The Most Common Squatting Mistakes

Rightfully considered the king of all leg exercises, squats pack on muscle faster than practically any other move. But like the great Spiderman says, with great power comes great responsibility. Good form is always important, but squats demand special attention because of the potential for serious injury. Whether you're new to weightlifting or just want a refresher, here are the most common squatting mistakes people make in the gym, and how you can avoid them.

Leaning Forward

A lot of guys have a tendency to lean forward as they rise up from the squat position. This not only puts too much strain on the lower back, but increases your chances of losing control and balance.

Avoid this Mistake: Keep your weight back on your heels at all times. If you find yourself leaning forward often, dedicate some time to training your glutes and hamstrings. Your quads may be overcompensating for weaknesses in these muscles.

Stopping Your Descent Too Soon

Partial reps are fine once in a while, but you should squat your thighs parallel to the ground a majority of the time. Stopping before this point can put unwanted stress on the knees.

Avoid this Mistake: Practice squatting with a bench or chair underneath you; pretend you are sitting down as you lower into a squat.

Rounding Your Back

As fatigue sets in, it's not uncommon for guys to round their backs late in a squatting set. If your form is suffering, it's time to end the set. Rounding the back can lead to serious spinal injury, and puts you at risk of falling under the stress of the weight.

Avoid this Mistake: Keep your lower back arched, chest up, and gaze straight ahead throughout the movement.

Improper Breathing

Heavy exercises like the squat lend themselves to incorrect breathing techniques. You may even find yourself unintentionally holding your breath as you push through a rep. Improper breathing increases your risks of dizziness, fainting, and stroke.

Avoid this Mistake: As you descend, breathe in deeply through the nose. Blow out through your mouth as you rise. Remember the general rule of thumb: exhale on exertion.

Not Warming Up

We all want to get in and out of the gym as quickly as possible, but dedicating just a few minutes to a proper warm-up will prime your body and help you stay free of injury. Plus, warmed muscles enable you to lift more weight.

Avoid this Mistake: You can toss your static-stretch warm-up routine to the curb with your old gym socks. Experts now recommend dynamic stretches, like leg swings and torso twists, prior to your workout. A few minutes of cardio will also help prepare your body for heavy lifts.

Not Keeping Knees Over Toes

Many guys have a tendency to move their knees inward during the squat, instead of keeping them directly over the toes. This puts too much stress on the knees, and is a common cause of knee pain after squatting.

Avoid this Mistake: Squat in front of a mirror to make sure you are keeping your knees over your toes. It's no one's favorite advice, but lifting less weight will improve your form all around. Better a pained ego than sore knees.

Bending the Knees Too Soon

Your knees should bend, but only after your hips lead the way. Shift your hips back and begin your descent from there; your knees will follow naturally.

Avoid this Mistake: Practice squatting into a chair using just your body weight. Your real squats should mimic this movement.

Not Keeping a Tight Upper Back

A tight back will help stabilize your upper body during the lift, and prevent your chest and head from dropping forward.

Avoid this Mistake: As you un-rack the bar, arch your lower back and squeeze the shoulder blades back, ensuring your upper back stays tight.

Pushing Through Bad Form

We all want to push ourselves hard in the gym, but it's not worth jeopardizing good form. This is especially true during heavier lifts that put your body under the most stress, like the squat.

Avoid this Mistake: Practice your form with 20% less weight than you usually squat with. If you can't maintain this form when you add the weight back on, you need to lighten the load.

Sources: Gym Junkies
"Know Your Breaking Point." Men's Health. May, 2011.
Campbell, Adam. The Men's Health Big Book of Exercises. New York, 2009.