What Is A Deck Squat
When it comes to bodyweight exercises, you can’t go wrong with deck squats. In essence, a deck squat is a squat augmented by a roll on the back. As a result, the activation of the legs and butt muscles is complemented by the work on the spine. This exercise has many advantages. Deck squats build functional lower body strength and develop balance and coordination. They also help your body burn fat as legs are one of the major muscle groups and consume a lot of energy when you work on them.
Deck squats require good mobility and a lot of ankle range of motion. You can practice the exercise squatting with one or both legs on the floor. Read on to know more about the proper form, benefits, effective alternatives, etc.
What Muscles Does Deck Squat Work
The exercise targets:
- quadriceps;
- glutes;
- calves;
- core;
- hamstrings;
- erector spinae.
Deck squats emphasize cardiovascular health, flexibility, coordination, and core muscles, whereas conventional squats concentrate more on leg muscles.
How To Perform Deck Squat
Check out this step-by-step guide but remember that a deck squat should be done in one smooth movement.
Step 1. Get into starting position
Stand straight with your feet close to each other. The legs may also be shoulder-width apart. This nuance is up to you.
Step 2. Do a deep squat
Squat down to the very bottom. You should make a deep squat and feel a good stretch in your inner thighs. Put your hands around your knees to keep your heels fixated close to your body. Ensure you have a full knee flexion.
Step 3. Make a roll
Roll backward. When your lower and middle back is off the ground, it’s time to come back forward. If you don’t have enough counterbalance or you’re a heavy person, getting up after the roll will be hard. Using a plate from the very beginning is a way out. Throw the weight forward to create momentum and make it pull you. It will help to get yourself up on your feet.
Step 4. Come back up
Return to the squatting position. Extend your legs and stand up. Repeat the whole process as many times as possible.
Benefits Of A Deck Squat
Core strengthening
Core keeps the body in the correct position throughout the movement. As a result of constant practice, you strengthen the core. This, in turn, leads to better posture, increased endurance, and reduced risk of injury. In addition, strengthening core muscles is an excellent way to get rid of back pain.
Lower body strength and power
Many beginners hack during regular squats and don’t use a full range of motion. Half-squatting is not an option when it goes to deck squats. Due to the nature of the exercise, you will be forced to perform a full squat.
What about power development? To avoid rolling backward in the second phase of the movement, you’ll need to push yourself up quickly and get up on your feet. That contributes to the growth of your explosive power.
Control improvement
Inexperienced athletes can lose their balance during this exercise. Deck squats do require reasonable body control and the involvement of stabilizing muscles. Make this move regularly to improve your coordination and balance.
Great fat burning exercise
Deck squats are a great cardio workout. The technique makes many muscles work simultaneously, which activates the burning of excess fat in your body. The faster you do the exercise, the more likely you will burn the maximum amount of calories.
Extra available
A deck squat is a bodyweight exercise, so you don’t have to use any equipment. An athlete needs only time and desire to perform this movement. You can practice it everywhere – from your room to the park or a yard near your house. The technique is pretty simple and fits any fitness level.
Finding weak spots
Measurement of hip mobility and the identification of possible limitations may be done by practicing this movement. After doing a few reps, your body will let you feel what area you should work on harder. If you have trouble rolling back into a squat during an exercise, your hip mobility and flexibility need improvement.
Good finishing exercise
Deck squats may be used as a conditioning strategy towards the conclusion of your session. You’ll notice a significant increase in your pulse rate after a few reps.
5 Deck Squat Alternatives
1. Goblet Squat
A goblet squat is a great way to develop your glutes and quads and relieve some strain on your low back. Folks with back problems may safely do goblet squats.
How to do a goblet squat:
- Begin the exercise by putting your feet shoulder-width apart and straightening your back
- Grab the dumbbell with a special grip. Make sure your palms are facing up against the top end of the dumbbell. The shape of your hands should remind of a goblet
- Maintain a tall back and squat down. Pull your shoulder blades together firmly. Hips should be pushed back, similar to the typical move you make when sitting in a chair
- Return to the starting position while keeping the legs firm
2. Split Squat
Squatting in a split position is one of the best leg workouts. Split squat helps tighten your hips and buttocks and build volumetric quadriceps.
How to do a split squat:
- Lunge forward from a standing posture with a large stride
- A slightly elevated heel of your rear foot is required here. Slowly descend until your back knee almost touches the floor, then push yourself back up
- Once you’ve completed all of your repetitions on one leg, turn to the other leg and repeat the exercise
3. Asian Squat
Asian squats need an extremely deep squat. Holding this posture will help you increase your hip flexibility and lower body strength to the maximum.
How to do Asian squat:
- Put your legs shoulder-width apart. Squat down deep all the way to the ground, maintaining a neutral spine
- Push your butt back, keeping your weight in the balls of your feet. Your heels should stay off the floor. If it’s hard for you to maintain such a position, you can put some padding under your heels to keep your weight shifted forward
- If you are a beginner and it’s too challenging for you to do super deep squats, you can get a chair up against the wall and use it as support. Then, to get into the position, you should lean forward and put your hands on the chair’s seat
4. Single-Leg Glute Bridge
This exercise offers great glute and hamstring activation while being very easy and safe for your knees.
How to do a leg glute bridge:
- Begin the exercise lying on the floor with hands along the body. Put one foot firmly on the ground keeping a knee bent, and raise the second straight leg in the air
- Push your hips up, feeling the tension in your glutes and hamstrings
- Lower yourself to the starting position after holding the posture for two seconds. That’s one rep
- Switch the legs’ position, and repeat the whole process
5. Step-up
Whether you’re trekking or carrying stuff up a flight of stairs, this practical workout increases the quad and glutes power you need to perform all kinds of everyday chores.
How to do a step-up:
- Stand with your hands on your hips in front of a raised surface like a box
- Once you’ve activated your core, step your left foot onto the box
- Keep your right knee bent at a 90-degree angle while standing on your left leg atop the box to maintain your balance
- Make your way back to where you were before. That’s one rep. Repeat the same with the second leg
FAQs
What are deck squats good for?
Regular practice results in losing weight, strong legs and core muscles, balance, and flexibility improvement. It’s also good cardio that develops proprioceptive control.
What is deck squat?
Deck squat is a compound bodyweight exercise that combines a deep squat with a roll on the back. The movement primarily targets the quadriceps, glutes, calves, and core.
Conclusion
Deck squat is one of the most effective bodyweight exercises, putting tension on core and leg muscles. The movement combines the benefits of squats and rolls. We talk about strengthening the core and lower body, burning calories, increasing hip mobility, and improving balance. Furthermore, the technique is simple and available to anyone. You may try many deck squat alternatives if the move seems too easy or you just want to add a new exercise to your routine.