Squatting correctly

Squats are essential to your lifting progress. No matter what your ambitions are, you will be way ahead of someone who doesn't squat. Squats are great for gaining weight, increasing your strength for any sport, or just keeping you physically fit. By working the largest muscles in the body, your metabolism will be stimulated, as will your heart and lungs. Here's how to squat correctly:

Take the barbell across the shoulders and back out of the power rack or squat stands. Your hands should grip the bar about 6 inches to each side of your shoulders. Your feet should be about shoulder width apart and pointing out a little to the sides. Raise the chest high and arch the lower back. Keep your back LOCKED in this position. That's very important! Look at a point on the wall directly in front of you, about chest high. Keep your eyes on this spot for the entire set! This will help you concentrate on the set and keep your back in the proper position. Now you are ready to begin. Take a deep breath; fill those lungs! Squat slowly and under complete control till your thighs are parallel with the floor. That is as low as you have to go. Come back up, strongly and under control. Take at least three huge breaths, keep the chest up, lower back arched and locked, your eyes drilling into that point on the wall, and blast out your next rep.

Olympic lifters will practice squatting all the way down till they are sitting on their heels. This would be good to practice if you are an Olympic lifter and if you are able to do it. If you can't get that low, or if you are squatting to gain weight or for physical fitness or any other reason, don't bother going that low. Squatting till the thighs are parallel to the floor is low enough.

New lifters sometimes have trouble squatting; they feel they might need shoes with heels. Actually, you should be able to squat in your bare feet. Of course, you can start a lifting program wearing shoes with a slight heel. But after your ankle flexability improves, you'll find you don't need the heels. Your knees will be in a better position if you squat in your flat feet. However, it's a good idea to wear shoes to protect the feet. You sure don't want to drop a plate on your toes!

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