About the love of squats. Squats Squat technique or how much to squat

A person's ability to have a normal sex life is called potency. To a greater extent, this concept applies to men, it is characterized by the speed of erection and the duration of sexual intercourse. A healthy man retains potency throughout his life, but chronic diseases, the use of alcohol, steroid anabolic steroids and drugs can significantly reduce it. The hormone testosterone is responsible for the potency of a man, the production of which occurs both in a state of comfort, and with a strong emotional outburst, performing certain physical exercises.

What exercises increase potency

It is believed that most men cannot have long-term intercourse due to their undeveloped MS muscle. We are talking about a group of pelvic muscles - pubo-vaginal, pubo-urethral, \u200b\u200bpubo-prostatic, pubo-rectal, which run from the pubic bone to the coccyx and are located behind the testicles and in front of the anus. Together with other pelvic muscles, the PC muscle controls urination and plays a decisive role in a person's sexual life. Strengthening this muscle group is the key to long-term sexual health.

There are many ways to strengthen your PC muscles. Simple, effective, and easy exercises are as follows:

• Squeeze and relax for 10 seconds. Rapid tension of the PC muscle for 10 sec. is performed as often as possible. At the end - a break of 10 seconds. and the exercise is repeated again. A total of 3 such visits are recommended.
• Gradual contraction and relaxation. The PC muscle is squeezed step by step: squeeze once, hold for 5 seconds, squeeze more, hold for another 5 seconds, squeeze harder, etc. Hold the last compression for 20 seconds. and begin gradual relaxation. Relax a little, hold for 5 seconds, relax more, hold for 5 seconds, etc.
• Long, slow squeezes - squeeze the PC muscle as hard and deep as possible, hold for 20 seconds. After that, relax, rest for 30 seconds. Repeat the exercise 5 times.

Potency can be maintained at the proper level by monitoring the circulation in the pelvic area. A group of exercises that can ensure good blood flow in the genital area should be performed regularly, preferably 3 times a day. Each exercise should be started to increase potency with 20 repetitions in 3 approaches, gradually increasing their number.

• take steps, raising your knees as high as possible;
• in the supine position with legs bent at the knees, slowly raise and lower the pelvis;
• lying on your back with legs slightly apart, alternately strain and relax the muscles of the perineum (the buttocks are relaxed).

The benefits of squats for potency

Squats are pelvic exercises. They train and strengthen a large group of muscles and tendons, improve posture, and stimulate the work of vital organs located in the lower abdomen. Regular squats, performed correctly, create tension in the muscles of the buttocks, abs, legs, and back. They also make the PC muscle, which is responsible for erection, work, developing its ability to control the duration of intercourse. Performing them, a man will forget about visiting a urologist for a long time.

It is known that male erection is associated with blood supply, innervation of all structures involved in it. The benefit of squats is to prevent blood stagnation in the area of \u200b\u200bthe cavernous bodies, corpus spongiosum, and the bulb of the penis (it is adjacent to the urogenital diaphragm). Squats, along with other exercises that strain the legs, buttocks, back and abs, contribute to the flow of blood to different parts of the penis, which guarantees an increase in its head, swelling of the cavernous bodies during intercourse.

Testosterone is a hormone that is produced by the sex glands and is responsible for the increase in muscle tissue, the development of male sexual characteristics, and the ability to potency. Basic exercises to restore potency, requiring effort and load on a large number of muscles, contribute to increased testosterone production. With proper performance of squats for potency, a natural soft massage of the prostate gland occurs.

With a barbell on the shoulders

When regular activities become mundane, you need to increase the load. You can complicate the task by armed with weights - dumbbells or a barbell. The most effective in terms of gaining muscle mass are squats with a barbell held on the lower trapezius muscles of the back. The bar of the projectile during exercise should not lie on the neck, but on the upper back, in order to make a large number of large and small muscles work. Includes:

• quadriceps of the front and side surfaces of the thighs;
• gluteus maximus muscles;
• muscles that adductor the thighs;
• abdominal muscles;
• back extensor muscles.

Repeated repetition of the barbell exercise can increase muscle mass, significantly increase the production of the hormone testosterone. Squats with weights should be performed by healthy, well-trained people. It is recommended to work with a barbell on the shoulders during exercises with special equipment - a belt, elastic bandages on the knees and wrists.

With own weight

Bodyweight squats serve a different purpose. If the exercise is performed without weighting, the release of testosterone is not so great, and the work with the muscles is aimed not at building muscle mass, but at stretching them. This type of exercise is recommended for beginners, physically unprepared people, before moving on to loads with a barbell.

