Zac Efron Workout Plan & Diet To Get Ripped 

It's the most popular exercise at the gym. Yet, it's not as effective as you might think — especially if your goal is to build strength and muscle mass. The traditional bench press is one of the most commonly recommended exercises for chest-building, but its popularity may lie in its ability to boost our ego rather than build our chest muscles.

When people think of chest workouts, a few things come to mind: the barbell bench press, dumbbell flyes, dumbbell decline presses, and cable crossovers. However, there's one exercise that's overlooked by many lifters – particularly those looking to add mass to their pecs.

How To Do A Dumbbell Bench Press

The first step to doing a dumbbell bench press is to load the weights. For light to moderate weight, it's ideal to have a friend hand you the weights once already lay down on the bench. If that's impractical, you can load them from the floor to your knees.

When you think of the back as the base of this exercise, you can really engage your lats. By tensing your scapulas and pulling them together, you're engaging the back muscles and preparing to lift the weight up. This will engage more muscles in your body to help with the lift.

Benefits Of The Dumbbell Bench Press

Though using a barbell might be the more traditional choice, there are several reasons why dumbbells are becoming more popular. Many believe that working out with dumbbells provides a greater range of motion than using a barbell, and this means that you can target your pecs more effectively during the exercise.

The bench press is the king of upper-body exercises for a reason: it builds strength and muscle mass in your chest, shoulders, and arms. Here are just a few benefits to this dumbbell exercise.

More Natural Grip

Less Risk Of Injury

Harder To Cheat

Complete Muscle Activation

Enhanced Bicep Training

Better Range Of Motion Than The Barbell Bench Press

Improved Stability

The dumbbell bench press is just as effective as the barbell version because each arm can be worked independently, much like a single leg squat. The built-in instability of the dumbbell bench press challenges your muscles to fire more rapidly, strengthening joint stability and overall balance in the process.

Greater Strength

More Endurance

Lifters who want to build muscle endurance should aim for between 20 and 30 repetitions in a set, with 2 to 3 minutes of rest between each set. This is a great way to build muscular endurance for sports that involve short bursts of force with little time for recovery, like football or basketball.

Muscles Worked By The Dumbbell Bench Press

The dumbbell bench press is an extremely effective movement for increasing upper body strength and muscle mass for both aesthetics and performance. Below are the key muscles stressed during the dumbbell bench press.

Pecs

The chest is the primary muscle group activated during the dumbbell bench press. With dumbbells, many lifters find that they can engage in a greater range of motion during the eccentric aspect of the lift. This lengthens and stretches the muscles in a way that isn't present during a barbell bench press.

Triceps

In the bench press, the triceps are critical for two things. The first is to stabilize the elbows during the initial descent of the dumbbells. Without stable elbows, there would be no way to press the dumbbells up. The second function of the triceps is to extend the elbows in a lockout at the top of the bench press movement.

Shoulders

The shoulders, or deltoids, have three separate muscles — the anterior (front), middle, and posterior (back). However, the primary movers are the anterior deltoid and the medial deltoid, which function to adduct (bring towards midline) and abduct (move away from the midline) the humerus (upper arm), and are most active during pressing movements like the bench press.

The barbell incline bench press is my favorite upper body mass builder due to its emphasis on the upper chest and shoulders.

Contrary to popular belief, the barbell incline bench press is a great exercise to build your shoulders as well as your triceps if you have a narrower grip.

With the barbell incline bench press we are going to be performing 3 heavy working sets in the 8-10 rep range with a focus on lowering the weight slowly on the eccentric portion, which will translate into faster muscle gains.

I recommend that you count for 2-3 seconds on the way down on each rep and then explode back up.

The barbell incline bench press might be the best mass building exercise for the upper body, and is extremely effective for building your upper chest and shoulders. I recommend you perform it twice per week for maximum aesthetics. 

On the third set you are going to be doing a dropset, where you will rep out the heavy working set for 8-10 reps until failure, then drop the weight by about 50% with no rest and pump out another 10-12 reps, or as many as you can do.

This will add some extra intensity and overload right on your upper chest, shoulders, and triceps!

The barbell overhead press (or "military press") is a powerhouse of an exercise that works the muscles of the shoulders and upper back.

