Not long ago I had a female client come in for an initial assessment and she divulged to me the previous coach she had worked with, in not so many words, inferred she was “dysfunctional” and that she’d likely never be able to perform a decent squat.1
What kind of BS is that? Within ten minutes of the first session you tell someone how much of a walking ball of fail they are? Awesome business model, dude.
I took it as my mission to use that initial session with her and demonstrate to her success; to prove to her she could squat. Maybe not with a barbell on her back, ass to grass, but I wanted to show her that 1) not many people are able to do that in the first place and 2) there are many different iterations of the squat and it was my job to showcase what her best options were given her ability level, injury history, and goal(s).
The interaction above took place several months ago.
And, not to be too braggadocious, I was able to successfully get her to “squat” within that first session after taking her through a thorough screen and using more of a bottoms-up approach to pattern her squat.3
It all came down to getting her nervous system comfortable in the bottom position and to own it.
Cliff Notes Version:
Perform a hip scour to ascertain general anatomy limitations
Assess both passive AND active squat pattern(s).
See if active “matches” passive ROM (Range of Motion).
If so, do they demonstrate enough motor control to, well, control that ROM?
If not, is it a mobility or stability issue? I find it’s rarely the former. However mobility tends to be everyone’s “go to” scapegoat.
Implement appropriate patterning drills that match the trainee’s ability level and don’t bore them to tears with too many corrective drills that don’t accomplish much of anything.
Using the BOTTOMS-UP approach to introduce specific movements – in this case, the squat – is a foolproof way help build your client’s confidence in the movement and to start to nudge a training effect.
NOTE: a baby dolphin dies every time you default to 30 minutes of “ankle mobilization” drills.
This past weekend I was fortunate enough to attend the Clinical Athlete Workshop in Springfield, MA with Dr. Quinn Henoch, Dr. Zak Gabor, and Matthew Ibrahim.
Quinn brought to light two more drills I’m immediately going to add to my arsenal and I wanted to share them with you here.
Check these bad boys out.
Quadruped Rockback Squat Patterning
Tall Kneeling Squat Patterning
Pretty cool, right?
Play around with them yourself. Use them with your clients. Demonstrate to your clients that they can do stuff, and that oftentimes it’s just a matter of breaking down movements into more digestible parts to show them success.
I remember the first time I saw Eminem perform. I was at my apartment in between classes watching a little TRL on MTV. It was spring break, 1999. I was in my living room. Many of my friends were somewhere else, not in my living room, galavanting around on some beach in Cancun soaking up some rays and debauchery.
Customary during Spring Break week MTV was also in Cancun, and hoping to catch a glimpse of my friends – and Britney – I tuned in.
“Hi, my name is, what? My name is, who? My name is, chka-chka Slim Shady.“
Mouth agape with a spoon full of Fruity Pebbles I was like, “what in the what is this?”
Eminem something er other now? Trying to impregnate Spice Girls?
“Pfffft, whatever,” I thought. “He won’t last.”
Ten #1 albums, 45+ million records sold, and one not so sucky movie – 8 Mile – to his credit, I guess you could say I was an idiot.
Eminem didn’t do so shabby for himself.
And while I could sit here and reminisce over you4other past pop-culture snafus I made….
Chicks will always dig stone washed jeans.
Robert Downey Jr will never make it as Iron Man.
ABC’s What About Brian? (2006) will become the next Grey’s Anatomy or Lost. It’ll be a sure fire hit.5
…lets not bask too much in my ineptitude.
I mean, Adele?
She’s okay. I guess.
Speaking candidly, my “misses” can extend to the coaching side of the spectrum as well. I can think of a few things I used to think or say back in the day that, upon reflection, were pretty idiotic.
What are some examples you ask?
Good question.
1. Telling People to Arch…HARD.
Like many people interested in lifting heavy things I used to read – and still do – anything and everything by the likes of Dave Tate, Jim Wendler, and Louie Simmons.
All three are strong mofos and have, arguably, put out some of the best training advice on getting strong within the past few decades.
I mean, are you going to argue with this guy?
Or this guy?
Or him?
Uhhhh, no.
They’ve all contributed to the greater good of the industry and many of us owe our PRs to any number of articles or resources they’ve produced throughout the years.
That being said, I had to audit myself a few years ago when it came to coaching the squat. After being introduced to the concepts of PRI (Postural Restoration Institute) and listening to other strong dudes like Chad Wesley Smith speak on the topic, I wondered if cueing people to “arch, hard!,” and to” sit back” were the right things to be saying to the bulk of my athletes/clients when they were getting under the bar?
Very few were competitive powerlifters and even fewer were geared lifers. I.e., none wore squat suits when training (which require an aggressive arch and sitting back to reap the benefits).
To be clear: There are still many very strong dudes (and coaches) who advocate squatting with a hard arch, and that’s their prerogative. The thing to appreciate, however, is that what works and is ideal for a geared lifter won’t necessarily (read: rarely) ever translate well to a non-geared lifter.
If I were to balance the “I want to be brutally strong AND not shit my spine on this next set” teeter-totter, I’d opt for not arching (aggressively).
The ribs & diaphragm are pointing in one direction (up) and the hips & pelvic floor are pointing in another (down).
Put simply, this is all sorts of fuckeduppery not a stable position.
We’re placing a ton of shear load on the spine.
What’s more, this will invariably force the lifter to initiate the movement by sitting back (rather than down. You know, a squat). As a result, often, the chest will fall forward, and the cue we default to is “arch, arch, arch, chest up, chest up, chest up.”
This only feeds instability.
A better, I believe, approach (again, for non-geared lifters) is to tone down the arch and adopt what’s been referred to as the “canister” position.
Giving credit where it’s due, the first person I ever heard use this phrase was Dr. Evan Osar. A simple analogy he used was to think of your pelvis as one ring and your rib cage as a bunch of other rings.
