Men’s Fitness Australia – June 2017

Squat

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“Squatting involves almost every muscle in the body, and there’s something about lifting a heavy bar on your

back that gives you a sense of achievement,” says Hamilton. “It’s a versatile exercise that can be used for a variety

of rep ranges and goals, from grinding out a one-rep max to an all-out set of 20 that leaves your legs feeling like jelly

and your heart pounding. It can build strength and muscle and help you to lose fat — all in one exercise.”

84 MEN’S FITNESS JUNE 2017

What do most people
get wrong?

“It has to be squatting to
adequate depth,” says Hamilton.
“The most common mistake I see
is people getting hung up on the
load on the bar and forgetting
the technique.”

What to do if you’re

struggling to perform it well

“Ifgettinglowenough—soyour

thighsareatleastparallelto

thefloor—isanissue,Iadvise

doing pause squats alongside

a regular mobility routine,”

says Hamilton. “Pausing at the

bottom will gradually release

tightness, build strength in

thenewfoundrangeandgive

youbetterawarenessofwhat

the correct position is.”

The essential

assistance move

“I like doing a different variation

ofsquatfromyourprimarysquat

exercise,” says Hamilton. “This

allowsyoutotrainasimilar

movement pattern without

being exactly the same, which

helpsavoidoveruseinjuriesand

keeps training interesting. For

example, you might use the

front squat as an assistance

move to your back squat.”

“Create a repeatable process

so that every time you set up

for a squat, you go through a

mental checklist of cues,” says

Hamilton. “Grip the bar tight, pull

the bar down into you, stand tall,

set your stance and foot position,

begin the squat. Using video

feedback is great for checking

that you’re hitting the right depth

so you can’t lie to yourself.”

EXPERT TIP

PERFECT FORM

Stand up straight

holding a bar on

your back with

your feet turned

out slightly.

To initiate the

movement, bend at

the hips and knees

simultaneously.

Keeping your chest

up and your weight

on your heels,

lower until your

hips go below

your knees. You

can push your

knees out slightly

at the bottom of

the squat to get

extra depth, then

move them back in

to start the push

back up.

HOW DO YOU RATE?Beginner1xbodyweight •Intermediate 1.5 x BW •Advanced 2 x BW

The deeper you

squat, the more

muscle fibres

you engage.