Category Archives: Legs

Benefits:

Increases strength in the posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes, Erector Spinae).

Movement:

Maintain good posture throughout the exercise with shoulder blades retracted and depressed, good stability through the abdominal complex and neutral spine angles. Allow the body to rhythmically flow throughout this movement. Grip the bar at shoulder width. Maintaining a head up position and the legs slightly bent, flex at the hips to a comfortable depth. Maintain a flat back and straight knees. Return to full extension as shown.

Benefits:

Highly integrated total-body stability and strength production, with obvious emphasis on the lower extremities. Hypertrophy of the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, etc.

Movement:

From the start position, draw your belly button inward toward your spine. Maintaining tone in the deep abdominal musculature, descend slowly by bending at the knees and hips. During the descent, maintain weight distribution between the mid-foot and heels. Do not allow the feet to cave inward or shift outward.

While maintaining tone in the lower abdomen and optimal kinetic chain alignment, ‘drive’ through the feet extending the ankle, knee and hip joints while your weight is evenly distributed between heels and mid-foot. Do not allow bodyweight to shift toward the toes. The knees should track over the second and third toe.

Perform downward reps slowly and concentrate on the eccentric (descent) and the isometric (squat position) alignment of your body. Descend as far as you can control. Partial squats should progress to full squats as neuromuscular efficiency improves.