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The squat is the best exercise to tighten the legs to pump up the buttocks and get a beautiful relief of the hips. It is no coincidence include in any workout regardless of fitness goals, because squatting is one of the most effective basic exercises.
In the article below we will discuss all the peculiarities of squats for girls, step-by-step technique, popular errors in technique, types of squats, as well as a plan squats for beginners for 30 days.
Squats for girls
The squat is completely natural and familiar to all of us the movement of the body. Every day people several times squatting on a chair, squat to pick up something from the floor, without hesitation, that in this work the muscles throughout the lower body.
In the natural squatting impossible to get injured, which is an additional advantage to include this exercise in the list of mandatory training.
What are the benefits pushups?
In addition to the benefit for the figure, exercise positively affects the entire body. We can note some important benefits of squats for girls:
- Strengthen the gluteal muscles and the thighs, making the lower body slim and toned
- Strengthen core muscles, contributing to the development of the press
- Increase the concentration of growth hormone in the blood, making the muscles grow faster and formed relief
- Improve posture because it strengthens the back muscles
- Develop flexibility of the hip joints
- Accelerate metabolism, improve lymph and blood flow and eliminates celullite
- Strengthen ligaments and joints
- Help to develop speed and explosive power
- Develop balance and coordination
Squats with proper technique are firming on the entire body, but improper technique can negate all the positive aspects of this exercise.
How to squat?
When performing any exercise correct technique is of paramount importance, since it affects the effectiveness of the training. There is no universal technique of squats for girls, studying which you will never make mistakes when doing this superpressure exercise.
- From a standing position place your feet slightly wider than shoulders. Keep your back straight, shoulders do not lift, they should be relaxed and slightly bent.
- For balance keep your hands in front of him. Beginners are advised to fold their hands at the castle in front of him or pull straight arms forward, as in this position it is easier to keep your balance and perfect posture when squatting.
- Start to squat, taking the pelvis back and bending your knees. Fall back, as if trying to sit on the invisible chair, in that position the thigh will be parallel to the floor.
- Make sure that the knees do not protrude beyond the toes, otherwise it will create excessive stress on the joints and muscles is minimal.
- Squat to at least parallel of hips with a floor. Deep squat (below parallel with the floor) is considered an effective exercise for the glutes, but putting a strain on the knees, and therefore is not recommended for people with overweight and anyone with problematic joints.
- Carry the weight on your heels, as much as possible to work out the buttocks, rear thighs, and gastrocnemius. When straightening pushing the heels, not toes, it is very important!
- Always look straight ahead, as the drooping chin entails a round neck and back, which can adversely affect the equipment.
- Pixilates for a few seconds in the bottom to allow the body to remember the correct position.
- Always monitor your breathing during squats. Take a deep breath when lowering into the squat. When you rise from the squat, breathe out.
- Train to squat in profile in front of a mirror to see all the deficiencies and time to correct them.
Regular exercise will help you to learn how to squat, and to do this you do not have to go to the gym, because it is a universal exercise is perfect for home fitness.
The correct position in the squat:
- Knees do not go forward socks
- The heels are not lifted from the floor
- The body weight is shifted on your heels
- Abdominal muscles and buttocks tense
- Straight back, no stooping in the thoracic
- Taz laid back without rounding in the lower back
- Look forward
- Shoulders are down, neck is not kruglitsa
- Thighs parallel to the floor (at least)
- The knees turned outwards
Options for hand position in the squat:
- Experienced athletes can keep their hands in any position, if their technique is not flawless.
- Newcomers better to fold the hands into the lock. This is the most easy position of the hands, which will help to easily learn squats and hone technique.
- If you are at first hard to keep a balance, it is possible to stretch your hands in front of you. This hand position during the squat is the best way to keep the balance
- If you are rounding your lower back during the squat, it is possible to have your hands behind your head, this will help to avoid rounding the lower back. However, it is better not to choose such position of the arms, if you have not yet learned to keep the balance, shifting the weight from toe to heel.
