Correct squat techniques train buttocks, hips, lower and upper back muscles. We’ll talk about the benefits and variations of squatting with proper form: resistance bands vs weights?
Here is the bottom line:
Adding this type of exercise to your regular training program will not only give a tangible visual effect in the form of elastic round shapes. In addition to that, it will also significantly reduce the injuries to the knee joint.
Increase the load using the best resistance bands in 2020.
Number of squats for adult men
Number of squats for adult women
Part 1: bodyweight squats
We have selected for you 40 variations of different squats, belonging to four different categories of exercises:
Resistance band vs dumbbells?
Each type of squat is devoted to separate sections. Now you can get full-scale pleasure from your workout!
Now we parse squats with your own weight. You will find answers on the following questions. Do resistance bands work as well as weights? Can resistance bands replace free weights? Do exercise bands build muscle? Can you get big with resistance bands? Let’s go!
Regular squats
Firstly, stand straight, put your feet shoulder-width apart, feet parallel, arms stretch forward, palms down. Secondly, look ahead, keep your abdominal muscles in tension.
Without changing the position of your arms, bend your knees until your hips are parallel to the floor. Strain your gluteal muscles, as it seems if you are sitting on a chair.
In fact, the knees can still go further and there is nothing terrible in this. As long as you do not experience pain – everything is in order. Return to the starting position.
On one leg
Did you notice that one leg is somewhat stronger than the other? This is typical for most people! By doing squats on one leg, you can even out this muscular imbalance. Stand in the starting position for normal squats.
Now, lift the left leg up, slightly bending the knee. You can move your foot forward or backward depending on which position you feel more stable.
Repeat the exercise on the other leg to balance the load.
Squats with pulsation
To start with, perform a regular squat. But, instead of returning to a standing position – linger at the lowest point, when the hips are parallel to the floor. Perform three small, quick, springy movements with your pelvis up and down a few centimeters.
Congratulations! You have done it!
Pistol
If you want to impress people in the gym or at a party, or just to maximize your legs – learn how to make a gun. This exercise is not easy to master, but its results are really impressive.
Stand level and stretch your arms with your palms down. Transfer your body weight to your right leg, and lift your straight left leg in front of you parallel to the floor and your arms.
And now your task is to get back, trying not to fall and not to lower the left leg on the floor.
This exercise is only suitable for people who are in excellent physical shape. If while you are just a beginner athlete, you can use this exercise for inspiration. So, you can make more simple options. To be truly said, the squat gun is really hard!
Squat “on the chair”
The fact that this exercise is called “chair” does not mean that you can take a chair and sit happily on it. Stand up straight, put the feet together. Sit down, pushing the pelvis back until your hips are parallel to the floor as if you are falling into a chair.
Hands pull up for balance. Further, you can return to the starting position or complicate your task and stay in a sitting position for a few seconds.
Squatting “on the chair” on the toes
A complicated version of the previous exercise. Stand with your feet together and stand on your toes.
Stretch your arms in front of you parallel to the floor. Drop your hips on an imaginary chair, and balance with your hands, lifting them up. The main task is to stay on your toes and not fall. Slowly get up.
Eagle Pose
Those who think that squats are too boring will be pleased with this exercise. Stand-level, put your legs together and spread your arms to the sides. Now lift your right leg and clasp it with your left leg, foot clasp the back of your left tibia.
If you cannot do this, simply place the thigh of your right leg on the thigh of your left.
If someone is looking at you and shamelessly making fun, tell him that pretzels are your favorite food. Of course, if you can talk in that position. Well, if you do not understand anything written above and are entangled in your own limbs, just look at this picture.
Grand plie
Fans of the film “Black Swan” on the note. Stand with your heels together and your socks apart.
Without taking your hips back, bend your knees and sit strictly down as deep as you can. The heels at the lowest point can be pulled off the floor. Return to the starting position. Ballet tutu when performing this exercise is required!
“Four”
Can this exercise be called squatting? Or is it more stretching? Maybe a brace? It sounds like something not very … This exercise is perfectly working on the muscles of the supporting leg and at the same time serves to stretch the free leg.
Try not to twist the hips in one direction or another. Slowly rise. Repeat on the other leg.
Sumo
Start performing this squat by standing in a sumo position. Legs need to be placed widely, and the socks spread out. Bring your hips back and squat to the right angle at the knees. Strain the gluteal muscles. Return to the standing position.
Sumo on toes
For greater coolness and increase the load on the hips and buttocks, perform a sumo squat, standing on toes. Try not to lower the heels to the floor during the whole movement.
Buttocks to heels
Stand up straight, feet together, arms stretch forward with palms down. Bend your knees and go down until your buttocks touch your heels. The heels during this exercise will involuntarily lift off the ground, and the knees will move forward far beyond the level of the toes.
