How To Modify The Squat For Maximum Results

The consensus is clear within the fitness community: the squat is the king of all exercises. The reason squatting is so effective is because of the sheer amount of muscle mass it activates.

And the good news is that maximum muscle mass activation will give you the biggest bang for your buck.

Unfortunately, if you do regular squats week in and week out, your results will come to a screeching halt.

Thus, without further ado, here are different ways to squat for ultimate lower body development:

1. Using a wider stance: Make sure you don’t try to go too far down with this one because the position can make this somewhat difficult. Start off with light weights and lots of repetitions to get a feel for the movement and to let your nervous system adapt. This is a great exercise for building up the inner portion of your legs.

2. Narrow stance barbell squat: This variation is great for targeting the outer portion of your thighs which can create the illusion of having a smaller waist! It can be very hard to get to parallel with this variation. However, go as far down as you can go while still feeling comfortable.

3. Squatting to the front: This version of the traditional squat places the majority of the stress on your quadriceps muscles. In addition, it places a huge demand on your balancing capabilities which translates into some heavy core activation. Start off with extremely light weights here and slowly progress.

4. Barbell hack squat: With this variation, you hold a weighted barbell behind you. This provides a completely different feel and will work your trapezius (neck) muscles in addition to your lower body muscles. The key here is to make sure you grip is solid and if you are struggling to hold the barbell you may want to consider using straps.

Any exercise program would be incomplete without the squat. Not only is it a fun exercise movement, but it’s also very effective.

So start incorporating these variations into your exercise routines today, so you can get results by tomorrow!

About the author: Katherine Crawford M.S., a Harvard fitness expert and former arm fat casualty, teaches women how to get rid of upper arm fat rapidly and effectively. Unearth how to get sexy and toned arms by visiting her website about the best tricep arm fat exercises for women right now!