Barbell squats for tall people. How to do squats with a barbell on your shoulders? Push-ups with extra weight

Bill Starr
IM No. 8, 2000

Since the squat is the foundation of any strength program, you should know how to succeed in this exercise. Often, when progress in it slows down, athletes get lost and begin to look for replacements in the form of lunges, leg presses and a number of other leg exercises. Of course, changes in training programs bring some benefits. But by overdoing these exercises at the expense of squats, athletes are actually taking a step back in developing leg strength.

And this is completely unacceptable.

At the very beginning of any program, you need to pay special attention to squat technique. This also applies to those who start training after a break. Many people who used to squat in great shape return to training with terrible form, usually because they were in too much of a hurry to get back to their previous results. The same can be said for beginners. They are too concerned with squatting with a certain weight, forgetting about the form of the exercise.

If you don't develop proper technique early on in your bodybuilding career, your progress will not be as good as it could be and your end results will be far below potential. In addition, incorrect movement technique is a kind of “invitation to a traumatologist.” All this is so elementary that it would seem that it does not need repetition. But in many gyms, the people charged with overseeing proper form are so concerned with getting their trainees to reach certain numbers that they allow them to lift weights with incorrect form that they are clearly not ready for.

From time to time this situation arises in my gym. I am informed that a new athlete will come to my gym to train, who squats with a weight greater than the record for my gym - 285 kg. Usually the figure is about 320 kg. Everything sounds very convincing until I see the squats themselves, which in reality usually turn out to be half squats. When I get the record holder to drop below parallel to the floor, a normally 320kg squat suddenly becomes a 175kg squat. Sometimes the blow to an athlete's pride is so strong that he can never recover from it. None of these great squatters had ever done real, full squats. And this is most likely the fault of the coaches. High scores show them in a good light. This often happens in big sports. Ultimately, the athlete himself loses the most.

The second important point in the science of squatting correctly is polishing the technique in the process of growing strength. Experienced athletes also make mistakes, but they are of a slightly different kind than beginners. Most often this happens to those who are most successful compared to others in a given room. It is understood that they know perfectly well what they are doing, and no one will dare to reprimand them. How could it be otherwise, they are the best! But the fact is that every athlete at any level of development needs to monitor compliance with the exercise form and search for weak points.

Another important aspect of achieving success is the time it takes to build a strength base and gradually improve it. It seems that I again said a completely obvious thing, but many athletes, for the sake of their ego, forget about this in the pursuit of numbers. A comparison with a pyramid is appropriate here. The stability of the top depends entirely on the width of the base. The same goes for squats or any other strength exercise. Your final results depend entirely on the basic work you do. This process cannot be customized. Anyone who is in a hurry in this matter will certainly end up with injury or overtraining, or even both at once.

So, if you want to achieve something in squats, constantly improve the technique of performing the exercise, gradually increase the total volume of work, look for and overcome weak points. The importance of a good coaching eye here cannot be overstated. An experienced mentor will notice if any muscle group is lagging behind and will suggest an exercise or a whole program to work it out.

It is also important to understand that in an exercise such as the squat, each person has certain limitations. Even if a person has developed excellent shape and spent half his life building a strength base, the result largely depends on the own weight of each individual person and on his anatomical features. You may see a contradiction here with what I said earlier. Understand that you must strive to realize your current real potential. An athlete weighing 75 kg will never be able to squat 205 kg, but with 185 he can. If he wants to cross this line, he needs to gain weight. Many, however, do not want this. They stop there and continue squatting to stay in shape or to improve their performance in another sport.

I once worked with a sprint cyclist who progressed beautifully in the squat until he reached 194kg. We tried to increase the weight and decrease it, but the result remained the same. The only way to overcome this obstacle was to increase his own weight, but he did not want that. A 194kg squat is a decent result and if he added more weight it would have a negative impact on his cycling performance. So he continued to lift this weight to maintain his form.

It's no secret that some people are designed by Mother Nature to never be able to squat huge weights, no matter how heavy their bodyweight is or how much they train. But even such super-heavy people can significantly increase their strength if they are diligent enough. Perhaps the weights they lift will not impress others, but for themselves they will know that they have achieved something and for them this is quite enough. Whatever your experience, goals, and genetic makeup, you can realize your squat potential.

When developing the technique of performing squats, the main attention should be paid to the position of the bar and legs. This is very individual, but there are some general rules. Most people find it comfortable to place their feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. The toes should be slightly turned out, but not too much, otherwise this can lead to knee injuries. According to my observations, wider foot placement is comfortable for tall people. The wider it is, the less the socks should be turned outward.

Taller people also find it more comfortable to place the bar slightly lower than usual. And the usual position of the bar is the top of the trapezius muscle. If tall athletes place the bar this way, they usually move their torso too far forward during squats. If you are tall, place the bar lower. But don’t overdo it, too low a position can cause shoulder injury. Also, unless you're a powerlifter, you need deeper squats.

