Top Heels Elevated Squat Benefits
Are you finding it difficult to perform the squats? Or do you stumble forwards or backwards when you get to 90 degrees or less? The Heels Elevated Squat should help fix those problems.
This elevated technique can be apply to most types of squat such as the classic barbell back squat, elevated dumbbell squat, elevated goblet squat, elevated sumo squat, etc.
The heel elevated squat is just one of the many variations of squats that can make a big difference in how the exercise works. By simply raising your heels with a wedge or another object, you change the angle and mechanics of the squat, which can lead to some surprising changes in how your muscles are activated and ensure the exercise is optimized in terms of effectiveness.
What is heels elevated squat?
The heels elevated squat is a compound exercise that invlove multiple joint movements. The heel elevated squat is commonly used as the main leg compound exercise in a workout routine or as a secondary compound movement when targeting muscles other than the quadriceps, such as the hack squat or lunge.
Similar to other squat variations, the heel elevated squat is often performed with added resistance, such as a barbell, dumbbells, or kettlebell, to enhance the training stimulus. This additional weight intensifies the challenge and contributes to the effectiveness of the exercise.
Heels Elevated Squat Main Benefits:
- By elevating the heels during squats enhances quad engagement and helps address balance issues.
- promotes an upright posture, preventing backward leaning
- The forward shift of the body during heel elevated squats targets the quads more effectively
- allows for increased utilization of the ankles and knees.
- Heels Elevated Squat reduces hip demand for those experiencing hip discomfort or difficulty when returning to the squat position
Why Squat with Plates on Heels?
Placing weight plates under your heels during a squat helps to promote the engagement of your glutes and hamstrings while aiding you in keeping proper form.
By shifting your weight further back, the weight plates help you distribute your weight evenly, giving you a more balanced squat with greater power and stability. Moreover, it can help reduce strain on your lower back, encouraging you to maintain a straight line from shoulders to hips during each rep.
Heels Elevated Squat Vs Traditional Squat
The heels elevated squat unlike the conventional squat takes your training to new heights by elevating your heels. Furthermore, the many smaller muscles located in the hips, such as the adductors and abductors, play a larger part during the heel elevated squat, as the more optimal posture of the ankles and knees in respect to the hips allows for better muscle group use.
But that’s not all! Heels elevated squat utilize the often-neglected hip muscles, such as the adductors and abductors. When compared with traditional squats, the heel elevated squat allows deeper squat depths even if you struggle with the conventional squat’s mobility. It’s the great way to activate and target more muscle groups!
Heel Elevated Squat Muscles Activated
While the primary focus of the heel elevated squat is on the quadriceps femoris, it’s important to recognize that other lower body muscle groups are also activated. These muscles serve as secondary movers or stabilizers to support proper execution and protect the connective and osseous tissues.
As secondary movers, muscles such as the glutes, hamstrings, calves, and erector spinae assist the quadriceps femoris and hip muscles during specific phases of the exercise. They contribute to maintaining stability and preventing excessive forward leaning, ensuring a well-rounded squat movement.
In terms of stabilizer muscle groups, the core muscles including the abdominals, internal and external obliques, and erector spinae play a vital role. They work together to maintain proper form, safeguarding the exerciser from potential injuries.
While the heel elevated squat primarily targets the quadriceps femoris, the combination of secondary movers and stabilizers from various muscle groups in the lower body contribute to injurie prevention.
Squat with heel elevated shoes
Even experience lifters who would like to go super heavy but don’t have a spotter, the Smith Machine will assist you on that. Or when your stuck at the bottom and can’t get back up, you can always use the safety catch on the side to help.
It is generally recommended to wear a flat shoe for deadlifts and an elevated heel for squats. The first and probably best way is to utilize a heel elevated shoe. This can be the safest option particularly if you’re going to be going into heavier squats.
Companies like Core weightlifting shoes, Nike and Adidas these are companies that have demonstrated across time that they make good quality heels elevated shoes for fitness.
Start Squat With a Smith Machine for Beginners
The smith machine is going to prevent you from falling forward or falling backwards during squat. It’s a good workout to see if you can perform a full range of motion squats.
It’s also a great machine for beginners if you don’t have a spotter. The bar doesn’t move forward or back it just move up and down. This will keep you stabilized and safe.
With the Smith Machine you can bring your feet out a lot further than you can on a normal squat. This will hold you in especially for beginners who are afraid to squat with the free bar because it can become unstable. On the Smith Machine your not going anywhere backwards.
Squat with an Empty Barbbell
Now that you can do the Smith Machine squat, you can work up to doing squats with an empty barbbell. Perform a traditional squat ensure that your spine stays in a neutral position.
The purpose of squatting with an empty barbbell is to get used to going through the motions.
Get use to sinking down and back up to a full squat, maintaining proper form and proper body position. Make sure you avoid bouncing at the bottom.
How to do the Heels Elevated Squat
1. have your feet just slightly wider than hip width apart.
2. toes turn out slightly, descend into your squat while keeping your torso completely upright
3. knees are going to shoot forward. You should feel like you’re loading your quads.
4. your core stabilize your pelvis. Decend Going down as far as you can while trying to stay as upright as possible.
If you’re having a hard time not leaning forward hold on to a light weight or dumbbell and as you go down you can extend the weight out in front of you to maintain balance.
How to do Heels Elevated Goblet Squat
1. Start with heels on the ramp or barbbell plate.
2. Hold the kettlebell or dumbbell ideally out in front of you. This is going to create some normal roundedness of the upper back.
3. Reach your arm and your elbow forward. Tuck your hips slightly. Push your knees forward keeping weight on your heels.
4. Once you get to the bottom and take a breath of air in and exhale return to the starting position and repeat.
Conclusion:
Practice and experiment with your squat technique. Try wider stance, closer stance, try varying the position of the bar on the back. Trial and error will determine what works best for you.
How did you improve your squat technique? Feel free to share your experience in the comment section below.