Any bodybuilder worth his salt will declare that squats are the most difficult workouts that one can ever do. To say the least, squats are the most intense and painful exercises and their performance to failure point is no walk in the park. For one to do these workouts effectively lots of discipline and technical awareness is required. The results will however speak for themselves. Squats will pack more strength into your body, and more proportionally at that. Their difficulty prompts the body to produce more levels of both growth hormone and testosterone which will work to increase the body size and strength.

Many myths concerning squats have come up maybe because of the difficulty involved in doing them. It is necessary that we dispel the myth and come up with the hard facts about squats. The first myth suggests that squats serve to ruin the knees. This is very false. If the body muscle mass grows in response to the stress applied on it then definitely the tendons and ligaments in the knees will follow suit. The only wrong thing is if you do squats when you are relaxed in the bottom position. Secondly, some say that squats are harmful for the spine. Again this is hardly true. In actual fact, the ligaments and tendons involved will become much stronger if trained in this way.

If you are concerned with the weight that is carried on the neck area you can always use a towel to neutralize the discomfort caused by the bar. Another school of thought declares that you will damage the heart by doing squats. As one trains, the contracted muscles often cause restricted blood flow. As such the blood pressure is usually increased albeit slightly. The heart is composed of muscle just like all the other body parts that you train. In the event that you place strain on it, it will adjust itself by becoming stronger. Take precaution though if you have a history with heart conditions.

Get clearance from a qualified physician before you start out. The final rumor that is worth dispelling is that squats will make you slower. It is simply not true since you will gain stronger muscles and cardiovascular ability. Everyone knows that the fastest sprinters are well built persons.

So what is the best way to do the squats? You can ensure your safety by training or doing the squats in a cage or power rack. This is particularly so if you feel the need to bail out in the middle of a workout. Ensure that the safety pins and hooks are at a convenient height before you start. The squat position requires you to have a modest arch on your lower back. The head must be pulled backward and the chest must be raised.

Always ensure that you are looking straight ahead at all times. Position the bar to a place where it almost starts sliding off your back. This is the perfect position for your lower traps and rear deltoids. Keep the feet at shoulder width and pointed in a 45 degree angle. With the weight in place you can then take a deep breath and lower your body till the thighs are parallel with the floor. Don't relax in this position, rise immediately keeping the back as straight as you can. With this technique you can now perform the number of reps that suit your purpose.