This week for our workout wednesday plan we are focusing on the good ol’ squat.

I love, love, love squats!

Squats work some of the biggest muscle groups in your body. Bigger muscle groups mean higher heart rate which results in more calories burned. What’s not to love?

So, lets get to it. Break this baby down so you can get the most out of your squats. Quality not quantity here people. Time is precious so lets make. it. count!

1 – Start standing with tall with your feet shoulder width apart, your arms down by your sides and your abdominals engaged (imagine there is a tiny piece of string gently pulling your belly button back against your spine), shoulders relaxed and your head is in a neutral position, looking straight ahead. Your legs are straight but not locking your knees, try to keep them a slightly relaxed. Don’t forget to keep breathing.

2 – Leading with your bottom, keep your eyes looking straight ahead, shoulders relaxed and neutral spine (not rounding forward or arching back) sit back as if you were going to sit in an imaginary chair until your thighs parallel with the floor. Make sure your knees are stacked above your ankles, not pushing out in front of your toes (you should be able to see your shoe laces) . Your weight should be felt primarily through your heels and  your arms should move forward slightly to help counter balance your weight.

3 – Pushing through your heels as well as your quads (thighs) and glutes (butt) push back up to standing. Abs engaged, shoulders relaxed until your legs straight but not locking the knees. Repeat 🙂

A few top tips to keep in mind with any resistance training:

– Always choose a weight (if using) that is appropriate to your strength

– Think about the muscle group that your working on, today it’s quads, glutes and hamstrings (butt and thighs, baby)

– Take your time! Do not rush it, that’s how/when accidents happen. Take care when performing each rep, count “one Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi.”

– If you can, workout in front of a mirror, not for reasons of vanity but to ensure your using proper form.

– Keep your abdominals engaged, its your girdle. Keep. it. strong!

– Don’t forget to breathe. Breathe out when it’s toughest. for this exercise it would be when you’re pushing back up to standing from the deep depths of your big ol’ squat.

Is there an exercise you’d like me to help break down for you?