The sissy squat is a top exercise for building quads by working on your hip flexors and strengthening your core at the same time. This form of exercise would involve you locking your feet in a fixed position and leaning right back. The tension of this action would be on your thighs, before you bring yourself up yet again. It get easier to perform this exercise using a sissy squat bench. Sissy squat machine allows you to perform supported squats; you would be able to push your body weight right back without losing your balance.

How to do a Sissy Squat

Get the steps listed below right! ensure you lock your two foot into position by using the locking pin and adjustable support bar.

• Lean back into a squat while maintaining tension on your thighs.

• Bring yourself back up again.

• Repeat

You can do this as an additional challenge; lean back while in a squat position. By doing this, you would be able to engage your quads and core and you can also do it with a weight plate.

Why is it named Sissy Squat

The name Sissy Squat refers to Greek legend, King Sisyphus who, after antagonizing one too many people, was sent to the underworld to be punished. Hades then gave him a huge rock and told him if he could push it to the top of the highest mountain, he would be set free.

An impossible task, as soon as King Sisyphus got close to the top, the rock would fall back down to the bottom, leaving him to start again. Failing every time, he then realized this was his eternal punishment.

Benefit of Sissy Squat

With the history lesson over, let’s focus on the benefits of the sissy squat exercise. The sissy squat achieves near 100% isolation on the quads and places less stress on other muscles such as the knee joints. As a result, it is considered safer than regular squats and leg extensions, and is a useful alternative workout for athletes who may have picked up a certain injury such as back strain.

Sissy squats primarily strengthen the quadriceps and also work the hip flexors, core strength and can improve balance. With a sissy squat machine, you’re able to lean back securely without fear of falling over or disrupting your posture. As a compound exercise, you will be able to target several muscle groups in one go.

When practicing squat on the sissy squat machine, it assists in doing the practice properly where it keeps feet flat on the ground, which is the most important aspect while you perform the exercise.

Sissy squats are meant to be a part of the resistance workouts and functional routines, but they are actually difficult to perform without any strength training equipment assistance. You can perform them easily using a sissy squat bench that will keep your feet flat and aligned into a straight line preventing the risk of injury.

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How does a Sissy Squat Machine work?

If you’re a beginner, I recommend starting with watching a you tube video because some people are good at watching a video to learn. If you do not have the strength to return to a standing position, you can focus on the eccentric movement (going down) and assist yourself through the concentric movement (standing up) to prevent knee pain. I describe how to do this in step four below.

Follow these steps:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Roll your shoulders back and down, and squeeze your core to prevent strain in your lower back.
2. Slowly bend your knees, as though you want to bring your kneecap into contact with the floor. You will have to bring your heels off the ground to do so. If you need assistance, hold onto a wall for stability.
3. As you lower your knees toward the ground (you won’t reach the ground — just your end range of motion), push your upper body backward. This keeps your body in one straight line, from your kneecaps to your shoulders, thereby preventing injury. To do this, you have to squeeze your glutes, hamstrings, and core (think about holding a plank or pushup, and how you need to squeeze your entire body to hold that straight line position).
4. Here is where it gets tricky. When you reach your end range of motion (i.e., you cannot lower your knees any further), you can do one of two things.

Note:

• as a beginner, If you are a beginner, drop your heels back toward the ground. You should now be in a low squat position. Return to standing. This works the eccentric movement, and helps build strength throughout your posterior chain muscle.
• are you advanced? Keep the weight in the ball of your foot, and push back to your starting position. Remember to keep your upper and lower body in one straight line as you raise.