The squat should be the staple of any workout routine. While exercises such as the leg extension, leg curl and hip thrust allow us to isolate our quads, hamstrings and glutes, the squat allows us to work all three of these major muscle groups in one – giving us more bang for our buck. The leg press also allows us to use all three of those major muscle groups, but it doesn't make use of the hip stabilisers or help to build great core strength, due to the machine providing that stability.
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Yet despite all of the benefits, the squat also comes with a greater risk of injury, and many people jump straight into the deep end without any prior help or practice in getting their technique right. Each of us is unique: we have different movement patterns, different levels of strength and varying levels of flexibility. Not being aware of your strengths and limitations will lead to injuries, as well as knee, hip and lower back pain.
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August 2019
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