When executed with precision and technique, it can not only define your shoulders but also shape your upper back to give you a broad, balanced physique. This total-body lift effectively develops the shoulders and upper back, two of the most vital areas of the body for strength and muscle tone.

Before You Perform The Overhead Press: Safety First!

You'll want to stay away from the overhead press if you're new to strength training because of its heavy loading and nervous system demands. While it's one of the most impressive lifts and it's fantastic for building your upper body, you need a solid and established fitness baseline and a grounded education in strength training before making a foray into the military press. The truth is, some folks' bodies just can't handle training with heavy weights overhead without injury.

Most people can't afford a personal trainer, but there are some exercises you can do to check your core, arm, and shoulder strength to find out if you're ready to start adding the overhead press to your lifting regime.

Shoulder Blade Touches

Overhead Reach

When To Use The Overhead Press

A multijoint movement should always be done first in your workout. While you don't necessarily need to perform overhead pressing first in a workout, it's best to do this heavier exercise as your main lift especially if you're just starting out.

Depending on the lift variation, place it as an accessory movement or a support exercise for your primary lifts. This heavy exercise is taxing on your CNS because of its full-body nature and relatively heavy loading.

Form is essential when it comes to complex movements, especially when lifting weight that's too heavy. When form breaks down during a training session, injuries increase the likelihood of poor results. As a result, athletes are better off choosing sets and reps schemes that allow for form and posture maintenance.

The ideal rep range for overhead pressing is 3-8. Any more or any fewer reps and you risk breaking form, muscle strain, and fatigue. This has been proven time and time again in studies on overhead press form with novice to advanced lifters. On the other hand, 3-8 rep ranges are also known for increasing strength gains over longer durations of training.

Perform dumbbell or kettlebell overhead press sets in the 5-12 rep range with lighter loads, and you'll give your body the time it needs to grow. The 5-12 rep range is ideal for these exercises since it builds strength without setting you back in terms of your range of motion or exertion.

How To Perform The Overhead Press

The overhead press with dumbbells and kettlebells is similar in execution but with one slight difference. The hands start out in a neutral position at the bottom, like a dumbbell press. Rotating the arms parallel to the ears as you press makes use of the shoulders' entire range of motion. The rest is the same. As the weight is moved up and back, the elbows extend as they are pressed up and back.

Overhead Press Form And Stance

When doing the overhead press, your heels should be under your hips. This means that you should have a narrow stance. But your heels shouldn’t be touching. Stand similarly to how you stand when you perform the deadlift.

Lower Body

Staggering your feet might improve your overhead press, but it can also hurt your lower back and hips. Overhead press with your feet parallel and shoulder-width apart to evenly distribute the pressure on your back and hips.

You can turn your feet out slightly, but make sure that they are aligned horizontally when you look down. Don’t stagger your stance by putting one foot forward.

Your feet should be flat on the floor when you overhead press. This increases body balance and allows you to use more of your body weight to lift the bar. To optimize your bar control, keep your forefeet, heels, and toes firmly on the floor.

Avoid lifting your toes or raising your heels. Use only the muscles in your feet and legs to overhead press, not momentum from your upper body.

A push press is not the same as an overhead press. The push press uses your stronger hip muscles to drive the bar off your shoulders. It allows you to press heavier weights, but it doesn’t work your shoulders like an overhead press does.

If you bend your hips while doing an overhead press, you will cheat yourself out of better results. You should never cheat during a workout. Think about squeezing your glutes to keep your hips straight.

Grip

Should You Stand Or Should You Sit?

What's the difference between doing this movement standing vs. sitting? When you do barbell movements with weights, your body must use stabilizer muscles in each shoulder joint to keep each body part pressed against the weight at all times, or you'll experience a painful injury. Strong, stable shoulders help prevent you from bending over during lifts.

Standing Overhead Press

Seated Overhead Press

Muscle Groups Worked By The Barbell Overhead Press

The overhead press utilizes a variety of muscles to lift the weight. Your shoulders and arms are the prime movers that press the bar overhead. But everything between your shoulders and the floor should stay tight to balance you as well as keep you from dropping the weight on your neck or elbows. The overhead press concentrates several muscle groups all at once to build strength and power.

Arms

Straightening your elbows works the muscles on the backs of your arms, your triceps. Their size makes them stronger than any bicep. Your forearm muscles also jump into action to hold the weight.

