Mistakes You Are Making That Are Hurting Your Squat
Squats are one of the most popular exercises performed in the gym yet so many people make mistakes they don't even realize that are decreasing the weight they are able to push or putting themself at risk of developing an injury.
Today I am going to go over some common mistakes people make and how you can avoid them to improve your squat form and increase the weight you're able to use.
Mistake #1: Not breathing and bracing
I wrote an entire blog post on how important it is to brace your core to protect your spine while lifting. I would argue that it is most important to do during a squat for a few reasons. Squats are not only a leg exercise, it is a compound lift meaning it utilizes many large muscle groups. Every rep you perform should start with taking in a deep breath followed by bracing your core as hard as you can to protect your spine, especially your low back, and to keep your form locked in. If one muscle is not firing properly even if it's not a leg muscle it can throw off your entire form.
Mistake #2: Not using the same stance every set
Many people overlook their foot positioning and assume it doesn't matter exactly where they are placed. There is not one universal stance everyone should use. It comes down to many factors like leg length, the depth of your hip socket and your torso. An easy test to see where your leg and foot positioning should be during your squat is to lay flat on your back and pull one leg up to your chest at a time. Play around with the angle you pull your legs up. If you feel any restrictions at a certain angle you should likely avoid squatting in that position. See where you are able to pull your knee up the farthest to your chest and where it feels less restrictive, this is the ideal position for your legs and hip during your squat.
Mistake #3: Not controlling the weight on the descend
This is a common mistake I see with people who focus more on how much weight they load on the bar instead of focusing on technique. When you start your squat the descend (lowering phase) should always be slow and controlled. By falling and letting the weight control you, you're putting yourself at risk of injury because you are most likely using a weight that is beyond what you are able to tolerate with good form. Your 1 rep max is not how much weight you can lift, it is how much weight you can lift with good form. Your true one rep max form should look identical to your warm up reps with no weight! This concept applies for all lifts, not just the squat.
Mistake #4: Squatting with your knees not your hips
A proper squat always begins with a hip hinge, not bending your knees! This movement can be cued by pushing your butt backwards and letting your chest slightly drop forward after bracing your core. By doing this you place significantly less stress on your knees and spine, but it also helps engage the powerful posterior muscles like the glutes, hamstrings, and erector muscles that make up the core. Try doing a squat with a 10 second descend, pay close attention to see if you start the lift by bending your knees or hinging at your hips! If you notice your knees bending before any other motion occurs, you should take a step back and master the hip hinge before worrying about squatting with any weight.
Mistake #5: Not performing an appropriate warm up
As mentioned above, the squat is a full body exercise, it is not just for your legs. Therefore, a proper warm up should of course include dynamic lower body movements like leg swings, but also larger muscle groups that assist during the movement like your lats and core! If you neglect warming up these muscles your body will not be able to execute the lift as well as when those muscles are activated during the squat.
These are some of the most common mistakes I see people in the gym making everyday when it comes to squatting that decrease the weight they are able to life and increase their risk of injury. If there are any other things we left out in this post let us know in the comments!