Squats are one of the most popular and effective exercises, but not all people know how to do them correctly.
To get the proper effect from the exercise, you need to choose an exercise option that is right for you, correctly follow the execution technique and know how often you need to practice.
Do you need to do squats every day?
How often you need to do squats depends on the specific workout you choose: no weights, moderate weights, and a large barbell over your shoulders.
For the heavy weight workouts practiced in bodybuilding to build muscle, daily workouts are naturally worth forgetting as they require extended rest. Heavy squats are recommended to be done 1-2 times a week, no more.
If you set yourself a different task than pumping muscles, for example, lifting and shaping the buttocks, squats are used for this without load, or with minimal load, and they can be done daily. However, it is best to limit yourself to three workouts per week so as not to fall into a state of overtraining.
If you do squats every day - what will happen?
Work of different muscle groups
Squats are very popular precisely because they work different muscle groups. Basically, the impact goes to the lower body.
Different types of exercise work differently on different muscle groups, but mainly the quadriceps, calf, glutes, back, abs, and hamstrings work.
Weight loss
Daily squats are great for weight loss purposes. They help accelerate metabolism, so that fat begins to rapidly burn and turn into muscle.
Thanks to the work of the entire lower body, the buttocks are actively tightened, the stomach becomes flat.
Beautiful posture
Squats, when done correctly, strengthen the muscles of the back, which is very beneficial for your posture.
During the exercises, the upper back works to help stabilize the core, whether you exercise with or without weights.
Prevention of sports injuries
In addition to muscles, squats can help strengthen your ligaments and connective tissue, which can help you avoid many sports injuries, fractures and dislocations.
The flexibility and stability of the limbs increases significantly. To strengthen muscles and ligaments, the classic squat works best. Uniform loading during their implementation increases body endurance and joint mobility.
Flexibility and coordination
Due to the even distribution of the load on the joints, daily exercise has a positive effect on their flexibility, strengthens them and eliminates the crunch in them during sharp turns and bends. At the same time, it is important to maintain a high amplitude of motion of the hips while performing the exercises.
How to do squats correctly?
No-load squats
Squats may seem like a fairly simple exercise at first glance, but for them to give maximum effect on the body, they must be performed in the right way.
First, you need to choose the right exercise option that is suitable for your specific task and is most effective for the muscle groups you want to train.
Squats on both legs use more of the thigh muscles, toe squats strengthen the calf muscles, and alternating one-legged squats are best for training the glutes.
- The correct technique of classic squats for training the hips and lower legs: stand up straight, keep your legs according to the width of your shoulders. We put our hands on the belt or spread them on the sides. Straighten your back. We bend our knees, leaning on the entire surface of the feet. Hands can be extended forward of the body or held from the back of the head. Return the body to its original position and repeat the squat.
- To develop the calf muscles, the exercise is performed according to the same scheme, but the emphasis during execution is not completely on the surface of the foot, but only on the fingers.
- To influence the inside of the thighs, we do the following exercise: put our feet shoulder-width apart, knees should look out. We spread our arms to the sides, or keep them on the belt. We perform the exercise, squatting as deeply as possible: it depends on how strong the effect will be.
When performing all types of exercises, it is important not to bend your back, to keep it straight. Try not to lower your buttocks too low to avoid damaging your joints.
Remember that squats put a very heavy load on the spine, so it is categorically contraindicated if you have a spinal disorder. Also, it is not recommended to exercise for knee and joint problems.
Squats
When doing strength training in bodybuilding, one of the main exercises is the barbell squat. The barbell greatly increases the load on the muscles, which allows you to achieve great results in their pumping.
- The position of the legs when performing the exercises should correspond to the width of the shoulders, the socks look forward or are slightly divorced to the sides. The bar should be held in a closed grip, and the arms should be at an equal distance from the center to avoid losing balance.
- The gaze should be directed slightly above the horizon line so that the neck is kept straight and does not fall down, in order to avoid the development of osteochondrosis and spinal injuries. In no case should your gaze be directed towards the floor when performing power squats.
- The barbell bar is best kept on the shoulders for proper load distribution, but some athletes prefer to position it on the shoulder blades or mid-delta.
- Keep your back straight, leaning forward slightly. Movement should be smooth, knees should not protrude forward beyond the feet. Unlike classic no-load squats, barbell exercises can lower your buttocks to the floor for greater efficiency.
Squats help to strengthen the muscles of the body, make your posture beautiful, and help you lose weight. Remember that squatting with extra load is not recommended every day. Be sure to take breaks to give your muscles a break from heavy exertion.