Squatting is essential if you want to build a powerful and massive overall physique.
Beginners Guide To Squatting
1 Foot Placement
Feet should be just in-line with your shoulder width to slightly outside it. This placement will work your Ass and Inside your thigh. If your feet are just inside your shoulders, your hitting the outer quads.
2 Pick a Spot
Your going to want to pick a spot high on the wall and keep your eyes trained on it throughout the movement. This helps with balance, and prevent injuries that can occur when looking down while squatting.
3 Dont Cheat Yourself
Make sure the weight your using isnt overkill. Form is the name of the game in every exercise and squatting is no different.
4 Ass To Grass!
Ass To Grass Sure Sounds Bad Ass Right! But your going to only descend to the point at which your keeping total stress on the legs, and quads. Some say stop at the point where you would be sitting in an imaginary chair. If thats your final point of tension, great. Some may be able to go somewhat lower while maintaining that muscle concentration.
5 Never Bounce Off Your Calf
You would think this goes without saying after reading #4 Ass To grass. However it has to be said , Never Bounce The Weight Off Your Calf. Only Bad Things Can Happen!
6 Heavy Sets Versus High Volume
I was a huge proponent of going heavy as a 20 something bodybuilder, that my now 40 something bodybuilder wished he could go back in time and slap young buck upside the head. Heavy is good and has its place, just not every time your in the rack! On top of that many studies show that the key to unleashing real muscle growth is high volume trained.
7 How Many Sets and Reps Is “High Volume Training”
So long as your warmed up and ready to. My suggestion is minimum 3-4 sets, and “Always Train Until Failure”! No matter the exercise, Never count reps , and Only keep track of Sets! I do thins whether im training heavy, light or someplace in the middle, which is usually the case anymore. Dont get caught up in the mind game of counting your reps, and comparing them to last weeks etc.. If your just starting out, sure its a great idea until you get the hang or feel of things. But after that, everything Is To Failure!
8 Belt Belt Belt
Yes, always wear a weight belt. Preferably one made of a nice solid supportive type of leather. Cardillo Muscle Media belts come to mind. You can warm up without the belt, but i advise all working sets to have your belt on! Just dont be the jackoff who walks around the gym wearing the belt with every exercise. Or standing in front of the mirror sucking your belly in so far as to get the belt on the last hole, then sit down and do bicep curls. AHHHH!