The Squat: An Analysis
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THE SQUAT: ANALYSIS
Overview
Benefits of the Squat Myths about the Squat What the Squat
Actually Does Safety
Technique Common Errors Learning the Squat Variations
Benefits of the Squat
Core strength Lower body hypertrophy Sport / Real-life specific strength gains Bone Mass? Mobility
Myths
Stance width effects muscle recruitment Stance width/angle of the feet effect the
knees Angle of the feet effects muscle
recruitment Squats are bad for the knees Bar placement effects muscle
recruitment
Narrow Stance
87-118% shoulder width More knee translation More knee shear Uses plantar flexors to help restrain
knee translation
Wide Stance
158-196% shoulder width Vertical shins (I.e. little knee translation) Horizontal thighs
Effect of Stance on Joint Angle (Escamilla, et al., 2001)
Joint Angles at Maximum Knee Flexion
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
Hip Trunk Thigh Shank Knee
Joint
Jo
int
An
gle
NS
MS
WS
Effect of Stance on Muscle Recruitment (Escamilla, et al., 2001)
Peak EMG activity for different squat stances
020406080
RF VL VM
Lat.
Ham
Med. H
am
Gastro
c
Muscles
% M
VIC NS
WS
Stance and muscle recruitment (IEMG)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Ad. Long.Descent
Ad. Long.Ascent
Muscles/motions
Mic
ro
vo
lts
NS
WS
GM GM
What about other muscles? (McCaw & Melrose, 1999)
GM Desc.
Stance and the Knee (Escamilla, et al. 2001)
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
Flex TF
Compr.
FlexPCL tens.
FlexPF Comp.
NS
WS
Ext. Ext. Ext.
Foot Angle?
0 vs. 30 degrees, no effect on tension or compression
No difference in hamstring, quadricep, or gastroc activity
Escamilla, R.F. (2001). Knee biomechanics of the dynamic squat exercise. MSSE, 33(1), 127-141.
Squats Bad for the Knees Where this comes from: Karl Klein’s 1961 study
128 deep squatters; “Pan-American games weightlifters from 1959, weightlifters from Texas, weightlifters from Austin universities”
386 beginning weight lifting students, basketball players, and gymnastic students, never done deep squats
Results of Klein’s Study
Squats and Knee Instability
0.00%20.00%40.00%60.00%80.00%
Medial Lateral ACL PCL
Ligaments
% w
ith
Ins
tab
ility
S Left
S Right
NS Left
NS Right
Klein’s Conclusions
“…the deep squat, is basically responsible for the production of the ligament instability found.”
“…the deep squat exercise,…should be discouraged from the standpoint of its debilitative effect on the ligamental structures of the knee.”
Klein’s Conclusions, Cont. “In weight training, no more than a 1/2
squat be used… In the squatting position the thighs should not reach the right angle or slightly less than parallel with the floor. The feet should be flat on the floor.”
How Well was the Study Done?
How instability was measured. Klein’s comments to potential detractors:
“…one has to accept the fact that an experienced tester is capable of demonstrating the evidence of stability and instability of ligaments with relative ease.”
Since then...
No one has been able to duplicate Klein’s results
What the Squat Actually Does Tibiofemoral compression ACL/PCL tension Patellofemoral compression Muscle recruitment
Tibiofemoral Compression Too much could damage the menisci
and articular cartilage. Serves to resist translation of tibia
relative to femur (I.e. protects cruciate ligaments).
WS squats demonstrate greater levels of TF compression.
TF compression increases as the knees flex, decreases as they extend
ACL Tension
Escamilla has not observed ACL tension during the squat (Escamilla, et al., 2001) regardless of stance.
This is thought to be due to hamstring activity.
This is in contrast to leg extensions, where the ACL is loaded as the knee is near full extension.
Squat and ACL
How the squat reduces ACL tension:Hamstring activityGastroc activityIt’s weight bearing (joint compression)(Neitzel, J.A. & G.J. Davies, 2000)
PCL and the Squat (Escamilla, et al, 2001)
PCL Tension and the Squat
0500
100015002000
Knee Angle
Fo
rce
Force
Squat and the Cruciate Ligaments Escamilla recommends avoiding squats
greater than 50-60 degrees of knee flexion with PCL injuries.
The lack of anterior shear indicates that the squat may be appropriate for ACL patients.
Patellofemoral Compression Increases as the knees flex and
decreases as the knees extend. Escamilla suggests avoiding knee
flexion of greater than 50 degrees when suffering PF pathologies (stress is greatest from 50-80 degrees).
Muscle Recruitment
Quadriceps:Activity increases as
knee flexes, decreases as knees extend.
Peaks at 80-90 degrees of knee flexion, does not increase after 90 degrees of flexion.
Vastus lateralis and medialis produce 40-50% more activity than the rectus femoris.
Hamstrings:More active during
ascent (especially lateral hamstrings).
Working isometrically throughout?
Muscle Recruitment, cont. Gastrocnemius:
Activity increases as the knees flex and decreases as the knees extend.
Acts to restrict knee translation.May also fire isometrically.
Peak Muscle Activity during the Squat (Escamilla, et al., 2001)
KA at Peak MVIC during Squat
0
20
40
60
80
100
RF VLVM LH MH
Gastro
c
Muscle
Kn
ee
An
gle
KA Peak
What About Bar Placement? “High-bar” squats
Bar around C7 vertebraeTheory: more upright,
more quadriceps development
Used primarily by Bodybuilders and Olympic-lifters
“Low-bar” squatsBar around spine of
scapulaTheory: more lean, more
focus on hips and lower back, more weight can be lifted
Used primarily by Powerlifters
Wretenberg, P., et al. (1996) Swedish strength athletes; 8 Olers, 6
Plers, all national caliber 65% of 1-RM studied
Olympic Lifters Power Lifters Mean Age (years) 19 32 Mean Bodyweight (kg) 82 87 Mean 1-RM (kg) 154.38 255
High-Bar vs. Low-Bar
Moments of Force
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Hip Knee
Joint
Mo
me
nt
(Nm
)
High
Low
Results...
High-bar more upright, joint moments more evenly distributed between hip and knee
Low-bar move hip involvement than high-bar
Actually, powerlifters showed higher normalized EMG activity for RF, VL, and BF than weightlifters