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:
- Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell resting on a squat rack at about shoulder height.
- Grip the bar with your hands just outside of shoulder width and bring your elbows up so that they are pointing straight ahead.
- Step under the bar and position it on the front of your shoulders, with your elbows pointing straight ahead.
- Take a deep breath and brace your core, then lower yourself into a squat by bending your knees and pushing your hips back.
- Keep your chest up and your back straight as you descend into the squat, and aim to get your thighs parallel to the ground.
- 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:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing slightly outward.
- Place a barbell across your upper back, resting on your trapezius muscles.
- Take a deep breath and brace your core, then lower yourself into a squat by bending your knees and pushing your hips back.
- 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.
- 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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
- Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell resting on the ground in front of you.
- Squat down and grasp the bar with your hands, then lift it up to your chest.
- Rest the bar in the crook of your elbows, with your forearms crossed in front of your body.
- Take a deep breath and brace your core, then lower yourself into a squat by bending your knees and pushing your hips back.
- Keep your chest up and your back straight as you descend into the squat, and aim to get your thighs parallel to the ground.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom of the squat, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.