We want all those rings to be stacked.
This will nudge us into a more stable, joint-friendly environment
Now, a minor glitch in this way of thinking is that some people think this infers going into posterior pelvic tilt, where we flatten out the lumbar spine.
This is not what’s happening. As you can see in the picture above, my hips are still behind the bar (still very important) but there’s less of an aggressive arch. Telling people to posteriorly tilt their pelvis towards spine neutral is different than telling them to flatten out their spine.
From there it’s a matter of owning the canister position and to squat down rather than back.
2. Knees Forward Instead of Knees Out
The “push your knees out” cue is something I’ve slide-stepped away from within the past year.
To defend my position I’ll need to piggy back off my comment above – the squat, for most trainees, is more about “sitting down” than it is “sitting back.”
I want the squat to look like a squat.
This means there will be forward translation of the tibia over the toes (but not so far that the heels come off the ground) and that there is equal parts knees coming forward and hips going back.
The net result = down.
My good friend, smart-as-balls physical therapist, and owner of Resilient Performance Physical Therapy (in NYC), Dr. Doug Kechijian, stated it best in a Tweet recently:
Cueing knees forward first then sit down in a loaded squat minimizes the need for the knees out “correction”. Vertical tibia days are #’d.
That’s right: it’s okay, nay, better?, for the knees to travel forward.
Cueing someone to break with their knees almost always negates the need to remind them to push their knees out.
They’ll do it automatically:
I’m all for using less coaching to clean up someone’s technique. The last thing most of your clients need is you barking a plethora of cues at them: “chest up, knees out, eyes forward, chin tucked, what’s the square root of 47?”
Play around with knees breaking first and then sitting down. My suspicions are that things will feel cleaner, more powerful, and the squat will feel like a squat.
Huh, weird.
ADDENDUM: NONE of this is to say I’m right. These are nothing more than cues and approaches that have worked for me in recents months/years with my clients and athletes. You may think I’m batshit crazy, and that’s cool.
I mean, to reiterate, I’ve been wrong on many things prior.
Amazon.com? Such a stupid idea.
I hope you’ll consider these suggestions however, and play around with them yourself. I think you’ll be surprised.
Being a “good” coach and writing effective training programs isn’t about inserting the most demanding or most obnoxious looking exercises for your athletes & clients.
Peruse social media and you’ll inevitably come across any number of fit pros vying for everyone’s attention with elaborate looking exercises ranging from Quasi-isometric deadlifts vs. chains (from a deficit on one leg) to flag-holds with band abduction (think about it).6
I’m being facetious. But I’m not far off from being dead serious.
I’m lame, and could really care less about garnering “likes” by wooing people with circus acts.
When I watch some of the things coaches put up on their IG feed or YouTube channel I have to wonder if they think about the following:
1. What’s the likelihood that 3% of their audience can reproduce a modicum of what they’re viewing?
“Look at me, Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.”
2. How is said exercise going to help them?
I’m not trying to be a Johnny Raincloud here. I understand that, sometimes, people just want to do shit to do shit.
Great.
Do it.
There doesn’t always have to be a reason or rationale backed up by a Mel Siff quote.
However, too, I feel those who do have an audience and do pride themselves on sharing actionable content (and not just selfies) with the masses, share a responsibility to be practical – more often than not – with the content and information they’re relaying.
Just my two-cents.
Excuse me while I step off my soap-box.
On that note, lets talk about one of my favs.
2-KB Front Squat
I’m not the only coach who’s a fan of this squat variation. Others like Mike Robertson, Artemis Scantalides, Molly Galbraith, and pretty much every coach in the history of ever who’s been affiliated with StrongFirst or RKC certification are fans.
It’s one of my “go-to” squat variations that I use with athletes and general population clients alike for a variety of reasons:
1. It’s un-paralleled with how it helps people learn to appreciate FULL-body tension. The anterior placement of the load forces the core to fire like crazy and helps to promote ideal positioning of the torso:
Less rib flair and more of a “canister” position where the pelvis and rib-cage are stacked on top of one another, in addition to the pelvic floor and diaphragm. The abdominals are called into action to resist an excessive arch.
As a result…
A more upright torso comes to fruition which helps to offset excessive shearing of the spine. NOTE: this is NOT to insinuate a forward lean is wrong or “bad” when squatting, it’s not. In fact, it’s warranted and needs to happen. However, for a large chunk of people, especially in the beginning stages, it’s more “joint-friendly” to adopt an upright torso, accumulate reps there, and then progress to advanced variations where more forward lean enters the picture.
2. It’s a great way to load someone without crushing them.
To steal a train of thought from Artemis Scantalides:
“The double kettlebell front squat allows you to train a decreased load for the same physiological effect. So even though you are not squatting as much weight, because of the asymmetrical shape of the kettlebell, and the placement of the kettlebells in the rack position, you are able to maintain squat strength by training the double kettlebell front squat regularly.“
3. It humbles people. Even large humans who can seemingly squat Ohio will find this variation challenging. It doesn’t take much. Two, 24 kg bells will make many huddle in the corner sucking their thumb.
Below is a quick video I shot this AM which goes into slight detail on some of the components of the exercise, namely the set-up, how to transition the bells to the starting position, and basic cuing.
I hate the term “girl push-up.” I hate the connotation it breeds; that girls are weak and that they should do these kind of push-ups instead (performed from the knees). Coaches who use it are 1) lazy and 2) are definitely worthy of the stink eye.
But what about squats? Is there such a thing as “squatting like a girl?” Does the term equally make me want to toss an ax into my face? Well, not exactly. In today’s excellent guest post, NY based coach, Meg Julian, provides some insight on why, sometimes, there is such a thing as squatting like a girl.
