Secret
Training Tip #225 - Barbell Curl Squats - The Toughest (and Most
Effective!) Core Strength Exercise You Will EVER Do
By Nick
Nilsson
This is
my very favorite core exercise and, trust me, you will feel why from
the VERY FIRST REP.
It's a squat, but how you DO that squat forces the abdominal area to do
almost ALL the work!
If you want strong abs, it doesn't matter if you're a total beginner or
an advanced trainier, TRY THIS EXERCISE.
This is one of THE best overall abdominal/core exercises I've EVER
found. If you want a stronger core and you want it fast, THIS is the
exercise to focus on. It's tough, but VERY effective.
The Curl
Squat exercise is deceptively simple...basically, you're going to do a
squat while holding the barbell in the top of the barbell curl
position. That's it!
So what
makes this exercise different from a front squat (where you support the
weight across the front of your shoulders)? And what makes is so
EXTREMELY effective for training the core (which is the REAL reason for
doing this particular exercise, NOT for working the legs)?
I'll
tell you!
Holding
the resistance in front of your body in the top curl position takes
away the shoulder support that you would normally get with a front
squat. ALL the supporting tension goes directly onto the muscles of the
core, instead of having much of it being taken up by the shoulders. ALL
your core muscles will have to contract HARD throughout the entire
movement in order to keep the barbell from falling forward.
The
difference in position may seem subtle, but it's tension that you have
to experience to believe!
This
exercise also helps you to get a feel for how to properly use the abs
during a squat, which is EXTREMELY important for maximizing your squat
strength. Using the abs while squatting (especially at the bottom of
the lift) is something that does not come naturally and is very rarely
taught or explained to trainers. And believe me, it has the potential
to add pounds to your squat FAST.
Another
great benefit to this exercise is that your breathing muscles (the
intercostals) NEVER get a chance to relax during this movement. From
top to bottom and back up (even while you're "resting" at the top),
your breathing muscles are being challenged because of the weight
they're being forced to support.
This can
build up great breathing strength (the term "breathing strength" may
sound strange but watch a strongman explode a hot water bottle just by
inflating it with lung power and you'll know what I'm talking about!)
and carries directly over to your work capacity in the regular barbell
squat as well as most other demanding exercises and sports!
How To Do It:
----------------------------
To do
this exercise, all you really need is a barbell, but if you have access
to a power rack, even better. The rack will make it easier to get into
position for the exercise and will serve to "catch" the bar when you're
done.
Set the
rack up so that the racking pins are one notch below where you would
normally set them for squats. The reason you want to set those pins one
notch below is that by the time you're done with the exercise, it may
be very hard to get the bar up to the height where you would normally
rack the bar! With the racks a little lower, you'll have an easier time
getting the bar back onto them.
Set the
safety rails just above where you normally set them for regular squats
the first time you try this. When you develop a better feel for how
it's done, you can lower them a little to get the full range of motion.
The
weight should be about the same as what you would use for barbell curls
for about 8 to 10 reps. This is a starting point - you can add weight
as you get stronger with the exercise.
Step in
front of the bar and hold it in the top position of the barbell curl.
Now stand up, unracking the bar. Don't allow your elbows to brace
against your midsection. This will take away from the supporting
tension on the abs. Take a step back and get your feet set.
Now,
holding the bar in that top curl position through the entire movement,
squat down as far as you can then come back up. You don't actually curl
the bar while doing the squat, you just hold it in the top curl
position.
To
increase abdominal stability, you will be holding your breath during
parts of this movement. As you start to lower yourself down, inhale.
Begin holding your breath just below the halfway point of the squat as
you come down to the bottom position. Continue to hold it until you're
about 1/4 to 1/2 of the way back up.
If you
don't want to or are unable to hold your breath, exhale through pursed
lips (as though you're blowing up a balloon). Keeping the breath held
towards the bottom will maximize core stability and allow your abs to
function more effectively during the movement. Since this exercise uses
relatively light weight compared to a regular squat, holding your
breath is not nearly as potentially dangerous.
That
being said, if you DO feel lightheaded at any point in the exercise,
rack the bar and rest. Always use your best judgement here. The idea is
to work yourself in a SAFE manner.
When
doing the exercise for the first time, it's a good idea to start with
just the bar, no matter how strong you are. This will help you get a
feel for how the movement is done, where to set the safety rails and
how far down you can comfortably go.
When
you're comfortable, work your way up slowly from there as fatigue will
come quickly. It's a movement your body will be totally unused to, no
matter how many abdominal exercises you've done in your training career
before this. The muscles of the core will tire before your legs do. Be
sure to keep your lower back arched and tight while performing this
movement.
