Toolbox Aid

May 23rd, 2023 3:57 PM Mr. Q Categories: Barbell

Type:

Equipment:

The barbell squat is a compound exercise that primarily targets the muscles of the lower body, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. It is a fundamental movement that helps develop leg strength, power, and overall lower body stability.

Possible Stretches to do prior to exercise:

• Standing quad stretches
• Hamstring stretches

Warmups to do prior to exercise:

• Perform light cardio exercises like jogging or jumping jacks to increase blood flow and warm up the body.
• Do some dynamic stretches for the lower body, such as leg swings or walking lunges.

How to select the proper weight: Choose a weight that challenges your leg muscles while allowing you to maintain proper form and control throughout the exercise. Start with a lighter weight if you’re new to the exercise and gradually increase the weight as you become more comfortable and stronger. It’s important to maintain good form and avoid excessive strain on your knees and lower back.

Proper form:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward. The barbell should be resting on your upper back and shoulders.
2. Engage your core and brace your abs. Keep your chest up and shoulders back.
3. Lower your body down by bending at the hips and knees, as if you’re sitting back into a chair. Keep your weight on your heels and your knees tracking over your toes.
4. Continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground or slightly below, ensuring that your knees don’t cave inward.
5. Pause for a moment in the bottom position, then push through your heels to extend your hips and knees, returning to the starting position.
6. Repeat the movement for the prescribed number of reps.

How to reduce the difficulty: To make the exercise easier, you can:

• Use a lighter weight or no weight at all, focusing on mastering the movement and maintaining proper form.
• Perform the squat with a stability ball against a wall to provide assistance and support.

How to increase difficulty: To make the exercise more challenging, you can:

• Increase the weight you’re using, gradually adding more weight plates to the barbell.
• Perform the squat with a wider stance or with your feet elevated on a platform to increase the range of motion and difficulty.
• Perform pause squats, where you pause at the bottom position for a few seconds before coming back up.

Reps:

• Beginner: 8-12 reps
• Intermediate: 12-15 reps
• Advanced: 15-20 reps

Estimated time for exercise: 10-15 minutes