You do everything right! At the lowest point, place your hands on the floor, supporting yourself slightly. Return to the starting position.
Cross legged squat
Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, hands on hips. Now move your right foot back and to the left. Sit on both legs. Both knees should be bent at right angles. Keep weight on the front foot. Return to the original.
Squatting with a twist
Put your legs shoulder-width apart. Do an ordinary squat. At the exit of the squat, lift the right knee and, having twisted the body, reach the left elbow with the knee. Repeat on the other leg.
So, you have a full and diverse training of the lower body, consisting of only simple squats. Regularly performing these exercises, you will achieve truly amazing results!
Part 2: plyometric exercises
We continue to sort out squatting, and in our menu today there are nine very hot plyometric exercises. The editorial staff of askyourfitnessquestion.com recommends these training elements to trained athletes, CrossFit lovers, and notorious fitness fans.
What are you worse?
I think it is not necessary to remind about the obligatory warm-up before such a harsh workout? Want to pump your body to the maximum? Forward!
Jumping squats
Plyometric movement is called if both legs are off the ground at the same time. In other words – this is a jump. Such exercises maximize your muscles and add cardio load to your strength training.
Thus, to complicate the usual squat – add jumping to it. So, squat down, and then with a sharp effort unbending your knees, jump up. Land on slightly bent legs.
Frog
Frogs, as you know – great jumpers. Wake up the inner amphibian! Sit down with your legs wide apart. Socks apart, the basin almost touches the floor. Put your hands on the floor in front of you.
Now jump with your arms up! Land again in the frog pose.
Surfer
Sit with legs wider than shoulder width, spread your arms around as if you are standing on a surfboard with your right side forward. And now, with a jump, turn around, landing on the board in another side.
Squatting on an Obstacle
This option is a jump squat for people who love training more difficult. Stand in front of a big steady obstacle.
Then, when you work out the movement well, you can raise the height. Be very careful, this is a difficult exercise. Without good training, you should not practice it, because it is very easy to get injured.
Squatting with a jump – knees high
Dip in a low squat, legs on the width of the pelvis. Jump sharply, at the top point, trying to raise your knees as high as possible and slap them with your hands (or on the side of your shins).
Land again in a low squat. You do not have to stand between repetitions. We sat down – jumped, sat down – jumped. Believe me, you have not warmed up so long ago!
Without leaving a squat
Do the usual squat. Make a springy movement with your pelvis down and jump without straightening your legs. Land on bent legs and repeat. Do some quick jumps. You do not straighten the body throughout the entire exercise.
Burpee
Squat down, put your hands in front of you. Jump back legs and take the position of the bar. Again, jump back to the squat and jump up. Land on your haunches again and repeat the exercise.
Ninja
Ninja exercise is actually simpler than it sounds. Stand on the floor on your knees, hands down on the sides of the body. Strain your buttocks, quadriceps, and hips with all your strength.
Stretch your legs sharply, pulling them forward and landing in a low squat. Waving hands will help you give impetus to the body and increase dexterity. On our knees, we become cautious, in no case hit them on the floor.
Russian jump squats
The starting position is almost the same as for the sumo squat. Only legs set shoulder-width apart and socks apart. Transfer the weight to your right foot. Then, throw your left aside in a jump. Land on both legs. Transfer the weight to your right leg and repeat the movement in the other direction.
Well, are you still alive? Congratulations – you did a great job!
Part 3: using resistance bands
We offer you a selection of exercises for which you can use various additional equipment. We will not ignore either the TRX elastic loops, the Bosu ridiculous bubble, or fans favorite gym training Smith’s machine. And for something else, the place will remain!
Choose among fitness equipment (namely resistance bands) recommended by our fitness experts.
TRX Pistol
The classic version of the “pistol” exercise may be too difficult to complete. It requires high muscle control, strength, good balance, and coordination. Most practitioners simply fall on the fifth point and get bruised.
With the help of a simple TRX simulator, you can significantly simplify your life and still learn how to perform a malicious gun. I will explain a little what TRX is.
This is a pair of elastic straps with handles at the ends. TRX is attached to the wall or ceiling and is used to create additional load or support.
So, stand in front of the TRX, pull the straps over the handles with the arms extended. Raise your left leg and slowly lower on your right leg, supporting yourself with the help of a simulator. Try to get up using only your own strength. If it’s difficult for now, help yourself by pulling the straps.
One leg in the TRX loop
About what is TRX we have already told. Bend your right knee and move it backward. Hook the foot onto the TRX loop. Left foot slightly jumps forward so that there is sufficient distance between the legs.
Slowly squat on your left leg, keeping your back straight. Rise up.
Squatting on Bosu upside
Want to become like an equilibrist in a circus?
You have this opportunity. To do this, you will need to put the Bosu simulator with the convex side down.
