To perform SQUAT in the best way and get the maximum muscle hypertrophy, we need to avoid these 4 SQUAT MISTAKES. The squat is a very complex exercise and requires the most attention than every other exercise.
4 SQUAT MISTAKES – 1. STOP BEFORE THE PARALLEL LINE
The first mistake we can run into when performing squats is definitely not getting to the parallel line. Why is it important to at least get to the parallel? Here is why::
- To consider a repetion correct we need a parameter that will make all the repetitions similar to the others. The parallel line in the squat is like the chest stop in the bench press: the bar goes down until it touches the chest.
- A greater activation of the glutes, happens only from the parallel line down.
- A greater activation of the quadriceps, because the further you go down, the greater will be the angle of the femur/tibia. So the quadriceps will have to extend more.
If you are unable to go below the parallel line, while maintaining the physiological curves, you can try this exercise with a box behind your glutes at that height where you can descend comfortably and over time lower it more and more to get used to ever greater depths.
If you want to know more about the execution of the BOX SQUAT you can find my article HERE.
4 SQUAT MISTAKES – 2. RISING HEELS
The heels must always be firmly planted on the ground throughout the execution. If you rise your heels during the execution there can be several problems. First of all the weight will go too much forward, on the forefoot, so your center of gravity will be shifted. If you have little ankle mobility you should buy powerlifting shoes with a 2/3 cm heel elevation because it is necessary to push with the whole foot!
4 SQUAT MISTAKES – 3. FORCED POSITION OF THE ARMS
When positioning yourself under the bar, you must not have a forced or stressing position at the shoulders and arms level. If you don’t have the mobility to place the barbell “low“, place it on the trapezius. If you don’t have the mobility to keep your elbows under the bar, keep them where you can. More importantly, if you don’t have the mobility to hold a tight grip, hold it just enough to secure the bar. There is no rule to follow when it comes to barbell positions because all of us is different from each other.
4 SQUAT MISTAKES – 4. HIP RISE
A coordinated squat involves the shoulders and hips moving together, this will have a good transfer in terms of hypertrophy. If you break the movement, you’ll remove activation from the quadriceps and then the glutes. If you want to involve all the muscles in the best possible way, focus on the coordination of the lift using the foot-floor pressure. One of the best ways to correct this kind of mistake is to try to work with slow TUTs (Time Under Tension), for example with an ascent of 3 seconds or more, or stop of 2 seconds or both.
4 SQUAT MISTAKES – CONCLUSIONS
In the gym everyone talks about the squat but how many know how to do it well? I recommend to pay close attention to this 4 SQUAT MISTAKES mentioned above and learn how to do it correctly.
If you want to know more about SQUAT you can find my guide HERE.