Squats and the Dancer

What is a squat?

A squat is a major lift. One which should be performed within any strength and power training programmes. This movement is a compound exercise. This means that the lift encompasses all the joints and coordinated actions of several muscle groups.

There are 3 main variations of a squat. These are – the front squat, the back squat and the overhead squat. For the dancer each movement is beneficial to achieve full conditioning at every neuromuscular and joint complexes.

Here is an example of a back squat.

Why Squat?

There are numerous reasons to squat as a dancer. Here are the reasons why you should start today-

Strength gain – strength, the ability of muscle to exert a force against a given load. When you are carrying the weight of the bar overhead, on the back or the front your muscles generate a force against gravity to control the bar down and then back up. By increasing the weight of your squat over a period of time you increase the strength of your muscles.

Burn fat – moving requires energy, muscles burn this energy to control and lift when squatting. Squats use more energy than other major lifts because they work more muscles, with heavier weights. By increasing the weights of your squats, your metabolism will be boosted. This is because, an increase in muscle needs energy, therefore a burning of fat and you gain a larger appetite.

Strengthen bones – the compression of the weight under the bar adapts your bones to become denser. For the female dancer this is particularly beneficial as it reduces the risk of osteoporosis and so reduces injury.

Strengthen joints – squatting strengthens the muscles surrounding the joints, creating support for these and so helping prevent injury. However, it is key to perform proper squat form in order to strengthen your joints rather than stressing them.

Increase balance – your proprioception and coordination is improved through correct squatting (free weights). This allows you to increase learning of new motor skills within sport and everyday life. For example, when learning a new dance routine, you will be better conditioned to pick up the routine with correct muscle recruitment, as well as holding an arabesque for longer.

Increase explosiveness – a squat increases explosiveness for sport through increasing muscular power. This prevents you becoming slow in movements and make them faster. The more work you can do in a given time, the greater the power you have.

Build endurance – through building strength in your legs you increase the period of time you can work. For instance, if you are performing multiple allegro within a performance, you will jump higher and longer with less effort. It also allows you to work for longer periods of concentrated work.

Increase fitness – when you squat you stress one particular muscle…the heart. As you strengthen the muscles in the legs, trunk, back etc, you also strengthen your heart. By doing this, exercise puts less and less strain on your heart, your heart rate decreases, you don’t become as out of breath and your blood pressure lowers. This increases your cardiovascular fitness.

Build muscle – as a compound exercise you are working a lot of muscles to balance and move. The more weight you have piled on, the larger the muscles become.

How do you perform a back squat?

Place the bar in the squat rack at a level slightly below shoulder height.

Settle the bar across the base of your neck with the bar resting on top of the trapezius and deltoids. Ensure you are positioned in the centre of the bar prior to movement.

Hold the bar in an overhand grip, with hands evenly spaced and elbows bent at 90 degrees.

From this position take the weight of the bar, stand straight and take a few steps back.

Fix your eyes on a point in front of you, slightly above eye level and keep your eyes fixed here throughout the lift.

Pull the shoulder blades back (Imagine holding a pen between the shoulder blades). Push your chest up and out.

Feet should be flat on the floor and roughly shoulder width apart (although dependant on the individual). Toes may be pointed slightly outwards, however some may find it more comfortable facing forwards.

Before beginning the lift take a deep breath in. hold this until the final stage of the lift. By doing this you aid stability at the trunk by increasing intra-abdominal pressure.

You should tighten the glutes and lower back then begin the movement by flexing the hips and knees simultaneously. The trunk should be kept upright throughout the lift, with the back in a neutral position.

The knees should move in the same direction as the toes. Do not allow your knees to drop in towards each other. This is a weak position and so puts you at risk of injury.

Continue the downward movement until the thighs are past parallel with the floor i.e. the knees are past 90 degrees. Go as low as possible while maintaining the correct technique.

The ascent of the lift should be led by the chest, with the torso kept upright. Hips and knees are extended through a powerful drive from the legs.

At the top of the lift reaching a standing position exhale.

The starting position of the lift

Sitting back, as if onto a chair, while keeping a neutral spine. 

  

Continuing the downwards phase of a squat

The bottom position of a squat

  

Avoid squatting in a plié position to ensure correction of muscle imbalances

Do not allow your knees to fall into a Valgus position. If this occurs, lower the weight and concentrate on form. Strengthening the glutes will also prevent this from happening.

Why squat out of second position?

Proper squat form is key to prevent back and knee pain. For dancers, this means squatting with feet in a more parallel position. By this I mean not in full second position. But why you ask? This is so that those muscles which become weaker when dancing in second position may become stronger, thus the imbalance is corrected which will help prevent injury. Please note that this is the same when performing plyometric exercises such as squat jumps etc. 

I hope that this article is of use to those unsure how and why to squat! If you have any questions please comment below!

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