I’d like to start off by saying that I’m truly honored Tony named his firstborn child, Julian, after me. I hope to inspire the masses as much as I’ve affected Tony. But I’m not here to talk about Baby Julian; I am here because of Baby Julian (yay!).
We are here to talk about why “squatting like a girl” can be different than squatting like a boy.
After working in a female-only gym for five years and training many females clients during the past seven years (not to mention being a woman myself), I’ve found that we often don’t hear about how tips for men might not work perfectly for women, because our bodies (shocker!) are different.
This is one major reason why when I ask new clients to squat, they often struggle to squat, or even look back blankly (really!) Why? Because squats can be complicated, and most exercise science was developed for men by men.
Photo Credit: T-Nation.com
And that’s no way to live, as a great squat can help women with overall strength and weight-loss, which are frequently among the goals I hear from clients.
So, whether you want to put an Olympic barbell on your back or just get in and out of a chair, you’ll want learn how to properly squat. Here are four important ways that women can improve their squat:
#1: Use Your Butt
Squatting is widely considered a phenomenal exercise for building your butt, but many women don’t effectively engage their glutes when they squat. Counter-intuitive, right?
That’s partly because most people sit for much of the day and thus over-stretch their posterior chain, which is the butt and hamstrings; we also tend to over-work the front of our bodies, rather than the posterior.
It’s no surprise, then, that the little elves in your muscles don’t stand a chance.
This condition is called “glute amnesia,” and it’s a term coined by back specialist Stuart McGill — I’m not kidding! If you don’t engage your glutes when you squat, the connection between your muscles and brain will fade, which will make it even harder to use your bum when you want to. In other words, if you don’t use it, you lose it.
To remedy this, the cue we often hear when squatting is to “sit back.”
But this often turns into a balancing act of:
Gripping the ground with your toes and hanging on for dear life;
Sticking your butt back;
Leaning forward and hoping to not fall over; AND
Doing nothing positive for your body.
Instead, I tell clients to pick their toes up off the ground.
Picking your toes off the ground, and putting the weight in your heels, makes the connection between the brain and posterior chain stronger. This is often what is meant by “sit back,” but our bodies tend to take the path of least resistance, so instead of truly using your glutes, it’s common to become a bit of a surfing expert.
Note from TG: Nice cue to get people to “feel” their glutes work and to understand their role in squatting. While I don’t want to speak for Meg, it’s not one I’d use long-term, especially if the goal is to lift more weight.
If this seems weird and awful, or you topple over, you’re probably not doing it incorrectly; you just haven’t built the strength yet. Keep trying. And you might want to practice over a bench until you get the hang of it.
#2: Redefine the Relationship Between Your Knees and Your Toes.
The misinformed cue we often hear is “Don’t let your knees come past your toes.”
The idea, again, is that your weight should be in your heels and mid-foot instead of being perched up on your toes. The cue has it’s heart in the right place, but it’s just misdirected, much like this meme:
But I love home; that’s where I keep my bed, food and dog.
The problem? Again, everyone is built differently. For example, if you have long femurs (thigh bones), it’s going to be better for your squat to let your knees come past your toes.
The focus, instead, should be on having your shoulders go straight up and down as you squat.
So instead of focusing on your knee placement, double-down on your efforts to keep your weight back, barbell over mid-foot, and your back upright.
#3 And One More Thing About Your Feet.
It’s common to be told “Squat with your toes facing forward,” but most women will feel more comfortable turning their toes out a bit when they squat. The female hips and the way the leg bones fit into them are built to be a little wider; you know, “birthing hips” and all.
So instead of focusing on your feet facing forward, focus on aligning your knees above your toes, and for women, this likely means turning your feet slightly outward — and your knees along with it.
Trying to force a more narrow stance or twist the toes in a direction they don’t naturally want to go will cause a lot of tension in the knees. It’s like trying to jam a drawer shut that’s off its runners — not pleasant.
This may be perfectly fine for some and even how most assessments are done, but it’s possible that this is not the ideal form during every workout. Just look at the way a little kid naturally sits in a sandbox (do they still have those?): knees are wide and toes are turned out.
Not sure how wide to point your toes? I recommend standing barefoot with your heels together on a smooth surface like wood, and squeeze your glutes. Then, separate your feet until your heels are under your shoulders. This is likely the most comfortable position for a squat for your body. Play around and see what feels best.
#4: Show Your Ankles Some Love.
Tight calves can lead to a lack of dorsiflexion, which is the ability to flex the toes up toward the shins. It’s a problem I often see in women who wear high heels or flip flops and never stretch.
Lacking range of motion in your ankles is terrible for nailing a squat. By limiting the bend, your body will find a way to compensate by flattening arches, caving knees in toward each other or leaning too far forward.
Here’s a simple test of ankle mobility: Place your toes four inches from a wall. Without lifting your heel, can you bend your knee until it taps the wall. If yes, you’re good! If no, keep practicing twice a day until you can. Keep it up until you can consistently hit a wall. In a good way.
Wrapping It Up
Most women have goals of losing weight, improving their backsides and getting stronger. While these goals are a bit vague, I do have a specific answer: Squat as much as you can handle — after you master squatting like a girl.
Author’s Bio
If you enjoyed what you read, want to learn more or just need to know where to send the hate mail, visit me HERE, where you can subscribe to my weekly email dedicated to tips like these and improving technique and strength for obstacle course racing. You can also follow me on Instagram HERE.
Megan Julian is a New York-based NASM Certified Personal Trainer, with additional certifications such as, FMS L2, NASM-CES and CFSC. She specializes in preparing brides for the big day, helping obstacle course racers improve their times and working with clients of all ages overcome injuries. In her free time, she enjoys running through the woods, jumping over walls and crawling under barbed wire — sometimes at events such as the World Championship Obstacle Course Race in Canada.