However, despite everything said above, you should experiment for some time with the position of the feet and the bar and choose the best option for yourself. The only thing you should be wary of while developing form is the bad habit of leaning forward while squatting. Yes, powerlifters do this on purpose - in order to lift more weight. But don't forget that they do a lot of work to strengthen the lumbar muscles beforehand. And until you have significantly strengthened them, leaning forward is quite dangerous.

One of the very important requirements for performing the exercise is to remain very, very tense throughout the entire range of movement. You should tense your muscles almost to the point of cramping. Many athletes relax their muscles slightly as they lower into the bottom position. Their thoughts are occupied with how they will rise up. This is not so bad if you work with light weights, but not in the case of extremely heavy ones! Relaxing while lowering is dangerous for many reasons, one of which is the knees. With such a relaxed descent, there is a tendency to “kick” in the bottom position, which is very dangerous for the knee joints - especially for beginners and those who resume training after a break.

It is quite difficult to tense all the muscles needed to lift from the bottom position when the bar is already moving. The body must be prepared for this in advance. If you move the bar up while fully braced and ready, you can easily get it through sticking point.

It's best to prepare for this before you start the movement, tense all your muscles and focus on it. After removing the bar from the rack, begin the preparation process. “Grip” the floor with your feet, let a wave of tension rise up throughout your body - legs, pelvis, back, shoulders. I always tell my students, before they start going down, to imagine that they are about to squat 300kg. Tighten your trapezius, as if trying to lift the bar with them, take a breath and begin the movement. If all your muscles are tense, it will be much easier for you to rise.

Plus, it helps bring the bar into the correct position at the bottom. This is a point many people miss, but if you get into the wrong bottom position with a lot of weight, your chances of getting back up are greatly reduced. Keeping your core tight allows you to guide the bar along the correct path. If you come down relaxed, the rise will be even worse, especially with heavy weights

Don't skip this preparation even during your warm-up set. After a while it will become a habit, which is what you want. Once you learn to do each rep as if it were your only rep, and with as much weight as possible, your squat performance will begin to steadily increase.

What about head position? Some coaches teach their players to look up, some to look down. This is also very individual. I have seen many experienced athletes hold their heads in different ways. But in any case, you should not force her to be in a certain position, that is, look up or down. This is quite a lot of stress for the upper spine, which already receives considerable stress during heavy squats. The head should be in a position that is comfortable for you.

If I notice that an athlete is leaning too forward when coming out of the bottom position, I encourage them to lift their head slightly. And vice versa, if it deviates, lower it. Like gymnasts, athletes must use their head as a balancer during squats.

I teach my students to hold the bar very tightly, not allowing it to move on their shoulders. Many come to me with the confidence that the bar should lie freely on the trapezius, and the habit of a very wide grip - almost right under the discs. But this does not allow you to control the bar when working with heavy weights. Many wide-grip athletes simply lack flexibility in their shoulder joints. A few weeks of stretching can easily solve this problem.

When you start training after a long break, stick to the "five out of five" pattern, using a heavy, medium and light concept. Some advise beginners to perform 10 or more repetitions, thereby trying to limit the working weights. But most often the guys get tired quickly and lose their technique by the end of the approach, which is completely unacceptable. With five repetitions, you can always closely monitor your form, and if you want to give more load, increase the number of approaches.

I especially advise beginners to have an easy day; it will help them concentrate on the technique of performing movements. Over time, you'll be able to perform heavy sets of three reps on a moderate day, and add a finishing set of 8-10 reps on heavy or moderate days. These are the first steps to building your strength base.

I have always maintained a squat program three times a week. After many years of working with people, I have come to the conclusion that this approach produces the best results. Squats twice a week don't provide as much loading and don't allow for much variability in your squat programs. But as the weights increase, you may feel the need for more time to recover your muscles, and then it makes sense to switch to squats twice a week. If it works for you, great.

Many athletes only lift weights for three or four months out of the year before moving on to other sports. In such cases, performing squats three times a week will be the best regimen for heavy training. In such a short period of time, athletes must increase leg strength, and they do this with a three-day program. I know many athletes who have added 100 kg or more to the bar in three months, and this, in my opinion, is a good result.

And now the program for my students. Monday is usually a heavy work day. They do five sets of five reps, the last one at the limit. The final set is then performed with a reduced weight, which helps add a little work without too much stress. This set also helps them adjust their technique if necessary. How much weight should you perform it with? This depends on the results of the main program. If it was successfully completed, I make it moderate in load, if not, more heavy. The guys call it "penalty", and I agree with them.

My rule of thumb for the final set is to use 20kg less weight than the heaviest weight in that workout. For example, if you performed 3-5 squats with 165 kg, then in the final set you should work with 145 kg for eight repetitions. However, this is not a dogma. If I notice that the exercise was performed with poor technique, then I set the weight even lower so that the athlete can correct it. After all, with a lot of weight he won’t be able to do this. After doing five rounds of five reps with a 230kg barbell, he had sufficiently stressed his quadriceps to work with 200kg as well. All he will get is overtraining. So I make him do a set with 175 kg, which is also not a “gift” after hard work, but not too tiring either.

