Squats are a great compound exercise and is a great exercise for any routine. But many people have different opinions or have been taught different in relation to whether squats impact on the hamstrings or not. I had just been shown a study which shows and MRI of the muscles around the femur immediately after a squat. It clearly shows that the quadricepes are active, but shows no activity for the hamstrings.... Just found it interesting.
Squats - your thoughts
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Nah, it was shown in a university lecture. So I am just trying to look into a little more info on it. I already know that some people teach that it does affect the hamstring while others teach it dosent. Some people also argue that it could depend on technique as well. I'm not sure what EMG tests they have done, but I'm sure there have been a few. I know the MRI scan was taken after the squat, but it clearly shows the usuage levels of the quadricepes, but nothing for the hamstring. I guess more study needs to be completed on the issue.
The squat is primarily a Quad and Gluet exercise.
Activation of the hamstring requires load on the knee extention movement. A squat places very limited(if any) load on the hamstrings.
I always include ham curls in my squat days because they don't get targeted by doing just squats
Activation of the hamstring requires load on the knee extention movement. A squat places very limited(if any) load on the hamstrings.
I always include ham curls in my squat days because they don't get targeted by doing just squats
The hamstrings don't just do the knee flexion movement, they also do the hip extension movement, which is present in the squat.
So, the hams can extend the hip and flex the knee, but you can't really choose which one of the functions you want as far as I know. If the muscle contracts, it contracts. So if it contracts in a squat to give you hip extension in the concentric portion, the activity in the hams will also act on knee flextion, which you don't want, you want knee extension! So the hams would be working against the movement at the knee. I think this is the reason you don't see super high hamstring activity in the squat, the body probably inhibits it and relies more on the glutes for the hip extension since the glutes won't counteract the knee movement.
Another, more simple, reason (probably working in concert with what I wrote above), could be that as the knee flexes in the eccentric part of the squat, the hamstrings will become "slack". although the hip flexion in the eccentric part will counteract this somewhat, with exercises like RDLs you have almost no knee extension and a lot of hip flexion (at the bottom of the movement) meaning that the hams are not slack, but "****ed" and ready for action. One of the reasons you see people popping their butts up first out of the hole in a squat (called GMing out of the hole) is because that will stretch the hamstrings making them more active, which will help them to get the bar up (the hams are a big and strong muscle group)
I'll see if I can find any studies on hamstring activity in the squat, but I'm almost 100% sure it's there, but probably not enough to develop your hamstrings to their fullest potential. I've found a lot of abstracts, but I'm not at the uni now so I don't get access to full texts
So, the hams can extend the hip and flex the knee, but you can't really choose which one of the functions you want as far as I know. If the muscle contracts, it contracts. So if it contracts in a squat to give you hip extension in the concentric portion, the activity in the hams will also act on knee flextion, which you don't want, you want knee extension! So the hams would be working against the movement at the knee. I think this is the reason you don't see super high hamstring activity in the squat, the body probably inhibits it and relies more on the glutes for the hip extension since the glutes won't counteract the knee movement.
Another, more simple, reason (probably working in concert with what I wrote above), could be that as the knee flexes in the eccentric part of the squat, the hamstrings will become "slack". although the hip flexion in the eccentric part will counteract this somewhat, with exercises like RDLs you have almost no knee extension and a lot of hip flexion (at the bottom of the movement) meaning that the hams are not slack, but "****ed" and ready for action. One of the reasons you see people popping their butts up first out of the hole in a squat (called GMing out of the hole) is because that will stretch the hamstrings making them more active, which will help them to get the bar up (the hams are a big and strong muscle group)
I'll see if I can find any studies on hamstring activity in the squat, but I'm almost 100% sure it's there, but probably not enough to develop your hamstrings to their fullest potential. I've found a lot of abstracts, but I'm not at the uni now so I don't get access to full texts
another thing about doing squats i've learned is that (excuses i cant use any fancy words of all the muscle parts etc) it makes you jump higher but only if you do your squats with explosion.
so after you bend down you should with all your power make a explosion that makes you jump up really fast cos if you just do it slowly up and down you wont be able to jump any higher.
so after you bend down you should with all your power make a explosion that makes you jump up really fast cos if you just do it slowly up and down you wont be able to jump any higher.
Thanks for maintaining the integrity of information Kark!
Karky is the bomb. I luvs him
Hi there Billythekid, you're right. If you do it with explosion, which is plyometric exercising it can definately help you increase your jump height. And Fitslug, I did make a comment about the form of the person the MRI was taken on. As I said, I said it in a university lecture, but I want to try and find some more information on it.
How is every muscle in the body stressed or under tension during a squat?
I can actually believe that every muscle is stressed, but to what degree? When you just stand a lot of muscles are stressed (depending on how you stand)
You won't work the forearms to any big degree, but they will probably be stressed because you're gripping the bar. Same with the muscles in the hands. So the question is, what do you mean by stressed?
You won't work the forearms to any big degree, but they will probably be stressed because you're gripping the bar. Same with the muscles in the hands. So the question is, what do you mean by stressed?
or perhaps it is you who is doing them incorrectly
As stabilizers is what I’m talking about, obviously I don’t mean that squats art great at building biceps, but they are being used as a stabilizer. Many muscles are used in that one movement. It is the most compound of movements. I truly believe that squats are the most important (except maybe deadlifts) exercise to help your body grow all over.