Teaching a beginner how to squat well can be challenging. There’s no denying there are a lot of moving parts that can derail our best efforts to do so.
My intention of this quick-n-dirty post isn’t to break down the squat in its entirety. For that I’d encourage you to check out Greg Nuckols’ How to Squat: The Definitive Guide.
It’s basically the War and Peace of squat biomechanics and technique. Except, you know, not written by a Russian.
Instead, my goal today is to hammer home a few candid points when working with beginners on their squatting technique.
1. “Beginners” in this sense could mean a 13 year old who’s never touched a weight or a 57 year old who’s had a few decade hiatus. And everything in between. Male, female, athletes, non-athletes, centaurs, you name it.
2. The squat is a basic human movement pattern. Unfortunately, in today’s world, we don’t move as much as we used to, and subsequently many struggle with the movement. Oftentimes one’s only source of physical activity is if or when they get their butts to the gym.
And even if they do that, there’s no guarantee they exercise in a range of motion below a certain degree of hip flexion.
There’s truth to the common phrase “if you don’t use it, you lose it.”
This isn’t to insinuate that everyone has to squat to a certain level or that you’ll lose some street cred if you happen to not squat ass-to-grass. As I’ve repeatedly stated on this blog everyone is different (leverages, anthropometry) and it’s silly, nay, fucking moronic to think everyone has to squat deep.
So whenever I work with a beginner or someone coming off a significant injury it’s on me – the coach – to take the time to groove a solid squat pattern.
This rarely (if ever) involves placing a barbell on someone’s back on Day #1.
Why?
Because I said so….;o)
Many people lack the requisite t-spine (extension) and shoulder mobility (abduction/external rotation) to hold a barbell in that position without it feeling weird of wonky.
Many lack the kinesthetic awareness to sit back (and down) in a fashion that emulates a squat.
There’s no Golden Rule that we have to load people right away.
I’m more concerned with teaching proper position.
It’s that last point – teaching proper position – that’s a game changer in my eyes. You see, many people tend to “sit” in a state of perpetual (excessive) extension where their pelvis tilts forward, otherwise known as anterior pelvic tilt (APT)
To be clear: APT is not bad or wrong or needs to be fixed. It’s normal. However, when it’s excessive it not only places more strain on the spine (particularly the facet joints), but it also leads to poor alignment where the diaphragm and pelvic floor point in different directions.
Within PRI (Postural Restoration Institute) circles (<— total nerd fest) this is called the “Scissor Position.” What we’d like to strive for is what’s known as the “Canister Position,” where the diaphragm and pelvic floor are aligned or stacked on top of another.
Another way to think of it, is something I stole from Dr. Evan Osar.
“Think of your pelvis as one ring and your rib cage as a bunch of more rings. What you want is to stack those rings on top of one another.”
Mike Robertson is also a fan of this approach and even goes a step further and notes the importance of reaching, and how that can have a positive effect on one’s overall positioning. When we “reach” we nudge ourselves into a little more posterior pelvic tilt (back to “neutral”) and we then achieve proper diaphragm/pelvic floor alignment. Bada bing, bada boom.
If all of that comes across as me speaking Elvish, watch this video.
Plate Loaded Front Squat
The plate loaded front squat is now my “go to” squat progression when working with beginners. It’s something I’ve used for years for a few reasons:
1. The plate serves a counterbalance as one squats down towards the floor helping them to learn proper torso positioning and balance. It’s makes things infinitely easier with regards to sitting back & down into a squat.
2. Pressing the plate out front also helps to better engage the anterior core musculature. This is so crucial. I can’t tell you how many times people have come in for an assessment telling me stories of trainer upon trainer telling them how “tight” they are because they couldn’t squat past parallel. Prior to coming to me they had spent years, years stretching and working on any number of hip mobility drills.
Thing is: they weren’t tight. People rarely are. Or, at least it’s rarely ever that cut and dry (tight vs. not tight). In reality most are weak and unstable. For many, their nervous system is putting on the brakes because it perceives a lack stability. By having trainees press the plate out front it automatically forces the core to fire – thus providing more stability. And miraculously they’re able to squat deeper.
And I come across as the next Professor Dumbledore.
Moreover, it was Mike Robertson who pointed out to me the added benefit of the plate loaded front squat. The “reach” results in better diaphragm and pelvic floor alignment.
It teaches people context, and to own the “canister” position (preventing the ribs from flaring out). That way, when they progress to barbell variations, they’ll have a better understanding of what we’re after and what will (in all likelihood) allow them to perform at a higher level for longer periods of time reducing the risk of injury.
Want More Mike Robertson Nuggets of Programming Badassery?
I owe much of my programming savvy to Mike Robertson. It’s little nuggets of wisdom (as demonstrated above) that helps to separate him from the masses. I’ve always enjoyed his approach and way of explaining things. There aren’t many coaches who have the innate ability to take complex topics and “dumb them down” for the masses (like myself).
His excellent resource, Physical Preparation 101 is currently on sale at $100 off the regular price from now through this Friday (2/10).
It’s basically his entire philosophy on program design. 12 DVDs of Mike Robertson knowledge bombs. I have zero doubts the money you invest in this will pay for itself tenfold in client retention.
At the expense of sounding like an uber meathead, squats pretty much solve anything. You want to be stronger? Squat. You want more muscle? Squat. You want to lose fat? Squat. You want to beat Captain America in an arm-wrestling match? Squat.
About the only thing squats can’t do is help you grow hair, make you an omelet, and cure cancer7.
There’s a reason squats are a staple in most weight training routines, and today’s guest post by strength coach, George Kalantzis, breaks down the proper progressions most people should consider when starting for the first time.
Enjoy.
The Squatzzzz
“If you want bigger arms- squat. Squatting makes everything grow.”
Sergio Olivia, 3 time Mr. Olympia, on offering advice on how to get bigger.
