Barbell Squat

[BlackBinLaden7]

thankyou my man excellent form imma start it now with light weight to get that form down to a science

[Alive4Metal]

Man now that's what I call a proper squat. keeping the weight evenly distributed both your heels is a big one many people don't seem to get. everyone i teach how to squat i advice them to make sure their vastus medialis keeps in line with their toes, in other words, don'tlet your legs move from side to side, keep them static and only bend at the hips and knees.

[KRASIMIRpro]

what you you are a flatfooted person like me that cant put there feet on the ground and when they do put then the loose balance and end up injuring themselves is smith machine squat an option

[GoldenoSkyo]

what's the difference between this and the morning exercise ?

[crapbag2008]

this hurts like hell on my spine because i have a very bony back, is there any kind of pads you can get to make this softer on your spine?

[jasoncscs]

yup. There are tons of them. Sometimes lifters just use a towel. Some ifters will tell you that using a pad is bad form and that if it hurts you need more muscles in your shoulders...

[Ralphioli]

@crapbag2008 what you need to do is look for mark rippetoe videos, he know his shit when it comes to squats. any problems that you have, rip knows how to solve them.

[Alive4Metal]

@crapbag2008 better yet, work on those traps, fix the problem permanently instead of just using a band aid approach, do some deadlifts and shurgs and you'll see your upper back grow in no time

[roberto347]

I think ur missing out a vital point in ur instructions! As a pro bodybuilder, I would suggest showing feet positioning, and the areas of seating degrees!

[VonZipa]

do these help with your vertical leap? or do you need something more explosive?

[stevejohnnash21]

well im actulyl working on my vertical leap and squating help you legs and your back also do arobic like go on the bicycle works you calves main mustles to work on is calfs quadracepts

[TheElwall]

You should alo use a belt as it is easy to get back injury from doing these if u do them wrong!!!

[jasoncscs]

The fundamental problem with a belt is that it deconditions the core musculature thus decreasing your total body strength and increasing your reliance on an external structure for strength. If you spend the time to learn how to squat correctly you will develop a far more powerful body than if you start with a belt. Basically the only people who should be squatting with a belt are Power Lifters in competition.

[TheElwall]

I know what ure saying, the only way to do these though it with perfect form!! with most exercises you wont get injury if you are a bit off form!! with squats the tinyest mistake could create severe problems. I know a belt will not help u gain strength very quickly though!! I am just trying to say that people need to be careful and get somebody to be with them the first time they perform the squats to make sure they learn how to perform them correctly.

[jasoncscs]

It isn't that serious. Barring any sort of injury or grevious misalignment the body can handle even poor form. UNLESS you are trying to lift a weight at the end ranges of your ability i.e <3 reps in which case you had better have good form. IN fact I would make good form a requirement for using a weight belt.

[rh142000]

This was a very good squat video; lot of misinformation out there, people this is how you should be doing it.

[oatscrew]

I have great deal of difficulty keeping my heels on the ground when squating. in order to keep my back straight my heels must come off the ground or i use plates under me heels. I am a surfer and my range of motion is not very desirable. Can anyone suggest how I can overcome this

[jasoncscs]

Look for my video on how to fix knee pain. That roller will also work on the calves which might help a little bit. I too used to use a heel lift (slat of wood actually) but over time I stretched simply by squatting as far as I could in the correct form. Eventually my body adjusted.

[yamanmustafa]

No it is not. Watch top squatters - Jeff Lewis, Andy Bolton, Wade Hooper, Aleksandr Kutcher.....

When your legs are over 14inches and you don't have to use a pad for squatting 135lbs, then tell people how to squat.

[jasoncscs]

Sorry again. You are a strange one, not really looking at all, for instance: There is no pad on the bar and those are 35's so the weight is actuallly 115lbs which is obviously for demonstration purposes (because I'm teaching not competing) And for the record my legs are 21 inches.

[yamanmustafa]

Yes, you don't want to be lifting weights you can handle for 3 reps max for demonstration, but by sitting back (when the knees don't travel) you're placing less stress on the ligaments and tendons. Also, placing the bar lower on your back makes it FAR less painful. Doesn't it make sense that most people who want to lift for strength will follow my example (a powerlifting squat). Once people start to move big weights and follow your style, then they're more prone to injury. 21" - woooow

[jasoncscs]

AGAIN. Simply not true. The movement through the knees (dorsiflexion through the ankle) allows for a more even distribution of weight throughout the kinetic chain. The powerlifting style (low bar position, increased joint angle at the knee, wraps and belt) is suitable, preferable for powerlifting training and competition and YES will place less stress on the knees BUT places more stress on the lower back due to the decreased angle of the trunk in flexion.

[jasoncscs]

Your argument is actually quite valid for another portion of this thread namely that squatting is primarily a glute activity, which is demonstrated well in your squat video. Bottom line: If you are planning on competing in powerlifting you had better learn a low bar squat with limited knee flexion. Otherwise when strength training for personal development, size or body building you will develop your squat better and faster with an equal amount of movement through the ankles, knees, and hips.

[jasoncscs]

PS no need to be snide, this is a good argument, I am small, 145lb on a heavy day, and was not boasting about 21" thighs. Just being truthful.

