The squat is undoubtedly the most popular strength and conditioning exercise. It works every major muscle in your lower body, and when you add enough weight to the bar, it transforms into a full-body exercise. Once the proper technique has been learned and a base level of strength has been established, lower body strength and power development can be maximized by using variable resistance.
Variable resistance training is when you utilize equipment like chains, cords, or resistance bands to vary resistance throughout an exercise’s range of motion. The goal is to increase resistance in the parts of a lift when the muscles are performing at their best. It essentially allows you to lift more where you are strongest, rather than being constrained by your maximum strength in the weakest part of the exercise.
A variable resistance squat involves varying the resistance during the movement to better match, in percentage terms, the respective one-rep max (1RM) for each strength phases the person is moving through, with more resistance in the higher stronger phase and less resistance in the lower weaker phase (120 lbs in the lower phase and 180 lbs kg in the higher phase).
Heavy chains attached to either end of the barbell can be used to change the resistance. As the barbell is elevated, the chains are gradually lifted from the floor, and vice versa when the barbell is lowered. Thick elastic bands can also be utilized, which are stretched more in the higher phase and less in the lower phase. Combining heavier partial reps with lighter full reps can also help to train the stronger and weaker phases of the movement, resulting in a more similar percentage of one-rep max (1RM) lifted for each phase.
When compared to constant resistance in the squat, one study found that variable resistance increased neuromuscular activation in the middle and upper phases of the action. There were some indications of even greater advantages with a high rather than a moderate contribution of the total resistance from elastic bands.
Variable loading can provide significant benefits not only for strength development, but also for coordination, speed, explosive power, and stability.