Squatting has been around for centuries. It is one of the primary movements that Dan John says can impact your life, and also one of the best movements for mass strength and muscle development. Yet unfortunately squats are still one of the most neglected and butchered exercises in the gym.
But Why?
Squats are tough and working hard separates the strong from the weak. Squatting heavy stresses the entire body and it takes a lot of will power and strength to put something heavy on your back, drop down, and stand back up. Therefore most people neglect them altogether.
Then you have some people who claim squats are bad for your knees and stick to leg extensions and leg presses. While it is true that squats can place a lot of stress on the knees, it is typically the form and amount of volume that is the cause of knee pain.
In fact, from a exercise science point of view leg extensions can actually place more stress on the knees than squats because they are an open chained exercises. Open chained exercises like leg extensions cause the quadriceps to contract and pull on the knee ligaments and surrounding muscles without counteraction of the hamstrings. Squats actually recruit both the hamstrings and quadriceps.
Research (Escamilla, 98) supports that squats generate twice as much hamstring activity as leg presses and leg extensions. That same research suggests hamstring recruitment is advantageous to enhancing knee stability and functional capacity of the hips. Squatting does not sound that bad now does it?
Ok, I’m Ready Where Do I Start?
It is always important to start with an assessment to figure out where the you will stand in reference to squatting. Tony wrote an in depth post on that HERE.
Mobility Drills
After establishing a baseline, it is time to begin start preparing the body to squat. Starting with some light soft tissue work and warm-up drills will help prepare the body for full ranges of motion needed to squat and prime the nervous system.
Most people have a hard time reaching full depth in a squat and I have found that it is usually a lack of mobility in the areas of the hips and ankles often leads to compensations in the squat..
Core Engaged Deadbug
A deep squat requires proper pelvic position. If you arch your back to hard during a squat , your femur will have a hard time moving around in the hip socket. This is often the cause of the butt-wink.
A core engaged deadbug will help you learn how to keep the ribs down and control the pelvis which are needed for a good squat pattern.
Wall Hip Flexor Mobilization
This drill really teaches you how to keep your glutes tight, extend the hip and flex the knee at the same time to get a deep stretch in the quads. You should focus on getting the range of motion through your hips and not lower back.
Kneeling Glute Mobs
I love this mobilization drill because it really looses up the posterior chain and allows you to safely work on hip internal rotation without cranking on the knee.
Ankle Mobilizations Drill
An often-overlooked area of squatting tends to be the ankles. In order to squat to full depth the ankle needs around 4 inches of dorsiflexion. If the ankle is lacking the appropriate mobility, you may see yourself coming up n your toes, or not hitting appropriate depth.
Squat To Stand With Reach
By the time you have complete the other drills your body should be primed to squat. The squat to stand synchs the entire body and recruits all the muscles needed to perform a good squat. If you have a hard time getting into this position, you may no the ready to squat to full depth.
Assisted Squat
Assuming no pain or restrictions are present a great place to start is an assisted version of the squat. There are many ways you can do an assisted squat, but I like using a suspension trainer for assistance.
Holding a suspension trainer allows the trainee to work on static stability and groove a great pattern. Make sure the trainee maintains a neutral back position and uses as much assistance as needed in order to get to the bottom position.
Bodyweight Squat Versions
Once someone has mastered the assisted squat, it is time to move onto a bodyweight squat. Here you can really learn how to squat to full depth and drive up under control.
Sometimes people will have trouble with their heels coming up of the ground. If that is the case, you can create a little heel lift with plates or shoes to help the body recognize how to sit back onto the heels and reduce coming up off the floor.
Another common error for someone just learning to squat is a knee collapse. A great trick for that is to put a mini band around the knees. The bands feeds into the bad movement pattern by pulling their knees farther in and the body reacts by correcting the movement.
Goblet Squat
For most people, a goblet will be the basis of a squatting program. Legendary coach Dan John says that goblet squat is all a lot of people will need and there is a good reason behind that.
Grab a Kettlebell or dumbbell and hold it close to your chest. With your elbows pointing down, lower your body into a squat. Allow your elbows to be inside your knees and put pressure on the outside of your heels to help keep your knees out. Return to the starting position.
Many people are under the assumption that the Goblet Squat is just this plain ol’ vanilla squat variation that offer no variety. Au contraire! There are any number of ways to make it more challenging.
Goblet Squat Against Wall
Cannot seem to keep your back straight and knees from caving in? Try the goblet squat against the wall. Face a wall with your feet around 6-12 inches away from it and work to actively pull down into the squat.
Start further away and work closer to the wall, as you get more comfortable with the position.
Goblet Squat With Pause
Mastered the regular goblet squat? No problem, try a pause in the bottom of the squat. Pause reps will keep you honest, and really challenge your strength because you cannot rely on the momentum to pop back up from the bottom.
Goblet Squat With Heartbeat
This is one of my favorites to use with people, and it is one version that is not used that much. I first saw it from Mike Robertson when I was learning progressions for group training. It is great for people who have shoulder issues and really challenges the core.
Offset KB Squat
Holding a kettlebell on one side of the body will expose any asymmetries from side to side and really teach the body to own the position. Try to really focus on driving through the entire foot rather then shifting to the side of the kettlebell.
Double KB Front Squat
It only makes sense that once you have mastered the above it is time to load up. The double KB front squat is a great squat version because it really teaches you to sit down rather than back and down.
Essentially what you get is all abs and quads without demanding mobility requirements. It can be very humbling if you have never tried this before.
Front Squat
If you have become comfortable with the KB front squat and are ready for more of a challenge it is time to move on the barbell front squat.
Just like the KB, barbell front squats are all abs and quads. They are great because you have to really sit down into the squat rather than sit back or you’ll loose the bar. Due to the position of the bar your body must learn to stabilize the core instead of using back muscles to stand up. If you constantly get stuck hitting depth on a back squat this is a great exercise for you.
Back Squat
At this point, we have covered a lot of information on squatting. The back squat requires tremendous strength throughout the quads, hamstrings, glutes, hips, abs, and back. There is a reason why most people mess the exercise up or neglect it all together. If you have truly mastered the above exercises then it might be time to try a back squat out.
If you want to learn how to set-up, Tony wrote an awesome post HERE.
Conclusion
Squatting is a lot tougher then it seems. Consider hiring a coach for help on some of the barbell work, and if you are just starting out, goblet squat variations will surely get the job done. Try not to be a hero and start with something that is in between.
Quick things to consider before squatting:
If it hurts, you should hire a coach for an assessment and or see a qualified physical therapist.
Not everyone is made to squat to full depth or made to squat.
Squatting with a bar is not for everyone
When you first start out, you will not need that much weight, typically 45-55 % of your true max. Working on technique and conformability with the different squatting positions should be your first goal before trying more advanced versions.
References
1) Escamilla RF, Fleisig GS, Zheng N, Barrentine SW, Wilk KE, Andrews JR. Biomechanics of the knee during closed kinetic chain and open kinetic chain exercises. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1998 Apr;30(4):556-69.
About the Author
George began his time at Cressey Sports Performance as an intern in the fall of 2013, and returned in 2014 as CSP’s Group Fitness Coordinator, overseeing all Strength Camp coaching and programming responsibilities.
George is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and was awarded an honorary discharge after eight years of service. He possesses an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University and is currently attending massage school to become a licensed massage therapist.
Outside of CSP, George maintains a fitness-related blog that can be found at www.sgtkfitness.com.
I often joke I’m the worst handyman in history. Something breaks in our apartment? I’m the first one calling the landlord. A picture needs hanging? My wife is the go to aficionado in that realm.
A task calls for a Phillips screwdriver? Well, I’ll hand you a Phillips screwdriver. I’m not that much of a moron.
Suffice it to say: I am not great at fixing things. As a matter of fact – and at the expense of losing a few points off my man card – the risk of me setting a fire increases exponentially with the arduousness of the task being asked of me.
Replace a knob on a cupboard = relatively safe. The cat may end up with her fur singed, but the building is still standing.
Change oil in the car = Obama may as well hand me the nuclear codes.
Outside of the weight-room I’m a HAZMAT accident waiting to happen. Put me within four walls, however, surrounded by squat racks, deadlift platforms, barbells, kettlebells, selectorized machines, and maybe a movie quality Chewbacca mask for good measure, allow me the opportunity to watch people exercise and gauge movement quality, and I miraculously turn into Gandalf.
Well, I like to think I have a good eye and can catch wonky movement and fix it.
That’s Assuming Something Needs Fixing
I had a very interesting interaction last weekend at CORE. I was contacted by a dude here in Boston who reached out asking if he could stop by the studio to have me look over his squat and to discuss a few ideas that had been reverberating in his head about bar path, acceleration, and power development.
Specifically he noted he was a high-level powerlifter (600+ lb squat at 181) and that he had been tinkering with his technique of late and wanted another set of eyes on him to see if there was something he was missing.
My first thought was “holy fucking shitballs, that’s a sick squat,” and more importantly I felt compelled to tell him “um, just so you know…I’m not a competitive powerlifter and maybe you’d be better off contacting my boys at The Strength House for more detailed badassery?”
“Nah, I respect the way you’re able to analyze movement and feel you take a balanced approach.”
High praise.
What transpired was pretty cool. It was every bit an educational/learning experience for me as it was for him (I think. He left happy).
To Repeat: this guy squats over 600+ at a competing bodyweight of 181 lbs. An advanced lifter indeed. His approach is unconventional to say the least.
Take this little tidbit of our conversation as an example (not taken verbatim, but it’s close):
“So we see guys all the time squatting 225 lbs in the squat rack, often with poor technique, but then are able to walk over to the leg press and perform 800+ lbs for reps. What gives? How is that possible? I thought to myself “there has to be something there.” I train alone in my home gym which allows me all the time in the world to play mad scientist and to tinker with my technique.
Then it dawned on me: why not leg press my squat?”
Of course, in my mind I’m thinking “well the leg press provides a ton more external stability to the body so there’s your answer.” What’s more there’s typically less ROM involved too.
I was intrigued to see this in action nonetheless, anticipating some sort of leg press to squat Transformer to appear.
I ended up witnessing a meticulous set-up, as well as a masterful demonstration of someone who knows what his body is doing at all times. Unconventional without question. But it worked. A few highlights:
His “low bar” position was lower than low bar position. I’m talking mid-arm.
A flexed spine. In deep hip flexion, he’d go into lumbar flexion.10
He used a staggered stance (left side was a bit behind the right).
For all intents and purposes, many coaches would look at squat like that and start hyperventilating into a paper bag and immediately go into “I gotta fix this” mode.
Guess what I didn’t fix?
My point: everyone is different. No one has to squat the same way. And he’s an a-hole for being a freak…..;o)
Besides, he squats 600+ freaking lbs. He’s obviously trained himself enough to be able to get into (and out of) precarious situations; and he’s never been hurt or in pain.
It was the last point, though, the staggered stance, that he had never noticed or considered.
I don’t fall into the camp that says everyone must squat with a symmetrical stance. This defeats the purpose of individuality and respecting each person’s anatomy. When you factor in varying hip anatomy (varying degrees of APT/PPT, how this affects the ability to both flex and extend the hip, anteverted/retroverted acetabulums, anteverted/retroverted femurs, and varying femoral neck lengths), not to mention that you have two of them, not to mention other anthropometrical factors too, like torso length, femur length…it doesn’t take a genius to understand there’s no one right way to squat.