What muscles are working during squats?
Squatting, as one of the basic exercises, working all muscle groups of the lower body. In some types of squats for girls additionally involves the muscles of arms, shoulder girdle and back, for example, during goblet squats or classic squats with bar on shoulders.
When you perform a classic squat without extra equipment or weights, work those muscles:
- Quads or quadriceps muscles of the thighs that take the brunt of the burden
- The biceps or biceps muscle of thigh strain during lowering of the body down
- Large gluteal muscles help the straightening of the body
- The hamstring muscles help bend and straighten your knees
- Calf muscles responsible for body balance during the exercise
- KOR (lower back and abdominal muscles) helps to keep your back straight and maintain balance
- The extensors of the back straightening the spine and keep the torso in an upright position
The proper technique of sit-UPS in the works include almost all the muscle groups, getting a natural and healthy load, necessary for their growth and strengthening. Most useful squats for the glutes, as they help build up the muscles in this body part and form a beautiful shape. The legs also gain prominence and neat appearance. When squatting with weights in addition to was pumped to the press and back.
We do not recommend squats?
Despite the fact that squatting is one of the most useful health and fitness exercise, in some cases, it is not recommended. There are several common cases when sit-UPS should be abandoned:
- problems with the joints, especially the knee, the ankles, femoral
- a large excess weight which causes stress on the knees
- diseases of the spine, which is prohibited in physical activity
- hernias and injuries of the spine, pelvis
- varicose veins and other vascular problems
- high blood pressure
Squat with heavy weight is not recommended for any violations of the cardiovascular system, problems with the locomotor apparatus, in the presence of chronic diseases. To squat without weight in similar situations is possible only after doctor’s permission.
If you are unsure how your body responds to squats, can start with polarizados for beginnersthat will allow you to gradually adapt the body to physical stress:
How to learn to squat
Proper technique of the squat is the most important factor, which determines the benefit of the exercise. By learning to squat, you will be able to perform any kind of exercises with weights and without, significantly improving the quality of training.
Even if you often squat in training, it will not hurt to brush up on technique, because there is a possibility that you are doing the exercise mechanically, without thinking, that is unlikely to lead to good results. Beginners need to learn the rules of sit-UPS from scratch, which will be useful in the future and will be key to your performance.
How to learn to squat to a beginner?
Many fitness trainers will tell you that learning to squat properly, using an ordinary chair. You will need a chair, table or even the sofa, which comes up to your knees. Not above, otherwise not be able to sit down to thighs parallel with the floor.
1. Stand with your back to a chair or sofa, feet are slightly shoulder width. Sit on a chair, straining thighs and abs. Do not worry about technique, just sit as you are accustomed from childhood. After all, this movement is considered to be a natural and anatomically correct. Fully down on the sofa, you should notice that your thighs parallel to the floor and your knees do not go over the socks. This technique squats is valid and useful.
2. Try to do squat without the help of a chair or sofa. Standing straight, feel the hard surface under his feet and begin to take the pelvis back, squatting like a chair. Put your weight on your heels, unable to even move my toes to make sure of correctness of position. Lower the pelvis down, but not too low. Ideally, the hips should be completely parallel to the floor. Ensure that the spine was straight from neck to lumbar. Looking ahead, not lowering and not lifting her chin. Keep your arms as you wish. You can move your hands in the dynamics of many of them it is easier to maintain balance:
The technique of squats it is best to practice in front of the mirror, turning in profile. So you see, in what position are your hips, knees, back and will be able to correct the error if necessary.
Common mistakes when doing squats
There are several basic mistakes not only beginners but also experienced trainee, if a long time engaged in without awareness, by inertia. Each defect is easy to fix if you pay attention to it. But the first time will have to exercise in front of a mirror, concentrate on performing exercises to prevent future errors.