Bodyweight squats are performed low, below the parallel of the thigh to the floor. At the same time, the knees are not overloaded, and the wide range of motion guarantees good muscle stretching. In the final position, it is recommended to stay for 5-7 seconds, which will ensure proper tension of the buttocks, the PC muscle responsible for potency. The result can be achieved by exercising regularly.

Squats are performed without weights, so the number of repetitions can be large - 20-30 times at a moderate pace. In addition to training a large muscle group, they provide blood flow to the genital area and strengthen the cardiovascular system as a whole. Such exercises are very useful for overweight people in whom testosterone production is significantly reduced.

How to squat for men

In order for the benefits of squats for men's health to be significant, a few simple rules should be followed:

• During exercise, the feet should be slightly wider than the shoulders, with the toes facing out. It is necessary to stand with the entire surface of the sole, without lifting the feet from the floor.
• To work out the PC muscle, you should perform the exercise from start to finish with tense buttocks, you need to relax them only by fully straightening up after squatting.
• When you reach the final low point of the squat, you should linger for a few seconds, and only after that start lifting. This delay also trains the PC muscle responsible for potency. Over time, the delay should be increased from 2 to 15 seconds.
• The breathing regime should be as follows: squatting is performed on exhalation, lifting is performed on inhalation.

The position of the hands during exercise is of great importance: they can either maintain balance or create additional stress on the muscles. For example, if the arms are extended forward and the hands are closed in a lock, balance is created, and if the arms are located on the belt, muscles that stabilize the load are included in the work. During squats, you can cross your arms on your shoulders, lay behind your head, pull up - in each of these exercises, other muscle groups will be occupied.

Correctly the bodyweight squat is done like this:

1. stand up straight, put your feet shoulder-width apart, place your hands behind your head;
2. start the movement, bending the legs at the knees, hips, without changing the position of the hands, without bending forward;
3. at the full depth of the squat, linger for 5 seconds, then quickly, at the expense of the thigh muscles, begin to move upward, returning to the starting position.

The barbell squat should be guided by the following guidelines:

• You can squat by removing the barbell from racks or in a power rack with adjustable footrests. In this case, the installation height of the bar should be such that you do not have to reach for the bar and stand on your toes.
• Correctly place your hands on the barbell - the grip should be slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart.
• Place the bar below the neck or on the bottom of the trapezoid.
• You need to start squatting with a straight back, bending your knees and hips, slowly, while inhaling.
• Hold for 2 seconds at the lowest point.
• Begin lifting on the exhale, pushing off the floor with your heels, straightening your legs until the starting position is reached.

Squats are an important exercise for both general fitness and strength sports. It is included in almost all physical training programs, including for professional athletes. Consider why these exercises are useful for men and women, are there any contraindications to them, what types exist and how to perform them correctly.

Effects of squats on health

Squats bring many benefits to both strong and weak half of humanity. You must be able to do this exercise correctly, otherwise you will not receive all the benefits and may even harm yourself. Incorrect knee technique is most dangerous. However, even with the correct execution of deep squats, especially with weights, there is a strong load on the knees and lower back, so it is important to listen to the reactions of your body.

But for the heart, the effect of such exercises is ambiguous. On the one hand, this is a load on the body, and on the other hand, they help to improve blood flow and are useful in ischemia and arrhythmia. People with weak legs often have a weak heart, and squats are great for strengthening both.

Did you know? There is a set of exercises by Dr. Bubnovsky for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, which includes squats, feasible push-ups and raising the legs from a supine position. At the end of its execution, the pressure returns to normal.

Benefit

For both women and men, these exercises bring the following benefits:

1. They help speed up metabolism and burn calories, help get rid of fatty deposits and cellulite.
2. Exercise breathing, heart and endurance.
3. Men, when performing them, can perfectly pump up the quads and other muscles of the legs, as well as the buttocks, lower abdomen and back, for which it is recommended to use weights when performing these exercises.
4. Tighten muscles, give a slim figure. Most of all, they affect the muscles of the legs, tighten the buttocks and abdomen.
5. Good for posture.
6. Increases the flexibility of the legs and lower back.
7. They have a good effect on the work of the pelvic organs, which helps in the production of hormones.
8. They have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system, normalize blood flow.
9. Prepares the body for other strength training.

If you sometimes do squats, but have not noticed a pronounced result from training, then it is worth considering whether you do these exercises often enough. They are useful in such a performance, but the effect will only be with their regular use.

Undoubtedly, the effectiveness of such exercises depends on the correct execution, the number of approaches and the number of executions.

Harm

Improper squatting can have a negative effect:

• hurt your knees, cause pain in them.
• incorrect posture increases the risk of injury when using weights.