In conclusion, I want to once again emphasize the importance of correct technique for performing the exercise. Having mastered the technique, the athlete begins to progress with weights, then I look for his weaknesses, and include new exercises or techniques to eliminate these weak points. In the second part of this article, I will talk in more detail about the technique of performing squats. In particular, I will touch on the issue of developing explosive force when rising from the bottom position, strengthening the adductors and biceps of the legs, as well as passing the sticking point, which will raise the results of your squats to stratospheric heights.

A tall athlete looks much more impressive than a short one, but it is more difficult for a tall athlete to gain weight. According to our data, only 10% of those whose height exceeds 188 cm do not experience problems with gaining muscle mass.

It is also worth pointing out a certain visual point: people with the same body mass index and the same body structure (for example, ectomorphs) look different, having significant differences in height, and the superiority here is on the side of those who are shorter - they seem more massive.

There is one more problem. Let's call it “mechanical” - this article is dedicated to it.

Mechanics of performing exercises in tall people

Mechanical problem is one of the significant obstacles that limits the progress in gaining muscle mass in tall guys. The essence of this problem is as follows: high growth means, first of all, long limbs (legs, arms). Especially if a person is an ectomorph by his bodily nature. All the main (basic) work in the gym is carried out by the limbs.

In this case, it is necessary to understand the importance and peculiarity of limb length. After all, the longer the limbs, the longer the mechanical lever. What is a lever? Imagine a simple experiment: two people hold a brick on a shovel (the shovel is held at its end with their hands). But one person has a 1-meter shovel, and the other has a 2-meter shovel. Let's imagine that the shovels are of the same weight. Who finds it more difficult to hold a brick on a shovel? Of course, the one with the longest shovel!

In addition, a long lever creates conditions not only for additional effort, but also for a greater range of motion. All this cannot but affect the performance of the exercises and their effectiveness.

For people with long limbs, this problem is quite noticeable in exercises such as the standing press, bench press and squats.

In these (and some other) exercises, tall people (with long levers) usually demonstrate below average strength indicators (see Table 1). In turn, the inability to reach heavier weights (due to long levers) can prevent you from gaining muscle mass. The main thing is not to be disappointed, but to understand the essence of the problem and continue to look for ways to solve it.

Table 1. Average Maximum Scores
in some exercises (for amateur bodybuilders)

It is appropriate to quote the words of Arthur Jones from one of his articles, when he compared the strength indicators of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Colombo: “Arnold Schwarzenegger has at least three times more muscles than his friend Franco Colombo, and yet Franco can lift more than Arnold , which means absolutely nothing. Arnold's forearms are three inches longer than Franco's, so when performing a bicep curl, Arnold needs to lift the weight a greater distance. That is, even if lifting the same weight, Arnold would have to move the bar six inches further than Franco, thereby doing more work.”

But in some other exercises - primarily in the deadlift - high height, on the contrary, is an assistant when performing exercises, which allows you to have above-average strength achievements. Here the effect of leverage is the opposite. Remember Archimedes and his famous phrase: “Give me a point of support, and I will move the earth.” When deadlifting, the fulcrum is the floor, and the lever is the legs + torso. And the longer the lever, the easier it is to lift heavier weights. By the way, purely technically, for a tall person, the deadlift may not work at certain proportions of the length of the legs, arms and torso. With such proportions, the positive effect of leverage will fade into the background.

How to solve a problem?

First option. People with long levers should spend a lot of time experimenting with movement techniques to find the positions of the smallest lever radius. That is, the minimum task is to find the most optimal vector (direction) of movement in a particular exercise.

Second option. People with long levers are allowed to experiment not only with the vector of movement, but also with the amplitude of movement. Judge for yourself: the longer the lever, the greater the amplitude of movement. Compare two people in the bench press with a difference in height of about 30 cm (for example, 190 cm and 160 cm) and observe how much distance (how many centimeters) the range of motion of the barbell takes from the position of straightened arms to touch the chest. You will find that a shorter person lowers the bar a distance that would be about half his range of motion for a taller person.

On our part, there is no call to switch exclusively to half-presses and half-squats and forget about full-amplitude movements forever. However, we strongly recommend not to ignore these exercise options (read about options in and) and not to perceive them as some kind of technical error (which is exactly how many approach this issue). Remember, if you are tall (with long leverage), you have every right to act contrary to the recognized rules, because these rules were clearly not written with you in mind.

Poll in the article: Pirron M. 5 tips for thin and tall guys to gain muscle mass // Bodybuilding for hardgainers, 2013,

Jones A. Size and strength // Ironman. 1972, no. 1.

2014 © Bodybuilding for hardgainers

Helping lanky athletes avoid danger and discomfort is no easy task. The proposed measures will simplify this task and help tall guys become strong and muscular!

