Inside strength training, the squat is a movement that primarily trains the quads of the thighs, the hips and buttocks and hamstrings. The squat also produces other benefits such as the strengthening the bones and ligaments plus the insertion of the tendons right through the lower body. for the women who constantly ask us about this, there is an excellent tutorial here: How to Do Squats for a Better Looking Butt
This “King of exercises” is considered a fundamental exercise for increasing the power and mass of the legs and buttocks. Though the squat has long been an essential ingredient of strength training, it has been the subject of significant and needless controversy in recent years.
Some trainers allege that squats are linked with injuries to the lumbar spine in addition to the knees. As a consequence, some trainers advise that the standard squat be adapted in a variety of ways, including the box squat along with the Zercher squat. This is unnecessary if the movement is taught and performed correctly. As with anything, if you do it wrong, you can hurt yourself.
Most serious trainers, however, continue to agree that the squat is one of the best exercises for building muscle and whole body strength. Most coaches we asked preserve that the ordinary “half-squat” (going to parallel) and “quarter-squat” (above parallel) are less useful and more likely to cause injury than a full squat (below parallel). Most serious old-school programs include the squat as a staple exercise as it can enhance strength in the entire body. That’s why it’s called the “king of exercises”.
