The King of Lower Body Exercises

The Squat has been called the King of Lower body Exercises - for good reason. It works the largest muscle groups in the body which include the front of the thighs (quadriceps), the back thigh muscles (hamstrings), the muscles of your behind (glutes), your lower back and helps your overall musculature as well as revving up your metabolism.

For men it helps to add extra muscle mass over the entire body due to the numerous chemical pathways and muscles involved, while for women it can help to give you strong, shapely legs as well as a firm and curvaceous “booty”. So how do you perform this most beneficial of all exercises?

You need a barbell in a rack (although dumbbells in your hand can also work). Step under the barbell so that it rests across the back of your shoulders. Hold onto the bar to balance it. Take a deep breath then raise up to lift it off the rack and step back. The feet should be flat on the floor. Holding your breath keep your head up and back straight, then bend your knees and lower yourself until the tops of your thighs are parallel to the floor. From this point push yourself back up into the starting position while breathing out.

Your actual technique will vary a lot depending on your physical proportions. Those with longer legs tend to find going to parallel or below to be a bit difficult. Those with shorter legs in proportion to their body tend to find it easier. Whatever your size though, keep a squat routine going and you will be pleasantly surprised at the results.