Back & Shoulders

To overhead press, lift the bar with straight arms so that your feet don't leave the floor. This targets the muscles in your shoulder: your front, side, and back deltoids. Muscles are developed evenly with heavy weights so that you build wider shoulders.

Core

Your core muscles are the foundation of a strong body. They stabilize your torso while you press the bar overhead. Stronger abs are leaner abs, especially when paired with a balanced diet.

Legs

Your legs balance your body while your arms and shoulder press the bar. This works your hips, thighs, calves, and ankles. The overhead press doesn't work these muscles quite like squats because your legs don’t move during your reps. Instead, they stay straight. They have to support the heavyweight of the bar. If you want to work your lower body, squats are a better choice.

Important Safety Considerations For The Overhead Press

Any exercise can cause unnecessary strain or injury when done incorrectly, but the overhead press is a full-body workout using a heavy free weight overhead. This makes it one of the more hazardous lifts you can perform, and a number of things can go wrong if you're not adequately prepared or if you don't have enough strength to perform the overhead press correctly.

Before adding the overhead push press to your workout routine, perform the safety checks listed above and consider these safety risks associated with the lift.

Watch Your Shoulders

The overhead press has been proven beneficial for shoulder health, but you need a good form. It strengthens your shoulders and rotator cuff muscles. These muscles secure your shoulder joints and prevent dislocations. Good form also prevents muscle imbalances in the bench press by strengthening your rear shoulder muscles. However, poor form will hurt your shoulders. The bench press is a great exercise to do for strong shoulders that will then help with your overhead press form.

Do shoulder shrugs. Start by holding the bar up high with your elbows 45° in. Don’t use a grip wider than this or your elbows will flare like you do on the bench press. Press the bar in a vertical line until your arms are straight at the top. To finish the rep, lift and tilt your shoulders. The barbell should stay on a straight bar path directly over your shoulder joint while you do this.

Be Ready To Drop The Bar

People are scared of overhead pressing when they’ve never done it before. They think that the barbell will fall on their head and crush them before they even get a chance to finish the lift. However, this is a myth. A weight that is too heavy for you to control won’t go as high as your head. You'll fail at the bottom because it's too hard.

You don’t actually need to overhead press inside the Power Rack with safety pins set. You can simply go right into your shoulder press when you fail a rep. If you prefer to overhead press inside the Power Rack with safety pins set, arm yourself with confidence and do it.

Benefits Of The Barbell Overhead Press

You don’t need to isolate your shoulder muscles with lots of different exercises. The overhead press gets the job done. It works your entire shoulder girdle evenly, allowing you to lift heavier weights.

The overhead press strengthens your rotator cuff muscles. It's a safer and more effective way to prevent and fix shoulder injuries than internal and external rotation exercises with dumbbells. Plus, unlike the bench press, it strengthens the back of your shoulders, not just your chest.

If you want activation in your lower chest, this exercise is top rated.

Skip it at your own risk. Chances are you’ve done these before so you don’t need me to tell you much about them.

All I can say is get them in. I like starting all my chest workouts with weighted dips as a primer for what’s to come and to ensure that I’m never skipping over them because I’m just too tired to get it done.

Note that you should avoid locking out the elbows at the top.

I recommend doing 3 sets total of 8-12 reps for weighted dips.

You’ll want to go heavy enough on this exercise that you do feel the muscles working hard, but not so heavy that you begin to let the triceps start taking over.

This is a common mistake that is made far too often by many guys.

While you always will get some tricep activation, remember this is a chest exercise not a tricep one.

The barbell deadlift was bred out of necessity. It was built specifically for the military and its purpose was to teach soldiers how to use their strength properly. No matter your body type, you can learn to barbell deadlift properly.

We're going to cover everything you need to know to perform the barbell deadlift properly so you can add this critical exercise to your gym workout routine immediately.

How To Perform The Barbell Deadlift

The barbell deadlift is a challenging movement because you start each rep at the bottom position. This means that your back, legs, and arms must be strong enough to deadlift the weight from the floor.

In a barbell deadlift, the “dead” refers to dead weight. That means you must use proper form to allow your barbell to start from a dead stop on the floor every time, rather than just moving up top.

