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This is the most popular exercise to develop the upper leg. It works the thighs, the hamstrings and the glutes. The drawback to the squat is that the main development occurs in the early part of the rise and that it never truly works the highly important vastus medialis muscle
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How to do:
1. Get in a comfortable upright stance with your feet shoulder width
apart. Your toes should be either pointed straight ahead or slightly
outward, never inward or knee strain will result).
2. Focus your vision straight ahead. Do not tilt your head backwards or
raise your eyes in your head as this will disrupt your balance.
3. Place the barbell squarely on your traps and shoulders (not the neck)
and grip the bar comfortably with your hands slightly wider than your
shoulders.
4. Keeping your heels planted firmly on the floor, inhale and move
your butt back and downward. Do not start by bending the knees.
5. Continue downward, by bending the knees, but be careful not to allow
your knees to move forward. This will save you stress on your knees.
6. When the thighs reach parallel, begin exhaling and return to the starting
position. There should be no sideways movement, especially in the knee
or hip area.
7. Squatting deeper than parallel to the floor will not damage your knees
as many lifters believe. Knee damage is a result of raising your heels off
the floor, not by lowering your butt to the floor. Be aware, however, the
deeper you squat the more you call your hamstrings into play.
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