1. Knees come forward socks
Knees come forward socks is the most common mistake, to correct which will help exercise with a chair or a sofa, as described above. Try to take pelvis all the way back, shifting body weight on the heels. Train in profile in front of a mirror to learn how to squat.
2. Tearing off the heels and the weight transfer onto the socks
This error is related to the previous, when the knees go forward socks. Enough to learn to take the pelvis far back as possible while maintaining balance in the body, and from two defects will be corrected. Try moving your toes when you squat to feel the weight of the body falls on the heel.
3. Knees look inside
This error occurs if you do not control body during squats. You should feel a solid ground under your feet, the voltage of the thighs, press in the abduction of the pelvis back. Also this error can be avoided if a little bit of the foot to the side, and not to put them parallel to each other.
4. Rounding the back in the thoracic
Keep your head straight, do not lower the chin. So the straight neck will help to hold the spine, and you stop rounding your back. Try a little bend in the back and shoulder blades to lock in the correct position. Rounding of the back is most dangerous for girls when squatting with weight because it leads to injury.
5. Rounding of the lower back
Many athletes, squatting with weights, help yourself to lift the weight, Kruglaya lower back at the bottom. This is not only ineffective, but dangerous for the back. To get rid of this habit, don’t squat too deep, because it is rising from a deep squat, often kruglitsa back.
Practise the technique, squatting parallel to the floor without weight. Try to reduce the blades and keep the chin straight, which helps the spine to maintain a straight position.
6. Strong deflection in the lower back
It is important to note another common mistake when doing squats is excessive deflection in the lower back, which can hurt the lower back. Especially dangerous strong deflection in the lower back when doing squats with more weight, as the harmful load on the lumbar spine increases significantly.
Exercises for lower back
7. Insufficient depth squats
Squatting less than parallel to the floor, you reduce the usefulness of the exercises, because the muscles of the buttocks involved in the work at the bottom. Most likely, this is because you are afraid of losing balance, falling too low ago. To work on technique, squatting on a chair or sofa as described above. Practice in front of a mirror in profile, to ensure proper technique of squats.
Too deep a squat (below parallel with the floor) injures his knees and is therefore not recommended, especially if you work with more weight. Train yourself to squat to parallel with the floor, so you save your knees and enough will work the buttocks and thighs. Deep squats are shown only for experienced involved who are not afraid to overload the knee.
8. Incorrect position of the head and neck
The lowering of the head entails a rounding of the back, and because it is important to always look straight ahead, controlling the position of the head. One should not turn his head, lifting the chin up or to see the floor below.
The correct position of the head and neck – already half of success. During squats, the look is always directed straight ahead.
Having worked for major mistakes, you will learn how to squat with good for the body and shapes. Coaching technique daily, if you want to learn how to squat promptly.
Questions and answers on the squats
1. How to focus on the glutes during squats?
Squats for the buttocks are the most effective, if you take the pelvis as far as possible, straining the gluteal muscles. You don’t have to do the exercise mechanically, it is very important to feel of the buttocks on each phase of the movement, so that the muscles most involved in the work. Also better do not straighten your legs fully during the exercise to the target muscle does not turn off in the process.
After each approach you can do a few springy movements with minimal amplitude “finishing off” the buttocks.
2. Deep squats – dangerous or effective?
Professional deep powerlifting squats (below parallel with the floor) are the most effective, as during their implementation of the muscles involved not only the lower body, but also the top and the bark. In addition, deep squats are the most effective for gluteal muscles that is usually so important for girls.
However, deep squats should be approached with great caution, because they heavily load the knee joints and in the long term lead to chronic pain in his knees. The safest and most effective are squats parallel to the floor.
3. What to do if your knees hurt after squats?
Problem can overtake people with diseases of the joints, but if you are completely healthy, the case may be in the wrong technique squats. Check the exercise in front of a mirror, you might start the lap over the toes or squat too deep.