Setup And Placement

A barbell deadlift should be set up with heels placed hip-width apart and your feet parallel, shoulder-width apart. This is because the distance between your heels should be hip-width apart. So if your hips are wider, you should stand with your heels placed further away, and vice versa.

Deadlifting with your squat stance is dangerous. You need to create space for your arms when you set up. If your legs are too far forward, they will block your arms from moving freely. This will make you pull with bent arms which puts a lot of pressure on your biceps and elbows.

An optimal hip position for your barbell deadlift depends on your build. If you have long thighs, your hips will be higher than if you have short thighs. Regardless of build, proper deadlift positioning involves having a more vertical torso with the hips and knees in the highest possible position, feet hip-width/shoulder-width apart. If you set up properly and are meticulous about your form, you can barbell deadlift safely and productively whether you have long or short thighs.

When you do deadlifts, bend your knees out at shoulder-width so that they point out at about 15 degrees, over the top of your toes. Do this while you set up and while you pull the weight up. This will help your range of motion through your hips, upper back, and posterior chain.

Grab The Bar

When you barbell deadlift with a poor overhand grip, pain will develop in your hands. An improper overhand grip causes the bar to slide down your palms and place pressure on skin folds. This hurts and leads to calluses that tear easily.

Lift The Bar

The barbell must start below your midfoot and move up in line with your shins because those are the supporting muscles.

Start with your shins against the bar. If you place them correctly, it will be easier to lift the bar over your knees and thighs. Don’t let it drift away from your body or it will cause pain in your lower back. To protect your legs, wear pants or socks that are long enough to cover your shins.

Lift the bar in a vertical line. This is the most effective way to pull because it is the quickest path from ground to lock-out. The shortest route is a vertical bar movement. It should not slant forward because that makes the bar travel path longer and throws off your balance.

Take a big breath, and then deadlift the weight off the floor.

Slowly pull up on the weight. Don’t push with your arms, and don’t try to deadlift the weight without straightening your elbows. Pause first, and then pull the weight into your shoulders, breathing deeply. Don’t rush and keep your movement even.

If the bar will not budge, your grip strength might be insufficient. Place chalk on your hands and try again, this time with a mixed grip. It will provide you with a better grip, and you should be able to lift the weight. Make sure you don’t give up too early; if the bar still will not move, it’s too heavy for you.

Lower The Bar To Finish Your Deadlift

Going down should follow the path of going up. To lower the bar, you should move down in a straight vertical line as this is the shortest distance to the floor. It should pass just above your knees to decrease stress on your lower back.

Benefits Of Adding Barbell Deadlifts To Your Workout

The deadlift is a great strategy to build big muscles and increase stability. A recent study from Texas Tech found that after ten weeks of doing the deadlift, participants gained significant amounts of both muscular strength and muscular stability, especially women who had little experience with the deadlift or weightlifting.

Improved Full-Body Strength

As you build muscle in your abdominal area, your back and posterior chain become stronger. That means it’s less likely to hurt. That also allows you to work out longer and deadlift more weight. Strong muscles make an indelible impact on your performance at the gym and when lifting weights. In addition, this full-body move can save time because it works many muscles at once in a super short amount of time.

Better Posture And Form

Improved Recovery

Deadlifts are excellent for increasing your vertical leap, reducing skeletal muscle loss in the elderly, increasing bone density in athletes who play contact sports, and facilitating functional recovery after a lower-body injury.

Better Hormone Levels

Deadlifts work everything: thighs, core, neck, back, and grip. This means your testosterone and growth hormone levels will skyrocket. Lowered body fat and better moods? Yes! Higher immunity, better sex drive… yes to all that, too!

Stronger Grip

Old-school, hardcore athletes were built strong. They worked hard and had big muscles — specifically big biceps and strong quads. But today, many athletes don’t have that same kind of strength. Often, their grip is the weakest link in the chain. This makes it hard for athletes to exercise. Deadlifts and other power exercises can be especially frustrating when your grip is weak. You can also try things like the double overhand grip or hook grip. Don't barbell deadlift using the underhand grip.

Plenty Of Variations

Of course, you want to stay fresh in the gym. Have fun with deadlifts. There are plenty of ways to mix it up: the Smith Machine deadlift, the Sumo deadlift, the Romanian deadlift, trap bar deadlifts, and rack pulls. So many options! All methods offer different benefits and can find a place in a well-constructed training program.

