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If you struggle with squats, try the Spanish squat for pain-free lower-body strength development.

You just need a set of thebest resistance bandsand something stable you could wrap them around.

a photo of a woman doing a squat

What is a Spanish squat?

In this case, youre holding tension in your quads.

Those quads are placed under huge demands, explains Collins in his video, posted to social media.

Man performing a snatch holding a barbell above his head in a squat

The Spanish squat locks the shin in place, forcing the quads to do all the work.

Collins also says this adaptation should protect the patella and quad tendons.

With time and practice, you may opt for a thicker band to increase load tolerance.

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Experiment with how low you might hold the squat.

I personally program 30 to 45 seconds, but this depends on ability.

According to Collins, this move has the potential to boost running efficiency by enhancing muscle activation and stability.

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