This Is the Only Thing You Need to Take Your Squats to the Next Level

One mini band will activate your quads in a whole new way

By Naomi Nazario September 21, 2017

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Sometimes small pieces of equipment, like a mini band, generate big returns. Farouk Houssein, a personal trainer at The Fhitting Room in New York City, demonstrates three different squat variations using a this piece of equipment to improve your technique and activate your lower-body in new ways. (Don't have a mini band on hand? We like this one from Synergee.)

A common form fail with squats is the caving in (valgus) of the knees. This is often caused by weak glutes and abductors. The mini band is a great tool to correct this flaw in technique. The tension of the band increases bodily awareness, creating a mind-muscle connection in those areas. Performing banded squats for reps allows you to strengthen the proper squat form.

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Once your form is fixed, you can increase band tension to get a serious burn while doing squats, or progress to more advanced exercises, like the banded jump squat. The band also forces you to open up your hips, which allows you to go deeper into a squat position without rounding your back.

Whether you are a squat pro or have some cleaning up to do, adding a mini band is a great way to get the most out of your squats and other leg exercises as well. (And don't forget about your arms, either! This Ultimate Upper Body guide from Men's Health will help sculpt muscles that will get you noticed.)

Tags: squats lower body exercises resistance band