didn’t call him the “Quad Father” for no reason. Now yes, he did have phenomenal genetics. But wouldn’t you still take some training advice and techniques from him?
Here’s a variation he used to do but… DO NOT do this often. This is good to shock the quads but it requires your knees to pass over your heels. Use a lighter weight for these to decrease pressure on the knees.
Here’s the variation:
Position yourself on the hack squat machine but place your heels together and point your feet outward.
Elevate your heels and keep them up during the movement.
Squat down and then press up through the balls (Tiptoes) of your feet. Your knees should follow the path of your toes.
Repeat
Sample Leg Routine
It’s always good to do a few warm-up sets to build yourself up to doing heavier working sets. So, in a pyramid fashion, perform one set at about 30% of your one-rep max (1-RM), and then do one set at 50-60% of your 1RM.
Then, you can get into your heavier sets at 75-80% of your 1-RM unless you’re advanced and really want to train heavy. Also, you have to use whatever training method (Machine, barbell, Smith machine) works best for you.
Certain individuals cannot do certain movements due to mobility issues or structural limitations.
But, if you have a hack squat machine in your gym and can use it… then please do!
This workout is for those who train legs once per week. But, if you do it twice a week, then do 2 sets per exercise…
Increase the weight in small increments weekly to build mass and strength.
Hack Squat
3 sets x 12 reps (45-second rest in between sets)
Romanian Deadlift
3 sets x 10-12 reps (45-second rest)
To perform this movement, deadlift the bar from the ground and on the eccentric (Negative) phase, only bring the bar down to your mid lower leg. Perform the provided number of reps.
Dumbbell Lunges
3 sets x 10 reps (45-second rest)
While holding a dumbbell in each hand, lunge forward until your leg is at a 90-degree angle. Push back up through your heels and repeat with the other leg. Alternate both legs to complete a set.
Lying Leg Curls
3 sets x 12 reps (30-second rest)
Lie face down on the leg curl machine and curl the weight up using your hamstrings through a full range of motion. Repeat for the number of reps.
Is The Hack Squat Appropriate For Everyone?
So, here’s the thing… the hack squat is a good option for anyone who can safely and effectively perform the movement. However, since you’re locked in a fixed position on the machine, people who want to be athletic may benefit more from free weight movements overall. (5)
Now, that’s not to say you should never do the hack squat. But, it’s not a natural movement which could possibly carry over to sports activities except for the strength benefits.
If you’re a bodybuilder or someone who just trains to look good though, the hack squat is a fantastic option.
And like mentioned earlier, the free weight barbell squat activates the trunk (Core) muscles more than the hack squat.
Having a strong core is crucial for stabilization, balance, and high-level athletic performance.
Elderly and Injured/Rehabbing Individuals
People who lack mobility, stability, strength, or balance will benefit greatly from using machines. Since the hack squat will allow for a set position other than foot placement. You can train safely.
Machines control the movement of an exercise which reduces the risk of injury and can help a rehabbing individual to still train without having to utilize too many assisting muscles. (5)
Bottom Line
The hack squat, regardless of the variation used, can be a safe and effective exercise. But, just because you’re using a machine doesn’t mean proper technique should be thrown out the window.
You still must maintain a good body position and foot placement is important for preventing knee issues.
So, if your gym has a hack squat machine, then give it some use. See how it works for you and you may even want to give the barbell hack squat a try too. It’s different but variety is valuable when it comes to training for overall development.
And remember, the hack squat is not a replacement for standard lower body compound movements. But it is a viable addition to your leg routine!
References:
1- Clark, David R.; Lambert, Michael I.; Hunter, Angus M. (2019-7). “Trunk Muscle Activation in the Back and Hack Squat at the Same Relative Loads”. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 33 Suppl 1: S60–S69. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000002144. ISSN 1533-4287. PMID 28704312
2- “The Benefits of Unilateral Training”. www.acefitness.org.
3- “Should you be doing more unilateral training?”. College of Health and Human Sciences. April 30, 2019.
4- Eliassen, Wiliam; Saeterbakken, Atle Hole; van den Tillaar, Roland (2018-8). “COMPARISON OF BILATERAL AND UNILATERAL SQUAT EXERCISES ON BARBELL KINEMATICS AND MUSCLE ACTIVATION”. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. 13 (5): 871–881. ISSN 2159-2896. PMC 6159498. PMID 30276019.
5- Free Weights vs. Machines: How Should You Choose?
Build Bigger Quads with Bad Knees
Build Bigger Quads with Bad Knees
If “bad knees” is your excuse every leg day, I apologize in advance. You can’t use it as your crutch anymore. Depending on the severity of your knee pain (i.e. a legitimate injury vs. aching every time it rains), rest assured you can still train your quads and continue to see gains.
General Guidelines When Training with Knee Pain
• Refer out. Go to a doctor or other health professional to get a second opinion. An MRI would be ideal but can take weeks if not months to book. In the meantime, see a specialist. Take what they say into consideration and blend it with a smart approach to training.
• If it hurts, stop. This is your body telling you something’s off. Learn to listen to these signals.
• Train around it. There’s always something you can do. Knee pain is not an excuse to stop training. Find what works for you and do it (knee-friendly exercises are included in this article).
• Train your hamstrings and glutes. Most people overtrain their “mirror muscles” and undertrain their posterior chain. Strengthen your glutes and hammies for better knee support.