In addition, women should be especially careful with these exercises:

1. Deep squats put a lot of stress on the knee joints and back, even when done correctly. This exercise can cause deformation of the knee joints and greatly damage the appearance of the legs.
2. In women, the pressure on the pelvic organs and the cervix increases greatly. This exercise is not always desirable during pregnancy, so it is advisable for a woman to consult a doctor about this.
3. Doing a lot of deep squats squeezes blood vessels for a long time, which can contribute to the appearance of varicose veins.

It is important for women who care about the beauty of their figure not to pump their buttocks. To do this, the legs should be placed shoulder-width apart, or slightly wider. The depth should not be below the parallel position of the hips. Excessive loads can cause sinewy legs, which looks acceptable in the stronger sex, but not particularly aesthetically pleasing in women.

Important! A warm-up will save you from unnecessary injury. Before such exercises, it is recommended to jump rope and stretch your shins.

Contraindications

There are also prohibitions for this generally health-improving exercise:

• injuries to the joints and bones of the legs, as well as the spine;
• operations carried out on the above-mentioned parts of the body;
• spine diseases (scoliosis, hernia, sciatica, etc.);
• the second half of pregnancy and the threat of miscarriage;
• a number of cardiovascular diseases (varicose veins, heart diseases, in which stress is undesirable, etc.).

You should also refrain from such activities with exacerbation of chronic diseases, colds, flu.

How to squat correctly

To squat properly, it is important to adhere to the following recommendations from professionals:

Important! Jerks, sudden movements, high speed can lead to loss of balance, which contributes to injury. Knee joints can be particularly affected.

When doing squats, you need to take into account a number of nuances:

• the wider the legs are, the greater the load on the buttocks;
• with a narrow leg spacing, there is more load on the quads;
• the deeper the squats, the stronger the load on the buttocks;
• the more the feet are turned in different directions, the more the muscles of the buttocks work.

Video: How to squat correctly For beginners in sports, it is advisable to start classes without weights. Any load should be gradual. Barbell squats can only be done with appropriate athletic training.

Options for the most effective squats

There are different types of squats according to the position of the legs and the use of sports equipment that makes this exercise heavier. Let's consider the most effective ones. After mastering them, you can begin to engage in more complicated options, for example, squats on one leg "pistol".

With a barbell on the shoulders

This heavier squat will help build muscle in your quads. The muscles in the lower back and buttocks also work. They try to keep the back straight, without bending forward.

Video: Barbell Squats

The exercise is performed as follows:

1. Put your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Take the bar with a medium grip (slightly more than shoulder width apart), remove it from the racks and place it in the upper back. The feet should be completely and firmly on the floor. Raise your head up, keep your back straight.
3. Bend your legs so that your hips are parallel to the floor.
4. Hold the position for a few seconds. Return to starting position.
5. Only professional athletes of short stature can perform the exercise.

Important! Never place the barbell on your neck. This could result in serious injury.

With trap bar

This type of squat is suitable for those who have not mastered the barbell squat but want to master this technique. The use of a trep bar puts a load on the buttocks and quads, as well as on the trapezius muscles of the back. Exercises with such a projectile are not very popular, since there is a need for a chatter bar, but then there is no need for racks and a power frame.

Exercises are good for spine problems, since the classical technique is not suitable in this case. The load on the spine when squatting with a barbell is not that great.
The exercise is performed as follows:

1. Stand in the middle of the barbell, lower your hips parallel to the floor level, slightly bend your knees. Grip the handles of the projectile tightly. This is the starting position.
2. Straighten your knees and hips, while focusing on the heels, that is, straighten to your full height.
3. Return to starting position.

Half squat

This is a partial squat. Semi-squats allow you to lift heavier weights. When performing it, the load on the knees and lumbar back is less.
The exercise is similar to the sumo squat: put your feet shoulder-width apart and turn your knees in different directions. The difference is that you do not need to go down very low - your knees should be at an angle of about 110-120 °.

"Sissy"

This exercise works well on the lower quads. When performing such a squat, you need to deviate back as much as possible, but the hips and trunk should be on the same line. To keep your balance, you can use your hand to hold the back of a chair or other support.

This movement is similar to the leg extension on a machine. If training is suspended for any reason (vacation, business trip), this exercise will help you not to lose your athletic form while it is not possible to perform the set of exercises fully.

"Plie"

This exercise works well for the gluteal muscles and the inner thighs.

When performing it, you must:

1. Position your legs so that they stand wider, slightly going beyond shoulder width. The socks should be turned 45 ° outward.
2. Bend your knees a little, tighten the abdominal muscles, pull in the buttocks. Extend the pelvis in front of you and hold this position. Keep your back straight, do not squat deeply.