Find a variety that you enjoy for when you are ready to try something different. When you want to switch things up, there are plenty of movements available for you to choose from.

Stronger Bones

Deadlifts build muscle strength and testosterone, which make the bones in your body stronger. This decreases the risk of osteoporosis and makes you less likely to break down. It’s important for you to build and maintain bone mass, especially as you age.

Muscles Worked By The Barbell Deadlift

The deadlift is a powerhouse exercise. It works multiple muscles and can be a full-body workout. There are a variety of muscles that are worked by deadlifts, including the hip extensors, anterior core, glutes, lower back, latissimus dorsi, biceps femoris, hamstrings, spinal erectors, deltoids, trapezius, serratus anterior, rhomboids, and others.

Deadlifts work every major muscle in your body. Although they’re doing different things, the primary movers are the legs. The back muscles keep you from sagging and let you maintain a good posture. The arms are the ones keeping the weight on the bar.

Shoulders & Back

Back muscles contract and relax to keep your spine in place and gravity pushes it down. Deadlifts are an excellent back builder because they engage all of your back muscles. They work the back and shoulders more than any other exercise, which is why they're a strong choice for anyone's workouts.

When it comes to back workouts, deadlifts and barbell rows are the best. If you add pull-ups in there, you’re set for a strong upper body. Use heavy weights and move quickly to get the most out of this workout circuit. You won’t need much else to build a v-shaped back. Work out two to three times a week and you'll add tons of strength and tone.

Arms

When you lift, the bar puts tremendous pressure on your forearms and mixed grip — which is where you put the most resistance. Your mixed grip tightens to support the bar as you attempt to lift it off the floor, but your biceps and triceps must also work against this resistance. They work to straighten your fingers and squeeze the bar as you pull it up.

Chest & Abs

The core and obliques are what keep your back strong and healthy through physical activity. If you don't use them, they will deteriorate and weaken over time. Diet is also paramount in the development of a functional and strong core. Develop proper body mechanics by working the core muscles regularly with exercises such as farmer's walk, glute-ham raises, single-leg hip thrusts, and of course—the barbell deadlift.

Traps

To deadlift, your trapezius muscles contract to hold your shoulders in place while also transferring force to the bar. The heavier you deadlift, the harder your traps work, and the bulkier they get! You also don’t need to do shrugs mid-rep like you do with the barbell overhead press.

Glutes

In the deadlift, your glutes are targeted throughout their entire range of motion. This is the main reason why it’s one of the best exercises for the butt. Strong glutes mean greater endurance, power, and pain prevention. The gluteus maximus is the biggest muscle in the body and of the three powerlifting movements, nothing targets the butt as hard as the deadlift. Strong glutes mean a heinie that drives your machine.

Legs

The muscles in the back of your legs are straightening your knees, while the front of your legs are straightening your hips. The muscles in the back of your thighs are working first while you control the weight in a deadlift starting position. Then the muscles in the front of your thighs come into play as you fully straighten your knees until standing all the way up.

Barbell Deadlift Safety: Form And Injury Risks

Deadlifting is a great exercise that builds leg strength, but lifting with poor form can decrease strength and increase injury risk. To perform deadlifts correctly, you need to move the weight up from the bottom with a pushing action. Instead of lifting the bar vertically, you pump it.

Deadlifts can turn a weak back into a strong one by strengthening the muscles in your trunk. The deadlift increases back endurance and builds safe movement habits. Gravity pulls the bar down when you deadlift. Your muscles contract to fight gravity and stabilize your spine so it doesn’t bend.

Even if you’re naturally built with short limbs and a long torso, you can figure out how to do a bar deadlift the right way. Those with shorter torsos and longer legs often set up lower than those with longer torsos and shorter legs. Don’t bend your spine to mimic someone else’s deadlift form unless you have the same physique.

When performing the deadlift, it is highly important that you maintain a good deadlift form. A bad way to perform this exercise is to pull from a bent lower back. This can cause injuries to your spinal discs such as bulged discs and pinched nerves. It can also cause back strain or herniated disks.

When you deadlift, keep an inward curve in your lower back. Start by using your knees to lower yourself to the bar, then slowly pull the bar to your body. Maintain even the pressure on your discs by keeping a neutral spine throughout the movement. This decreases the chance of injury while doing the deadlift with heavy weights at home.