• Train your ankle mobility. How often do you walk into the gym and see people working on their ankle mobility? If this actually happened, knee pain would be far less common. The more mobile and strong your ankles are, the better your knees will feel.
Things to Avoid When Training with Knee Pain
• Plyometric exercises. High-impact plyometric exercises are a no-no (at least for now).
• Ballistic movements/sprinting. Similarly, running or other ballistic movements should be avoidedgiven the sheer pressure put on the knees. Your knees absorb about 8-12 times your bodyweight per stride when running. That’s a lot of force to be put on a joint with pre-existing pain.
• Olympic weightlifting. The Olympic lifts are often caught in a deep squat position with a high level of reflex out of the bottom of the lift. The springing motion out of the hole combined with heavy weights isn’t a great situation for your knees (at least for now).
• Forward and back lunges. Lunging forward then pushing your weight back to your starting position tends to put force on the front of the knee (particularly around the patellar tendon). That said, they aren’t evil. But they do place more sheer force around the knee when compared to reverse lunges.
• Max effort deep squats. Put your ego aside for a moment and take a break from the max effortsquats. All things considered, you can still squat onto a high box and alleviate some of the demand on your knees.
Knee-Friendly Exercises for Bigger, Stronger Quads
1. Airdyne
Yeah, cardio sucks. But the Airdyne is a great way to pump blood to your quads during your warm-up while keeping your knees in a stable position. The higher your seat, the less your knees have to bend. Find a height that works for you so you can pedal without knee pain. Do a steady 3-5 minutes before lifting. You should be sweating and feel your quads blow up when you’re done.
2. TKE (Terminal Knee Extension)
This subtle movement packs a punch provided you do it optimally.
Loop a resistance band around a squat rig or something sturdy and have the other end behind your knee. Back up until you feel the band pull your knee forward and perform the TKE by bending your knee slightly and extending it. You should be focusing on your quad/VMO as much as possible here.
Perform 15-20 reps for 2-3 sets each side at the beginning and end of your workouts.
3. Monster Walks
Glute work isn’t a common line of action when dealing with knee pain, but it should be. Stronger glutes improve hip and thigh alignment, reducing the sheer force placed on the knee.
Insert monster walks.
You can perform monster walks laterally (side to side) for glute engagement, or backwards for quad destruction.
For glute engagement, place a Hip Circle around your knees and bend them slightly with your feet pointed forward. Take small steps to the side while keeping constant tension on the band. Resist the urge to let your knees cave in by keeping your hips externally rotated and press out against the band throughout your set.Take 5-10 steps to the right then 5-10 steps to the leftfor 3-4 sets.
The second option is to place the band around your ankles and walk backwards with small micro steps, pumping blood to your quads. Take 10-20 steps backwards for 3-4 sets.
4. Box Squat
Squatting onto a box takes a lot of the pressure out of your knees while providing depth indication. The box (or bench) should be high enough so your hip crease is slightly above your knee when you sit onto it (i.e. your thigh should be higher than parallel with the floor). This will allow you to continue to squat relatively heavy provided you don’t feel any pain in the knees when doing so. That said, this isn’t an excuse to use an absurdly high box and crank out max–effort-ego-quarter squats. Find the range of motion you can perform a pain-free squat in and load it accordingly.
5. Reverse Lunge
Reverse lunges just feel better on the knees, given the relatively vertical angle of the tibia (shin). Granted, your knees have to travel past your toes for most daily and athletic activities. But as mentioned, forward/back lunges tend to put more sheer force on the knees overtime (especially if you have pre-existing knee pain). For this reason, I tend to favour reverse lunges in most of my programming.
6. Reverse Sled Drag
Attach a TRX or suspension trainer to a sled. With your arms straight, hips back, and core braced, walk backward with small micro steps. This is similar to a loaded high-rep TKE and minimizes the force placed on the knees while brutally attacking the quads.
You can perform reverse sled drags at the beginning of your workouts as part of your warm-up or at the end as your finisher.
The Workout: Putting It All Together
A1. TKE (Terminal Knee Extension): 3 sets of 15-20 each leg
A2. Lateral Monster Walks: 3 sets of 10 each direction
Rest 30-45 sec after A1 and A2 have been completed.
B. Box Squat (High Box): 3 sets of 6-10
Rest 2-3 min between sets.
C. Reverse Lunge: 3 sets of 8-12 each leg
Rest 1-2 min between sets.
D. Reverse Sled Drag: 3 sets (walk full length of turf strip and back)
Rest 1-2 min between sets.
Additional Considerations
• Always warm up beforehand. This goes without saying and should be a ritual for all of your workouts, whether or not you have knee pain.
• Ankle mobility between sets. Limited ankle mobility is usually the leading cause of knee pain. Get those reps in and work it in between sets.
• Soft tissue work for quads/IT band between sets. More often than not, rolling out your IT band will help reduce your knee pain. Include it in your warm-ups and do it between sets to maximize recovery.
• Shy away from the leg extension machine. Meatheads love the leg extension given the direct pump it provides for the quads. It’s also a big no-no when overused in conjunction with pre-existing knee pain. Stay away from it (at least for now).
Summary
Knee pain sucks but it’s not an excuse to sit on your ass. Treat it as an opportunity to strengthen your weak areas and train smarter moving forward.
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