Thigh Squat Exercises

Squats are one of the most popular and effective exercises for building leg strength and muscle mass. They target the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes, and can be performed in a variety of ways to target different parts of the legs. In this article, we will be discussing four different types of thigh squat exercises: front squats, full squats, hack squats, and Zercher squats.

Front Squat: The front squat is a variation of the traditional back squat where the barbell is placed in front of the body, on the front of the shoulders. To perform a front squat:

1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell resting on a squat rack at about shoulder height.
2. Grip the bar with your hands just outside of shoulder width and bring your elbows up so that they are pointing straight ahead.
3. Step under the bar and position it on the front of your shoulders, with your elbows pointing straight ahead.
4. Take a deep breath and brace your core, then lower yourself into a squat by bending your knees and pushing your hips back.
5. Keep your chest up and your back straight as you descend into the squat, and aim to get your thighs parallel to the ground.
6. Pause for a moment at the bottom of the squat, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.

Full Squat: The full squat, also known as the deep squat or Olympic squat, is a squat where you lower your body until your thighs are below parallel to the ground. To perform a full squat:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing slightly outward.
2. Place a barbell across your upper back, resting on your trapezius muscles.
3. Take a deep breath and brace your core, then lower yourself into a squat by bending your knees and pushing your hips back.
4. Keep your chest up and your back straight as you descend into the squat, and aim to get your thighs below parallel to the ground.
5. Pause for a moment at the bottom of the squat, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.

Hack Squat: The hack squat is a machine-based exercise that targets the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. To perform a hack squat:

1. Start by standing on the hack squat machine platform, with your shoulders and back resting against the pads and your feet shoulder-width apart on the platform.
2. Grasp the handles on either side of the machine and slowly lower yourself by bending your knees, keeping your chest up and your back straight.
3. Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the platform, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.

Zercher Squat: The Zercher squat is a squat variation where the barbell is held in the crook of your elbows, in front of your body. To perform a Zercher squat:

1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell resting on the ground in front of you.
2. Squat down and grasp the bar with your hands, then lift it up to your chest.
3. Rest the bar in the crook of your elbows, with your forearms crossed in front of your body.
4. Take a deep breath and brace your core, then lower yourself into a squat by bending your knees and pushing your hips back.
5. Keep your chest up and your back straight as you descend into the squat, and aim to get your thighs parallel to the ground.
6. Pause for a moment at the bottom of the squat, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.