If
you're able to, go all the way down until your elbows touch your knees.
This will give you the fullest range of motion. Tense the abs hard,
especially at the bottom as you're coming back up. For extra
resistance, pause at the bottom for a few seconds. This will give you
the best feel for how the abs should be used when squatting.
With
this exercise, having the resistance in front of the body (similar to
when you're doing a front squat) allows you to keep a more vertical
body position. The majority of the tension WILL go onto the abs, but be
aware that there will also be some tension going to the lower back.
Because
you're holding the weight out in front of you, the lower back must also
contract to help stabilize the spine. As you keep up with the exercise,
your lower back will get stronger.
COMMON ERRORS
----------------------------------
1.
Doing this exercise after a bicep workout
As you
can imagine, performing this exercise is not going be as effective if
you've just finished a bicep workout. The biceps will already be
fatigued and you'll limit the amount of weight you can use and how long
you can hold it for. Use this exercise on non-bicep training days, if
possible.
2.
Going too fast
Dropping
down quickly in the squat will put extra stress on the biceps as you
come up and reduce the tension on the abs. This exercise should be done
very deliberately with no bouncing or fast movements. If you have a
tendency to do this, pause at the bottom for a few seconds to stop the
bouncing.
3.
Using too much weight
Since
the legs are so much stronger, it's tempting to use too much weight for
this exercise. Remember, our goal here is NOT to work the legs or the
biceps but to work the abs. The legs and the biceps are only here to
help push the abs. If your biceps fatigue before your abs get a good
workout, you need to reduce the weight.
4.
Leaning forward
Try to
keep your upper body as vertical as possible with this one. It's very
similar to a front squat - having the weight in front of you allows you
to stay vertical more easily. Leaning forward will cause the barbell to
shift forward, which will put more tension on the biceps, causing them
to fatigue prematurely. As you start to fatigue, you will notice you
have a tendency to lean forward. This is because the supporting abs are
weakening. Do your best to keep vertical. Once you start to move too
far forward, end the set.
5.
Bar too close to chin
If the
bar gets too close to the collarbones, you will lose some of the
tension in the abs. Keep it at least a few inches away to maximize the
supporting tension and torque demanded of the abs. If it comes too
close, it may be tempting to rest the bar on your collarbones, which
will turn it into an uncomfortable front squat.
6.
Letting the elbows brace strongly against the midsection
If you
let the elbows press strongly into the midsection, it will take away
some of the tension on the abs. A little contact is fine, especially as
you get tired, but don't rely on using this technique or it will make
the exercise less effective.
Letting
the elbows sink in like this will also tend to hunch your back over,
putting pressure on the lower back. This will in turn pull your torso
and center of balance forward, putting more tension on the biceps,
making you dig the elbows in more! Keep the elbows out front, away from
your body and you'll keep a better body position and do a more
effective set.
TRICKS
----------------
1.
Look forward and slightly up
When you
squat, keeping looking forward and slightly up. This will help you to
keep an arch in your lower back and keep you from leaning forward. We
want to avoid forward lean as it causes the biceps to fatigue
prematurely.
2.
Don't breathe too deeply in or out as you're coming down or pushing
back up
Breathing
too much during this exercise reduces core stability and can compromise
your form. For best core stabilization, keep your breath carefully
controlled. At the bottom, you can hold your breath for a few moments
to get the most solid stability. As you come up, you can exhale through
pursed lips after you've come about 1/4 to 1/2 of the way. This
technique shouldn't be used if you have blood pressure issues, however,
as it does cause an increase in blood pressure. Keep a careful eye on
how you feel if you do choose to do this - and if you feel any
dizziness, end the set and then don't use this technique the next set.
3.
Pause at the bottom
To
really maximize the tension on the abs, pause for a few seconds at the
bottom and focus on really squeezing and tightening your abs hard. As
you start to come back up, try to push with your abs as well. This will
help you to feel what it's like to use the abs to help push out of the
bottom when doing regular barbell squats.
CONCLUSION:
-------------------------
If
you're serious about improving core strength, DEFINITELY add this
exercise to your list. It simply one of THE most effective core
strength exercises I've ever found, and will provide you with dramatic
increases in abdominal stability and strength.
For
pictures and video of this exercise in action, click the following link:
http://hop.clickbank.net/?trainer49/betteru&l=1128
------------------
Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of the online
personal training company BetterU, Inc. He has a degree in Physical
Education and Psychology and has been inventing new training techniques
for more than 16 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding
eBooks including "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "Muscle Explosion!
28 Days to Maximum Mass," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of,"
"Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best
Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of" all available at (http://hop.clickbank.net/?trainer49/betteru).
He can be contacted at betteru@fitstep.com.
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