Whether you are an experienced lifter or new to the weight room, squats are a movement you need to get familiar with. The premier lower body exercise is one of the most fundamental weightlifting exercises. It blasts the lower half of the body and the core region. Like any lift though, you can plateau and become frustrated trying to break through that barrier. With the help of Bodybuilding.com, here is a list of five ways to elevate your squatting game:
Paused Squats
This increases the time under tension. When you squat down to depth, pause at the bottom. Be sure to stay tight at the bottom phase for one second. Slowly increase the pause each week to progressively make it more challenging.
Anderson Squats
This is another way to challenge yourself. Made famous by strongman Paul Anderson, start by setting the safety bars at the point just below parallel. This works on the explosive upward phase of squatting. Start by getting underneath the bar and exploding upward until your legs are fully extended. Keep on repeating and feel the burn!
1-1/2 Squats
This squat variation might be the most challenging of all. Start by going down to depth with your squat. Follow that by coming halfway up to the starting point before going back down to depth. Finally, extend until you are at the starting point with your legs straight. That’s only one rep!
Front Squats
You won’t be able to front squat as much as back squat but this is a great method to improve on your back squat. Front squats start on the rack by positioning the bar at upper shoulder level. Instead of fully gripping the bar, just hook your fingers around it and rotate your elbows to create a horizontal angle with your arms. Once you’re set up, squat away. Front squats hit your legs more and place less of an impact on your lower back and knees. This form of squatting also enforces good technique for back squats.
Squat to Parallel
You probably see guys barely going down when they squat and recording 500 pounds on their workout log. Sorry but that’s not a real squat. If you don’t go down to parallel, you aren’t doing yourself many favors. Going down to parallel hits the hamstrings and lower leg more.