Squats: Perfecting Your Form

Several different muscles are involved in performing the squat movement. To do a correct squat, several muscles or muscle groups need to work together. This means the muscle groups have to be "switched on" in the right order. The first time you do this exercise, your muscle groups won't yet be perfectly coordinated with each other. While the "correct" muscle (the agonist) is working, the muscle that shouldn't actually be contracting unfortunately works against it too (the antagonist). This is known as co-contraction of the agonist and antagonist. Once this interplay works better, you'll be able to do the exercise for longer, or you might even be able to increase your training resistance, because you'll be performing the exercise more efficiently.

Unfortunately, this neural adaptation is very specific to this one movement. This means you won't simply be able to transfer this adaptation to other training exercises (e.g. deadlifts). So keep doing this exercise until you really can't move the resistance any more, then do other, different training exercises for the same muscle.

Below is an explanation of how the squat exercise should be performed.

		Starting positionPosition your feet shoulder-width apartYour toes can point slightly outwardsYour back is straight (duck position --> chest out, bottom out)Your knees are slightly bent (about a 145° angle)The barbell rests on your neck (pull your shoulder blades together)
		End positionGo as deep into your knees as possiblePush your bottom back (duck position --> chest out, bottom out)Keep your core stable
	Muscles involvedM. quadricepsM. gluteus maximusHamstrings (depending on the squat angle)

A qualified update Coach is happy to help with any questions and will show you the correct technique.

Keep at it!