Beyond the Basic Squat

Multi-joint, multi-muscle exercises are multi-taskers for those of us that want a complete body workout out but don’t have the time (or patience) to work every body part separately. Plus, these moves mimic everyday life movements. I’m taking the basic squat and adding a bicep curl along with some extra resistance. This allows you to work the entire lower body, core and the arms in one movement. The added weight or resistance works these muscles harder causing them to fatigue sooner.

Take your band or tube ends in each hand and step both feet in the middle. Stretch the band by spreading your feet to hip-width, toes forward. Ensure the band is taut when you are standing straight. If there is slack in the band at this point it will be too easy – you want your legs to work against the resistance to straighten the band. If it’s too loose, wrap the band around your hands several times or just grab lower down the band near your shins. Keeping your arms straight, sit into a squat, hips back, knees over (but not past) your feet, chest up and out and head up. Engage your abs, as you stand back up, press through your heels to engage the glutes and simultaneously do a bicep curl of the band (bring your palms to your shoulders. As you return to the squat release, with control, your biceps and repeat 15-20 reps.

Notes: Control the band especially when returning to start position so it’s not springing back. Breathe regularly and keep abs engaged and shoulders down. If you don’t have a band you can use hand weights or anything heavy you can hold and curl.

Easier: Do fewer reps; lower the weight or decrease the resistance (lengthen the band).

Harder: Increase your reps; go deeper in your squats; do the bicep curl in the “down” position of the squat.