Squats for girls and men are a versatile exercise, the effect of which will be noticeable after a few weeks of work. Squat every day, every other day with a barbell, with dumbbells or with your own weight? Everyone chooses a suitable option for himself, depending on the goals, opportunities, free time. Any of the squatting options will have an effect, the main thing is the regularity of the exercise, the correct technique, and if this is work with weights, then their gradual increase.

The benefits of squats

Including squats in a program for girls or for men, you can rest assured that the exercise will bring certain benefits, and sometimes even more than doing an isolated exercise.

What is the effect of squats and what to expect from the exercise, doing it every day? Firstly, during the exercise, several muscle groups and joints work at once, so the exercise is excellent for physical development in general, it contributes to the improvement of strength, power and endurance indicators.

Secondly, under the condition of correctly chosen weights, squats will help normalize metabolism and improve the condition in general. Performing squats, even without weights, every day, you can guarantee yourself overall muscle tone and cheerful mood.

Speaking about the effect of squats on the body, it is worth noting the special effect of exercise on the hormonal system. Squats every day and even every other day will be needed for the active production of the hormone responsible for muscle growth - testosterone. Being a strength and aerobic exercise at the same time, squatting makes it possible to connect several muscle groups to work at once, which leads to stimulation of the hormone.

You can work with dumbbells to increase biceps, exercise in an arm trainer, or even actively crunch on the press for an hour, but you still won't achieve the effect that weighted squats will give. Make it a rule to perform the base and only then include isolated exercises in the program.

About the dangers of squats

The benefits of squats are clear and undeniable. Can we say that squats are also capable of doing harm? In fact, squats can be harmful, but only in isolated cases when a person has contraindications to their implementation or in case of a violation of technique. If you decide to switch to weighted squats, then be sure to consult with your doctor and preferably work under the supervision of an experienced trainer for the first time, who will help you master and consolidate the technique.

Try to properly distribute the load, increasing it gradually and only after the muscle corset is sufficiently strengthened to work with the barbell.

Correct execution is the key to effective results

Each version of squats with a barbell or with dumbbells has its own technique of execution, which gives a result, but one way or another, you need to start by consolidating the technique of simple squats with your own weight. The most common mistake is squatting too deep with the dumbbells down to the floor. To insure yourself against injury, especially at the initial stage, it is better to do traditional squats to the parallel of the buttocks with the floor. This is especially important if you are overweight or plan to work with weights. Over time, when the muscles and tendons adapt to the loads, it will be possible to master the technique of performing deep squats and switch to barbell exercises.

Below are the basic rules and features of classic squats:

1. The back must be kept straight, the body must not swing, the lowering must be performed smoothly, without sudden movements.
2. It is important to keep the abdominal muscles in constant tension for additional fixation of the spine and maintaining the position of the back. The stronger the abs, the more chances you will exclude getting injured during execution.
3. Before squats, be sure to warm up, working out your knees and ankles.
4. The legs in the classic squat should be kept shoulder-width apart, constantly monitoring the position of the knees, which should not protrude beyond the toes.
5. You need to squat without lifting your feet from the floor, transferring the weight to the middle of the foot. If it is difficult to perform the exercise without lifting the feet, then it is allowed to use special bars that can be placed under the heels.
6. No-weighted squats can be done in large numbers every day. There are even programs in which a person must squat at least 1000 times in one day.
7. If you experience pain and crunching in the knees during execution, you should consult with your doctor to identify the underlying cause.

In conclusion, we note that squats give a tangible positive effect and the benefits for the body from them are obvious, both with weights and without, with multiple repetitions every day. By combining squats with proper nutrition and other exercises, you can achieve significant increases in muscle mass and endurance. When squatting, constantly remember that there should be a limit and too much enthusiasm for exercise can lead to overtraining of the body. Do not forget about recovery, correctly plan the load for each day and the effect will not be long in coming.

It is important to realize that if squats for 3, 5, 10, 12 repetitions to failure develop the muscles of the legs and back and contribute to the growth of mass, then squats for a number are more likely to contribute to endurance training and are able to burn this very mass!

Imagine how great it would be if doctors and sports professionals invent an exercise that solves several problems in one fell swoop. It will work several muscle groups at once, burn fats, strengthen overall health, and improve heart function. But what if such an exercise already exists, and everyone has known it from school? After all, these are ordinary squats.

What are squats? Their types

"Squatting is a type of exercise in which the body is progressively lowering down after bending the knees" - such a formulation can be found in any sports magazine. It sounds complicated, but in fact, the exercise is one of the basic and easiest. It consists of two phases - flexion and extension. In the first phase, the hip joint is bent and the pelvis goes back, then the knee and ankle are bent - the body drops. In the second phase, the joints of the legs are extended and the person returns to their original position.