The gym is a real torture chamber for tall guys. To get into the correct starting position and perform the exercise correctly, lanky athletes often have to twist and place their levers at an awkward angle, which increases the risk of injury and increases the distance the weight can be moved.

A daunting problem for tall gym-goers who constantly have to adapt basic movements to their anatomical and biomechanical features.

If you're not sure whether you need to adjust your work in the gym, let's first define who is considered "high" in relation to strength training.

In this situation, we are not talking about guys with slightly above average height. We're talking about men taller than 192 cm and women taller than 178 cm. We're talking about real skyscrapers.

If you calmly look down on a professional basketball player, but in the gym you find it difficult to cope with your long legs, then you need to deal with it somehow. I am ready to offer you simple solutions that will help correct technical errors and eliminate long-legged and long-armed interference.

1. Basic isometric exercises

Due to your long legs and arms, it is extremely difficult for you to take the correct starting position, and this leads to poor performance of the entire exercise. Isometric exercises, in which you maintain a static contraction, provide an opportunity to develop correct posture. They teach lanky athletes how to start and finish an exercise correctly.

Over time, isometric exercises will help the athlete feel the correct range of motion. If you have difficulty doing half squats but can easily do quarter squats, then start with a quarter squat and work your way down lower and deeper. This way you will systematically improve your deep squat technique and increase your overall range of motion without experiencing physical discomfort.

Isometric holds will make you stronger, even if your flexibility is limited by your height.

Don’t miss the very essence of isometric movements: it’s not a long and tedious wait for the weather by the sea, it’s active work, albeit in a static mode. Whatever position you take, you must maintain it with the help of your whole body.

Stay in a static position until you feel fairly tired, but not so long that your posture begins to resemble a misshapen lawn chair. Start with 10-15 sets of 10-15 seconds, work your way up by increasing the duration of the set, decreasing the total number of sets, and gradually moving into the correct position.

2. Leave only the concentric phase

Guys who constantly hit the doorway with their head experience certain difficulties with proprioceptive sensitivity and motor innervation. It’s as if the signal from the muscles to the brain and back takes a little longer than usual. As a result, the eccentric, or negative, phase of movement, or more precisely, its outcome, becomes a matter of chance: either the fixation of the body is lost, or the arms are crooked. In a word, the whole exercise is down the drain.

By focusing on the concentric phase (contraction phase), such as bench pressing in a squat rack or squatting in the same manner, lanky athletes will get some relief because the basis of these exercises will be isometric movements. They will allow you to improve your range of motion, stabilize your starting position, and perform the exercise with enough vigor and energy to develop strength and volume. And you won’t have to worry about a forced reduction in working weight.

The success of a concentric exercise depends on acceleration. Even with a lot of weight, you need to focus on moving the projectile from start to finish as quickly as possible. Stick to 3-8 reps for concentric exercises. If you do fewer repetitions, you turn the exercise into a quasi-maximum, unproductive movement.

3. Attenuated negatives

Once you've mastered concentric exercises, add slack movements that involve using straps to simplify the eccentric phase of the bar's movement—primarily when performing bench presses and squats.

For loose negatives, tie one part of the strap to the top of the squat rack and wrap the other around the bar. As the bar is lowered, the strap will stretch, which will reduce the load during the eccentric phase and help initiate the concentric phase of the movement.

Elastic straps attached to the squat rack will help you maintain proper position during the eccentric (descending) phase of the movement and provide momentum for the concentric phase of the movement

This strategy is designed to help the athlete move from concentric exercises to full range of motion. Isometric exercises teach you to take and maintain the correct position, concentric presses teach you to develop maximum effort from the starting position, and weakened negatives teach you to overcome all phases of the movement cleanly.

4. Medium rep sets

Tall athletes have long lever arms that interfere with proprioception and motor control. Overly intense training with high weights and low reps is tantamount to a dangerous, painful and potentially traumatic approach. Focus on extreme weights and one-rep sets, and your performance will decline much faster than with athletes with a normal lever length. Quality reps and a long athletic career are built on medium rep sets.

Adopt this strategy and do sets of 5-8 repetitions. If you want to gain muscle, increase your volume by increasing the number of sets per training session or training cycle. To increase strength, focus carefully on the starting position and perform high-quality repetitions that develop fierce tension.

Training program

Being tall doesn't have to hinder your strength training success. Success depends on many factors. Learn to hold position with isometric movements, develop starting strength with concentric movements, and learn to master the eccentric phase with weakened negatives.

Master these techniques with medium rep sets and you'll solve all the lanky athlete's problems.

Some people argue that barbell squats are not necessary for girls, and are even harmful. They say that not only the buttocks grow from them, but also the quadriceps. And then there are the unaesthetic legs of a football player, and other joys that we don’t want at all when we go to the gym to get slim.

Another thing is that no constructive replacements are usually offered. At most, they recommend doing plie with a dumbbell. Or the Bulgarian split squat, which is known to be a little more difficult than a simple squat. And it’s practically impossible to do if the beginner has zero technique. To be fair, the quadriceps works in all types of squats, and you won’t be able to isolate it. So some growth will have to be tolerated. But with the right technique, the buttocks work more.