If the appliances all right, try to abandon this exercise in time for the joints was restored. Eat more foods high in calcium, which is useful for bone health.
4. What to do if back hurts after squats?
Back may hurt if there are problems with the spine or due to improper technique. In the first case, it is recommended to consult a doctor to make sure that you can complete the exercise.
In the second case, follow the technique, you may Kruglaya the back or bend the neck. Saving a light curve in their lower back will help to prevent flexion of the back, which leads to painful sensations after training. But to bend the back is not necessary, otherwise you get a sore lower back.
5. How to reduce muscle pain after squats?
Ten-minute stretching after a workout effectively reduces delayed onset muscle soreness. Also sore muscles will help hot bath with sea salt and massage roller. If the pain is too strong, then the pharmacy creams and gels with menthol to help relieve the symptoms.
If the muscle pain tolerable, the slack is not recommended. Moreover, subsequent exercises are usually even reduce muscle pain.
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6. How wide to place feet during squats?
Classic squats the legs should be set slightly wider than shoulder width. The inner part of the foot should be about shoulder level.
Also there are several varieties of squats for girls with different placing of the feet, since it depends on the load. In the traditional formulation evenly through all the muscles of the lower body, particularly active quads. With the broad setting (sumo and plie) are included biceps of the thighs and worked the problem area is the inner part of the legs.
7. How to turn off the quadriceps during squats?
In order to get together with the buttocks not to pump strong quads (front thighs), you need to learn to shut it off. Completely turn off the quadriceps during squats, you can not, but a bit to reduce the load on them will succeed. The quadriceps also work hard during the classical footwork, but, for example, with the broad statement of the feet actively involved gluteus, biceps of thighs and inner thighs.
Of course, it is important to understand that squats without weights or small weights do not rock the quads, and only bring your leg muscles in an easy tone and lift buttocks.
8. What types of squats effective for girls?
For girls the most effective squats for the glutes that squats are considered with a broad statement of the feet, i.e., sumo squats and plie-squats. Both these types of squats do not overload the quads and a good work not only the glutes, but also the inner surface of the thighs are the problem area for many women.
Sumo squat:
Ideally it is better to combine or alternate different types of squats. First, to fully work the targeted muscles. Second, to avoid the routine and inertia in the training, when the body gets used to the same exercises and the results of the lessons fall.
ALL ABOUT SUMO SQUATS
The types of squats with additional weight
Squats weight for beginners, but for experienced skiers this load may be small and the course is “heavy artillery”: the barbell, dumbbell and weights. Regardless of the type of exercise you need to squat properly – not to slant our back, not to have your knees forward socks, neck to hold up straight and look forward.
The weight of the dumbbell, barbell or kettlebell pick up so that you can easily do 10-12 approaches. Typically, this is 20-30% of the maximum weight you can lift. Beginners are recommended to practice with a small weight, proportionally increasing with each week of training.
HOW TO CHOOSE DUMBBELLS
The order of complexity of the squats:
- Squats without weight. Begin to squat with a small number of repetitions: 10-15 repetitions in 3-5 approaches. Pay attention to the technique of performing sit-UPS. Gradually increase the number of repetitions and approaches.
- Squats with dumbbells. After squats without weight, move on to squats with dumbbells. Start to do squats with dumbbells along the body, then move on to squats with dumbbells on shoulders. 4-6 approaches perform 10-12 repetitions, gradually increasing the weight of dumbbells. If you squat with light weight dumbbells at home, you can perform 15-20 reps of 4-6 approaches.
- Squats. Squats to perform better after a long practice squats with dumbbells, when you are confident in the technique and your body is already accustomed to the mechanics of the movements. Squats quite traumatic exercise, so perform it only when you are sure that your body normally perceives squats (this is especially true of people with risk of back problems and knee).