Despite a fairly simple movement algorithm, there are many types of squats: classic and deep, in a wide stance and frontal, lunges and rolls, with weights and body weight, squats with "scissors", "pistol" and so on.

Despite the obvious ease of implementation, these exercises have a number of contraindications... Incorrect execution technique and high loads can cause serious injury. To avoid this, it is necessary to study the information about the benefits and harms of such loads and assess all possible risks.

Benefit

Muscle benefits

By doing squats, we are pumping not only the target muscle group. Participates in the training more than half of the total muscle volume, including the muscles of the central part of the body. But the main load goes to the muscles, which fixes the two largest joints - the knee and the hip. It is divided into two muscle groups - the extensors of the trunk and pelvis in relation to the thigh and the extensors of the lower leg. These include the hamstrings and hamstrings, gluteus and calf muscles. In everyday life, they carry the greatest load, and the joints of the lower extremities suffer the most. That is why the muscles of the legs need the right workouts, which will strengthen them and make them enduring.

Squats also load the abdominal muscles, even better than the usual curls and extensions. In addition, this type of physical activity promotes the production of testosterone, which has a beneficial effect on the growth of muscle mass in general.

Benefits for the heart and blood vessels

The structure of the motor act of squats is typical dynamic load... With the regular implementation of a complex of such exercises, blood pressure decreases, vascular tone increases, and the contractile ability of the heart normalizes. This reduces the risk of myocardial infarction and apoplexy.

When a person squats, processes are triggered in the systemic circulation, which accelerate the transfer of blood from the lower extremities up... This is a kind of training for the oxygen transport system. Thanks to the improved blood circulation, the load on the heart is reduced, the feeling of heaviness and squeezing behind the sternum disappears, and the swelling of the legs decreases. The vasodilation of working muscles leads to a decrease in blood pressure. It is useful in the initial stages of hypertension.

Benefits for joints

The controversy about the impact of large loads on the joints of the legs does not subside until now. Some experts believe that frequent squats are the surest way to kill your knees. But most opinions boil down to the fact that moderate loads and the correct exercise technique reduce the risks of joint disease to nothing.

Squats strengthens joints and tendons, make them strong, so that they can withstand heavy loads. The stability of the knee joints increases, the pressure inside them decreases. In the absence of a proper load, the articular surfaces become overgrown with soft tissues, which limits the range of motion, impairs mobility and leads to arthritis. Therefore, moderate exercise is necessary for the health and proper functioning of joints, tendons and ligaments.

Benefits for the figure

The positive effect of squatting on body aesthetics is obvious. After regular and prolonged training, women get a flawless shape of the buttocks and thighs, men - beautiful calves.

Squats are a leader in fight overweight, as they actively help burn fat on the belly, sides and hips, in the so-called breeches zone. The place of fat folds is taken by muscles, making the body more athletic and relief. This has a positive effect on mood and overall well-being. Also lunges and classic squats contribute to the pumping of the abdominal muscles, allowing you to achieve the desired "cubes".

Benefits for the body as a whole

Reducing body weight and blood cholesterol levels have a positive effect on the entire body. Due to the active circulation of blood in the lower extremities, the metabolism is accelerated, which becomes the reason for the elimination of stagnation in the body.

Squats help strengthen the muscles in the back and legs, resulting in improved posture and gait. It should also be remembered that sports activity has a beneficial effect on mental performance.

Harm

Trauma

When people talk about the dangers of squats, they usually mean injuries that result from improper exercise. The most common tendon sprains occur during sudden rises and lunges.

An important role is played by the choice of the appropriate type of squat, taking into account the characteristics and physical fitness of the body. For example, squats in a wide stance and turning the feet outward increase the risk of injury. Therefore, such exercises should be done by well-trained athletes, not beginners. To prevent the exercises from causing injury, they must be performed correctly and without fanaticism.

The harm of weighted squats

Separately, it should be said about the weighted squats. Such exercises require hard work on the technique, as they are the most traumatic. Classic bodyweight squats in a wide stance can result in a stretch. The same exercise with a barbell, with errors in the execution technique, can cause more serious consequences, up to a meniscus rupture. In addition, there is a risk of serious injury to the lower back, especially if the leg muscles are better developed than the back muscles.

Barbell exercises are more suitable for experienced athletes, beginners should start with kettlebell squats. Potential health problems can be avoided by stretching well, exercising with a reasonable weight, and thoroughly learning the correct exercise technique.

