Barbell Squat (on knees)

Description

How to Do Barbell Squat (on knees)

1. 1
   Setup

   Position the barbell on a squat rack at chest height. Load appropriate weight and ensure safety clips are secured.

2. 2
   Setup

   Kneel on a padded surface or mat directly under the barbell, ensuring your knees are about hip-width apart and your shins are flat on the floor.

3. 3
   Setup

   Unrack the barbell by gripping it slightly wider than shoulder-width, pulling your elbows down, and resting it across your upper back and traps.

4. 4

   Keeping your core engaged and torso upright, push through your shins and hips to extend your body upwards until your hips are fully extended. Exhale as you rise.

5. 5

   Slowly and with control, lower your hips back down towards your heels, maintaining tension in your quadriceps and glutes. Inhale as you descend.

6. 6

   Gently touch your glutes to your heels or just above them, then immediately initiate the next repetition.

Tips

• Maintain a tight core throughout the movement to protect your lower back and stabilize your torso.
• Focus on driving through your knees and hips evenly to ensure symmetrical engagement of your quadriceps.
• Keep your gaze forward or slightly down to help maintain a neutral spine and proper head alignment.
• Use a spotter or perform within a power rack with safety pins set appropriately, especially when lifting heavier loads, as balance can be challenging.

Common Mistakes

• ×Avoid rocking your body back and forth to gain momentum; instead, focus on a controlled, consistent upward push from your knees and hips.
• ×Keep your knees aligned with your hips and shins throughout the movement to prevent undue stress on the knee joints, rather than allowing them to splay out or collapse in.
• ×Maintain a neutral spine by engaging your core and keeping your chest up, preventing lower back strain from rounding.