Barbell squats for girls: benefits and harms

The problem with everyone who excludes the squat from their training is not only that they are deprived of fun and a reason to appear very cool in the eyes of their male gym brethren. The trouble is that by giving up squats and deadlifts, we get training without the necessary hormonal response.

Basic exercise causes a massive increase in oxygen consumption under load, and a surge in GH levels.

These two factors help not only to recover better from the two dozen isolation nut swings that we all practice, but also to burn more fat before, during, and after training. So the whole point is not only about the roundness, but also about its absence in unnecessary places.

Barbell squats for girls also solve the following problems:

• allow you to get rid of slouched posture. You simply won't lower yourself into a squat if your shoulder blades are spread across your back, your lower back is arched forward, and your stomach is hanging out for everyone to see. Getting ready is the first thing a proper squat teaches. Tighten and lower the shoulder blades, fix the native lumbar region by rigidly drawing in the abdomen. These skills are very suitable for everyday life. For example, those periods when you desperately want to look slimmer, but you can’t;
• They strengthen the abs in static conditions better than a million twists at different angles on all sorts of strange objects. It is the strength of the transverse abdominal muscles that is lacking in those comrades whose stomach falls forward, despite the enormous amount of work done on the abs;
• with the right technique, they help avoid injuries in typical “female” activities such as high-repetition training for muscle quality, and 100 forms of running to burn fat;
• help reduce the amount of cardio exercise performed to a reasonable limit by increasing calorie consumption, and, finally, spend less time in the gym

But with careless technique, back squats performed with a barbell on your shoulders can be dangerous. Strictly speaking, the barbell should not rest on any shoulders at all. You should start learning from the “bar below the trapezoid” position; those who continue can put weights on the top of the trapezoid as soon as they learn to remove the swing and lifting of the shoulders.

Squatting with a barbell correctly is also not easy because there are individual developmental characteristics that must be taken into account when setting up the technique. You can often find the opinion on the Internet that a girl should squat with a barbell on her shoulders, with her pelvis on the floor, deeper than parallel. And an excellent explanation of the methodological “calculations” - they say, girls want to pump up their buttocks, so that’s where they work. “There” they do not work for everyone, and for many such a squat is contraindicated due to lordosis of the lumbar region. In general, it is better to decide on individual equipment in advance.

Anyone can do a barbell squat correctly.

The standards for this movement differ between powerlifting and bodybuilding. The peculiarity is that the lifter’s version is more anatomically determined:

• they go under the barbell with their stomach already retracted and their shoulder blades pulled towards the spine, the bar is set quite low, just below the midline passing through the rear delts;
• check your posture, gather yourself, remove the apparatus, step back, place it at a comfortable foot width in two steps and begin the exercise;
• the feet stand at a width that is comfortable for the hips and does not allow the kneecaps to move inward;
• the bar lies low, which eliminates the separation of the shoulder blades and loss of stability, usually accompanied by a back injury;
• toes are moderately spread to the sides, adding stability to the pose;
• the movement begins with the pelvis down and back, accordingly the knees bend. This squat is similar to how we usually sit on a low bench;
• throughout the entire movement, the abs are pulled in, the back is in a natural arch, the forward bend is very moderate, the body does not rest on the hips;
• at the point of maximum depth, the lumbar region does not “unwind”, and the pelvis does not make the characteristic “peck” downward. Sometimes a squat with this movement is allowed, but not for beginners training for aesthetics. “Pecks” and “kicks” due to bending the legs can occur during power squats, with small jumps; they are not used in health fitness;
• This is followed by a smooth lifting of the weight due to extension in the hip and knee joint.

Individual squat technique involves determining the available depth and maximum forward lean. Stand in profile to the mirror and sit down. As soon as you notice that the lumbar region “unwinds” and the pelvis “pecks” - you have reached the maximum depth, fixate on it, there is no need to force it any further.

The slope should be the same as what you get if you sit with your knees on the wall with your toes at a distance of 10-15 cm from its surface. There is no need to lower your chest any lower.
Well, the spacing of the feet and the distance between the knees is selected so that there is no transfer of body weight to the toes, and various vibrations of the hips (their opening and spreading).

It is best to learn the barbell squat technique from a trainer. Independent exercises are also good and useful, but only after you automatically correctly take the weight from the racks, gather yourself, and smoothly perform both lowering and lifting the weight. Most gyms offer some personal training, which will help.

A coach is also needed to determine what additional exercises will help you get rid of bad squatting habits. Such habits are developed by the way we walk and sit from childhood, and can be very harmful when we gain weight.
Don't want to squat with a lot of weight? Strength training should be progressive. You cannot achieve results by training with an empty bar your entire life. Typically, girls who train reach one and a half body weights on a barbell in a year or two of training in the “three workouts per week” format, and this is not a record, but a completely typical indicator.