Harm to joints

First of all, squats will not benefit those people who already have joint problems, such as patients with arthrosis and coxarthrosis... In healthy people, sprains and deformities of the articular surfaces associated with excessive loads can occur. When it comes to the joints of the lower extremities, it should be remembered that the leg is not just two sticks with a movable joint. It consists of many muscles and joints, which are located at different angles at different times. Accordingly, forces and loads are unevenly distributed. For example, the wider the legs are apart, the greater the angle in the knee joint and the greater the load on it.

Correctly chosen training tactics, taking into account such features, will minimize the harm of squats for healthy people. If you already have joint diseases, you can perform this exercise in water - so the body weight will not put pressure on the articular surfaces. You can also replace squats with exercises on a decompression machine.

Harm in diseases of the heart and blood vessels

Such physical activities should be limited to patients with varicose veins and diseases that are accompanied by increased blood clotting. Squatting is accompanied by a change in the rhythm of breathing and tension. This leads to increased pressure in the chest cavity... Sudden changes in pressure and difficulty in venous return lead to various negative consequences, ranging from dizziness to stroke.

To make sure that such exercises will not harm your health, a functional test for the propensity to complications will help. You need to do 10 squats and assess your condition in 2-3 minutes. If during this time the pressure has returned to normal, the exercise can be included in daily workouts.

Harm in case of concomitant diseases

Squatting can be detrimental to people with structural features of the lower extremities... For example, people with thin legs do not have enough muscle mass to cope with increased stress, so knee joints will be hit. The situation is the same for people with long legs - they are physically unable to squat without bringing the knee beyond the line of the foot, which negatively affects the health of the joints.

Exercise is prohibited in chronic pancreatitis, since with this disease you can not bend down, strain and make sudden movements. Such exercises are absolutely contraindicated for hemorrhoids in the acute stage.

Squats increase the pressure on the pelvic organs and the pelvic floor muscles, so such loads are limited during pregnancy. Squats are strictly prohibited if there is a threat of pregnancy failure.

Correct exercise technique

To avoid negative consequences, you need to remember a few simple rules and perform the exercise correctly.

1. To avoid overloading, the knees should not go beyond the line of the feet.
2. The squat should be full, but not too deep.
3. When squatting, the thighs should remain parallel to the ground.
4. The back during training should remain flat, the legs do not come off the floor.
5. Keep your feet steady and your heels on the ground.
6. You should breathe correctly - inhale when straightening, exhale when lowering the body.
7. After training, you need to stretch and relax the muscles in your legs to improve blood circulation in them.
8. If there is at least one contraindication, you should consult a doctor before training.

For most healthy, physically active people, squats will be an excellent basic exercise for their daily workouts. They provide endurance, strength, muscle mass, health and aesthetic appearance. If there are contraindications, you need to consult a doctor and contact an experienced trainer who will select the best exercise option.

Five great tricks for a firmer, more athletic physique

You must love squats. Squats are a panacea for the body. Sure, heavy deep squats can cause occasional soreness, but doing them will improve your figure day by day.

Among all the benefits of squats, it is worth noting their ability to increase strength and overall athletic performance. In addition, incorporating squats into your regular exercise program can help you achieve your desired fitness.

The reasons for squatting are not limited to their effect on aesthetics. The amazing benefits of squatting include the following:

They promote the growth of the largest, most important muscles in the body: the glutes, quads, hamstrings, extensor muscles of the spine and abs.

They improve athletic performance, allowing you to run faster, jump higher and change direction more sharply when moving;

They improve mobility and make it easier to move;

They increase power ratings to increase explosive strength;

They improve overall health and slow down aging - it's never too late to start squats!

We love to write a lot about squats, but just because this topic will never tire you - there are front squats, squats with a barbell on the shoulders, deep squats, half squats, body squats, squats with dumbbells, squats with a barbell, standing lunges in place, squats on one leg, squats with one leg, fixed on a support; overhead squats; pistol squats and jump squats.

And new research on the topic comes out regularly, making the topic of squats a truly inexhaustible topic. In this article, we will give five reasons why you should love squatting.

1. "Hierarchy" of Squats: Deep squats are key, whether you are a beginner mastering lunges or an athlete squatting confidently with a barbell on his shoulders.

Indeed, there is a kind of "hierarchy" of types of squats, on the basis of which you can build a training program in the future:

Doing deep, full-range squats is extremely important for absolutely everyone. Beginners also benefit from full-range, single-limb exercises as they improve flexibility, coordination, and muscle balance.

For example, a recent study found that single-leg lunges and deadlifts are an effective way to increase the level of quadriceps and hamstring coordination during lower limb training. Even a slight increase in muscle coherence trains all segments of the “front chain”, improving movement patterns and preventing knee and hip injury or pain.

