The Low Down on Squats

When you see a person who’s got an aesthetically developed upper torso, more often than not, their legs are disproportionately underdeveloped. Unfortunately, they don't work on their legs enough, and they look a tad disproportional in terms of aesthetics. 

Personally speaking, there are three weight lifting exercises that are pivotal in terms of core lifts. Those lifts are the squat, bench press, and dead lifts. These lifts are exercises that professional body builders use to build strength and size, and while they may seem intimidating, they’re key lifts that every beginner should utilize for physical gains. While your workout regiment may change various isolation movements to engage your various muscle groups, the three compound movements aforementioned are lifts that should always be incorporated into your workout routine.

While all the three lifts are challenging in their own ways, perhaps the most challenging lift is squats. Perhaps the most under utilized lift, there’s a lot to learn about how to do a proper squat’ whether you are a novice, or a seasoned weightlifter. There’s a lot of debate on whether or not a squat is safe, with some people saying that it’s a dangerous move that could seriously injure a person. However, the Huffington Post released an article stating that squats are in fact safe, if done correctly. One argument is that squatting past parallel is a dangerous movement, but in fact, squatting below parallel is a very natural movement for human beings, as people from non-conditioned areas of the world often utilize the squat position to cool off and rest.

The rest of this blog will go into detail on how to properly squat. If you’re a novice to squatting, utilize these tips to begin squatting; beware, however, because you mustn’t lift with your ego. This means loading on the bar with an absurd amount of weight that you’re incapable of squatting properly. Start light, even if it seems like too light a weight; with proper form comes increased weight. If you’re a veteran squatter, maybe you can use these tips to reevaluate your own squat technique and perhaps learn a thing or two.

            
The first technique to get down is a proper foot stance. Ideally, your feet should be a little more than shoulder-width apart, for maximum stability. When you place the bar on your back, try to rest the bar on the middle/upper portion your trapezius muscles. If placed to high, the bar can irritate your upper cervical bones of your spine, and if placed too low, the bar can put strain on your rotator cuffs. With that being said, let’s squat! Make sure you’re in a squat rack, with the safety bars in place at a reasonable height, and a spotter behind you, just in case you fail to achieve the rep (for safety reasons). Lift the bar up, step back, and get your feet in position. This is where the tricky part comes in. As you drop down to do a squat rep, it is CRUCIAL to keep your back completely straight. Rounding out your back can result in serious injury. You want to keep your back straight and chest out, and when you do the rep, your hips should drop back and you should feel like you’re sitting into the workout. Go down, and drop past parallel until you feel it in your quads and hips. It’s okay if your knees go slightly past your toes, this is necessary for maintaining balance. Then lift straight up, and don’t round out your back, and look up to maintain a linear motion.

Remember, form is key, and don’t be afraid to go heavy, if you’ve mastered the form. Don’t lift with your ego! Happy lifting! Please view the video above for any pointers, go to around 1 minute and 22 seconds. 

Pro tip: Ladies, squats are not just for guys who want to develop a symmetrical physique. They are excellent for the glutes, hamstrings, quads, and abs! In fact, many of my female friends have begun squatting in search of a larger, more toned and lifted butt! Do not be daunted by the seemingly difficult lift. Men twice your size are just as afraid to try squatting as you are. Just follow the tips above, and lift that weight! This is not meant to sound sexist in anyway, because I want to dispel the notion that squats are a manly lift only intended for males. That is false! 

The Austrian Oak. The Terminator. The Legend. The Governator. Ah-nuld. 

There are many iconic bodybuilders whose names are synonymous with the success of bodybuilding. One bodybuilder in particular became a household name, and continues to be an inspiration to aspiring bodybuilders to this day, even 30 years after his reign as Mr. Olympia. You may know him as the 38^th governor of California, or even the Terminator, but to bodybuilding enthusiasts around the world, he will be forever be known as the greatest bodybuilder of all time, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Born in 1947 in Thal, Austria, Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger was raised by strict Roman Catholic parents, and was regularly abused by his father. Vowing to leave Austria and become a rich movie star, Schwarzenegger decided to use bodybuilding as his vessel to do so. Schwarzenegger began to weight lift at the age of 15, and only 5 years later at the surprisingly young age of 20, won the coveted Mr. Universe title. Even after he arrived in the United States, Arnold continued to dominate the bodybuilding world. With his amazing symmetry and large stature, he eventually went on to win the most important bodybuilding competition in the world, Mr. Olympia. Not satisfied with one Olympia title, Arnold went on to win the title six more times with his final title in 1980, reaching a record that was unprecedented and not broken until Lee Haney in 1991. His legacy was immortalized in a bodybuilding competition that is considered one of the stepping-stones to Olympia for many up and coming bodybuilders, known as the Arnold Classic. Many of the current generation Mr. Olympia winners first won the Arnold Classic.

Arnold’s impressive physique led him to star in many film roles. Because he was such an imposing figure, most of his roles were of characters that were action heroes, cops, special agents, and other “macho” types. Some of his most iconic works came from the Terminator series and the Conan the Barbarian series. Due to this increase in popularity, Arnold Schwarzenegger name became a household name, and because of his physique, many young men began to take on bodybuilding, in hopes of replicating Arnold’s aesthetic success. He effectively turned bodybuilding into a widespread activity and hobby, which was a huge milestone, considering that bodybuilding itself was originally seen as an oddity to the general public. After Arnold’s retirement from bodybuilding, he continued to stay active in the bodybuilding community, in part of his ownership of many gyms and magazines, and presiding in many contests and awards shows. He even used the fame he had garnered over the years to launch a political campaign to run for the governor of California.

            
From a personal perspective, Arnold is the quintessential bodybuilder. He had the charisma, the physique, the discipline, and the personality that sport demanded. Many people aspire to look like Arnold, and some people even have his pictures on their walls to constantly remind them of what they could look like. Perhaps this is “obsessive”, in terms of the level of commitment. Regardless, no one can deny that the amount of hard work that Arnold put into his body is nothing short of impressive. Although he is now old enough to order off the senior citizen’s menu at Denny’s, he continues to be an inspiration to bodybuilders all around the world, old and new. He promised that he would be back, and he's never left.