BEFORE YOU SQUAT, Understand the ANATOMY Behind it! (What Muscles Squats Actually Work)

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The Squat is the King of Lifts. If you’ve been skipping leg day… repent! If you’ve been doing leg day, but not squatting… repent! There are an incredible number of proven benefits to the squat:

-Squatting increases strength in almost your entire body
-Squatting improves circulation
-(If you do it right) squatting improves joint health
-Squatting decreases Cellulite
-Squatting improves flexibility
-Squatting builds your core strength
-Squatting helps you get better posture
-In men, squatting has been proven to increase the level of testosterone in your body

And there’s a thousand other benefits. HOWEVER, squatting is also the number one way that people injured themselves! So BEFORE squatting, FIRST you need to understand exactly what muscles are the primary agonists in a squat. You can then build on that foundation by learning proper form, how much weight you should add, what the idea number of sets and reps are for your goals, etc.

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Credits: Anatomy animations are from the Complete Anatomy app
Disclaimer: Michael has not yet finished medical school, and is therefore not a licensed physician. The material and instructions in this video should not be taken as medical advice.

[LogicAtItsFinest]

Glad to hear someone talking through the science of an exercise.

[aguilalaluz]

Thanks, I am 86 years old. This past year I have been doing 10 squats every morning. I go all the way down to the floor and up again, keeping my back straight. Do you think your illustrations make more sense when you show the actual squat ?

[jademoon]

I do squats (sets of 20) and donkey kicks (sets of 50) as part of my daily stretching/yoga/strength training. I started doing it because I have scoliosis and was in a multi-roll over car accident and my doctor told me to strengthen my core.

Last week my mom called me and asked me to go with her to help her carry a new double kitchen sink from her car at one house to another house, she said it was really heavy and she couldn't even move it by herself. I walked to the trunk, tested its weight, and told her to go hold the door open.

She looked at me like I was crazy, there are 6 steps up to the porch, I lifted it and walked casually up the steps. She said she genuinely couldn't believe I was carrying it at all, let alone so easily, because her husband couldn't even lift it alone, they struggled to get it in the car in the first place.

It's times like that you really feel the benefits of strengthening your muscles. I've trained two adult dogs this year who didn't know how to walk on a leash. A rottweiler and a presa canario. I can easily pull them back.

It feels good to be strong, I try to encourage everyone I know to do at least 20 minutes of yoga and walk 30 minutes every day, it literally changed my entire life. Like I know people hate being told to work out but it doesn't mean you have to go to a gym or anything like that. You can get all the benefits from a yoga mat and some light weights. I do.

[UnknUserx]

I was genuinely considering doing leg day without doing squats today and then this video shows up in my recommended. Some mind reading stuff

[ahmadcheema]

Just smashed legs today with some heavy squats and I feel great!

I used to hate squats until I fixed my form and started squatting to depth. Now I can’t wait to hit squats.

[CrumbleLives]

I always do them, 20 years plus, but I absolutely dread them. Every time.

[MopMop]

Doing front squats and back squats once a week :) my sciatica pain is almost a thing of the past!

[philaman]

This the *key* exercise. Often when you go to a gym, you see people focusing exclusively on upper body exercises, ie. bench, back, shoulders, and of course arms. However, it is the *squat* that is the differentiator because performing this exercise (correctly) will help you become stronger overall!

[RachelReaiah]

I squat every other day 10x10 with a barbell. Started at 45lbs today I did 105lbs. I go up by 5lbs every week. My body feels so good.

[kw]

These are the best anatomy visualization animations that I ve seen. Static images always poorly represent muscles that are deeper or under other muscles. And showing the movement anatomically is so much better to properly understand the exact location if the muscle and its action when flexed. Great stuff.

[ImprovingAbility]

I've been skipping squats (no weights, just squatting instead kneeling or sitting) since I left China in 2010 and paid for it. Picked up daily squatting recently, many benefits.

[taroonbali]

great introductory video, i was excited for the follow up videos but bummed to see no new content in a year. come on doc, don’t leave us hanging

[MrLWRO]

“Medical student at the Mayo Clinic, Here with gains without pains”

Subscribed. I love the energy. This dude is gonna have millions of followers. Claim your “I was here before___” right now! I love the simple approach, nothing too long. I pray for your continued success! Much Love from Texas!

[Rider_]

I always wanted to learn anatomy behind gym exercises.. Do keep this coming, I've subscribed.

[aBirdbyBrancusi]

I used to hate doing squats at the gym because it hurt my knees and felt it was too heavy of an excercise to do, also I just wasn't vibing with the excercise. So I did the other leg excercises and my legs were ok looking, decent muscle progression but not on the level of other guys that started around the same time as I did. So I got myself some knee sleeves (BEST purchase ever!!) and started doing the squats and my legs received a HUGE boost in growth and beauty 🐱‍🏍 haha. I love squats now.

[sailorarwen]

I need a million more videos like this. Someone showing you the exercise isn’t the same as knowing what muscles you’re supposed to use or that you’re doing it correctly.

[TrollProductionsMC]

I've been skipping squats on leg days because i was scared I would injure myself and I couldn't workout because I didn't have anyone to teach me about the form and usually the squat racks were also busy and never got to get a turn as some people literally do their whole workout on that squat rack, i've been through the leg pain after my leg days but after I did my first 5 sets of 10 with 35kg I barely could walk for 4 days, that's when I knew I have to do more squats because even with my other leg day exercises it didn't hurt as much as after squats. I did ask some people at the gym to see if my form is good so I wouldn't get injured and thankfully haven't been injured doing it till now.

[lunacomments]

I’m a pre med student and my teacher had us watch this video. Great channel! I’ll be following this channel on my med student journey

[IndigoCosmic]

I didn't like how thick my thighs got doing squats but it did surprisingly help flatten my stomach.

[jaybanthony]

I have been doing Bulgarian split dumbbell squats lately and it's been amazing.