Types of squats with a barbell

In addition to the so-called lifter squat, there is a weightlifting version - it involves a high position of the bar, on the trapezius muscle, and extremely high flexion in the hip joints. It is used extremely rarely in health and fitness practice.

The options used in bodybuilding involve “playing” with the width of the feet. A wide squat with toes pointed to the side - plie - is considered to load the buttocks. Position with narrow feet and pelvic abduction - to work the front surface of the thigh

Based on the type of bar position, squats are divided into:

• frontal - the barbell is placed on the chest and held either with a hook grip (forearms parallel to each other, the barbell rests on the shoulders) or by crossing the arms;
• with the barbell above your head - or more precisely, the bar lies slightly behind your head. The barbell is taken from the floor with a jerk grip (hands almost under the pancakes, wide) and jerked upward, turning the shoulders and pointing the projectile slightly behind the head. A squat is performed in this position. Beginners are often given the movement in a simplified format, with a light gymnastics stick. It helps to correct minor postural disorders and learn to hold your back correctly.

Related to the barbell squat are the exercises of the same name in the Smith machine and hack machine. They are aimed at isolating the legs, and create a slight load on the stabilizers.

For a beginner, it won't be a big problem to squat every workout if you do 3 sessions per week. As the weights increase, it is necessary to organize your training according to the principle of “squat only, or deadlift only” to avoid overloading the central nervous system.

Low bow, our dear readers! This Friday we will continue filling the “Force Vector” cycle and focus on the squat exercise with a barbell.

After reading, you will learn what forces and moments arise during the movement, what parts of the body the squat places increased demands on, and we will also look at some of the research side. It’s not a fact that we will master everything in one part and then split it into two.

So, make yourself comfortable, let's begin.

Barbell squats: vectors, forces, moments

Who would have thought that our new and rather difficult-to-understand series would appeal to you? Of course, it is too early to draw final conclusions (that's not how we do them :)), but first we can already say that yes, the cycle is taking root and quite well. We dedicated our first article, in the second we will talk about squats with a barbell. In general, it is worth saying that this particular exercise is the most technically difficult and traumatic. And in order to get the maximum benefit from the squat, it is advisable to look at it from the outside, or rather, from the inside. This is exactly what we will do today.

Note:
For better assimilation of the material, all further narration will be divided into subchapters.

Barbell Squats: Strengths

F=[m]x[a] - this is the formula for force, calculated in Newtons. 1 H is the force required to accelerate 1 kg mass with speed 1 m/sec2. If you decide to squat and equip the barbell with weight 150 kg (mass component of force), then she will make 150x9.8 m/sec2 = 1470 N forces on your body. To move the weight up, you need to overcome 1470 N strength.

The greater the weight, the greater the force applied, the greater the overload experienced by your “elements” of the body. Therefore, from the point of view of the safety of the body and longevity in sports, a more gentle option is.

Note:

From a biomechanical point of view, the forces in the joints and on different bones are different. Different stands (including the position of the bar on the trapezes) or barbell grips (narrower, wider) can make squats easier or harder.

Barbell Squats: Moments

The moment of force is defined as the product of the magnitude of this force and the distance to the axis of rotation of the lever (if the force is applied perpendicular to the lever). To understand, let's look at a practical example from life.

You need to use a wrench to tighten the bolt. In this case, the moment of force will be as follows:

As for the squats themselves, to carry out the movement, the muscles contract, producing a linear force. From a moment perspective, you are primarily trying to create extensor moments (extension) at the knees and hips that exceed the flexion moments (flexion) at these joints imposed by both the weight of the barbell and your own body weight. If the athlete generates enough force that exceeds the force exerted by the barbell on his body, then he will successfully perform the squat.

If we look at the squat (visually) in terms of moments/forces, when the barbell is loaded onto the back, the center of mass falls into the legs, creating what is called a line of force. It is along this line that everything will happen:

During squats, the knee will move forward as the hips move backward. As soon as the knee moves forward (past the power line), a moment arises, the same is true for the hips. The moment generated is the weight of the barbell multiplied by the distance of the knee (or hip) from the force line.

To summarize all that has been said, we will derive several power positions for squats with a barbell:

Barbell Squats: The Bones, Joints and Muscles That Play the Most Important Roles in Pushing the Weight

And let's start with...

• Bones/joints:

No. 1. Spine

The spine is formed by a chain of bones/cartilage ( 24 vertebra) running along the back and enclosing the spinal cord. The vertebrae are divided into three sections: 7 cervical vertebrae in the neck, 12 thoracic vertebrae, running from the base of the neck to the lower part of the chest and 5 lumbar vertebrae, running from the base of the chest to the top of the pelvis.

The spine has three main curves: the lordotic curve (rounded inwards) for the lumbar spine, kyphotic curve (rounded out) for the thoracic spine and the lordotic curve for the cervical spine.

Between each pair of vertebrae there is an intervertebral disc that performs shock-absorbing functions. They (discs) withstand compressive forces/compressive loads very well (pressing the vertebrae together as a result of the load, the occurrence of a compressive force), but may have some problems with shear/lateral forces.

