Half Squats Exercise to Build Thigh Muscles

How to Use Half Squats to Lift more on Regular Squats

Half Squats is an excellent power exercise to build quality Muscle mass in the thighs. Although they are NOT a substitute for regular squats, you can use them to improve on your sticking points and thereby improve on regular squats.

Check how to execute this exercise to blast your legs now.

Sticking Point Improvement

Everyone have a different sticking point. You need to know at what point in the lift you feel the weakest especially in the last few reps.

Pin the bar to this height and perform half squats. After 2-4 weeks of half squats, your sticking point will be gone for these heavier weights allowing you to lift more on regular squats.

Half Squats is a power move. Lift as heavy as possible. This move is just those suggested by Pete Sisco's Power Factor Training.
 

Although Half or Partial Squats are excellent muscle mass builders, they are bad for 2 reasons -

1. They leave underdeveloped hamstrings { remember the delicate balance we spoke about in the  full squats exercise }.

2. They put undue stress on your back.

I do partial squats only once in a while, may be 1 out of every 4-6 leg workouts. I suggest you the same.

Purpose - To Build Muscle Mass in the thighs.

Execution

This exercise can be done with free weights or on a Smith Machine. The smith machine is preferably as you can adjust the pins to your sticking point.

Steps

1. Step on a Smith machine and get the bar which is pinned at your sticking point. Get under your shoulders and lift it off the rack.
    
2. Keeping your back straight bend your knees to a level half of a Standard squat. Since you will will be lifting only half the way through, you can use heavier weights.
    
3. From this half squats position push yourself back to starting point.

Points to Remember

• Exhale while you exert.
• Go as heavy as possible.
• Train half squats only once every 4-8 weeks for power.

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