Resistance training exercises are often categorized as “push” or “pull” movements to help structure weekly workout routines. The squat, a fundamental compound movement, requires a closer look at its mechanical actions to determine its classification. This analysis will clarify the squat’s biomechanical function and explain its placement in popular training splits.
Defining Push and Pull Movements
In resistance training, push and pull movements are defined by the direction of force application relative to the body’s center of gravity. A push exercise generates force to move a weight or the body away from the core. This is achieved through joint extension, where the joint angle increases, such as in a bench press or shoulder press. Push exercises primarily engage the chest, triceps, and deltoids.
Conversely, a pull exercise generates force to move a weight or the body toward the core. This action involves joint flexion or retraction, where the joint angle decreases. Examples include the pull-up or a dumbbell row. Pull movements rely heavily on muscles in the back, biceps, and forearms.
Analyzing Squat Biomechanics
The squat is a multi-joint movement recruiting large lower-body muscle groups, including the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. The movement is defined by its concentric (lifting) phase, where the body or weight is actively moved against resistance. During the concentric phase, the body moves upward from the bottom position toward a standing position. This upward drive is powered by simultaneous hip and knee extension.
Hip and knee extension involve increasing the joint angle, driving the torso and weight away from the ground and the body’s center of gravity. Mechanically, the movement involves pushing the ground away to elevate the body. Since the primary action is joint extension that pushes mass away, the squat is fundamentally a push movement. The force generated by the quadriceps and glutes acts to extend the limbs, matching the definition of a push exercise.
The Compound Classification of Squats
Although mechanically a push movement, the squat is rarely grouped with upper-body push exercises in common training templates. Programs like the popular Push/Pull/Legs (PPL) split categorize squats and other lower-body movements into a separate “Legs” day. This classification acknowledges the squat’s nature as a high-demand, large-muscle compound lift.
The rationale for isolating leg movements stems from the high metabolic demand and systemic fatigue they generate. Squats engage the largest muscles in the body and require significant central nervous system effort. This effort can interfere with the recovery needed for subsequent upper-body pushing or pulling days. Therefore, while the squat is a mechanical push, its practical classification as a “Legs” exercise is a matter of programming efficiency and recovery management.