Squat: is a movement and is one way of lowering your pelvis towards the ground . Commonly we squat numerous times during a typical day. Getting in and out of the chair , car, toilet are a few examples of us squatting. There are people who do it for strength gains and there are others who squat as a sport.
In a nutshell, squat is common to all of us and we all squat. In order to squat well it’s important we understand it a bit better. This post is aimed at helping me and those who read it understand squat and to Squat better.
There are several variations of the squat including the bodyweight squat, barbell back squat, barbell front squat, dumbbell squat, sumo squat, split squat, box squat, plie squat, squat jump, overhead squat, and single-leg squat, to name a few.
The primary joint actions that occur during the squat include:
| Eccentric Phase | Concentric Phase |
| Hip Flexion Knee Flexion Ankle Dorsiflexion | Hip ExtensionKnee Extension Ankle Plantarflexion |
The muscles involved:
This is not an exhaustive list as the nervous system activates muscles in synergies (groups) rather than in isolation. Many muscles are involved in the joint actions listed above.
| Agonists | > Gluteus Maximus (largest butt muscle)> Rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis oblique, vastus intermedius (quadriceps) |
| Synergist | > Biceps femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus (hamstrings)> Erector spinae (muscles along the spine and back)> Adductor magnus: posterior fibers (inner thigh muscle)> Gastrocnemius, soleus (calves) |
| Stabilizers | > Transversus abdominis, multifidus, internal oblique, pelvic floor (deep abdominal muscles, close to the spine)> Rectus abdominis (six-pack abdominal muscle)> External obliques (love-handle muscles) |
TECHNIQUE
Starting Position
> Stand with feet approximately shoulder-width apart, toes pointing straight ahead, and knees aligned over second and third toes.
- As much as 5-8° of external foot rotation is allowed in the starting position as some consider this normal anatomical position (Schoenfeld, 2010).
Movement Pattern
> Slowly begin to squat down by hinging at the hips and then flexing at the knees.
> Allow glutes to “stick” out behind the body as if sitting into a chair.
>Keep the chest up and the cervical spine in a neutral position. Avoid excessive cervical flexion, extension, or anterior translation (jutting the head forward).
> Squat to a depth that can be safely controlled with no movement compensations.
> To rise back up, contract the gluteals and place pressure through the heels as the knees and hips are extended.
> Stand up straight until hips and legs are fully extended. Fully contract the gluteals in the standing position for maximal muscle recruitment.
Common movement compensations include:
- knee valgus (knock knees)
- rounding or arching of the low-back
- an excessive forward lean of the torso
- heels coming off the floor ( going on to tippy toes)
- overly externally rotating or pronating the feet.
REFERENCES
Bell, D., Padua, D., & Clark, M. (2008). Muscle Strength and Flexibility Characteristics of People Displaying Excessive Medial Knee Displacement. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 89(7), 1323-1328. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2007.11.048
Bell, D., Oates, D., Clark, M., & Padua, D. (2013). Two- and 3-Dimensional Knee Valgus Are Reduced After an Exercise Intervention in Young Adults With Demonstrable Valgus During Squatting. Journal of Athletic Training, 48(4), 442-449. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-48.3.16
Clark, D., Lambert, M., & Hunter, A. (2012). Muscle Activation in the Loaded Free Barbell Squat. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 1169-1178. doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e31822d533d
Dill, K., Begalle, R., Frank, B., Zinder, S., & Padua, D. (2014). Altered Knee and Ankle Kinematics During Squatting in Those With Limited Weight-Bearing–Lunge Ankle-Dorsiflexion Range of Motion. Journal of Athletic Training, 49(6), 723-732. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-49.3.29
Schoenfeld, Brad J. (2010) Squatting Kinematics and Kinetics and Their Application to Exercise Performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 24(12):p 3497-3506. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181bac2d7
Physio Dujour 