In the correct execution of squats, when the back is positioned correctly, there should not be an excessive amount of flexion or extension (flexion/extension) spine. This is the only way your back can transfer force from your legs/hips to the bar.

No. 2. Pelvis

The pelvis is six bones fused together. The pelvic bones bear the gluteal muscles, which take the load from squats. The pelvis, according to our research, has two features: 1) there is an anterior lower iliac vertebra/spine, from which the quadriceps originates (4 muscles of the anterior thigh); 2) there is an ischial tuberosity, from which the biceps femoris and adductor magnus originate.

The female pelvis (not all) is anatomically more expanded in comparison with the male one, which in practice, i.e. in relation to squats, should result in the formation of a more stable support. Those. Women with an enlarged pelvis will find it easier to squat (in terms of stability, structural rigidity) than their “narrow-bellied” female or male counterparts.

Depending on what kind of pelvis a woman has, her lumbosacral rhombus (Michaelis rhombus) will have a different appearance:

No. 3. Femur

The femur is the bone that extends from the point of the pelvis to the knee. There are four main parts of the femur: the head, neck, shaft and condyles.

Note:

Hip fracture is the most common problem in women of age 40+ , actively involved in sports (and not only). There are many factors for this development of events. The key to strength fitness training is to frequently perform squats and bench presses with sufficient weight.

Down the leg the femur meets the knee, which has 4 The main ligaments are: anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), medial collateral ligament (MCL) and lateral collateral ligament (LCL).

Hips and knees (both ligaments and the cups/menisci themselves) during squats they experience enormous loads. Since women have more fragile bones and weaker knee ligaments compared to men, they should not be overloaded; perform appropriate exercises, including power squats with a barbell, more often 1-2 once a week.

It is worth keeping in mind that the length of the femur leaves a significant imprint on the mechanics of squats. Those. people with different limb lengths (particularly the femur) must squat differently.

What does long femur mean? This means that you have a high/large femur to short tibia ratio or a high/large femur to short tibia ratio.

Squats with a long femur can cause injury to your lower back.

So, if you have a long femur and a short torso, then in squats:

• use a wider one (than ordinary people) foot placement;
• point your hips out to the sides (external rotation);
• place pancakes under your heels.

All of the above tips change leverage and distribute weight evenly between your lower back, knees, and legs. This way, no “element” is more overloaded than the others.

No. 4. Tibia and Fibula

The tibia and fibula are the bones of the lower leg, extending from the knee to the ankle. The length may not fit into anatomical standards, they may be shorter or longer. In this case, the mechanics of squats also change (different from the classics).

No. 5. Hip joint

The hip is a hinge joint, which means it moves in all planes. Range of motion is important in squats (the bigger, the better) and this is influenced by: the anatomical features of the pelvis, hip joint, femur, as well as the ability of the lower part to stretch (good response). This is what will determine the quality (including depth) of your squats.

No. 6. Knee-joint

It is a hinge joint, which means that it primarily performs flexion (for example, ) and extension (for example, ) . The patella, the small bone at the front of the knee, provides leverage to the quadriceps to pull the tibia to allow knee extension.

Note:

The knee joint in women is much weaker than in men, therefore it is not recommended to load it with heavy squats and other extension/flexion exercises on the same day. From the point of view of longevity of the knees, it is advisable to use no more than three exercises on them in a workout, and spaced from each other by one other movement. Example: 1) seated leg extension, 2) Romanian deadlift with dumbbells, 3) barbell squats, 4) standing calf raises, 5) lying leg curls.

No. 7. Ankle

The ankle may rotate and flex laterally. For squats, the only things that matter to us are plantar flexion and dorsiflexion. (lifting fingertips off the floor). Good ankle mobility can often compensate for a person's unusual anatomy and allow for proper squatting.

Now, summing up what has been said about the joints, let's move our anatomical opus to the practical plane, i.e. Let's see how anatomy works specifically in squats.

To squat correctly means to squat in accordance with your anthropometry, the length of your limbs, and the proportions of your body. It is these proportions that dictate which muscles will do most of the work. For some, the squat will work as a “swinger” of the quadriceps, for others - the buttocks and hamstrings.

If your tibia is shorter than your femur (Figure 1 ) Your body will be dictated to lean forward while your knees cannot go forward. This way, most of the load will fall on the lower back, not the quadriceps. On the other hand, if your tibia is larger/longer than your femur (picture 2 ), then you will feel more stress on your knees, and squats will work your quadriceps.

If everything is fine with your bones in terms of length, i.e. they are in a certain proportion to each other (one is not significantly larger/smaller than the other), then squats can also be configured to work one or another part of the legs. For example, the further the knee moves forward (deeper squat, butt to the floor), the greater the load on the front thigh, the quadriceps sways (also more weight will affect your knee joints, popliteal ligaments). Conversely, if your knee moves forward only a small distance (small squat depth), then your rear hips and back will take most of the load. (swings hamstrings, buttocks).

