The Squat is one of the most popular and important moves in the gym. As a ‘compound’ movement it uses most of the muscles in your body so that they are forced to work in unison so improving your ‘functional’ strength. In particular it is the most effective workout you’re likely to find for your legs, and by strengthening those which contain the largest muscle groups in your body, you’ll end up naturally burning more fat even while you sleep. It also ‘switches’ on several anabolic buttons in your body, triggering it to build more muscle and produce more growth hormone. The power of the squat is such that it’s lead some individuals to make the exaggerated claim that if you’re not squatting, you’re not growing.

Despite all this however many other people leave the squat out of their routines. Often this is for fear of getting it wrong and looking stupid, or worse hurting themselves either through bad technique or through dropping the barbell. Many people see the large barbell on someone’s back and instantly believe that they can’t do it if they have a bad spine. This is not actually the case however as if you’re doing the squat properly you shouldn’t be involving your back at all.

So, proper squatting technique. First of all, make sure you’ve got the barbell at a good weight (around the same or slightly more than you bench press, though start lower if you’re a beginner) and at a good height so that you have to stoop just slightly to stand underneath it. Now position yourself so you’re directly underneath with your legs – not your back – bent. Your bum will be stuck out slightly and you’ll be leaning slightly forward to get your centre of gravity straight – but that is not the same as having your back out of line. The barbell should fit into the groove that’s just along the front of your shoulders and behind your neck, once it’s in the right place you’ll feel it. If you’re a whimpling or just starting out you can use the Velcro padding around the bar itself to take some of the pressure off of your shoulders and stop it digging in. I’ll think less of you though; those red marks are your war wounds! Wear them with pride…

Now you need to stand up straight by straightening your legs, so lifting the bar off of the supports. This is why it mustn’t be too high or you’ll just be pushing against nothing. Now step backwards slowly and importantly carefully until you’re a good distance away from the rack and anything and anyone else in the gym. To actually squat you simply stand with your feet shoulder width apart and bend at the knees once again so that you go directly down until your knees are at least at right angles before pushing yourself back up.

Start fairly lightly and with a spotter to catch you if it all goes horribly wrong and you’ll quickly learn that the squat rack is indeed to be revered but not to be feared. Once you’ve got your technique down you’re going to be opening doors for your training all over the place. Shut up and squat!

Mack LeMouse

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