YOU DON’T KNOW SQUAT!!Ok, so you think squats are bad for
knees and back. Well then you don’t know squat about squats. This is one exercise that can benefit almost every muscle in your body if you do them correctly and safely. So good, in fact, that you MUST do them. I don’t care if you’re a power lifter, bodybuilder, or a ballerina. You gotta do them! Question is, how? The answer is, as safely as possible without losing any of benefits! The art and science of medicine dictates that while using drugs, you must minimize risks while maximizing benefits. If there’s one way to take your iron pill, then, it’s in large doses! That means SQUATING!!
Here are a few myths about squats: MYTH #1: Squats are bad for knees.
SHATTER THE MYTH Just as calluses build up on hands with application of stress, ligaments, tendons, and other connective tissues thicken in response to stressed imposed upon joints during weight training. Also, strengthening muscles that move knee joint improves its stability, and there’s some evidence that even portion of bone into which tendons insert becomes stronger, further improving joint’s integrity. While proper stress produces adaptation, overly stressful exercise can cause breakdown of bodily tissue.
Whenever you squat, hack squat, or leg press your feet position is an important variable in determining not only results you’ll obtain from exercise, but also safety of your knee joints. Although each individual must determine their own best stance exercise per exercise (based on their own anatomical peculiarities such as height and leg length), following variables must be taken into consideration:
The quadriceps muscles can contract more efficiently when feet are pointing slightly outward. They should NEVER point straight ahead. If you squat with a very wide stance, your adductors (inner thighs) tend to assist quads. This can result in stress to medial collateral ligament, abnormal cartilage loading, and improper patellar tracking.
During descent phase of any type of squat, leg press, or hack squat, do not allow knees to extend beyond your toes. The further your knees travel over your feet, greater shearing forces on patellar tendon and ligament in knee.
Although many top bodybuilders advocate a very close stance for purpose of isolating outer quads, this is a myth, and it places you at risk, particularly since you’ll have to use a lot of back to execute lift, or (if you use heels) place great shear and compression on knees, especially posterior cruciate ligament which stabilizes knee joint and limits rotation and hyperextension of knee.
Always warm up thoroughly before squatting. Your muscles and other tissues of knee joint LOVE warmth! Think of this analogy, cold taffy breaks, warm taffy doesn’t. So warm up to prevent injuries.
MYTH #2: Squats are dangerous for spine.
SHATTER THE MYTH If performed with a relatively straight back, weight is borne directly over spinal column, and torque as well as shearing force is minimized. Weight training is supposed to strengthen supportive tissues of body (bones, muscles, and connective tissues). So wear a belt when weight is heavy and reps are low, but stay away from such supportive devices otherwise.
MYTH #3: I can isolate my quads better by using a block or weight under my heels.
SHATTER THE MYTH The practice of putting blocks or weights under your heels is widespread among bodybuilders in order to gain better isolation of quads while squatting. The problem is that your knees go way out over your feet, placing great shear and compression on both cartilage and ligaments of knee, which over time can cause serious damage to knee joint.
MYTH #4:Bodybuilders will get bigger, more defined quads with leg extension, and they’ll get bigger, more defined hamstrings with leg curls, so they don’t need squats.