Now let's go over the muscles.

• Muscles:

No. 1. Back extensors

They are attached to the upper pelvis, ribs and spine, and when they contract, extension of the spine occurs. Each individual muscle only crosses a few vertebrae, so the strength of each region of the back needs to be monitored. In other words, friendship with squats begins with a smile of strengthening and developing the upper, middle, and lower back.

No. 2. Core muscles

This is a general term for all the muscles between the neck and hips that help support the torso, are responsible for stabilizing the pelvis, hips and spine and form a rigid corset around the abdomen. The core muscles include (main):

• oblique abdominal muscles;
• transverse abdominis muscle;
• rectus abdominis muscle;
• gluteus medius muscles;
• adductor muscles;
• muscles of the back of the thigh;
• infraspinatus muscle;
• coracobrachialis muscle.

The development of the complex is important (not separately) muscles. They must be able to generate enough tension to support the back extensors in supporting and stabilizing the spine. The oblique, transverse and rectus muscles assist the diaphragm and pelvic floor muscles in creating and controlling intra-abdominal pressure.

Note:

The heavier the weight in squats, the stronger your abs and core muscles should be. Those. conditionally, if you squatted with weight 50 kg and want to raise it to 75 , the legs can do this, but the abs are not fully capable. Use additional weights for abdominal exercises (eg pancakes) and increase standing time (minimum 90 sec for women and 180 sec for men).

No. 3. Gluteus maximus

Gluteus maximus is the strongest extensor of the hip joint. Large, powerful glutes are essential for performing squats. Many young ladies, when they come to the gym, immediately begin to pump their buttocks, climbing into a squat - this is fundamentally wrong. By developing the buttocks through special targeted exercises, we help ourselves with squats. In squats, the mass component of force (weight of the bar) is important, 10-15 kg will not make your buttocks grow. And in order to lift serious weights, you need to bring all the movers (including the buttocks) of squats to the required strength and mass condition.

Conclusion: The development of the gluteus maximus muscle is important in barbell squats, but it is not developed by them.

No. 4. Posterior thigh

The three main muscles that form it are the biceps femoris (two heads), semitendinosus and semimembranosus. Of all three, the hamstrings, and the long head, are of decisive importance in squats. The ease of overcoming the extension phase depends on its strength and development (exit upward from the bottom point). The simplest local impact exercise is lying down.

No. 5. Adductor magnus

Of all the adductors, the most important is the adductor magnus, often called the fourth hamstring. It is a powerful hip extensor. For the most part, when it comes to pulling up lagging muscles for squats, we are talking about the buttocks and hamstrings. However, according to recent scientific research (Andrew Vigotsky, Megan Bryanton, American Society of Biomechanics 40th Annual Meeting, At North Carolina State University, USA 2016 ) greater extension potential (produces more torque) The hip joint is possessed by the adductor magnus muscle.

Conclusion: to more effectively come out of the bottom of a squat, work your leg muscles in this sequence (first position – the most significant): 1) adductor magnus, 2) buttocks, 3) femoral biceps.

No. 6. Quadriceps

The quadriceps femoris muscle is one of the largest muscle groups in the legs. Powerful quadriceps allow you to both “receive” the weight of the barbell and carry it out powerfully to the top (extension phase). Depending on the placement of the legs in squats, you can shift the emphasis to one or another head/part of the quadriceps. The simplest exercise for developing the front thigh is. By changing the position of your feet and toes, you can cover its different heads.

No. 7. Calf muscles

The gastrocnemius and soleus muscles act as plantar flexors and insert into the heel through the Achilles tendon. In the training community of beginners (and not only) there is an opinion that it is not at all necessary to pump the lower leg, because these muscles are in constant work as a person actively walks. This is not so - these muscles need to be worked, especially for girls who love heels. The thing is that shoes with heels are more 3 cm increases the load on the socks (at heel height 6 cm about 70-75% body weight falls on the forefoot). Frequent wearing of them leads to equinus - the inability to straighten the foot without pain. Stability and plantar flexibility are important in squats; strong calf muscles help propel the body upward. Women who wear heels at work and go to the gym are “in the ballpark” on these two points – their feet are not flexible, and blood microcirculation in the lower leg is impaired.

Conclusion: developed calf and soleus muscles provide significant support to the leg muscles in overcoming the dead point in squats.

Actually, the anatomical part was finally dismantled.

Awww! Are you still here? Or am I shaking the air empty? :)

If you remember, at the beginning of the article it was suggested that the story might drag on. And so it happened. 2600 words, but we are only in one eye. Therefore, I propose to move the rest to the second part and finish it next Friday. Are you in favor? Silence is a sign of consent, so let's do it!

Afterword

Barbell squats opened our new Force Vector cycle and we looked at them from the inside. True, not completely yet, but in detail. We will continue very soon, we are waiting!

PPS: Friends, is the second note clearer than the first or even worse :)?

With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov.