Squat today, grow every day: do this king of all exercises and sprout muscle even in your upper body

Remember your first time? The sweaty palms and pounding heart, the fear and anticipation mixed with nagging doubts. What if you couldn't handle the pressure? Couldn't perform? Couldn't stack up with the others? Worse, what if you couldn't get it up? Ouch, a frightening thought indeed, but take comfort in knowing that lots of guys have been there. It's really nothing to be ashamed of. As a matter of fact, it's quite normal.

The title of this article should have tipped you off that we're talking about your first squat, not your first ... well, you get the idea. But you have to admit, the parallels are eerie.

Anyway, now that we're on the same page, let's delve deeper into the significance and benefits of incorporating a solid squat routine into your workout. While it's true that no exercise may be more intimidating, it's also true that no single weight-training movement can achieve more total-body results.

WHY SQUAT

Squats are more than just the perfect quad exercise. In addition to stressing the front thighs, they actually work a variety of major muscles throughout your entire body, including the glutes, hamstrings, abdominals and lower-back muscles. This is why squats are considered by many to be the king of all weightlifting exercises.

"The squat is perhaps the most effective weight-training exercise for total-body development," says Michael Jocson, P.T., M.S., O.C.S., C.S.C.S., owner of Jocson Strength & Conditioning, in Howard Beach, N.Y. "The legs may be moving the body, but it takes a stable trunk and strong upper body to provide a foundation in which the legs can produce force. This is especially true when you start adding weights to your squats. Whether it be a back squat, front squat, split squat or overhead squat, many muscles of your whole body work in concert in order to lower and raise your center of gravity."

This muscle orchestra also generates a serious release of muscle-growing hormones that flood not merely the pins you stand on, but your entire body. And you know what that means.

Although the majority of weighted squat exercises involve the use of barbells, other types of equipment can be used to achieve similar results. For example, dumbbells can be substituted for barbells in most cases by holding them at the sides or atop the shoulders for the desired resistance. Additionally, using the Smith machine--a safe way to squat, especially for newcomers--can also be effective because it allows for more control than its free-weight counterparts.

While both beginners and advanced weight trainers can experience tremendous benefits from performing squats, the path taken to achieve these results should vary. "If you're going to learn a great exercise, you might as well learn it with great technique early on, rather than letting your ego get the best of you and suffering an injury down the road," says Jocson.

For beginners:

* Body-weight squats are the best for initiating proper technique.

* Squats and pushes, overhead body-weight squats and single-leg squats will further reinforce proper mobility and stability of the body before you actually add some weight to the exercises.

For advanced:

* Advanced squat exercises require more core strength.

* Emphasis should be on increasing overall strength levels as well as postural stability.

* If you are already doing standard squats but you're not getting the results you want, you might want to try some variations.

Here are some of Jocson's exercise recommendations plus beginner and advanced workouts.

SQUAT GUIDE

BEGINNER EXERCISES: Emphasis should be placed on form and developing base levels of postural stability and mobility.

1. BODY-WEIGHT SQUAT This should be performed with a broomstick to best simulate a standard barbell squat; if one is not available, resting your hands on top of your head will do.

Stand with your feet almost shoulder-width apart, toes facing forward but slightly out, thighs rolled out so the kneecaps are roughly in line with the second toe. Stick your butt out and keep your lower back slightly arched. Pull your belly button in toward the spine. With the broomstick resting on your upper back and shoulders, stick your chest out so your shoulder blades go down and in toward each other (1a). Also, try to keep your tongue on the roof of your mouth to activate the neck's stabilizer muscles.

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From this starting position, sit down into a squat. Your trunk should lean forward a little, but not so much that your lower back slouches. Keep your feet flat and spread the weight evenly. Do not let your knees collapse inward; keep them in line with the second toe. Descend as low as you can without losing the arch in the lower back and/or having your tail tuck in (1b). Press through your feet to return to the starting position and repeat.

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2. SQUAT-AND-PUSH By adding a forward pushing movement of the arms, your center of gravity shifts forward, causing the muscles in the back of your body to work more, thus reinforcing better posture during the squat.