If a certain squat stance, width, depth, (whatever) feels better and more stable, why not run with it?
NOTE: I’d be doing a disservice by not linking to THIS article by Dean Somerset on the topic. He does a much better job at explaining things.
Back to the staggered stance.
600 lb squatter guy was trying to figure out why it seemed he couldn’t keep the barbell over mid-foot on his descent. I noted the staggered stance and he was like, “huh, I never thought of that.”
He then noted how he had always filmed his squats from the RIGHT side. I filmed from the left and his bar path looked to be on point. So maybe he was being a bit overcritical? Maybe the staggered stance evened things out? I’m sure there’s a biomechanical rabbit hole to be explored here (calling Greg Nuckols?).
When To “Fix” Someone’s Squat
I get it: Many of you reading aren’t elite level squatters, and much of the dialogue above has little merit in your training. The bigger picture, though, I think, is to avoid confirmation bias and sticking solely within camps that always agree with you. Everyone is a different, and there’s always more than one way to do something.
Last weekend, for me, was proof of that.
But I’d be remiss not to point out my standard or “comfort zone” is vastly different between an elite lifter and beginner/intermediate lifter.
Elite level lifters get much more leeway to mess up. More to the point: they’ve messed up enough to know what to do to not to mess up. Yeah, that makes sense. When I am coaching a beginner/novice, though, they’re rope for messing up is much, much shorter.
I still feel it’s important to avoid over-coaching and to allow an opportunity for newbies to figure things out.
As a coach, it’s okay to allow clients a window to perform a bad rep. Don’t be quick to correct. Let them figure it out & learn themselves
But when it comes to squats I tend to have a few “No-No’s” initially.
1) You Round Your Back, a Part of My Soul Dies
Loaded spinal (end-range) flexion doesn’t do anyone any favors. Pick up a McGill book and join the party. I’d prefer to avoid it as much as possible in the beginning. If I see someone flexing their spine during a squat, it’s my job to figure out why?
From there I’m going to try my best to implement the modality or variation that’s going to best set them up for success.
Much of the time it’s getting someone to appreciate how to adopt a better bracing strategy and stabilize.
Brace your abs. <— Get “big air” and act as if someone’s going to punch you in the stomach.
Learning Active vs. Passive Foot, or spreading the floor with your feet (better yet, a cue I stole from Tony Bonvechio is “find the outside of your heels.”
Full-body TENSION (trying to touch your elbows and pulling down on the bar helps here too) is the name of the game. The sooner a trainee learns this, the sooner he or she will clean up a lot of snafus in their squat technique.
Another easy fix is to implement an anterior load.
This is part of the reason why Goblet Squats or Plate Loaded Squats are so user-friendly and help to maintain a better torso position. The load is in FRONT which then forces the trainee to shift their weight and recruit/engage more of their anterior core, which then helps them remain more upright.
2) Knees Caving In (Past Neutral), Heels Coming Off Ground
The knees caving in aren’t always a deal breaker. Many trainees when they first put a barbell on their back and begin to squat for the first time resemble Bambi taking his first steps.
I don’t mind a little knee movement. Much of the time it’s just a matter of getting some reps in and whammo-bammo, the issue resolves itself.
It’s when it hits the point where they go past neutral and/or the heels come off the ground that it can become problematic.
Some things that have worked for me with knees caving:
Hey, don’t do that.
Think of your knee caps tracking with your pinky toe.
Place a band around the knees to provide some kinesthetic awareness. The band wants to push the knees in, they have to push the band out.
I want a squat to look like a squat. It requires ample ankle dorsiflexion, hip flexion, hip internal/external rotation, t-spine extension, among other things.
Grooving the hip hinge and using props such as a box (box squats) to get someone to learn to “sit back” and use more of their posterior chain is a nice option. This will help keep the heels cemented to the floor.
NOTE: once they master that, the idea is to then perform an equal parts “knees forward, hips back” motion, learning to sit down into the squat (not so much back, back, back). Again, the squat should look like a squat
And That’s Really It
I’m not TRYING to find something wrong with everyone’s squat.
If the 2-3 things above are met from the get go we’re in a pretty darn good spot.
Things like bar position, foot stance/width, hand position, and everything else in between, while significant considerations for some people and staples for entertaining internet arguments, are all going to depend on several other factors (goals, anatomy, experience, ability level, injury history), and in the grand scheme of things are minute comparatively speaking.
As I’ve gotten older I’ve learned to be more succinct in many facets of my life.
– When I was 25 I’d consider it a travesty if I didn’t spend at least two hours in the gym. Now? A few “top sets” of my main movement, followed by an accessory movement to compliment that movement, and 45 minutes later I’m good.
– I’ve learned to trim my prose over the years, too. One of the best pieces of advice I ever learned on the topic came from my good friend (and my former editor at T-Nation.com), Bryan Krahn.
“Write your first draft, and then cut 20% of it, no matter what. Get rid of the fillers, fluff, and extraneous jargon12 that doesn’t do anything to support your message.”
– When I first met my wife and was wooing her I was all about impressing her with my collection of vintage Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles t-shirts culinary skills. I remember a time or two13 attempting to drum up a four-course meal without burning down my apartment.
Now? “Babe, how about some tacos?”
The same can be said about my coaching career.
In a presentation I did last weekend at Iron Village Strength & Conditioning in Beverly, MA titled The Art of Coaching I discussed how, early in my career, I made the mistake of trying too hard to win-over my clients with big words like reciprocal inhibition, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, post activation potentiation, and plethora (<— because, you know, that word is a boss).
Moreover, I made another huge mistake: Peppering my clients with too many coaching cues.
A set of squats would sound like this:
“Okay, squeeze the bar.”
“Push your knees out.”
“Don’t forget to spread the floor with your feet.”
“Big air!”
“Chest up.”
