Wednesday, October 30, 2013

The Squat Exercise



            Squats are one of the best builders of size and strength. For those who have been in the iron game long enough, it’s usually the first exercise recommended to beginners who want to gain strength and size. Some veteran strength and conditioning coaches would state that they would prescribe the squats if they could only do one exercise.

Sadly, though those starting to lift these days avoid the squats for one reason or another.  It not only strengthens the legs, but the back and core as well. They aid in ambulation and balance in older adults. Strong legs help in exercises that are done standing such as the standing overhead presses and the barbell biceps curls

            There are several variations of the squat. Only the two basic squat lifts will be discussed here, the back squat and the front squat. The NSCA makes a distinction between two kinds of back squats, the high bar and the low bar back squats. The high bar back squat is the one discussed here.

Primary muscles Involved: (2,3)

Quadricep muscle group
Hamstring muscle group
Gluteal muscles

Secondary muscles Involved: (2,3)

Spinal erectors
Abdominals
Leg adductors
 

(Image from www.bodybuilding.com)



Execution and Performance of the Back Squat: (1, 2, 4)



1.    Set the bar height in a squat stand or squat/power rack to slightly below shoulder height.

2.    Step under the bar and position it across the shoulders, above the posterior deltoid, and grasp the bar with an appropriate grip width that is comfortable for the lifter.

3.    Pull the elbows back to the rear and up. This will create a sort of “shelf” for the bar on the shoulders and upper back.

4.    Look straight ahead and lift the bar off the stand or rack.

5.    Take a step or two back away from the rack.

6.    Position the feet parallel to each other, about shoulder width apart, toes pointing out slightly. This is the starting position.

7.    Slowly bend the knees and descend down into a squat position.

8.    The torso should lean forward a bit to maintain balance. Try to maintain a flat back throughout the movement.

9.    Once the top of the thighs are parallel to the floor, begin to extend and straighten the legs to return to the starting position. This is the bottom position.

10.  At the top of the movement, the knees should be straight but not locked out and hyperextended.

11.  Repeat for the desired number of repetitions and sets.



Barbell Back Squat Starting Position

Barbell Back Squat Bottom Position

(Images from www.bodybuilding.com)

Below is an exercise video from the National Strength and Conditioning Association






Execution and Performance of the Front Squat: (1, 2, 4)


1.    Same as the back squat, set the bar height in a squat stand or squat/power rack to slightly below shoulder height.

2.    Place the hands on the barbell in one of two positions mentioned below:

a.    Clean position / Parallel Arm:

                                                  i.    Grasp the bar in a closed and pronated grip wider than shoulder width apart.
                                                 ii.    Move under and up to the bar to position it on the anterior deltoid and clavicle.
                                                iii.    Point the elbows forward and hold the upper arms parallel to the floor.

b.    Crossed arm position:

                                                  i.    Move under and up to the bar to position it on the anterior deltoid.
                                                 ii.    Flex the elbows and cross the arms in front of the chest.
                                                iii.    Hold the bar with an open grip with the hands on top of the bar.
                                               iv.    Keep the elbows pointed forward, arms parallel to the floor.

3.    Perform the front squat as the regular back squat, placing more emphasis on keeping more upright with minimal forward bend

4.    Slowly bend the knees and descend down into a squat position until the top of the thighs are parallel to the floor.

5.    Once the top of the thighs are parallel to the floor, begin to extend and straighten the legs to return to the starting position.

6.    At the top of the movement, the knees should be straight but not locked out and hyperextended.

7.    Repeat for the desired number of repetitions and sets.


Barbell Front Squat – Cross arm starting position

Barbell Front Squat – Cross arm bottom position

Barbell Front Squat – Clean Grip starting position

Barbell Front Squat – Clean Grip bottom position
(Images from www.bodybuilding.com)

A video from www.bodybuilding.com/ showing the performance of front squat in the cross arm position



Below is another video from National Strength and Conditioning Association showing the perfromance of the front squat using the clean grip position.



            The above instructions and images teach and show the squat exercise to go parallel to the floor. The last variation to the two exercises above is to perform either exercise as low and as deep as possible. This is called the full or deep squat. It’s also called the athletic squat in some circles. This kind of squat places greater emphasis on the gluteal muscles. The deep squat can cause serious injury if there is any hamstring and ankle flexibility issues with the trainee.

However, some athletic coaches, such as James Radcliffe, advocate the use of the deep squat. With the deep squat, hip rotation occurs and many athletic movements use this hip rotation in acceleration, sprinting, jumping, deceleration, and changing directions. (5) This hip rotation achieves hip mobility (3). A 90-degree squat does not always achieve true hip rotation (5).

            Gray Cook said that before true stability can occur, mobility must first be present.  His deep squat test in the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) tests the functional mobility of the hips, knees and ankles for the lower extremity, and the functional mobility of the shoulders and the thoracic spine. As stated in the book edited by Bill Foran, “The ability to perform the deep squat requires closed kinetic-chain dorsiflexion of the ankles, flexion of the knees and hips, and extension of the thoracic spine as well as the flexion and abduction of the shoulders”. (3) While we are focusing on the upper extremity in this article, the reader should get the general idea of hip mobility.

            According to Radcliffe, full/deep squats increases overall leg strength and power. It also decreases lower back, hamstring and groin problems. This was through data gathered over a 15-year period at the University of Oregon Strength and Conditioning Program and the Exercise Science department. (5)

            Therefore, the question is now, are deep squats bad for you? It would depend on how flexible one is in the lower extremity. A qualified trainer can assess lower extremity mobility through the FMS. Should you do a deep squat? That would also depend on the individuals goals. Radcliffe advocates the deep squat for athletes due to the hip rotation and reasons mentioned above. It would be okay to prescribe the deep squat for general fitness as long as there are no current problems with the knees and hamstrings. If there is any doubt about the client’s ability to do a deep squat, then going to 90-degree knee flexion only is recommended.

            The performance of the deep squat is pretty much the same as the regular back and front squats. The difference being the depth of the squat. The usual rule is that the hamstrings or the gluteus should touch the gastrocs. Below are images of the deep squat performed in the back and front positions.


Deep Back Squat
(Image from www.performancenutrition101.com)

Deep Front Squat
(Image from archetypeathletic.blogspot.com)

Implications for Sports Performance: (4)


            The squat is an important exercise in sports that require knee and hip extension movements. Movements such as running, jumping, cutting, pushing movements, and kicking, take place around the knee and hip joints. Stronger muscles around these joint equate to greater  force generated during these movements. Ergo, faster movement times. Sports such as basketball, volleyball, track and certain field events (i.e. jumping), football,  and soccer are just some of the sports that can benefit from the squat exercise.



Bibliography:

1.     Baechle,  Thomas and Roger Earle “NSCA’s Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning 3rd edition” 2008

2.     Delavier, Frederic “Strength Training Anatomy” 2001

3.     Foran, Bill editor  “High Performance Sports Conditioning

4.     “Muscle and Fitness Strength Training Notebook”, 2002

5.   Radcliffe, James “Functional Training for Athletes at All Levels: Workouts for Agility, Speed, and Power” 2007


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