Which one is better, wide-range squat or narrow-range squat?

Wide-distance squat vs narrow distance squat

　　Squats are the king of movements and one of the most important compound movements. In the gym, squats are not just an exercise to exercise the leg muscles, but more of the activator of the whole body, especially the back of the thighs and core muscles.

　　Squats are divided into: shoulder-width, narrower than shoulder-width (narrow distance), and wider than shoulder-width (wide distance).

　　Squats are compound movements

　　So, when comparing the wide distance squats and narrow distance squats, we should also refer to the two aspects of "exercise effect on leg muscles" and "activation effect on other muscle groups".

　　1. Narrow-distance squats are better than wide distance squats in stimulation of the front muscles of the quadriceps femoris, which can give muscles stronger Pump feeling.

　　2. The butt is almost something that men and women pursue together. If you want to have a butt, you must have a wide-range squat. Using a distance of 140% to 150% shoulder width can give the hip maximum moving distance and stimulate the hip muscles.

　　　3. The narrow-range squat has uncertainty about the movement trajectory of the knee. When doing the movement, there will be a lot of pressure on the knee. Doing this action for a long time will cause knee wear or inflammation. The wide-range squat will put the knee much less pressure.

　　　4. A narrow-range squat will limit the range of movement of your ankles, and a small range of movement will limit the squats you squat. A wide-range squat will give you a larger range of movement, which can make you squat deeper, with a larger range of movement, and a deeper muscle stimulation.

　　　5. The muscle strength and function of the hip joint have received a lot of attention in recent years. More and more trainers emphasize movements rather than muscles. For the sitting people who are dominated by the front side of the thigh and are weak on the hip, a wide-step squat is a good training method. A more comprehensive exercise is given. The training of the hip joint is better than the traditional squat.

　　6. The wide-range squat can mobilize more muscle groups in the whole body than the narrow-range squat, which has a significant effect on improving explosive power and strength. Research points out that when squats, the step distance is 150% of the shoulder width, and the explosive power generated is significantly higher than the step distance of 50%, 100% or 200% of the shoulder width. But it is not just a wide distance. According to your body shape, 150% shoulder width is the best.

　　7. Protect your Spine: When performing narrow-step squats, the thighs should be squatted to a greater horizontal distance from the ground than the wide-step distance. When the narrow-step squat is lower, the lumbar spine needs to be arched under the action of the torso to cause hip flexion. This will bring a lot of pressure to the L5/S1 area under weight bearing, which can bring protruding intervertebral discs and other spinal complications.

　　This does not mean that traditional squats will cause lower back injuries, but if the movement pattern is not consistent, the huge force on the spine will change with the time of progress. The wide-step movement can promote a more neutral back position without arching the lumbar spine.

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