THE SQUAT SUPERCHARGED

SQUATS COME IN many variations, so how can you tell which one is right for you? We asked Dr Chris Proulx, professor of movement science at Westfield State University in the US, to help sort them out. Proulx and his students tested five different squats: the four freestanding versions shown here, plus one machine exercise. (See “What about Machines?”, below.) Volunteers performed the exercises standing on force platforms – hi-tech devices that measure the pressure exerted through a lifter’s feet. The researchers also attached electrodes to the volunteers’ legs to see how hard the moves made their quadriceps and hamstrings work. Their pain, your gain.

BEST FOR …

FUNCTIONAL LOWER-BODY
STRENGTH

Decades of sports
science have correlated
squat strength with
speed, power and athletic

performance. With the back
squat, you generate a lot of force
through your leg muscles – so,
with practice, you’ll be able to
squat a lot of weight.

AVOID IF …

you’ve had back pain or injury.
The bar on your shoulders
compresses your disks.

BEST FOR …

PURE STRENGTH AND
LOWER-BODY MUSCLE
DEVELOPMENT

The wide stance
brings your inner-thigh

muscles into the exercise,
allowing you to lift heavier
weights and build muscle
more quickly.

FRONT SQUAT

BEST FOR …

CORE STRENGTH AND LOWER- BODY MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT

By placing the bar on the front of your shoulders, you force your torso to stay upright. This requires and builds core strength and stability.