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1. Squats with dumbbells along the body
Squats with dumbbells along the body – this is the most simple squat for women with weights. To run take two dumbbells ideal weight (so you can easily do at least 10-12 reps) and do the squat in a regular technique. The hands with dumbbells are lowered along the body, the shoulders do not rise, the chin does not fall down.
2. Squats with dumbbells on shoulders
When you exercise with dumbbells on the shoulders, the shells must be placed on the shoulders so that they do not put pressure on the clavicle. To perform take two dumbbells and place them on the shoulders, bending hands in elbows. As a result, you will receive a position similar to squatting with a barbell. Keep your back straight and don’t make knees for socks, otherwise you can lose balance and get injured.
This exercise can be performed in the gym or at home as an alternative to squats.
3. Squats bench press with dumbbells
Squats bench press with dumbbells is perfect for those who want not just to pump up the buttocks and strengthen the muscles in your upper body and burn calories. This multifunctional exercise are often included in crossfit because it makes almost all the muscles in your body and is accelerates the heart rate.
For this exercise you need to take the dumbbells the desired weight and put them on the shoulders as in the previous exercise. When you exit the squat make press hands upward, lifting the dumbbells overhead at arm’s length. In this exercise, do not forget to properly squat, keeping a perfect technique.
4. Goblet squats with dumbbell or kettlebell
Squats with one dumbbell hone technique exercises, train the sense of balance, allow you to more effectively develop the muscles of the entire body. When the goblet squat to work further includes the muscles of the arms, shoulders and back. This exercise is often included in HIIT workouts.
When performing the goblet squat the barbell must be kept at the breast in front of him with two hands like a Cup. Then performed a traditional squat. Beginners should start with minimal weight to perfect technique and then you can pick up more heavy dumbbells. Goblet squats can be performed with weights.
5. Squats
Squatting with a barbell is a basic exercise, which include men’s and women’s training. He may have many variations: front, with a barbell on your shoulders with the bench press bar over head, with different placing of the feet.
A classic is considered a squat with a barbell on the shoulders with an average placing of the feet. Shell need to keep at the level of the trapezium, holding the neck with both hands at a distance slightly wider than shoulders. A common mistake is to put the fingerboard on the neck or lower is too low on the shoulder. In this case, the technique will be wrong and there will be the risk of injury. When you squat you need to keep a slight bend in the lower back, avoiding rounding, chin looking straight, knees do not go over the socks. It is necessary to squat parallel to the floor to minimize stress on the knees. Squatting with a barbell is one of the most effective exercises for the buttocks.
Start training with a slight neck – 10-15 kg, after two or three weeks of training you can gradually increase the weight. However, remember that squats is better to go only after prolonged exercise squats with dumbbells.
6. Sumo squats with a dumbbell
Sumo squats are notable for the wide of foot and raising the stop to the side. When performing a sumo squat perfectly pumped the gluteus, biceps of thighs and inner thighs, while not overloaded the quadriceps, which is especially important for girls.
Sumo with a dumbbell is done with the broad of foot, with a dumbbell, drooping on the straight hands down. During the sumo squat is necessary to bring the pelvis back and tilt the back forward a little. If you don’t take your pelvis and keep the case upright, then it will be plie-squats where the load is redistributed to the inner surface of the thigh.
Sumo squat is one of the most effective squats for buttocks, so it is recommended to perform girls. Again, instead of dumbbells, you can use a weight.
7. Sumo squats
Sumo squats allows you to take more weight due to the greater stability because of the wide foot placement, so this exercise is popular in powerlifting.
Sumo squats – one of the best exercises for girls because it gives a great load on the buttocks, it does not load the quads. Also works well internal and hamstring.
8. Plie squats with a dumbbell
Plie-squats are very similar to the sumo squats, but there are still differences. During the execution of the plie-squats must hold the body vertically and do not take the pelvis back (unlike the sumo squat, where the pelvis is moved back, and the back tilts forward).
