How do sit-ups if the sore knees and back

If you want to do squat more efficient and safe, try to make the following changes in your technique.

1. Squat with a barbell on his chest

Squats on his chest - it is more sparing for the knees and back option exercise.

Firstly, the bar on the chest does not give you much to break the equipment. If your back sognotsya too much, you just can not hold the bar so you are always performing squats with a more or less normal technique.

Secondly, you take less weight than the squat with a barbell on his back. Yes, you will need more time to achieve results, but in the long run will save up your joints.

The only problem with such squatting - you can be difficult to hold the neck, especially if you have limited mobility in the wrist. If you are familiar with such problems, try to use belts for the rod or crossover grip.

2. Squat until thighs parallel with the floor

Many athletes are not even close to coming to a parallel - they crouch only a quarter.

Such a range constraint is for two reasons: the athlete can not simply sit lower due to the rigid muscles, or takes too much weight, which does not rise again. This range limit negative impact on results.

On the other hand, if you have problems with your knees and back, do not cower and too deep to touch her hips shin.

Falling below parallel, many athletes rounded lower back, causing a risk of injury and back pain.

Stay parallel with the floor. Your squat is not much to lose in effectiveness to build muscle or increase strength, and you will save up the back.

3. Control eccentric phase

one studyArticle. Biomechanical Analysis of the Knee Joint during Deep Knee Bends with Heavy Load. It revealed that sudden movements during squats increase shearing force on the knee 33%. It turns out that when you perform the movement sharply - falling out of control in a squat, and then abruptly straightens up, the load on the knees increases greatly.

To protect your joints and do squat more efficient, control descent phase: follow it slowly and deliberately. In addition, you can linger for a moment to the extreme point of the squat - as you perform the exercise only at the expense of muscle, without the aid of inertia.

4. Place the wider legs

Some athletes perform the squat with a very wide stance. They bend at the hip joint is removed pelvis back and try to keep the lower leg as vertically as possible. This stand has a gentle effect on your knees, but loads the lower back.

There are athletes who prefer a narrow stance squat, in which you keep your back straight and load the quads. In such a rack load is removed from the lower back, but my knees go forward strongly for socks, which is bad for their health in the long term.

It is best to choose an average width of foot - slightly wider than shoulders - and bent at the hip and knee joints at the same time. In this rack you can maintain the correct position of the body and at the same time to load the quads without excessive load on the knees.

5. Doing squats on a curbstone

Exercise using tables or racks limiters helps control the depth of the squat.

Athletes who are used to stop long before the parallel with the floor, stand or limiters will help increase the depth of the squat. And for those who squat too low, on the contrary, it limits the range of motion.

In addition, squatting on the curb teaches you to control the eccentric phase of the movement. You will not fall down, because afraid to hit the curb, and gradually conscious movement enters into a habit.

What use, cabinet or rack limiters, you decide. If you choose a cabinet, remember that it is only used as a height limiter. It is not necessary to lean on it as in powerlifting squat version of boxing.

6. use chains

Typically, the circuit used in power lifting, to provide the maximum load at the top exercises, but they are also good for reducing the load on the lower back and knees.

When you stand at the bar, the chain increased its weight, but at least in the lowering squat they lie on the floor - and the bar becomes easier. Thus, you make it easier to exercise the lowest point of the squat, knees and lower back when experiencing the greatest stress, and increase the weight as the lift.

If your gym do not have chains, you can use rubber Tape-expanders. Hook them behind the bar and the vulture, and the effect is the same: the top point of resistance expander will add weight, and at the bottom you will be lifted only by the neck.

7. Select the average number of repetitions

Athletes who have knee problems and back, it is better to select the average number of repetitions - 6-12 times in the approach. Doing fewer reps with more weight, you run the risk of overload joints. Mnogopovtornye approaches are also bad for the knees and back.

The good news is that 6-12 repetitions - this is the optimal number for muscle hypertrophy, so your training does not lose efficiency and become more secure.

8. Squat at the end of training

If you squat at the end of training, you are already well warmed up exactly and fatigue will not let you take too much weight, which may be the last straw for the sick knees. In addition, when selecting weight you will specifically target the legs possible.

As a rule, the squat with a barbell on his chest you pick a weight that you can hold in your hands, rather than one that will sustain your feet. Squat with a barbell on your back you choose a weight that will sustain your lower back and leg strength, again, is still out of work.

If you do sit-ups at the end of a workout, to weary muscles, the weight will be selected based on the capabilities of your feet, which will provide the necessary load.

The safest for the knees and back squats

If we gather together all the tips listed above, you get squat with a barbell on his chest with chains on a curbstone. Here are some guidelines for the implementation of this motion.

1. Adjust the height of tables or constraints so that the lowest point of the thighs are parallel to the floor.
2. If you perform a squat with limiters, avoid bouncing of the bar from them. Try to lower the neck restraints as quietly as possible: it will help you increase control in the eccentric phase of the movement.
3. If you do not have chains or expanders, may slightly increase the number of repetitions.

You do not have to follow all the advice, but if you hurt your knees or back, try to implement at least some of them, and you will feel the difference.