With a Master of Science in Dietetics and Exercise Science, 11 years of experience in fitness, and 5 years in nutrition, Hollee Mohni is a professional dedicated to improving individuals' health and confidence through sustainable habits.
Gentlemen, it’s time to get down and dirty. That’s right! I’m talking about squats — the exercise that makes even the most seasoned gym-goer question why they started their fitness journey in the first place.
But fear not, my fellow men, for the benefits of squats far outweigh the temporary discomfort of shaking legs and aching glutes.
Not only will they give you a derriere that would make Sir Mix-a-Lot proud, they’ll also improve your overall strength and posture.
So buckle up and get ready to learn why squats should be a staple in every man’s workout routine.
Before getting into how squats work, let’s first talk about the mechanics. In a nutshell, squats are a compound movement that targets multiple muscle groups in the lower body and the core (9).
The primary muscles that get worked are the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes, in addition to the core muscles and lower back to provide stability. When you perform a squat, your body works as a unit to produce a force that lifts the weight.
The quadriceps at the front of the thigh extend the knee joint, while the hamstrings and glutes at the back of the thigh extend the hip joint. The core muscles and lower back help keep the torso upright and prevent unwanted movement.
The beauty of squats is that they’re an effective and efficient training tool. By hitting multiple muscle groups at the same time, they allow a comprehensive and brief workout that maximizes both your time and results. So, if you’re looking to tone up your lower body and core, squats are an excellent exercise to add to your routine (9).
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There’s a common misconception surrounding squats that they’re only for women who want to achieve a shapely backside. However, as mentioned earlier, squats are a full-body workout that targets multiple muscle groups at once and can benefit men too.
They can help men achieve their fitness goals, whether that be building muscle or improving overall health and well-being.
Squats may look like a daunting exercise, but the benefits are undeniable.
Below are 11 different benefits of squats for men:
The quadriceps and hamstrings are two of the most important muscle groups in the lower body. Squatting targets these muscles by requiring a large range of motion from the knee and hip joints.
Regular squatting can lead to increased strength and improved overall appearance. Not only do strong quadriceps and hamstrings help with everyday activities, such as walking and climbing stairs, they also improve athletic performance (3).
Adding squats to your exercise routine can help you achieve greater strength and balance in these muscles.
The glutes are an essential muscle group to overall health, as well as appearance. Many people spend a lot of time sitting, which can cause the glutes to become weak and underdeveloped.
Squats can help shape and strengthen the glutes, which leads to improvements in posture and performance. They’re also essential for everyday activities such as walking, running, and climbing stairs. By adding squats to your routine, you can help improve the development of this muscle group and overall appearance (1).
Squats require stability of the core muscles to keep the torso upright and prevent unnecessary movement. By using the core muscles for stability while performing squats, you’re working the lower body and also building core strength.
Squats are an effective way to target the core and lower back muscles, improve stability, and reduce the risk of injury. Adding squats to your routine can help improve core stability, make activities of daily living easier, and reduce the risk of lower back pain (2).
Squats have been shown to increase testosterone levels (6), a hormone that contributes to muscle growth and overall fitness.
By activating larger muscle groups, such as the quadriceps and hamstrings, squatting helps promote hormonal balance, which can lead to increased muscle growth and strength (6).
Regular squatting can provide benefits for overall hormone regulation and muscle growth, which makes them an excellent addition to any workout routine.
Read more: How Many Calories Does 100 Squats Burn?
Squatting is a functional movement that mimics everyday activities such as sitting down and standing up. By performing squats, you improve your ability to perform these movements, thus improving your overall quality of life.
Squats can help increase mobility and flexibility in the lower body while also improving overall strength. Adding this exercise to your routine can help improve balance, stability, and coordination, making everyday activities easier and more accessible (10).
When they’re performed with proper form, squats can improve posture by strengthening the muscles in the back, shoulders, and core. This can help prevent back pain and improve overall body alignment. By maintaining proper posture during squats, you’re also training your body to maintain proper posture throughout the day (9).
Squats require a large range of motion from the hips, knees, and ankles, which makes them an excellent exercise for improving mobility (10). As you squat, your joints move through a full range of motion, which can improve joint mobility and flexibility.
Regular squatting can help increase hip and ankle mobility, which leads to better athletic performance and a reduced risk of injury.
Squats are a compound exercise that targets multiple muscle groups, which makes them an effective way of burning calories. The increased muscle mass from squatting also boosts your metabolism, which helps burn more calories at rest (3). Adding squats to your workout routine can help you burn extra calories and achieve your weight loss goals.
Weight-bearing exercises such as squats have been proven to improve bone density, which is important for preventing osteoporosis and increasing overall bone health (5). By adding this exercise to your routine, you can help strengthen your bones, reduce your risk of fractures, and maintain healthy bone density as you age.
Squats can help reduce the risk of injury by strengthening the muscles that surround the joints. As you squat, the muscles in your legs, hips, and core are engaged, which helps stabilize the joints and reduces the risk of injury (9).
Squats also help improve flexibility and mobility, which can prevent injuries commonly caused by tight and weak muscles. Incorporating squats into your routine can help reduce your risk of injury and improve overall joint health.
Squats require a great deal of balance and stability to perform, which can lead to improved balance over time. By performing squats regularly, you can improve your body’s ability to maintain balance and stability during movement (9).
