How to Do a Proper Barbell Squat | Complete Method

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How to Do a Proper Barbell Squat Complete Method
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(No Transcript)
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• ??People can perform squats in various ways, each
  of which has different benefits. A barbell squat
  is one of the primary compound exercises that
  target the legs, lower back, and core muscles. It
  helps strengthen not only your muscles but also
  your joints and burns more calories. While its a
  great leg builder, it can also boost your
  powerlifting performance in many ways. 

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• Aside from the target muscle groups, the barbell
  squat also requires ankle and core stability.
  Shoulder mobility and trap activation are
  important to keep the barbell under control. 
• This article covers basic techniques on how to do
  a proper barbell squat if youre just starting
  with your powerlifting training. 

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Steps for a Barbell Squat

• Heres how to do a proper barbell squat with the
  right form
• Get into position and narrow your stance. Place
  your feet shoulder-width apart and turn your toes
  at about  45 angle. 
• Pull the bar and bend it across your back. Bring
  your elbows together, tuck your chin, and knees
  forward. 
• Squat down until your hips are lower than your
  knees.

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• Squat back up while keeping your knees out and
  chest up.
• Stand with your hips with knees locked and
  squeeze your glutes keep that lateral pressure
  out on the floor.
• Hold the weight, then take a big breath, hold it
  and squat your next rep. 

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Hand Placement

• Before you get under the bar, you must first find
  your hand position. Wrap your thumbs around the
  bar and engage your wrists.
• Try to actively flex your wrist by engaging your
  forearm and moving your palm in the direction of
  your face to reduce pressure on your joints.
  Lowering the elbows brings them to better
  alignment with the trunk, eliminates shoulder
  overextension, and places the forearms in
  compression.

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Barbell Placement on Your Back

• To achieve the proper position for your barbell
  squat, youll have to determine where the bar
  sits on your back.
• Take the bar out of the rack with it resting on
  your rear shoulder muscles. The bar should be
  positioned right at the base of the neck across
  the top of your traps.

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• It is important to first squeeze your shoulder
  blades together to create a pillow for the bar to
  sit on, to make it feel more comfortable. Make
  sure you do this before you set the bar across
  your back with your feet roughly shoulder-width
  apart, toes pointing slightly out.

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Minimize Your Steps

• A common mistake among beginners is the squat
  walkout. When you step out of the rack, you dont
  want to be too near or close to the rack. The
  squat walkout is your setup and creates the
  foundation for your barbell squat which needs to
  be done efficiently and with confidence.
• The heavier the weight gets, you will want to
  minimize the number of steps youre taking. One
  or two steps backwards is enough to do a proper
  barbell squat.

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Head Position

• Where the head goes, the torso will follow. So
  the last thing you want to do is look up when you
  squat.
• Your chin should remain tucked throughout the
  movement, look forward, and keep that gaze
  constant during the squat. The safest position
  for your neck is always to keep it neutral like
  when you stand.

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Create a Hip Hinge

• A hip hinge is essential in a barbell squat, so
  we need to make sure we execute this properly for
  maximum movement efficiency. Simply make a
  hinge by moving your hips backward without
  having the low back flex along with it. Your
  upper body should naturally lean forward, as your
  butt goes back, and maintain a neutral spine
  position as you go down. 

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Squat Hack for Newbies

• Before squatting downward, draw your attention to
  your big toe, pinky toe, and heel. Once you feel
  the load evenly distributed over these contact
  points, claw your toes into the ground. Grip the
  floor with your feet to create a stable foot
  position. Look down and picture youre standing
  on a paper towel under the balls of your feet and
  imagine that youre trying to rip the paper towel
  in half with lateral pressure. 

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Breathing and Bracing Properly

• Breathing and bracing your core is a key
  component of feeling strong from the moment you
  un-rack the bar to the point of lockout.
• In a barbell squat, breathing should start with
  an inhale before you un-rack the weight, followed
  by holding your brace as you step back and a
  slight exhale as the bar settles on your back.

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Bend the Bar Across your Back

• One of the biggest common faults that we see in
  barbell squats is the chest collapsing forward.
  Drive your elbows down and back to engage the
  lats, give a larger shelf for the barbell, and
  create additional stability in the trunk.
• This improves rep quality and decreases the risk
  of injuries.

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Drive Your Back Into the Bar

• Youll always want to squat with your heels on
  the ground. If you start coming forward onto your
  toes, you will lose your balance forward.
• Once at the bottom and when its time to stand
  back up from your squat, keep everything tight
  and drive through your heels (the same way you
  did on the way down).

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• If your heels are coming up, youll reduce the
  amount of force being transferred to the floor as
  you push the barbell upward. Squeeze your butt at
  the top and make sure youre using your glutes.