The lat pulldown behind the head is one of the best back exercises on the planet for widening your back and building bigger lats. This move will primarily target the upper back and secondarily, the biceps and forearms. If you are looking for a meaty upper back, do add this to your back exercises list.

If you want to take the lat pulldown behind the head to the next level, I suggest you implement the Balloon Method in all your back workouts so you can maximize the 3 science backed ways your body builds muscle. This is what we do in the SuperHuman Muscle program, and if you are eating enough you will pack on mass much faster. 

For a really good pump I recommend that you go for about 10-12 reps and really focus on the stretch of the exercise and your mind-muscle connection in the lats. I like to tell myself to keep my elbows forward as I pull down as well, and this really lights up your lats. 

Biceps - big, bulky, defined biceps are anyone's goal in the gym. There is no doubt about that. The barbell curl is perhaps the most underrated bicep exercise on the block. If done correctly, it can craft significant bicep gains. Here is the low down on bicep curls with a barbell.

Primary Muscles Targeted & Secondary Areas

Biceps are actually two muscles; they consist of the long head and the short head. The biceps run from the elbow to the shoulders. Without a muscular bicep, the effects of aging will cause a determination in the range of movement across your entire arm. The biceps are strong and in charge of controlling elbow flexion and supination of the forearm.

The secondary target of any bicep curl, barbell or dumbbell, is the forearm. Barbell curls grow your forearms and improve your grip strength. 

Reps & Weights

As with everything, there are recommendations and suggestions. These are there to ensure that your training is risk and injury-free. Going too hard on your weights might not give you physical harm the first time, but it is enough to give you T-Rex arms the next day. Sore, cramped up, and definitely NOT the look you want.

Beginner

Beginners should go for:

Intermediate

Intermediate lifters can go for:

Advanced

Advanced level fitness fundis should aim for upwards of:

Listen to your body and perfect the movement before progressing onto heavier weight sets. That is how you guarantee a perfectly built bicep. You might also want to check out our one-rep max calculator to find the right load for you.

Barbell Curl Benefits

As far as the barbell curl goes, this exercise has several benefits. Exercises aren't just superficially great; it is a little deeper than that.

Tips FOR DOING THE BARBELL CURL

Adding Barbell Curls to Your Routine

How do you add these bad boys to your routine? It's simple, slot them in the right at the start of arms or chest day. Here are a few other exercises you can do alongside the curl.

Dumbbell flyes

The dumbbell fly is excellent for pecs and traps.

Bench press

You can't just work on your biceps alone; it will distort your arms' aesthetic if your traps, pecs, and delts are not defined and built as well. Bench presses are the perfect addition to an arm day workout involving the biceps. 

Here's how to bench perfectly:

Reverse barbell curl

Reverse barbell curls are vital for growing the brachialis muscle underneath the biceps, which is often neglected.

Concentration curl

Anyone that lifts and enjoys lifting will be able to tell you that the concentration curl is an excellent way to build bigger biceps. Try the close-grip concentration barbell curl - it’s great for working on isolating your biceps.

Who does the curl?

The barbell curl is no stranger in the midst of heavy-weight legends. Here are a few famous lifters who love the curl, and they have the biceps to back it up.

Barbell Curl Variations & Alternatives

If you are looking for a few alternatives or a few variations to try out, look no further. These alternatives are bicep killers!

Incline dumbbell curls

Zottman curl

Zottman curls target one of the biggest muscles in the arms: brachioradialis. Here is how to get that big muscle strong and visible.

EZ-bar curl

EZ-bar curls are wrist savers - some lifters might find barbell curls to be uncomfortable on the wrists. They are almost exactly like regular curls except for the bar used - the EZ-bar has a set of bends in it that enable your palms to face each other. This takes a little strain off the wrist area and helps you benefit from barbell curls without strain.

Chin-ups

The Bigger, The Better

Bigger, better arms are not just good to look at; they have a function and a purpose. They make your life easier doing everyday functions and picking up heavy items or moving houses.

There are few people who tell you they don't want to age well in this life. Those people are lying. Muscular and functional biceps are a lifelong advantage. Later in life and in present times, you will see the benefits and feel them instantly.