If you are a more cautious and prudent person, just put one leg after the other on Bosu and perform squats on its surface without jumping.
Bosu squats
Return Bosu to its normal position – “bubble” up. Stand on it with both feet and start to do squats. In addition to the main groups, the small muscles of the legs and the bodywork.
Squats against the wall
The ghost of physical education in high school has returned to haunt you!
Now hold this position for as long as you can. No, you have not finished! Stop whining! Seriously. You should feel a real burning sensation in the muscles. Just stay in this position, and we will come and check. Maybe.
Squat with one foot on a support
In fact, these are ordinary squats, only one leg needs to be put on a step platform or Bosu. When performing the exercise, the body must be kept straight. Thus, one leg will be bent more, and the other less.
Train your balance and coordination. After you have completed all the repetitions, put your other foot on the support.
Squat with elastic band
Elastic workout bands vs weights? Resistance bands will help you to increase the load during the squatting.
Without leaving the squat, set aside your right leg. Come back. You can walk with both feet alternately, or take a few steps right, and then a few lefts. If you want to further increase the load – tie another tape around your ankles.
Squatting in Smith’s simulator
If you feel that you want to try the exercises with the burdening, but looking around, you find in your gym only creepy metal monsters – do not worry!
Grasp the fingerboard with both hands with a straight grip. Lift to remove the bar from the clips. Squat to a right angle in the knees, pushing the pelvis back. If at some point you realize that you can no longer – just slide the bar forward and lower it so that it stands on the racks.
Squat “four” leaning on the wall
If a simple squat at the wall doesn’t cause you any difficulty – try to make a “number four”. This option will be more load on the supporting leg. And the thigh of the second leg will stretch.
So, lean your back against the wall and sit down for a while. Bend the right leg at the knee and place the foot on the knee of the left leg. Now, crouch down on the left leg to parallel with the floor.
Hold the position as long as possible. Repeat on the other leg.
Walking in a squat on a treadmill
I will tell you in confidence, the treadmill can be used not only for running. This simulator costs a lot, so let it bring the maximum benefit! With this exercise, you can work out your quads, buttocks, and inner thighs. Stand on the side track and get into a squat, legs spread wide.
Do you think it is very easy? Add a tilt!
With the help of additional equipment and simulators, you can infinitely diversify your workouts. The most important thing is to learn and to understand your own body. It is necessary to know the mechanics of the muscles and joints. Good luck!
Part 4: using weights
Resistance bands vs weights?
It is known that training with additional burdens develops muscles much more intensively and, accordingly, forms a figure more quickly. Therefore, we will not defer and begin to perform squats with free weight – dumbbells, bodybuilders and barbells.
You can choose any of the options below and combine them with exercises without weight, jumping or other loads, depending on the level of your physical fitness and objectives of the training.
What kind of resistance do dumbbells provide?
The use of burdening in your workouts additional load in the form of dumbbells or barbells, you will force the muscles of the hips and buttocks to work much more intensively. The main advantages of this training:
If you have never worked out with dumbbells or a barbell before, pay special attention to the technique of doing the exercises. This will save you from getting injured and will achieve maximum results.
Let’s move, actually, to the options of squats.
With the barbell on shoulders
So, you mastered basic squats and began to perform them on a regular basis. Some time passed, and you noticed that in order to still get a good load, you have to squat almost from morning to evening.
This means that it is time to learn to work with weight.
For example, you can use a non-heavy bar or bodybuilder. Stand up straight with feet at shoulder width. Take the bar with a straight grip and place it just behind the shoulders just below the neck.
It must be remembered that adding training weight increases the risk of injury. Therefore, for the first time, start classes with an experienced trainer. Then, you will be able to practice independently.
With the barbell on the chest
This exercise is somewhat more complicated than the previous one for most people.
Take the bar with a straight grip and place it on the level of the upper chest. Obviously, the elbows in this position should be held high. This type of squat loads quadriceps more than the previous one. But, the back must be kept straight all the time.
With barbell overhead
This exercise looks simple, but in fact – this is one of the most difficult types of squats.
Perhaps, he is so complicated because of the need to keep the balance during the run. On the other point of view, it is because of the requirement to hold the barbell on the outstretched hands.
So, place the barbell on the shoulders and squeeze it up. The palms should be wide apart, in other words, use a wide grip. Now, holding the barbell on outstretched arms, try performing a basic squat. Do the exercise very slowly and carefully.
Squat + bench press
Take the barbell on the shoulders.
When you finish doing the exercise – gently carry the barbell over your head and, without bending your back, crouching, lower it to the floor. This exercise can also be performed with a pair of dumbbells, holding them in each hand.
Farm squats
Imagine a beautiful sunny day on the farm. You admire your crops and, perhaps, choose a tomato-another for a snack.
