Self-preservation is a huge part of fitness.  Think about it!  We work out to be more physically fit.  However, if what you're doing to get fit is also causing you pain or injury, then what is it all for?  The following are some things to consider while doing back barbell squats to help ensure you reap the benefits of this exercise without the pitfalls of carelessness.

1. Do light dynamic stretching of all the muscles involved prior to lifting and a deeper stretch of them all after.  Keep in mind that the entire body gets involved: you use your ankles and legs and hips to squat, you use your arms, wrists, and shoulders to position the bar, you use your back and core to maintain stabilization and hold the bar.  The flexibility that will come from this will help prevent tight muscles from wreaking havoc on your form.

2.  Any time you're squatting make sure that your knees don't float past your toes.

3. Place the barbell across your upper traps, never rest it too high up on your neck.  This can cause severe injury.

4. Similarly to placing the bar on your neck, placing it too low can also cause pain and injury.  If you find that the bar is touching the back of your arms, it may be resting too low on your back.

5. Treat your arms, wrists, and hands as an insurance policy that the bar stays in place, but they should not be the primary source of support for the bar once it is in place.  Instead, the bar should be rested securely on your upper traps where it can maintain balance.  Putting too much pressure on your arms to hold the bar in place can cause pain in your wrists and elbows.

6. When starting out try just lifting the barbell itself while looking in a mirror, once you have the form down only then start adding weight while still using the mirror to check your form.  For good form look out for the following...

 - your knees do not float past your toes

 - your butt does not curl under

 - you do not lean too forward

 - you maintain a neutral gaze, not looking up or down

 - you are not resting the bar on your neck or arms

Below Steve demonstrates good back barbell squat form.

🤔If you looked at your form in a mirror right now, would you be satisfied with it? DM, message, post...we're listening.👂