If you are looking to build muscle, doing squats and using the proper squat technique can be the best thing for you. Squats are touted as a fast way to build muscle as quickly as possible and is quite recommended among expert body builders. A squat is an exercise that trains the legs, hips, thighs and buttocks after a long period of doing them. They are simple to do and even easier to learn. There are several kinds of squats, including ones that strengthen your body before you start training with weights, but knowing what you are doing is the first step.

Technique

Getting to know the proper squat technique to use first is very important because you can otherwise cause yourself injuries. You start with a shoulder wide stance, toes pointed out. The thighs and feet should be parallel with each other and your butt should be sticking out just a bit, while the back should be at an angle. Your legs should be at an 80 degree angle and your butt should not be touching the floor. The idea of these squats is to force the hips and legs to do all the work, so while you are moving into a standing position, you do not want to thrust with your chest to force yourself up – you want to use your hips and buttocks to drive the rest of your body upwards. Once you learn this technique, adding the barbell is simple.

Doing It With a Weight

A common kind of squat is the low bar squat. The weights are held behind the shoulders, and the squat is executed, using the proper squat technique. The drive is the most important part of this equation. You must thrust upward with hips and buttocks keeping your back as straight at possible and pushing with the legs to support the extra weight. This up and down motion will work all parts of your body but is made to concentrate on the hamstrings, the buttocks, calves and muscles around the knees. In addition to gaining muscles and strength in your legs, you will also achieve a greater flexibility, but if you do the wrong thing you can just as easily injure yourself as well.

Consequences

If you do not use the proper squat technique you can eventually injure your knees as well as your back very severely. When squatting down, you want to make sure not to half squat, and you also need to remember to keep your knees out with the hips lower than the knee joint and parallel to your feet. On the way back up while thrusting with your legs, you use the tension you’ve built in your legs to propel yourself upward from the squat position. Varying from the proper squat technique can wrench the muscles in your back and shoulders, as well as putting so much pressure on the knees that the muscles might not be able to handle the extra weight. Fortunately, proper squatting builds the muscles around your knees quickly and can be a good way to strengthen those weak muscles in your legs. Either way, you will know if you’re doing it right because your body will tell you so.

And Today’s Injury Forecast IS!

Experts say that doing barbell squats will build muscles faster than any kind of exercise and it is true. Doing a squat by itself works your legs, lower back and buttocks while adding a weight to it also works your arms, shoulders and chest. This is again, a great way to get a full body work out, provided that you are doing the squats properly and taking time to maintain your technique so that you aren’t injured. If you follow the rules and do things right, you should see results with no forecast of injury in no time!