TIME TO SQUAT!!!

It’s time to squat!

Research has indicated that squatting exercises are effective in strengthening the hip extensors, knee extensors, and ankle plantar flexor, and that relative muscular effort (RME) of each muscle group is dependent on squat depth and weight lifted Bryanton et al.

So, what does this mean? Basically, if you want a stronger lower body then you need to incorporate squat exercises into your training regimen, and focusing on form, depth, and weight.

But, you’ve never squatted before. That’s ok. There are a number of things you can do to build up the strength, balance, coordination, and confidence necessary to perform a squatting exercise.

Here are a couple of ways to do this:

Partial Squat:



Don’t perform a full squat. Just do a partial squat and slowly build up the strength necessary to squat all the way down to parallel.

Chair Squat:




Squat to a chair then return to a standing position, this removes the required balance and coordination aspect to the squat allowing you to work your way to the point where you no longer need the chair to perform this movement.

Braced Squat:



Squat while holding on to something sturdy so you can brace yourself throughout the movement.

Try these and before no time you’ll be squatting like this guy!



Just joking!

So you already can squat…

Research has shown a common means by which strength coaches, athletes, and recreationally trained individuals provide variation and overload is by including partial lifts in their training programs. Partial lifts have been used commonly to improve strength at the terminal range of motion (ROM) of a movement, enhance metabolic adaptations, prevent injury, and enhance sport performance Bazyler et.al.

An important note!

Individuals with a previous reconstruction or existing knee injury should restrict flexion at the knee to 50 to 60 degrees and should not squat to parallel Schoenfeld et.al.

I hope this helps you as you prepare for our squat challenge, and if you have any questions please feel free to contact the Health and Fitness Academy at 208-557-2823 or you can contact me directly at nbernal@mvhospital.net

Noah Bernal BS, MS, CISSN

References:

Bryanton, M. A., Kennedy, M. D., Carey, J. P., & Chiu, L. Z. (2012). Effect of squat depth and barbell load on relative muscular effort in squatting. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 26(10), 2820-2828.

Schoenfeld, B. J. (2010). Squatting kinematics and kinetics and their application to exercise performance. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 24(12), 3497-3506.

Bazyler, C. D. (2013). Efficacy of Partial ROM Squat in Maximal Strength Training (Doctoral dissertation, East Tennessee State University).