When you plie-squats sighting is more load on the inner thighs. To perform a plie, you need to take the dumbbell, stand up as widely as possible, spreading the toes out to the sides. The body weight transferred on your toes. Dumbbell need to keep on the straight and lowered her hands. Squat parallel to the floor. This exercise is perfect for girls who want to make the legs slim and toned.
Plan sit-UPS for 30 days (>1200 sit-UPS)
If you want to start to squat, but don’t know where to start, then offer a ready-made plan squats for 4 weeks, which will help you tighten the buttocks and improve the shape of the feet.
This plan will fit:
- Beginners – for toned buttocks and shapely legs. If you’re just starting to train, do the exercises in a comfortable range (not squat too low, for example) or take more breaks between sets.
- Advanced – as a Supplement to the basic training. In this case, you can take a dumbbell or barbell.
Perform a specified number of repetitions and approaches. Between sets take a rest for 1 minute. Between exercises – about 5 minutes.
First week
In the first week you will find one exercise is the classic squatthat you will perform in several approaches. Squatting anyway will constantly meet on your fitness journey, because it is not just a stand-alone exercise, but an integral part of many other exercises. Therefore, with the classic squat, we offer you to start a 30-day plan squats.
Monday:
- Classic squats: 3 sets of 10 reps (30 reps)
Environment:
- Classic squats: 4 sets of 10 reps (40 total reps)
Friday:
- Classic squats: 4 sets of 15 reps (60 reps)
Second week
The second week adds sumo-squat, which is a very effective exercise for girls because carefully considering the buttocks and inner thighs. The classic squat remains in the plan and in the subsequent weeks.
Monday:
- Classic squats: 3 sets of 10 reps (30 reps)
- Sumo squats: 3 sets of 10 reps (30 reps)
Environment:
- Classic squats: 4 sets of 10 reps (40 total reps)
- Sumo squats: 4 sets of 10 reps (40 total reps)
Friday:
- Classic squats: 3 sets of 15 reps (45 reps)
- Sumo squats: 3 sets of 15 reps (45 reps)
Third week
The third week involves adding new exercises – squats to the side. They help even more to load the gluteal muscles and more work area breeches and inner thigh.
Monday:
- Classic squats: 3 sets of 10 reps (30 reps)
- Sumo squats: 3 sets of 10 reps (30 reps)
- Squats to the side: 3 sets of 10 reps (30 reps)
Environment:
- Classic squats: 4 sets of 10 reps (40 total reps)
- Sumo squats: 4 sets of 10 reps (40 total reps)
- Squat to side: 4 sets of 10 reps (40 total reps)
Friday:
- Classic squats: 3 sets of 15 reps (45 reps)
- Sumo squats: 3 sets of 15 reps (45 reps)
- Squats to the side: 3 sets of 15 reps (45 reps)
Fourth week
In the fourth week adds another type of squats – pulsing squats with a reversal. The peculiarity of this exercise is that it is particularly effective “finishes” the buttocks, you will feel the pleasant burning in the muscles of the legs. In this exercise for repeating believe one pulsing movement.
Monday:
- Classic squats: 3 sets of 10 reps (30 reps)
- Sumo squats: 3 sets of 10 reps (30 reps)
- Squats to the side: 3 sets of 10 reps (30 reps)
- Pulsating squats: 3 sets of 20 reps (60 reps)
Environment:
- Classic squats: 4 sets of 10 reps (40 total reps)
- Sumo squats: 4 sets of 10 reps (40 total reps)
- Squat to side: 4 sets of 10 reps (40 total reps)
- Pulsating squats: 4 sets of 20 reps (total 80 reps)
Friday:
- Classic squats: 3 sets of 15 reps (45 reps)
- Sumo squats: 3 sets of 15 reps (45 reps)
- Squats to the side: 3 sets of 15 reps (45 reps)
- Pulsating squats: 3 sets of 30 repetitions (90 reps)
See also:
- Exercise for legs and buttocks: a program for beginners
- Top 30 static exercises for weight loss
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