This Bear Hug Squat Hold Will Wreck Your Legs and Fire Up Your Core Fast
Squats are the most reliable way of developing stronger leg muscles and glutes, however, I felt the need to do something different and a bit more challenging after carrying out the same routine for so long. Finally I stumbled upon the bear hug squat hold – a very fierce new form of squat that had me immediately feeling indications of weakness in my legs and practically taking pictures of my abs in pain. Hence you may avail of your lower-body training more and at the same time, your upper body would be so funif you chose this one as your next move.
What Is a Bear Hug Squat Hold?
Think of it as a squat that returns your affection. With barbell or two dumbbells at the side or top on your shoulders as the traditional options, this version instructs the individual to lock their arms around an item of weight like a sandbag or a dead ball that they cannot lift and hold it close to the chest. As you are sitting in a squat, the increased burden not only challenges your legs but also kindles the fire in your arms, shoulders, and core. It is like giving your muscles a bear hug all around your body that they are going to remember for quite some time.
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How to Do It Right
This was my way that I did the bear hug squat hold after I had watched some instructionings:
- I separated my feet to be shoulder-width apart and selected a 20-pound sandbag (of course, you can decide to go even lighter).
- My upper limbs secluded the bag gripped so near to the chest.
- Descending into a squat until my thighs reached the same level as the floor, and at the same time, I made sure to be balanced by pressing through my heels, toes, and the outer part of my foot.
- While I was holding the bottom of the squat, I made sure that my chest was upright, my back was straight, and the core was contracted.
- At the end of 30 seconds when I was holding the squat, I pushed up through the heels again and repeated the whole process.
The terms here look so simple, and also the friction was very different.
Why That Exercise Can Change the Whole Game
What I first realized was that my upper body was thoroughly involved in the exercise. My legs were not the only muscles being used – my shoulders, arms, and especially my core were all engaged fully. In comparison to a regular squat, the bear hug type makes you stand upright and keep your trunk steady, your chest open, and your abs tight. This simply means more proper form, more muscle activation, and very much to your stability.
I also noticed the fact that the bulky nature of the object made the exercise even more effective. It is not merely weight training, rather it is one of the functional training that we would use when lifting a box, bag of dog food, or only a capricious tot example.
The Way I Chose My Workout Schemes
On the very first day, I performed 3 trials each consisting of 30-second holds with a 20-pound ball. On the next day, I tried out the trick of going slow for the whole duration of the movement: it took me 5 seconds to go down (eccentric phase), and only 1 second to come up (concentric phase) – I kept repeating 3 sets of this pattern 8 times. In addition, I tried the EMOM (Every Minute On the Minute) method with a view of injecting a bit of fun into the workout: 10 reps performed every minute followed by the rest of the minute.
Just three days in and my legs were already a reminder of the rigorous hill sprint sessions, and my abs, well, I sneeze at your own risk kind of pain. If the aches told me anything, they showed that I have been disregarding some muscles that were now being utilized.
Is the Bear Hug Squat for Everyone?
Well, the bear hug squat is a good exercise for beginners if they use a lighter weight, but it is so useful that it is also a good choice for advanced lifters. Just keep in mind that you are lifting with your legs and protecting the core while taking the weight. Do not bend over — it is the biggest mistake many people make.
Oh, and those muscle quivers are more than just a myth. Holding your position under the bar while tired, speaks to your mental strength as much as it speaks to your physical body.
It looks like the bear hug squat hold is one of the hardest and most effectual dumbbell workout moves for my whole body that I have ever had — and I have had many. This instance denotes that it is not always double barbells that are required for building strength. Indeed, only holding a sandbag close and sitting tight can be enough to gain big muscle and also mental strength.
This move is for you if you want to give your lower-body workout a new edge and at the same time, your core.
