What muscles do squats work?

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What muscles do squats work

Squats are a great overall exercise for legs strength and also if you want also burn calories You may ask “what muscles do squats work?”, what specific groups of muscles do they work.

We will cover the different muscles squats works and develops breaking these muscles down in this article such as Glutes, buttocks, calves, even upper body such as your core etc..

what muscles do squats work?

Squat focuses on:

  1. CORE
What muscles do squats work?

Squats also engages the obliques, transverse abdominis and rectus abdominis stomach muscles:

Obliques: these muscles are outside of the main core muscles, they also help flex the spin.

Transverse abdominis: These are deep core muscles which aid with breathing.

Rectus abdominis: these are 6 pack muscles which are visible.

2. Glutes

What muscles do squats work? Glutes

Glutes are muscles that make up the but which is divided into 3 muscles namely; gluteus maximus, gluteus Medius, and gluteus minimus.

Doing squats also builds your glutes especially when you go low as possible when doing a squat.

3. Hamstrings

What muscles do squats work? Glutes

Hamstrings are barely activated then the quads and glutes muscles but does play a role in ones squat performance when it comes to lifting those heavier weights.

4. Calves

What muscles do squats work? calves

The calve muscles is one of the most most difficult muscle to develop for most people, some say its “genes” others say “that you just have to work those calve muscles“. Squats does not directly work your calves but your calves act as a supporting muscle while squatting which in turn does build your calves since all your leg muscles sort of work together.

NOTE: If you really want to build calves do box jumps.

5. Quadriceps

What muscles do squats work? Quadriceps

Yes, Squats works Quadriceps big time, this is even true for the normal standard squats and the other variation of squats hit the muscle differently. Quadriceps are big muscles on the front thigh which are made up of more then 4 parts such as :

  • the rectus femoris
  • the vastus lateralis
  • the vastus intermedius
  • the vastus medialis

Other exercises such as leg press, leg extensions and lunches works the Quadriceps too.

Conclusion

These are like the main important muscles that squats works on which you use almost everyday in your daily life, do more squats as it is a good resistance exercise and a great overall workout.

Lets look at how to perform a simple squat

squats

Squats are compound movement that involves most of our muscles in our body.

HOW TO :

  1. Stand up straight with legs apart.
  2. bend your knees and drive your hips back keeping a straight back as you descent.
  3. Make sure your knees is bent your, squat should be more the 90%.
  4. Squeez your leg muscles, core and glutes to push back up to a standing position.
  5. Repeat this movement for 5 sets for 6 to 8 reps.

Advantages of squats

  • Burns calories – Squat is a high intensity compound movement which can burn calories, 233 calories can be burnt in 30 minutes by a 155 pound person.
  • strengthens core – since your lower back and core is automatically activated your core automatically gets stronger even when you go heavier on squats.
  • Reduces lower body risk of injury – Since squats build the bottom half of your muscle you better of doing other full body movement exercise without getting injured.
  • Boasts testosterone- Squats help boast your testosterone.

Disadvantages of squats

  1. You can injure yourself if your form is incorrect, like lower back pain and knee pain.
  2. you could get stuck and fall with a heavy weight while squatting.
  3. You put strain on your shoulders since the heavy weight sits on your shoulder while squatting.

Note: For more information and articles on fitness, bodybuilding, training, weight loss, and other related topics, check out the following links:

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