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Lance B.'s Twitter Updates

Heading to Washington Post for photo shoot for an upcoming Express article! 272 days ago
Can you guess what I picked as one of the top calorie burning workouts? Find out here...http://t.co/JTmuK9Q 284 days ago
Nice mention in today's Washington Post article on everybody's 'favorite' exercise...the burpee! http://t.co/zFlo1DY 286 days ago
105 minute massage...there IS such a thing and I'll tell ya how it is... 287 days ago
After an incredible weekend with family, friends, and colleagues, it's W westwood pool party time 288 days ago
 

You Don't Know Squat

Posted Nov 29 2008 12:26pm
...about the ball squat. The stability ball squat is easily one of the most popular exercises at the gym these days, but most exercisers are doing this incorrectly. They are doing it  safely, but not most effectively - thus incorrectly.  I typically see two types of wrong... 


There is just  stupid wrong




and then there's actuallywrong



This is where you do your best Arnold Drummond impression, 'Whatch you talkin' bout, Lance?!' I know, I know. I taught you to do a squat with a 90 degree angle at the knee and hip. At that time I was bringing the most up to date information and now I'm doing that again.

The problem with the old ball squat technique is that is does not adequate load theglutes, which are the motors of the leg and primary muscles that should be activated (felt) in the squat. 

The exact positioning we want to replicate is seen in the pictures below, but using the stability instead of the barbell. Don't focus on the vertical lines in the diagram, but the  lines that run along the trunk and lower leg when the hips are positioned back.See how they areparallel?  This is what you want to see in the mirror while you are performing this exercise.



I could not find a perfect picture of the ball squat, but this is the best. Notice how he is sending his hips under the ball and the lines between upper body and lower leg.




The Set up:
  • Stand completely upright with the ball placed at the bottom of your shoulder blade, I don't want the ball to be touching your lower back
  • Take a step forward equal to 1/2 of your foot length, keep the feet almost under the hips (he's too far out in the above picture)
The Execution:
  • Start the movement from your hips, and aim your tailbone towards the point where wall and floor meet
  • Pause at the bottom (thighs parallel to floor) to pull in your abdomen and contract your glutes
  • Press through your heels and drive hips forward as you stand up, squeezing your glutes like you are holding a million dollar bill


This ain't no April Fools!
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