Squats with a barbell on the chest (frontal) and on the shoulders have the widest range of applications in sports, as they increase speed, vertical jump height and power.

For example, a study in Norway found that training with deep squats with a barbell on the shoulders for 12 weeks resulted in an increase in vertical jump height by 13 percent compared to the partial squat group, which was only 7 percent.

Another study in Germany showed that a 10-week training program of deep squats with a barbell on the shoulders increased vertical jump height by 8 percent compared to quarter squats, which did not cause such changes. ...

Versions of the squat such as the eccentric squat, partial squat, overhead squat, and others can be used to address personal weaknesses that prevent training quality improvement.

To understand exactly how different versions of squats can be used in training programs, you first need to understand which muscle groups are most involved in different parts of the amplitude of a given exercise.

For example, a recent study found that the rectus quadriceps muscle was more involved during the eccentric squatting phase than the biceps, suggesting that other "anterior chain" muscles also contribute significantly to movement.

In addition, the degree of muscle activation depends on the depth of the squat, as the gluteal muscles and hamstrings become more active as the range of motion becomes larger as you sit lower and lower.

Anyone can benefit from doing squats, and full squats prove to be the best choice in almost any situation.

Does this mean that absolutely everyone should do deep squats regularly? Of course not. This is by no means an absolute requirement. But absolutely everyone should be able to do them at least occasionally.

2. Do deep squats to build a strong, athletic body. Deep squats are safest for the knees and lower back.

Not only will they improve the quality of your workouts and your body composition, but deep squats are much safer for your knees and lower back than partial squats.

Here's what we know about it:

Full-range deep squats involve lowering yourself below parallel to the floor so that your hamstrings are touching your calf muscles. Parallel squats mean that the hips are parallel to the floor. Half Squats mean that you come down to a 70-90 degree knee angle.

From the point of view of biomechanics, the greatest load on the knees occurs when the angle between the thigh and lower leg is 90 degrees. When a person squats deeper, the resulting contact between the back of the thigh and the lower leg reduces the stress on the knees. In addition, the tendons of the quadriceps and the intercondylar groove together lead to the so-called "wrapping effect", which increases the distribution of the load.

This means that when doing full squats, your knees are less stressed and at risk of injury compared to doing partial squats or half squats.

This does not mean that you should not do partial squats at all, just full squats are the main exercise that "teaches" the body to handle heavy weights in all areas of natural range of motion, while increasing the stability of the knee joint.

Only experienced athletes can "supplement" workouts with partial squats to get stronger, bigger or faster.

Scientific studies also support the benefits of deep squats:

Among the 27 elite weightlifters who trained at the US Olympic Training Center, there were 3.3 injuries per 1,000 training hours over a 6-year period. Most of the injuries were tendenitis or muscle sprains, and 95 percent of missed training time was due to knee problems of 1 day or less. All of these types of injuries lasted less than 1 week, which suggests that they were not very serious.

A survey of young powerlifters aged 13-16 showed that they had 0.0017 injuries per 100 training hours, while American basketball players had this figure already 0.03, 0.57 for athletes and 0 , 10 for footballers.

Due to the so-called "wrap-around effect", deep squats reduce the stress on the knee joints compared to partial squats. Deep squats also increase muscle strength and functional adaptation of the passive tissues of the knees to maintain greater knee stability.

3. Do not restrict the movement of your knees in squats: let them go beyond the line of the toes.

A common misconception regarding squats is that during this exercise, the knees supposedly should not go beyond the line of the toes. This is why some coaches prefer to give their mentees parallel squats or partial squats. But this is bad advice.

Here's what we know about it:

The requirement to observe this training technique generates negative motor stereotypes. In contrast, when you allow your knees to move naturally while doing deep squats, you are increasing the strength of both passive (ligaments and tendons) and active (muscles) tissues.

In fact, many of the daily movements are best done when the knees are out of the toes: this happens whenever you go up or down stairs, or try to lift something off the ground. Thus, deep squats are extremely beneficial not only for preventing knee pain, but also for improving athletic and domestic motor skills.

Another myth is that deep squats can cause knee ligament instability. Surprise! This is not true at all!

Exercise training, as it happens with the strength type of training, leads to the development of adaptation of connective tissues in the form of increasing their strength and rigidity while maintaining elasticity.

In fact, the study found that knee stability was higher in the powerlifting and weightlifting group than in the non-weighted control group. When squats were performed to parallel with a barbell of 1.6 body weight on the shoulders, the subjects did not demonstrate any changes in the stability of the knee joint. In contrast, runners experienced a slight decrease in knee stability after a 10-kilometer run, as did basketball players after a game.