The barbell back squat is the simplest exercise you can possibly imagine. Yet, with all of the innovation in the fitness industry and the introduction of a plethora of lower body training equipment, including all sorts of leg press and hack machines, the good old-fashioned back squat remains the king of exercises.

But it’s also the exercise that you’ll see most improperly performed and, as a result, the one that causes the most injury. But don’t worry, you’re in safe hands here -  I am going to lay out the benefits of squatting, along with a quick overview of correct technique. Then I will drill down to identify and overcome the most common mistakes that people make while squatting. I'll also provide you with some awesome auxiliary squatting exercises, lay out three squatting no-nos and give you the low-down on squatting shoes. It all adds up to the most comprehensive squatting guide you'll read this year!

Barbell Squat: Muscles Worked

The barbell squat directly targets the four muscles that make up your quadriceps. They also work the gluteus maximus (butt muscles), hamstrings, hip flexors and core. Yet, this is an exercise where the sum of the parts is greater than the individual benefits. You see, when you squat heavy and hard, you put your body into an anabolic state. All weight training exercises will do this, but the barbell squat does it more than any other. In the 24 hours after an intense squat workout your testosterone and human growth hormone levels will be enhanced.

6 Hacks for Better Barbell Squats

Barbell Squat Hack #1: Bar Positioning

However, if you are focused on building size in the thighs, then you want to place the bar high on your shoulders, across the upper traps.

Bar positioning is also important when it comes to working with injury. The higher you position the bar when you squat, the harder it is on your knees. That’s because it forces you to stay more upright, making the knees take the brunt of the load as you descend into the squat.

A low bar position, however, forces you to lean forward slightly in order to keep the bar over your center of gravity. That allows you to load up the hips and back more than the knees. That’s why you should position the bar quite low, along the posterior delts when you squat. If you’re a person with back problems then you should do the reverse, positioning the bar as high as you can on the shoulders.

Barbell Squat Hack #2: Foot Positioning

Perform the barbell squat with your feet at least shoulder width apart, your toes pointing slightly outward. Do not stand with your heels on a block or turn your toes widely outward. Doing so will place undue stress on the knees, opening you up for long-term injury. Rather, make sure that you are wearing a quality pair of weightlifting shoes that feature a three quarter inch raised heel (more on this later). 

Barbell Squat Hack #3: Upright Torso

In order to place maximum pressure on your quads, you will need to keep your torso as upright as possible through the entire movement. However, you will want to maintain a slight forward bend. Thrust your chest out and look straight ahead as you perform both phases of the move.

Barbell Squat Hack #4: Coming out of the Hole

Moving the hips and chest together as one unit is the key to keeping the pressure off the lower back and on the thighs, where it belongs.

Barbell Squat Hack #5: Good Mornings

When done properly, this is an excellent move to teach the hip hinge, which is crucial for proper squat and deadlift movement. You don’t want the weight to be too heavy on this exercise. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.

Here’s how to perform the Good Morning exercise:

Barbell Squat Hack #6: Banded Goblet Squats

If you can’t get out of the hole, you can simply dump the weight to the floor. This will transfer to confidence when you are squatting with the bar.

The goblet squat also has the weight sitting perfectly over your center of mass. This helps you to squat up and down properly. Adding the extra element of a band with help to train your body to keep your quads out rather than the knees beginning to cave as you come out of the hole.

Perform the banded goblet squat this way:

What Not to Do When Squatting

Don't Bounce

If you go to the end of your range of motion during an open joint movement, such as dropping all the way down when doing barbell squats, you put your knee ligaments on a stretch. In and of itself, this is not bad. But any additional stress on those ligaments - like bouncing at the bottom of the squat to get back up - can stretch those ligaments out, rendering your knee permanently unstable. That’s the basis for the recommendation not to bounce at the bottom of the squat. It’s the same reason that some exercises that were popular in the 70’s, like the duck walk, are now on the no-go list.

Don't Use a Box

Do not barbell squat over a box or a bench. Every time you touch the bench or box, your spine compresses slightly. This will eventually cause vertebral damage.

Should I Wear Squatting Shoes?

The science of squatting has made it clear that a raised heel puts the body in the ideal plane for the perfect barbell squat. It keeps your torso in the correct alignment and it allows you to exert maximum force through the ankles and heels. In the past, this correct alignment was achieved with the aid of a block of wood. However, a block is not the best idea as it places undue stress on the knees.