So here, almost the same. Here are two heavy dumbbells. Stand between them and squat. Take the dumbbells with both hands and stand up straight with your back straight. Repeat the exercise.
X-squats with weight
Take small dumbbells in both hands. Legs set wider than shoulders, toes expand diagonally. Then, do a deep squat, lowering the dumbbells between your legs.
While lifting, bend your elbows first, then when you get up, squeeze them up above your head. Your body should resemble the letter “X”. Repeat.
With dumbbells, weight or barbell from the crossbar
Hold a dumbbell or barbell at chest level with both hands.
For example, you can imagine that this is a child in your hands. Perform a basic squat without sudden movements, so that the “child” does not suffer. By the way, keep your weight close to your chest and stand firmly on your legs. Return to the standing position.
In this section, we complete our cycle of 40 kinds of squats, we hope you enjoyed it!
Correct squat technique
Squatting is among our most natural activities. We perform it regularly, sitting down on a chair or chair when we drop something on the floor, and we don’t even know how useful it is.
Not less beneficial are 10 burpee variations you must try.
Squat regardless of age! We start to do squats from school or visiting children’s sports clubs.
Exercise is effective and useful not only in young but also in old age, it helps to maintain vigor and activity, improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Elderly people need a light workout before doing it.
The overall effect of exercise
Squat helps to strengthen the body. Performing it, you use most of the muscles of the lower body. Changing the technique of movement, you pump the gluteus muscles, hips, and even the lower leg.
Squats perfectly strengthen the knee tendons, hip, knee and ankle joints. SO, they are used in rehabilitation programs after injuries with a mandatory warm-up and strict control of the load.
Squatting technique
You can squat on both legs, on one leg, with support, with weight, with lifting arms.
Fortunately, this is not a complete list of ways to do the exercise. Despite the difference in performance, all types of techniques have similar biomechanics. So, more about the technique of doing squats.
Elastic workout bands vs weights
Additional equipment is needed for squats with elastic bands or weights (dumbbells, weights, barbells).
Powerlifting overalls are used only with bandages. They do not give your back to bend while squatting with weight. Covering the leg helps to startup from the lowest point.
To say more, to increase the efficiency of the jumpsuit professional powerlifters use a special belt.
To perform Bulgarian squats need a bench or other support. Resting in it with the toe of the loosened leg, you need to sit down so that the thigh of the supporting leg is parallel to the floor.
Also, physical exercises in general (and squats, in particular) are an excellent prevention of osteoporosis and other age-related diseases.
Everyday squat workout routine
How to pump up the squats? Pump up the buttocks and thighs, make the legs tucked up, and the squats for a month will help make the shape slim. Choose the optimal exercise performance.
Use special equipment, such as unique set – AQUIVA Balance Board+Resistance Bands.
In fact, you should increase the load gradually to avoid injury.
For proper training, use the squats program table. Save it and record your daily milestone.
Day | 1st approach | 2nd approach | 3rd approach | 4th approach | Total squats number |
1 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 50 |
2 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 55 |
3 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 60 |
4 | – | – | – | – | day off |
5 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 70 |
6 | 21 | 20 | 16 | 16 | 75 |
7 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 80 |
8 | – | – | – | – | day off |
9 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 100 |
10 | 28 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 105 |
11 | 30 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 110 |
12 | – | – | – | – | day off |
13 | 35 | 33 | 32 | 30 | 130 |
14 | 37 | 35 | 33 | 30 | 135 |
15 | 40 | 35 | 35 | 30 | 140 |
16 | – | – | – | – | day off |
17 | 43 | 37 | 37 | 33 | 150 |
18 | 45 | 38 | 38 | 34 | 155 |
19 | 46 | 40 | 38 | 36 | 160 |
20 | – | – | – | – | day off |
21 | 50 | 45 | 44 | 41 | 180 |
22 | 52 | 47 | 44 | 42 | 185 |
23 | 55 | 50 | 45 | 42 | 190 |
24 | – | – | – | – | day off |
25 | 65 | 55 | 52 | 45 | 220 |
26 | 65 | 57 | 53 | 46 | 225 |
27 | 65 | 60 | 54 | 48 | 230 |
28 | – | – | – | – | day off |
29 | 70 | 62 | 55 | 48 | 240 |
30 | 75 | 70 | 55 | 50 | 250 |
What harm can squat do?
Squats by themselves are not dangerous. They become dangerous when they are incorrectly performed. Squats create pressure on the knee joints and tendons, and the spine, especially when performed with weighting.
Before you start training with squats, make sure that they are not contraindicated to you.
Conclusion
Practically always, the benefits of squats exceed the potential harm from them a hundredfold. (with the exception of those cases when classes are contraindicated for health reasons). The exercise is recommended for children and adults of any age.
Regularly squatting, you strengthen the muscular system, become stronger, stronger, more energetic, slimmer.
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