5 Tips To Improve Your Squat

5 Tips To Improve Your Squat

1. Keep You Weight In Your Heels!!

Make sure to keep your weight in your heels to keep you balanced. This also allows you to generate lots of force and activates the big larger posterior muscles, including your glutes, hamstrings, calves and spinal erectors. Not to mention it helps eliminate pressure on the knees.

2. Push Your Hips Back As You squat.

Pushing your hips back first, to initiate the squat, will help keep your weight on your heels as well as assist in keeping the rest of your body properly aligned. Make sure you’re pushing your hips back, not just to initiate the squat, but throughout the entire movement. If your knees are drifting forward as you get close to parallel, then this should be an area of focus.

3. Push Your Knees Slightly Outward.

When squatting with the proper form, you want your knees aligned over your toes. By pushing your knees slightly outward, you’re preventing them from collapsing inward. This protects your knees and engages more muscles in your hips.

4. Posture Up…..Don’t Slouch!!!!

Keep your chest up! Holding your chest up and out, shoulders back, will help you control the weight and prevent your lower back from bearing the weight.

5. How Low Can You Comfortably Go?

In order to get the most out of your squat, I recommend going down to the point your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor.  Although some strength training athletes prefer to squat below parallel.  When squatting below parallel, the knees are not holding the pressure of the weight and the leg muscles are engaged as they start doing the work. Aim to crease the hips below the knees when descending to the bottom of the squat.

For more information on proper form when strength training or if you’re looking to improve your physique, lose weight, build strength, or if you’re frustrated with your current level of fitness and looking to hire a personal trainer, contact us.