Squats are one of those classic exercises that all of us, at some time, have done to strengthen the glutes because they allow us to

tone the muscles of the legs in a global way, involving the 'core

' and even raising the pulsations to the top.

Seemingly simple in execution, the key to making the most of its benefits without hurting ourselves (especially in the knees and lower back) lies in

mastering the technique

, knowing which type is best for us to do and, of course, being aware from which area we work when making them.

These are the answers of the Metropolitan Club experts to these and other questions about one of the most popular functional exercises.

HOW TO DO THEM THE RIGHT WAY

The execution of the squat

depends on each person

, their ankle and hip mobility, and their bone structure and biomechanics.

However, some general recommendations are:

- Maintain a

correct separation of the feet

depending on the squat variant that we are doing.

In general, a standard position implies a distance between the feet slightly greater than the width of the shoulders.

- We should think about

bringing our ass to the ground

, as if we were sitting on a chair, and at the same time, keeping our torso as upright as possible.

- Keep the

distance between the knees constant

throughout the movement.

When reaching the lowest position of the exercise and when applying force to raise, the knees can have a tendency to come together, we must minimize this as much as possible.

TYPES

There are so many different types of doing this exercise, that choosing the ideal one will depend on our objective, experience and the capacity that we have at each moment.

If we are going to start, it is best to start with

a simple squat, at 90º,

only with body weight and

without additional material

.

If we have experience, we can

incorporate elements

(such as elastic bands) or increase the intensity.

- Classic squat: it is the traditional squat, in which, with the feet at a distance slightly greater than the width of the shoulders, we go down in a triple flexion of the hips, knees and ankles simultaneously, performing a movement similar to sitting in a chair.

- Sumo squat: the execution of the exercise is the same as in the case of the classic squat.

The difference is that the

position of the feet is wider

than in the classic one.

When performing the triple flexion we will notice a

greater incidence in the buttocks.

- Bulgarian squat

: to do this you will need a chair or another element located behind you.

Support the instep of one of your feet on the support element one and perform a triple flexion of the front leg, impulse on the rise and jump again, taking your feet off the ground.

In case we control the technique and we are well trained, we can get more rod using material, as in the case of:

-Squats or lunges in Multiwoper or Smith

: these teams allow you to perform a guided squat by introducing external load.

The bar only moves in one plane, which gives us a lot of stability since it is difficult or impossible for us to lose our balance and we only have to apply force in the frontal plane.

This has both advantages and disadvantages.

The

main advantage

is that, with a less correct execution technique, we can perform exercises more intensely and reducing the possibility of injury, with respect to the same load as in a free squat.

Guided machines

give us extra stability,

being able to withstand greater loads or less effort, involving less stabilizing muscles.

However, it

will prevent us from developing a correct

execution

technique

and less development of deeper muscles, so we would recommend using these machines in a training program that also includes another type of squat that compensates for this with proprioceptive work.

- Squats or strides in leg press

: it allows us to perform squats with relatively high loads or on one leg, protecting our spine and lumbar muscles from the load that an Olympic bar in the back supposes, being able to work with loads, volumes or intensities that in a free one could be more difficult to manage.

As in any guided exercise, it would be advisable to combine it with exercises of a more proprioceptive nature.

If we do not regularly perform exercises with machines or additional weight, we will notice a

substantial change in the improvement of strength and muscle tone

when introducing work of this type.

The use of this type of equipment is especially recommended for people without previous pathologies who need to strengthen the muscles of the legs.

The 'runners', for example, who require

cross training.

Also in the case of

people with previous pathologies

who need to do more controlled exercises (to reduce the load on the lumbar area or spine) or who require extra stability.

MISTAKES

Squats are an apparently simple exercise but their execution, since they simultaneously involve several joint flexions, requires a very refined technique.

These are the most common failures:

- Go down a little:

it is not necessary to go down to the ground, but it is necessary to carry out the movement with a sufficient amplitude.

It is recommended, at least, to reach a

hip and knee flexion of 90º

.

- Take off the heels:

distributing the weight well over the entire foot is important to avoid overloading the tips of the

heels

.

Raising the heels is a clear sign that, unconsciously, we are carrying the weight excessively forward.

In this way, we increase joint stress on the knees and muscle on the soleus and calves, increasing a possible risk of injury.

- Joining or separating the feet too much:

an excessively closed position of feet provides us little stability, in addition to a lot of tension in the knees and thighs.

In contrast, an excessively open position will place a lot of stress on the adductors.

Even so, a greater or lesser separation of the feet is an element in our favor to affect to a greater or lesser extent certain muscles (we see it clearly in variants such as the Sumo squat), so it is not necessarily a negative thing, but a different nuance.

- Position of the knees:

there is a natural tendency to bring the knees together when performing these types of movements, accentuated by a sedentary lifestyle that does not favor having toned buttocks at all.

It is very important to pay attention to the execution technique and keep the distance between the knees constant, thus increasing the involvement of the glutes in this movement.

- Lean forward:

we must go down with our torso upright, trying to keep our chest and our eyes high (not looking down).

FREQUENCY

Exercise routines are personal.

There is no magic number that should be done, it will depend on the level of the person who performs it.

However, the

Ruffier test

can be taken as a reference

.

It is based on performing

30 squats in 45 "

, with the aim of measuring the physical condition of each person.

Taking this test as a reference, we should act like this:

-If we are unable to perform 30 squats in a row, our physical condition will be very low, so we should start with a maximum of

10-15 squats, grouped in 2-3 series

and gradually increase the repetitions week by week until we achieve 30 in a row .

Squat routine

Drop down

Heating:

- Walking or on a bicycle or walking on a treadmill for about 5 '

- Classic squat (with miniband on the feet) 2x20rep

- Sumo squats (with kettlebell) 2x15rep

- Squat Jump or Squat Jump 2x10rep

- Bulgarian squat 2x10 rep (each leg)

Main part:

(to establish a suitable weight consult our reference trainer at

the gym)

- Squats in Multipower: 4x20rep (50% 1RM) + 30 'rest between sets

- Leg press squats: 4x12rep (65-70% 1RM) + 45 'rest between sets

- Kettlebell lunges: 4x15rep (65-70% 1RM) + 30 'rest between sets

Stretch

the muscles of the lower body once the exercises are finished.

Finally, we must remember that the most important thing is the technique and not the number of repetitions.

The fundamental thing, when we introduce the 'squats' in our training, is to have a good technique so that the exercise is as effective as possible with the least possible risk of injury or joint wear.

Therefore, it is essential to consult the room technician in our fitness center to ensure that we adopt the correct posture in each exercise.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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