A good practice of squats optimizes their effects on the body. Discover some recommendations for doing them correctly.
Have you ever wondered how to do perfect squats? In all its modalities, this exercise is generally one of the most used in the FITT method. It refers to the frequency, intensity, time, and type of routines you must practice for any physical training program.
To be more specific, it’s an activity that engages large muscle groups like the glutes, quadriceps, and almost every leg muscle. In addition, it accelerates metabolism and achieves a more significant caloric expenditure. In all cases, the technique and modality substantially impact the results.
5 tips for doing perfect squats
How often you should practice squats depends on your training schedule and the goal you want to achieve. It is worth putting the following tips into practice to do it in the best way.
Avoid rounding your back.
Moving your shoulders forward is expected when you squat, which rounds your back. You need to keep your back straight and well-aligned to avoid this failure.
That is, shoulders back and down, head forward, and correct breathing. This data will help you maintain the correct posture.
The weight should be on the heels.
If you perform squats without carrying extra weight, this mistake can happen because the movement’s lightness forces you to rest on the balls of your feet. One tactic you can use is to imagine yourself pushing off the ground with your heels to avoid shifting your weight forward.
Your ideal body depth
If you can maintain the correct posture, try to get as low as possible. You know your body’s limits, and you will learn how, little by little, these limitations are reduced by strengthening the body’s resistance.
The depth of this activity should be supported by the range of motion in your ankles and hips. It also depends on whether the posterior chain musculature is shortened. Anatomically, there may be conditions that limit depth. Consider these aspects and work on them.
Good starting posture
People always talk about the importance of spreading your legs wider than your hips. As each body is different, there is no standard measurement for it, so you must find the one that suits you best.
You can use a technique to identify your ideal width. This consists of placing yourself on all fours on the ground to adjust the measurement.
In this position, the next thing to do is start performing a pullback to see how far you go until you touch your ankles with your glutes. This is conditioned on your back remaining straight and reaching the maximum limit of your hip.
You should join or separate the knees from each other to find the most exact measurement. When you do, you stand up on that point because you are ready.
Take advantage of the breath
Breathing helps you to facilitate the exercise correctly. It even allows you to move more weight. Before you begin the squat, as you stand up, take a deep breath and hold your breath as you lower yourself. As you come back up, gently release your breath.
Benefits of following the tips for doing perfect squats
With this exercise, you work many muscle groups that are very strong and important. This movement practices the flexion and extension of the major joints of the lower limb, such as the hips, knees, and ankles.
Squats will allow you to lift more weight and gain much lower-body strength. It is a simple exercise, which in its basic formula does not require any equipment and which you can do anywhere.
Like other forms of physical activity, it also promotes better health for your body. That is, it reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and overweight.
Recommendations to make your squats more dynamic
The tips for doing the perfect squats apply to any form of exercise. Therefore, if you are bored of performing the move the same way, here we are sharing other ways to do them. The goal is for you to perfect the normal movement and then practice these variations.
- Back squats. You grab the bar above your shoulders and behind your head, holding it as you lower yourself.
- Front squats. Front squats. They are executed with the same barbell, by the advancement of your head, between the shoulders and the collarbone.
- Also, you have goblet squats. You practice them with a kettlebell, which you hold with both hands, pressing it against your chest to start descending.
- Standard squats. The feet are spread beyond the width of the shoulders, the soles of the feet facing outwards.
- Bulgarian squats. You do them with one foot. Simultaneously, the other foot is supported from behind on a bench or chair.
Squats, an essential exercise in the training routine
Practicing the different squat modalities has a very positive impact on the training routine. A European Journal of Applied Physiology study concludes that it‘s one of the most effective exercises for building lower limb muscles.