Extending the knees beyond the toe line is a normal natural movement in everyday life. Deep squats can improve knee function and passive tissue strength to keep knees healthy.

Degenerative changes in the knee joint, which can lead to an increased risk of chondromalacia, osteoarthritis and knee pain, have nothing to do with doing deep squats.

4. By loading your spine with barbell squats, you increase bone density and strengthen your lower back muscles. Be careful with partial squats.

A common misconception is that barbell squats are dangerous for the back. In fact, this is not the case, although, of course, it is critically important to observe the correct technique for performing the exercise and choose the right program in order to keep the spine healthy.

In # 3, we have already discussed the benefits of the deep squat technique, in which the knees extend beyond the toe line. Another reason not to deliberately restrict forward movement of the knees is that it then leads to excessive bending of the thoracic spine, which puts excessive stress on the intervertebral discs and ligaments. And this is not at all what you want.

Regular squats with a barbell on the shoulders place significant stress on the spine. And the difference between partial and deep squats becomes extremely significant here. When doing partial squats, you can take 4-5 times more weight than when doing deep squats.

For example, students with minimal fitness were able to perform quarter-amplitude squats with a weight 4 times greater than normal deep squats and 4.38 times greater than deep front squats. And trained athletes could overcome the weight even more.

Nevertheless, such significant weights impose unnecessary stress on the spine, the stabilization of which is the back muscles, which makes it precisely the strength indicators of such, and not the leg muscles, the limiting factor in the growth of results in squats. Deep squats that require less weight are better at increasing bone mineral density in the spine.

It is worth noting that there are gender differences in the strength of the structures of the spine between men and women, so that women athletes progress in the growth of their strength indicators much less than men. Training in the same can increase bone density in both sexes.

In addition, women tend to have better hamstring stretches. They also tend to be less stiff in the spine and have a greater range of motion in the lumbar spine than men, suggesting that they can do better in improving lumbar spine stability.

It is the above features that lead to the fact that women lean forward more during squats, especially as fatigue accumulates during training in a high-volume style. Scientists draw attention to the need for additional work to preserve the lordous curvature of the spine (the natural curvature of the lumbar region) during lowering and lifting from the lower point when performing deep squats.

The barbell squat places a compressive load on the spine. Both men and women should focus on maintaining the ideal technique during the exercise, as this increases the strength of the spine itself, and also teaches the body to safely handle heavy weights.

5. A few tips for using advanced squats: speed squats and PAPs

New research on advanced squatting techniques reveals the following:

Be careful with speed squats:

The acceleration that occurs during squatting puts more compressive stress on the knee joints than the weight itself is used. The higher the downward speed, the greater the compression load in the squat.

In addition, the maximum load on the joint occurs at the moment of the beginning of the ascent from the bottom point, when concentric muscle activation is activated. For this reason, floor squats are not recommended when using large weights and high speed.

Studies conducted with the participation of weightlifters show that they develop adaptive mechanisms in soft tissues, which allows them to develop resistance to stress and prevent degenerative changes in the joints.

All of the above changes only occur under the influence of specific volumetric training, practiced over a long time, and they do not affect athletes who train with weights solely for the purpose of improving results in their specific sports. Thus, when performing deep squats, athletes will receive maximum benefit when performing the eccentric phase of the exercise at a pace of 3-4 seconds, which just allows to reduce the load on the knees.

Post-activation potentiation (PAP) depends on strength indicators.

Post-activation potentiation occurs when you “focus” on a muscle involved in an exercise such as an up jump or sprint by doing strength exercises that use similar muscle groups as power exercises.

Recent studies have shown that athletes whose 1 MP in the back squat was twice their own weight, after 6 minutes, showed a significant increase in the jump squat (they performed the squat on the shoulders with a load of 90% from 1 MP, resting for 6 minutes, then performing squatting with jumping out).

Physically weaker athletes, whose 1 MP in the squat with a barbell on the shoulders was less than two of their weights, showed an increase in similar indicators after 9 minutes of rest. And regardless of the length of rest between heavy squats and bounce squats, the stronger athletes had a higher PAP compared to the weaker ones.

If you are a weightlifter or need to learn how to lift heavy weights at high speed with significant knee flexion, train accordingly. Use heavy weights and accelerate throughout the range of motion to improve the functional adaptation of knee cartilage and meniscus tissue.

For most other athletes, doing full squats in a controlled manner at a pace of 4 seconds is optimal.

If you are an athlete looking for power performance, you should take the time to try to increase your maximum power performance. Strength is directly related to power, and physically strong athletes should rest for about 6 minutes to get higher PAP in the lower body. Longer rest periods work well for weaker athletes.