Find out why squats help develop not only the lower body, but also create an anabolic backdrop for the growth of large arms. It's hard to find a more effective lower body exercise than squats. When performing this movement, not only the muscles of the legs are involved in the work, but also the back and the press. Today we are going to talk about deep squatting in bodybuilding.
Features of the deep squat in bodybuilding
Deep squats are those in which the athlete falls below parallel with the ground. This allows you to increase the working length of the muscles and the amplitude. All these factors significantly increase the load on the muscles.
At the same time, when performing a deep squat, more muscles are involved and this movement is much more difficult than the classic version. An athlete performing deep squats must have sufficient strength and coordination. But on the other hand, this exercise significantly accelerates the secretion of anabolic hormones and increases strength.
Are deep squats dangerous?
There is a lot of information on the net that knee joints can be injured when doing deep squats. The most commonly used deep squat is in weightlifting, but according to statistics, knee injuries in this sport are lower than, say, in football.
In practice, it happens that the deep squat helps stabilize the knee joint. There are two ligaments in this joint - the posterior and the anterior cruciate. When the athlete is lowered into a full squat, the knee joint is subjected to less pressure than the classic version used in bodybuilding. Today we will talk about the technique of performing the exercise, and if you master it, then the risk of injury is minimal.
How to do a deep squat correctly?
Prepare for the fact that it will take you at least one month to comprehend all the intricacies of the exercise. Novice athletes can combine the study of the technical aspects of squatting to parallel with full squats. Particular attention must be paid to the development of qualities such as agility, coordination and flexibility. In order to take the correct starting position, you need to do the following:
- Use your leg strength to lift the bar off the rack, not your back. To do this, you need to get hooked on a sports equipment.
- It is enough to move away from the rack by two or three steps.
- The sports equipment should be conveniently located on the back section of the deltas or trapeziums.
- The body should be tilted slightly forward with the chin parallel to the floor.
A very important point when performing a deep squat is an even distribution of weight along the entire length of the foot.
Downward movement
After inhaling, begin to move downward. It is important to maintain the initial position of the body and not to transfer body weight to the toes of the feet. The most important segments of the range of motion are the beginning of the downward movement and the moment of passing the parallel. If you allow yourself to deviate from the desired trajectory, then the load on the target muscles will decrease dramatically.
When you go parallel, the pelvis will begin to tuck a little and this is quite normal. You need to make sure that at this moment the back remains level, and the weight is evenly distributed over the foot. When you reach the extreme point of the trajectory, do not relax the muscles.
Upward movement
When you start to climb, it is important to maintain the same trajectory and points of support. You should be in the lower position for as little time as possible, and you should start moving up at an explosive pace. A sharp start will make it easier for you to overcome the middle of the trajectory, which is the most difficult. You must also maintain the starting position of the body.
For more information on the technique of performing deep squats, see this video:
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