[crezzyman]

Just measured...I have 28" thighs. Mostly fat though. :)

I'm a pretty wimpy squatter according to most people. I only do 400 lbs. for a workout, and I go down to a bench instead of trying to go parallel to the floor. I also use a smith machine....

All the coaches/gym teachers around here are telling me that I need to go until my calves and thighs are at a 90* angle, but you do it until your legs are parallel to the floor. When I try to do parallel to floor free weight squats (continued)

[crezzyman]

(continued) I feel like I'm going to fall over backwards. I also lift my heels. Will going to a bench still provide a good workout? I'm not looking to compete or anything, just to build some muscle. When I go to a bench, I don't lift my heels, I only lift my heels when I get almost to parallel and lower. Let me know what you think....

[jasoncscs]

Any trainer out there wil tell you the same thing: you can't count 400 on a smith machine and if you can't go "Ass to Grass" then you are not getting deep enough. I would try to rebuild your weight with the proper motor pattern, working on flexibility so that your heels stay stuck, and listen everybody feels like they are going to fall over backwards at first. That is normal.

[crezzyman]

At where I work out, no one can spot me, as no one knows how to spot, and no one is strong enough to spot me. We have no safety mechanisms in place for free weight squatting either. If you fall, the weight falls with you, and probably on you.

My school counts squat records on a smith machine, not free weight for this reason. It's pretty unsafe to try to do your one rep max that you don't know if you can do or not by yourself with nothing to safe you if you fail.

[crezzyman]

Also, I believe a study has been done that your smith machine squat weight is 4% more than what your free weight squat would be. So lets see, I can "really" squat 386 pounds for a workout. Damn. That's terrible. If I had the *safe* option of free weight squatting, I most definitely would. But as I don't, I'm stuck on a Smith Machine. I once failed an attempted squat, and the only thing that saved me were the safety stops on the Smith Machine. My spotter just stood there like a dumbass.

[jasoncscs]

True that, but you don't even have a squat cage with safety bars? That is a bummer. Still, it's not a good reason to not practice a free weight squat to develop the correct technique. There might very well come a time when you DO have access to saftey bars or spotters and you will need excellent form then so you might as well practice for that day.

[jasoncscs]

Your squat to a bench is usually referred to as a box squat 'cause it eliminates momentum. Bottom line practice what you are not good at to get better at everything.

[yamanmustafa]

The bar was far too high and you're letting your knees travel infront of your toes instead of sitting back.

[jasoncscs]

NOPE. Nice try though. Go do your research, then watch the video again. Squatting (when done properly) is a good combination of ankles, knees and hips. And that my friends is a picture perfect squat.

[jasoncscs]

Click on this user name, he has some good lifts posted. However he is making an argument for a powerlifter's squat where the bar is lower on the back and the knees do not really travel much. This is true for that style of lifting, but most people lifting weights for health, weight control and strength will follow my example above.

[jasoncscs]

The song is a generic free license song I bought years ago to use with video. Yes the bar hurts my shoulders, I usually use a pad. No it is not normal to have a balance issue with the weight, that is just practice and stretching. Your weight should be on your heels a little bit. It is ok for the bar to rest on your spine, but it shouldn't hurt. I am not a big fan of that kind of pain.

[yousifucv]

fine.

i got questions.

When u rest the bar on ur shoulders...doesnt hurt ur shoulder blade bones? is it cuz i might be too boney(which im not)?

Is it normal to find very hard to distribute the weight evenly along ur foot? cuz when i try to push myself up, and i tend to press up with the balls of my feet. the way i can make it even is to lean forward a bit with my back(while still straight btw), but then the bar rests on my spine abit, so i dont do it.

Whats the song that plays? :D

[yousifucv]

i dont think u can say its for ur glutes.

i would say its an equal share of both quads and glutes. Quads extend the lower leg about the knee, and the glutes extend the upper leg about the hip. so i guess u can say they are worked equally. although the burn does come from the quads for me, so i guess they take a bigger punch than glutes.

btw, what is the song playing in the start and end. nice guitar :)

[jasoncscs]

Of course I can say it is for the glutes because it is objective, that is how the body works. I am not saying your quads are not involved! However, it is a fact that squatting is primarily glutes.

[bboywind]

lols those who are predominantly recruting their quads for this movement are doing it wrong

[laxgod01]

like i said it isn't necasary to go down that far, but it won't hurt, cuze ur just working ur muscles more. but come on "primarily a glute excerise" ! where did u learn that. It's for all of your legs and core, primarily your quads.

[jasoncscs]

Sorry dudes, time for you to go back to your anatomy class. GLUTES! We call those of you who don't press back with your glutes "quad squatters". Poor form quad squatting.

[laxgod01]

i really dont think its necasary to go down that far

[jasoncscs]

It sure is. But if you can't, then trying to force the issue will get you hurt. The important thing to remember is that squatting is primarily a glute exercise so keeping your back straight and pressing your rear end back as far as possible is key.

[RideTheLightning1989]

Primarily a glute exercise? Are you kidding me?

[RideTheLightning1989]

It's more than necessary. It's full range of motion. Some people actually go further than he does...but, he did it good.

[TheDecider24]

Good video.