Fortunately, over the last decade, a market has developed to cater for the need to wear a specially designed Olympic weightlifting shoe. As with any industry, however, the quality on offer ranges from shockingly bad to out of the ballpark good. Unless you know what to look for in a dedicated Olympic weightlifting shoe, you are going to find yourself at the mercy of the sharks out there. Here, then, are the key requirements of a good Olympic weightlifting shoe:

Raised Heel

A three quarter inch wedge in the heel of the shoe will allow you to position your ankles correctly for the descent of the squat. In times past, bodybuilders used to place a two-inch block of wood under their heels when squatting. They instinctively knew that a raised heel would give them the best body positioning. Today, science has proven this to be the case.

Rigidity

In contrast to the majority of athletic training shoes, Olympic weightlifting shoes are very rigid. This ensures that they provide maximum lateral and medial integrity. As a result, the shoe is generally made from a hard material that will not bend to the touch. Often though, the toe box area of the shoe is noticeably softer, providing added comfort in the toe area.

No cushioning

Weightlifting shoes feature a lot less comfort padding than conventional athletic shoes. This helps to keep the foot secure, preventing lateral movement within the shoe while executing such lifts as the squat.

Secure locking mechanism

To further ensure that there is no side-to-side movement of the foot when performing an exercise, a dedicated Olympic lifting shoe will have a very secure foot locking system. Often this will be by way of both a Velcro single or double strap and a secure lacing system.

Grip

The connection to the floor is essential when performing overhead weight exercises. A good weightlifting shoe will feature a very firm grip that will provide absolutely no lateral movement. Many shoes feature a cupping system that provides suction like capabilities to ensure the integrity of the connection between the foot and the floor.

Wrap Up

The barbell squat isn't known as the king of gym exercises for nothing. The back squat will help get you bigger and stronger than any other single exercise that you can do. But the barbell squat can also be one of the most troublesome moves you can perform on the gym floor. 

If you are looking for a more dynamic movement that will make you feel athletic, this is it. The jumping lunge primarily targets the quadriceps, but will also activate the hamstrings, glutes, calves and lower back.

As a replacement to the squat or simply to complement that major compound exercise, the leg press is a fantastic move to bring into your arsenal.

This one of the top 10 leg exercises will hit your quads, hamstrings, and glutes and will allow for excellent power generation.

When doing the leg press, be sure to keep the back pressed flat into the back pad at all times (never let the low back round as you drive the weight up) and go as low down as you can go.

Drop sets are especially effective on this exercise, so try stripping one plate off the machine after each set.

Do a few of 10-15 on these with little rest in between and you'll really feel it burning.

As great as squats are for your workout routine, no lower body session would be complete without some sort of deadlift added into the mix and the stiff lead deadlift is a great variation to target the hamstrings and glutes. The hamstrings and gluteus muscle are 2 of the largest muscles in your entire body, and sadly many lifters overlook this exercise. 

Squats put a lot of emphasis on the quad muscles, while deadlifts hit the posterior chain to a larger degree. By doing a stiff leg deadlift you are able to target the hamstrings and glutes more effectively.

Having both in your program ensures you are building a well-rounded body and aren't going to be at risk for any muscular weaknesses.

The stiff leg deadlift performed with dumbbells is a great hamstring exercise that builds bigger, stronger and less injury prone hamstrings. 

The key with this exercise is in the execution, so be sure to watch the video carefully and follow the execution steps laid out below. I recommend that this hamstring exercise become a staple in your workout routine. You should be training your hamstrings just as often as you train your quads to prevent any muscular imbalances.

Try adding in 5-10 sets per week of the dumbbell stiff leg deadlift. This exercise is featured throughout the SuperHuman Muscle 12 week program as well because of how effective of a mass building movement it is.

A dumbbell stiff leg deadlift is great for helping to work the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back and can be done quickly and easily as there's no barbell to set up.

To really reap maximum gains from this move, you want to lower the weight down in a slow and controlled manner until you feel a good stretch on the hamstrings.

Watch as you do this move that you aren’t rounding your back out.

If anything, it should remain relatively flat or even arched as you execute the movement.

Do 8-10 reps per set, focusing on taking the weight heavier on this exercise.