Squats Technique

Dumbbell Squats:

• Practice Dumbbell Squats first without any dumbbells, until your form is absolutely perfect and you feel comfortable with stability and range of motion.

• Your feet should be placed approximately shoulder-width apart, with your toes positioned only slightly outward, facing in the same directions as your knees.

• Focus on the majority of your body weight being distributed between your heel and your mid-foot.  This positioning helps to reduce knee stress and allows you to maintain your balance by not leaning too far forward or backward.

• Keep your eyes facing forward, maintaining a rigid back throughout the exercise.  Do not bend too far forward or hunch forward with your shoulders.

• Squat down as if you are straddling a bench − even do so initially.  Do not squat lower than the point where the tops of your thighs are parallel to the ground.

• Do not lock out your knees in the lifted position or even pause momentarily.  There is too much leverage and therefore too much rest.  Keep things moving.

• Keep your head level − looking up arches your back and looking down hunches your shoulders.  Always super slowly lower your body to the lowered position.

Lean-Back Squats:

• Lean-Back Squats is easier than, yet similar to, Dumbbell Squats.  Shifting your body backward also reduces the potential stress to the knee joint.

• A fixed object that can easily support your body weight, and is easy to grasp tightly (bar, column, tree, etc.), should be used to facilitate this exercise.

• In the lowered position, your feet should be shoulder-width apart, toes pointed out slightly, shins vertical, arms extended, and thighs parallel to the ground.

• Your body weight should be distributed between your heel and your mid-foot, while maintaining the same relative head and back position mentioned above.

• Do not pause in the lifted position or lock your knees at any time.  Lift yourself up; then, go right back down − super slowly retuning to the lowered position.

• As with every exercise, breathe out while lifting, and breathe normally when lowering.  Don’t over-think the squatting motion − it’s just like sitting down.