This can be particularly beneficial for older adults who may be at higher risk of falls due to a loss of balance. Improved balance can also lead to better athletic performance and reduced risk of injury during physical activity.
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The back squat is a classic exercise that should be in every gym goer’s toolbox. It’s an excellent way to build lower body strength and power while also targeting the core, lower back, and upper body.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to perform the basic back squat safely and correctly:
Here are some modifications for beginners and advanced trainees:
Here are eight squat variations, together with instructions on how to execute them, which muscles they target, and who they’re best suited for:
The front squat is similar to the back squat, but the barbell is held on the front of your shoulders, with your elbows pointing forward. This variation places more emphasis on your quadriceps and core muscles. It’s ideal for intermediate to advanced lifters who are looking to target their legs.
To execute this:
The goblet squat is a variation that features a kettlebell or dumbbell held in front of your chest. It’s best suited for beginners who are still developing their form and technique. Goblet squats target the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core muscles.
To execute this:
The sumo squat is a wide-stance variation that targets the inner thighs and glutes. It’s ideal for intermediate to advanced lifters who are looking for a challenging addition to their workout routine.
To execute this:
The Bulgarian split squat is a unilateral variation that isolates one leg at a time. This variation targets the quads, glutes, and hamstrings. It’s best suited for intermediate to advanced lifters who are looking to target each leg separately.
To execute this:
The overhead squat is a challenging variation that targets the lower body, upper back, and shoulders. It’s best suited for advanced lifters who have developed proper mobility and stability.
To execute this:
The box squat is a variation that involves sitting back on a box or bench during the squat. It’s ideal for athletes and lifters who are looking to improve their explosive power and acceleration. It can also be good for beginners who need to improve their form before they add weight. This variation mainly targets the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back muscles.
To execute this:
The Zercher squat is a variation where the barbell is held in the crooks of your elbows in front of your body. This variation targets the legs, glutes, and core muscles. It’s best suited for advanced lifters who are looking for a challenge.
To execute this:
The pistol squat is a challenging variation that requires both balance and strength in a single leg. It targets the quads, glutes, and core muscles. It’s best suited for advanced lifters who have developed proper mobility and stability.
To execute this:
Read more: A Simple Guide To Doing Wall Squats With Ball
The main disadvantage of squats for men is the risk of injury if proper form and technique are not adhered to. This can include strain or tears in muscles, tendons, ligaments, or even more serious injuries such as herniated discs. In addition, improper form can lead to imbalances and muscle asymmetry, which can affect long-term strength and performance (7).
Another potential disadvantage of squats for men is the risk of overtraining. As squats are a compound movement that targets multiple muscle groups, these muscles can easily be fatigued or overworked, which can lead to decreased performance and potential injuries (8).
The benefits of squatting every day are not worth the risk of overtraining and injury. You should include rest days in your workout routine to allow for proper recovery.
Finally, some men may find that squats don’t target a specific muscle group or area of the body that they’re looking to improve. In this case, it may be beneficial to incorporate other exercises that target those areas, rather than relying solely on different types of squats for overall leg strength and development.
In our Calisthenics Warm Up 101, we discuss the importance of proper form and technique in reducing injury risk and maximizing performance.
Squats increase testosterone, particularly when performed at a high intensity. Testosterone is a hormone that plays a significant role in muscle growth and development, and studies have shown that squats can elevate testosterone levels immediately after performing the exercise (4).
A study by the University of Texas found participants who performed squats with a weight equal to 80% of their one-rep max experienced a significant increase in testosterone levels post-workout. This is because compound movements such as squats require the use of multiple muscle groups, which can lead to a greater release of testosterone (6).
Furthermore, high-intensity workouts stimulate the release of growth hormones such as testosterone, GH, C, and IGF-1, which are essential for muscle growth and tissue repair (11).
However, the increase in testosterone from squats may only be temporary and may not have a significant impact on overall hormone levels. In addition, factors such as diet, sleep, and overall health can also affect testosterone levels. Our fasting diet for men article on how to fix your diet to increase testosterone.
A man should do an appropriate number of squats based on his fitness goals and current physical capabilities.
Beginners may perform 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps for muscle growth and strength development. Intermediate to advanced lifters may increase the number of sets and reps, using a weight that challenges them.
Some fitness experts recommend a general guideline of 1-2 sets of 8-12 reps for 3-4 days a week for overall leg strength.
The squat is often referred to as the king of exercises as it’s a compound movement that targets multiple muscle groups, which makes it an efficient and effective exercise for building overall strength and muscle mass in the lower body (9).
Squats also have numerous variations that can target specific muscles or increase the difficulty of the exercise. Squatting is also a functional movement that mimics everyday movements such as sitting down and standing up, which makes it a practical exercise for everyday life.
Finally, squats can improve posture and balance, which leads to better overall movement and decreased risk of injury. For these reasons, the squat is considered to be one of the most beneficial and essential exercises for men.
Check out this Morning Calisthenics guide for more informative articles on exercises and fitness tips.
Squats offer a multitude of benefits for men, from reducing injury risk and improving balance to increasing cardiovascular health and bone density.
By targeting multiple muscle groups and improving strength, stability, and function, this exercise can be a valuable addition to any workout routine.
Incorporating squats into your routine can help you achieve your fitness goals and improve overall health and well-being, which makes them a must-do exercise for men of every fitness level.
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