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Recent years have seen many changes that have helped to make
the squat safe. Beepers that go off when your thigh is level
so you don’t go beyond and run the risk of injuring
your knees. Devices that allow you to hang weights from your
hips and hold on with your hands to balance yourself when
doing the squat. Squat bars with handles that let the bar
rest on your shoulders without maximum tension on your arms
to hold it in place.
Nonetheless, a lot remains to be done to make the squat safe.
My concern is what causes injury to the knee or back when
doing this basic exercise. I have seen many athletes and bodybuilders
do squats according to the recommendations and still come
up with an injury. The problem is not with the directions,
which are usually accurate, but with the ability of the squatter
to adhere to the safety recommendations.
For example, the direction to keep your back straight. Although
not 100% accurate, this direction does tell you not to bend
your back during the squat. It would, however, be more effective
to say that you should keep a slightly arched back during
the exercise. Keep in mind that your back is slightly curved
in the lumbar area and when this curve is maintained, it is
most capable of withstanding compression forces and resisting
spinal injury
Also, to many people, keeping a straight back when doing the
squat means keeping it vertical. This, however, is impossible
with heavy weights and if you try to do it, you run the risk
of losing your balance and injuring yourself.
You also see people who, when doing the squat, keep their
eyes on the ceiling in an attempt to keep the back in the
correct position. However, this is an extreme position and
can cause an injury since the squatter is concentrating on
his head rather than his legs and back.
Some people even tell you to suck your stomach in and tilt
the pelvis back so your spine is truly straight. However,
in this position your spine is actually flexed because, as
mentioned earlier, the normal position is slightly arched.
When you remove the arch by tilting the pelvis backward, you
put yourself in a position where injury is imminent.
Many bodybuilders and powerlifters hold the spine In a good,
strong position with the arch when doing the squat but still
end up with back problems. In most cases this is due to insufficient
flexibility in the hip joints. If you look carefully at these
athletes, you will see that they are unable to go deep enough,
i.e., to the level-thigh position, while maintaining an arched
back because their hamstrings are tight.
If you look closely from the side you will see that as they
approach the bottom position, their backs are held at about
45 degrees to the horizontal and the lumbar spine is arched.
Then 10-20 degrees from the bottom (thigh level position)
the pelvis rotates under. When this occurs the back becomes
rounded and the force of the weights creates tremendous stress
on the spine
In some cases, not only does the pelvis rotate under, but
also the entire trunk leans forward more because the hips
cannot go down as needed. Because of this your spine must
hold the weights up rather than your legs. This creates excessive
tension, which can lead to severe strains.
To develop flexibility in the hamstrings, I strongly recommend
doing straight-leg good mornings. Do not use any weight in
the initial stages. Merely contract your erector spinae to
hold your spine arched and then bend over from the hips until
you feel a pull on the hamstrings. Hold the position for 10-20
seconds, rise up and repeat.
You may find it difficult to keep the back under isometric
contraction, but remember that this is also what occurs during
the squat exercise. But, of course, you don’t hold it
as long. Thus in this exercise you can not only get a stronger
back, but also increased flexibility in the hip joint. This
will then enable you to go to the thigh level position or
lower while still keeping your spine in the safe arched position.
Lack of hamstring or hip flexibility is usually the cause
of your back rounding, but limited ankle joint flexibility
may also be responsible. Keep in mind that you must keep the
heels on the ground for better stability and safer execution
of the exercise. But if the Achilles’ tendons are too
tight, you must rise up on the balls of the feet in order
to lower the thighs. Thus it is necessary to look carefully
at both the ankle and hip joints for problems about improper
position, especially in the bottom position.
If the problem is in the ankles, you should do ankle joint
flexibility exercises such as leaning into a wall with your
feet away and the heels kept on the ground. If you want to
both maximally stretch and strengthen the tendon and muscles,
you should use a Strength Shoe. Because of the built-up platform
under the ball of the foot and nothing under the heels, you
get maximum stretching in the ankle joint. In addition, you
develop strength and even additional mass in the calves, depending
on the exercise regimen.
Very often because of poor ankle joint flexibility, squatters
put a board under the heels. In this way they keep the weight
distributed more equally over the whole foot. But doing this
creates another serious problem, especially for beginners.
When you have the heels raised and go down into a thigh-parallel
squat, your knees will come forward excessively. When this
happens there is a great deal of pressure thrown on the knees
and it can cause injury This is one of the main reasons the
squat has been criticized by the medical profession. But the
problem is not so much in the knees as it is in the technique!
However, if you use a board under your heels to place greater
stress on the lower portion of the quadriceps, it is imperative
that you prepare the ligaments and tendons for this stress.
Do squats or knee extensions with light weights for high reps,
50-60. Only in this way will there be sufficient blood supply
to enable the ligaments and tendons to grow and strengthen.
The squat is a very effective exercise for bodybuilders and
other athletes. However, it must be done properly and the
training must be progressive. Do knee extensions to strengthen
the ligaments and tendons, back raises to strengthen the back,
and flexibility work for the hamstrings and Achilles’
tendon.
Don’t do squats to strengthen the back. The back merely
acts as a conduit along which the force from the legs is transmitted
to the bar. The spine muscles act merely as stabilizers, not
as muscles to make the movement possible. But to make sure
the exercise is safe you must first determine if the muscles
are strong enough, especially before handling heavy weights.
In some cases it is also a good idea to do the squat without
weights until you develop proper form, and only then begin
with a light barbell and gradually build up the weight, continuing
to ma in-tam correct technique. Correct technique can be taught
only with light to moderate, especially moderate, weights.
By attending to these prerequisites you will be able to do
squats for many years with no problems.
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