Barbell Squat

a.k.a. Barbell Full Squat

Differentiation: Mechanics

This is the basic version of a barbell squat. The movement involves holding a barbell along your shoulders and neck, | and lowering your body until your knees reach an approximately 90 degree angle, | then you press using your heels to push your body back up to the starting position. Barbell squats engage your quadriceps, | and glutes.

Starting Position

To get into starting position, do this...

1) Locate a squat rack to help you get the Olympic bar on and off your shoulders.

2) Set the Olympic bar on the rack's pegs at just below shoulder height.

3) Load plates onto the bar on the rack.

4) Add a barbell collar to each end of the bar to keep the plates in place. If the plates slip off the bar during the movement you could injure yourself.

5) As an option, we recommend wrapping a barbell squat pad around the bar to protect your neck.

6) Stand inside the squat rack with your back to the bar.

7) Step under the bar and center it across the back of your neck, along the tops of your shoulders.

8) Grasp the bar - with your hands 6-inches wider than shoulder-width apart - with your palms facing forward

9) Use your legs to push the bar upward. Then move the bar off of the rack and straighten your torso...

10) ...and use your hands to stabilize the balance of the bar.

11) Take a few steps back and clear the bar from the rack - so you have enough space to perform the exercise.

12) Place your feet just wider than shoulder-width apart

13) Point your shoulders back, |and arch your lower back slightly.

Main Mechanics

Once in starting position, do this...

1) This is the starting position.

2) Inhale while slowly bending your knees, pushing your hips back

3) ...until your upper legs become parallel with the floor.

4) Hold this position for a count of one second.

5) From the 90-degree angle, push up with your heels, exhaling as you move upward to the starting position.

6) Focus on using your heels to drive your body weight up and not the front of your feet.

7) Repeat reps for a full set.

8) Return the bar to the bench's pegs.

Proper Form

Pay special attention to following proper form by...

Be sure to drive into the floor with your heels to avoid swaying forward onto your toes and complicating the movement. Imagine pushing straight up and do not lean forward - keep the weight on the heel of your feet.

Keep your back flat as you lower the bar.

Refrain from tilting forward to prevent excessive strain on your lower back.

To avoid injury when performing this exercise, keep your knees aligned and do not allow them to flare outward. When you have lowered to the parallel position, look down to check to assure your knees are in line with your toes. In this manner, you can be sure your form is good and can be confident you have lowered correctly.

Keep your head facing upward during the movement.

Gear Advice

When performing this exercise, it is important to add barbell collars to the bar - we have listed a link below to Lockjaw brand Olympic Barbell Collars - which you can order from Amazon dot com. Some guys choose to use a special guidance aid called a manta ray when doing this exercise. It is optional and we have an entire video covering their use and advantages. If you want to add precision/an extra factor to this exercise, we have listed a link below to a Ader Fitness brand Arm Blaster - which you can order from Amazon dot com. You take this with you to the gym. Some guys choose to use knee wraps when doing this exercise. It is optional and we have an entire video covering their use and advantages. If you want to add compression and support to your knees, we have listed a link below to Knee Wraps made by Pulse Fitness Gear - which you can order from Amazon dot com. For your hands, we encourage you to order the Harbinger 1250 Training Grip WristWrap Glove or use weightlifting chalk instead of wearing a glove.

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