Association between previous experience of strength training under appropriate supervision and knowledge of squats among university students who exercise regularly

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of experience or inexperience with weight-training under appropriate supervision on knowledge of squatting exercises among university students. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted among university students who exercised regularly (30 or more min per day, 2 or more days per week, and maintaining this for more than 1 year) to clarify the relationships between their experience of weight-training under appropriate supervision, knowledge of squatting exercises, and the frequency with which they perform squatting exercises (n=309). More than half of the students who exercised regularly had never experienced weight-training under appropriate supervision. Approximately 50% of the participants performed squats periodically, even if they did not have any experience with weight-training under appropriate supervision. The participants who lacked experience with weight-training under supervision had made significantly fewer attempts to consciously train their gluteal and knee flexor muscles during squatting exercises than those who had experienced weight-training under supervision. In fact, approximately 50% of the former did not consciously train their gluteal muscles during squatting exercises at all. These results suggest that although the students performed squatting exercises periodically, those who had never experienced weight-training under supervision may not have properly understood the squatting method. Therefore, to enhance the benefits of training, people should be shown the correct method for performing training exercises and given appropriate supervision.