Nobody likes to squat because it's difficult. But this difficulty has a major payoff, it burns a lot of calories and by extension body fat.
Unfortunately, many people do not know how to squat correctly.
So here is how to enhance your squatting:
1. Go beyond parallel: If you only go half way down, you won't activate as much muscle and there is more risk for your lower back. However, if you do go all the way down you have to use perfect form and your back won't round out.
2. Use a belt: Ignore all the talk about weight lifting belts making your core weak. As long as you don't wear a belt all the time, you will be just fine. And using a belt is a great way to increase stability within your lower back.
3. Do front squats: You can do regular barbell squats all the time, you'll adapt. So during your lower body training days when you don't do regular squats, start doing front squats. They are similar to regular squats but they work your core more and they place more stress on your front thighs.
4. Use lunges for enhanced squatting: Lunges do a great job at working the same muscles you use when squatting. Thus, they make a great complimentary exercise. They key with lunging, however, is to keep your chest up and press off with your heals.
5. Exercise your core: A weak core will make squatting heavy weights very difficult. You see, your core muscles stabilize your trunk when you are squatting. An instable trunk will have you moving from side to side.
6. Don't look up: And don't stick your chest up too much. Instead, strive to have a neutral posture and never let your lower back round out. This will put the discs in your lower back at an increased risk for herniation and degeneration.
Squats are an extremely effective exercise for changing the way your body looks. The key here is to make sure you do them correctly.
Unfortunately, many people do not know how to squat correctly.
So here is how to enhance your squatting:
1. Go beyond parallel: If you only go half way down, you won't activate as much muscle and there is more risk for your lower back. However, if you do go all the way down you have to use perfect form and your back won't round out.
2. Use a belt: Ignore all the talk about weight lifting belts making your core weak. As long as you don't wear a belt all the time, you will be just fine. And using a belt is a great way to increase stability within your lower back.
3. Do front squats: You can do regular barbell squats all the time, you'll adapt. So during your lower body training days when you don't do regular squats, start doing front squats. They are similar to regular squats but they work your core more and they place more stress on your front thighs.
4. Use lunges for enhanced squatting: Lunges do a great job at working the same muscles you use when squatting. Thus, they make a great complimentary exercise. They key with lunging, however, is to keep your chest up and press off with your heals.
5. Exercise your core: A weak core will make squatting heavy weights very difficult. You see, your core muscles stabilize your trunk when you are squatting. An instable trunk will have you moving from side to side.
6. Don't look up: And don't stick your chest up too much. Instead, strive to have a neutral posture and never let your lower back round out. This will put the discs in your lower back at an increased risk for herniation and degeneration.
Squats are an extremely effective exercise for changing the way your body looks. The key here is to make sure you do them correctly.
About the Author:
Author Katherine Crawford, an exercise expert and recent arm fat sufferer, teaches how to do arm exercises for women. Unearth how to get sexy and toned arms by visiting her blog with advice on how to lose arm fat right now!
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