The Classic Weightlifting Exercise

The back squat is known as the classic muscle building exercise. No other exercise works as many muscle fibers as completely as the back squat. With just this one weight lifting exercise you work your quads, hamstrings, calves, glutes, lower back, upper back, and abs.

The use of all these muscle groups elicits a positive hormonal response that can cause the rest of your body to grow as well. For these reasons the back squat rightfully deserves the title as king of the mass builders.

But sometimes we need some variety in our training. Whether it's because we're bored, want to target a specific area, or need to work around an injury, sometimes back squats are just out of the question. For those situations here are some good alternatives to the classic weight lifting exercise:

Front Squat The front squat is the closest relative of the back squat. Its execution is very similar to the back squat, except that the bar is in front of the head instead of behind it. Make sure the bar rests on the front of the shoulders and that the weight is not simply supported by the hands. There are a couple of variations for hand placement, but as long as the weight is stable and relatively comfortable it doesn't really matter. The advantage of the front squat is that the body is forced to maintain an upright posture in order to avoid dropping the weight. This means you'll be able to use less weight than with a back squat, but you'll also put more targeted stress on the quads.

Zercher Squat This is one of the least often used, but one of the most effective squat variations. To perform this variation, begin standing with your arms at your sides and your elbows bent to 90-degrees (like the mid-point of a biceps curl). From this position put the bar in the crooks of your elbows and clasp your hands together in front of you. If the bar is hurting your elbows (and it will if the weight is heavy enough) then you can place a thick towel between the bar and your skin. From this position you simply squat down until the bar touches your quads and then stand back up. This is a tremendous weight lifting exercise for the lower and upper back, as well as the legs.

Split Squat This variation is very similar to a lunge, and is even often referred to as a Static Lunge. Whatever you call it, it's a tremendous weight lifting exercise for the legs. Simply set-up with one leg 2-3 feet in front of the other. From this position, squat down until the knee of the rear leg touches the floor and then stand back up. This can be done with a bar on your back or dumbbells held at your side. Don't switch legs or bring the feet back together until you have completed the set, otherwise you'll be doing a lunge. The leg in front will bear a lot of the weight, but the rear leg also gets a good workout. Because of this, make sure to rest adequately before switching legs. Use these variations in conjunction with a comprehensive training and nutrition plan and you will see new muscle growth in no time!