It's been called the King of all exercises. As demonstrated above, children all seem to have perfect squat form. Unfortunately this is something we seem to quickly lose as we age. So what's the deal with this so called legendary lift? is it really all that important?

What is a squat?

Let's cover the basics. The squat is a compound, full body exercise that trains primarily the muscles of the thighs, hips, and buttocks. These include the:

  • quadriceps - vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius and rectus femoris
  • hamstrings - semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris
  • gluteus maximus

Squats also strengthen the bones, ligaments and insertion of the tendons throughout the lower body. Squats are considered a vital exercise for increasing the strength and size of the legs and buttocks, as well as developing core strength. Isometrically, the lower back, the upper back, the abdominals, the trunk muscles, the costal muscles, and the shoulder and arms are all essential to the exercise and thus are trained when squatting with the proper form. 

Why should we squat?

Aside from giving you a killer booty, squatting offers several other benefits:

  1. The squat uses some of the largest muscles in the body, causing a great stimulus for growth. Total body exercises are potent stimulators for muscle-building hormones like testosterone and growth hormone, which will help build muscle everywhere - not just your lower half. 
  2. Marathon runners have been shown to improve their running economy and prevent injury when they include resistance training into their regimen.
  3. Several studies have shown that squatting (on top of regular resistance training) improves bone mineral density in all age groups. 
  4. Deep squatting helps to improve range of motion in the entire hip complex, potentially reducing back pain. 
  5. Because squats are typically loaded from top to bottom, your core has to work twice as hard to maintain proper form, resulting in increased core strength over time.

The real question you have to be asking yourself is, why SHOULDN'T you be squatting on a regular basis?

How do we squat properly?

To set yourself up:

  • place your feet shoulder width apart
  • keep your head and chest up
  • engage your core
  • relax your shoulders
  • keep your elbows back
  • place your weight in your heels

To execute:

  1. push your hips back
  2. keep chest up
  3. bend your knees
  4. maintain weight in your heels
  5. keep knees hip width apart
  6. squat to near 90 degrees
  7. exhale and return to top

There are many common mistakes when performing the squat. 

  • knees buckle inward - this places extra stress on your knees and hips and may signal weak gluteal muscles
  • weight shifts onto toes - this increases the stress on your knees and can lead to injury
  • chest falls forward - this places a large amount of stress on your lower back
  • disengaged core - losing your core stability also increases the stress on your lower back

Whether you are looking to build muscle, lose weight, or tone your existing physique, training legs is crucial for overall muscular development. When combined with dead lifts and lunges, you're setting yourself up for a strong set of legs that provides the foundation for nearly every athletic and daily movement. And remember, NEVER SKIP LEG DAY!



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