Does setting up for a barbell squat intimidate you? Do you have a beautiful power rack but not sure how to optimise it for the squat? Then hopefully we can provide some answers so you can squat in confidence!

Squatting is one of the best exercises you can do to develop leg strength. It makes use of multiple joints and muscle groups in one exercise. Any athlete looking to improve leg strength should be squatting. However, to make the most of your squats, you need to be squatting using enough weight.

Fair enough...but this poses two problems: The first is getting the required weight up onto your shoulders. The second is safety. With so many joints involved, the movement can be complicated and a loss of form could result in your legs buckling under the weight. The last thing you want to be thinking about during your squat is safety. The easy solution to this comes in the form of a Power Rack and some nifty attachments. Not only will it make squatting a more pleasant exercise but will reduce the high-risk nature of squats. So where do you start?

Set the Height

Getting the height right for your Barbell is the most important step. This dictates how you start your squat. If the bar is too high, then you will have to extend up onto your toes to lift the bar and the weight that you are able to lift will be reduced. If the bar is too low, you will be required to lift the bar from a quarter squat position which could prove a bit of a challenge as well as unnecessarily fatiguing your legs before you start the exercise.

More importantly is the return of the bar. While your legs are still recovering from the squats, you don’t want to be struggling to stand up on your toes or squat extra to get the bar back on the power rack.

The correct height of the bar should be just below your shoulders. To do this, set up the J-Cups on either side of the squat rack at the same height and place the bar on the J-cups. When you stand in front of the bar it should now be just below your shoulders.

Squat Safely

Have the confidence to squat with heavier loads without a training partner spotting you. Spotter Bars provide you with the safety for any load that you can train with! To allow you full range of motion during the squat you will need to set the height correctly. Squat with just a bar and take note of where the limit of your range of motion is. Set the spotter bars just below the level that the barbell reaches so that it can catch a bar should you fail your lift. There are multiple types of spotter bar options depending on your equipment and preference.

Position Yourself Correctly

You don’t want to squat with an uneven load unless you like to see an Olympic bar doing cartwheels through the gym. Make sure that you position yourself in the middle of the bar. Use the markings on the bar to place your hands evenly spaced on the bar. Then position yourself directly between your hands to be in the middle of the bar.  Roller J-Cups make it easy to centre yourself by allowing the bar to easily slide along the rollers to ensure that the bar and the weights are in an optimal position for you to start!

So don’t be intimidated by squats. By getting your set up correct you will be able to position the bar correctly for you to receive the bar as well as making it easy to return the bar after you have completed the squats and avoid that moment of panic when you can’t get the bar back on the rack.

By including spotter arms you will also have the confidence knowing that should you attempt one too many reps that you will not have to face the risk of heavy bars and weights crashing down around you. Set up your power rack correctly and you will be squatting yourself to stronger legs and no concerns.

Written by guest author Brendan McBirnie.

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Tags: Equipment > Power Racks and Cages ; Exercise Type > Strength