“Drive out of the hole.”
“Finish with your hips.”
“Stay tight, stay tight, I said STAY TIGHT!”
It was a juxtaposition on how not to coach clients. More often than not, they would end up feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and thiiiiiiis close to wanting to drop kick me in the kidneys.
So today I’d like to share some succinct, BIG ROCK cues I feel work for pretty much everyone. At the expense of sounding like a fitness cliche, less coaching is more.
The Deadlift: Place Shoulder Blades in Your Back Pocket/Squeeze the Orange in the Armpit
Anything we can do to ensure (and maintain) upper back tightness throughout a set is going to be money. I could wax poetic and quote Dr. Stuart McGill here and all the work he’s done over the past 10-15 years to demonstrate how counteracting sheer force is kind of important for spinal stability and reducing the likelihood of back injury.
“Place shoulder blades in your back pocket” or “squeeze the orange in your armpit” do an amazing job at engaging the lats, which are a big player in spinal stability.
The Squat: Sit Down, Not Back
Like many young, impressionable coaches at the time, back in 2002-2005 I read many, many articles written by Dave Tate and the crew over at Westside Barbell.
And why wouldn’t I? If you were (and still are) remotely interested in getting yourself or your clients strong, you’d be hard pressed to find better information. More to the point, if you were/are a powerlifter or training powerlifters those were the guys to read.
There’s no question there’s validity in using the cue “sit back” when coaching the squat. We can break down the biomechanics and draw lever arms…but at the end of the day, if the goal is to lift as much weight as humanly possible it makes sense to target the hips and posterior chain more by sitting back.
However, as the years passed and as I coached the squat more, I started to see a trend where people’s lower backs started flipping them the middle finger. They didn’t feel good.
This is when I started putting two and two together and understanding that the cues that work very well for powerlifters – specifically, geared powerlifters, where squat suits help with providing more stability – don’t necessarily jive well with un-geared lifters.
The cue “sit back” (and subsequently: arch!) places a lot of people in a compromising position where they fall into excessive anterior pelvic tilt, which can promote a more unstable position…to the point where they’re relying more on their “passive restraints” (ligaments) and bone(s) to stabilize their spine and not their “active restraints” (muscles).
“Sit Down, Not Back” (bracing abs, moving through the hips (not initiating with lower back), and pushing knees forward/out) works very well here. The squat is equal parts knees coming forward and hips going back
You know, a squat.
NOTE: Yes, there is still a forward lean in the torso. Relax. Deep breaths, internet.
Individual differences need to be taken into consideration, of course, in terms of injury history14 mobility restrictions, anthropometry, stance width, depth, etc, but I’d encourage you to give this cue a try and see if it feels better.
The Bench Press: Wrapping the Barbell
The bench press is a much more nuanced lift than some people give it credit for. As far as technique is concerned, I find it’s a black hole for many lifters – myself included.
There are many things to consider here.
For starters: is it Monday?
Secondly, cues like “meet the bar with the chest,” “shoulder blades together and down” and “put force into the ground with your feet” (leg drive) all have merit.
However, one cue that has resonated with me (and that of my clients) is the idea of wrapping the barbell. It’s a great way of ensuring lat activation/upper back stiffness without having to cue someone to “turn your lats on” when they have no idea what the fuck that even means.
Cressey Sports Performance coach, Miguel Aragoncillo, explains it better than I:
My objective here was not to insinuate these are the best cues for everyone. Only “pretty much everyone.” (<— It’s a fact. A true, fact).
Rather, the idea was to demonstrate various cues that have worked for me and my athletes/clients throughout my time as a coach. They may not be a good fit for you and your clients, and that’s cool. I’d be honored if you’d consider them nonetheless.
I’m currently 34,000 feet in the air as I type these words.16 I’m on my way to Seattle to meet up with my boy, Dean Somerset, so he and I can teach our 2-day Complete Hip & Shoulder Workshop. (< — be sure to go HERE to check for future CHSW dates and other speaking shenanigans).
It’s my first time visiting Seattle. I’ve always wanted to go, have heard nothing but wonderful things, and can’t wait to hoist my backpack over my shoulders and explore since I have a few hours to kill after I land.
I heard Pikes Market is legit. Maybe I’ll catch a fish or two.
I was hoping to hit up a Mariners game and say hello to long-time CSP athlete, Steve Cishek, but alas, I won’t have time for that.
I guess I’ll just have to find a coffee shop to chill out at. I “think” Seattle has a few of those, right?
Today is your last day to take advantage of the 50% off sale of Eric Bach’s excellent resource, The Power Primer 2.0.
Do you train athletes or just like to pretend you’re one yourself? Give this manual a look. What I like about Eric’s approach is that is not only about power development. Even if you’re only interested in looking good nekid, this manual will help get you there.
We all know that squats are a staple movement that span the gauntlet when it comes to helping people get stronger, leaner, and faster.
Blah, blah, blabbidy, blah.
That’s all well and good. But lets be honest.
Squats also help build bodacious bottoms.
There’s a reason why no one has ever written a song titled “Flat Bottomed Girls” or “I Like Average-Sized Butts.”
We like our derrieres fat and big, baby!
Alas, this article isn’t about the human form, appreciating the backside, and how squats help build bottoms.
No, this article is about something else entirely.
How to Build the Squat FROM THE BOTTOM
Dean Somerset and I spent this past weekend up in Kitchener, Ontario (<– that’s in Canada) just outside Toronto co-teaching our Complete Hip and Shoulder Workshop.
Note: you can check out to see if we’re coming to your neck of the woods HERE.
One of the main bullet points Dean and I hit on was squat patterning and how coaches and personal trainers can go about cleaning up their athlete’s or client’s squat technique.
Or, better yet: demonstrate to them some semblance of success.
Just so we’re clear: I think the squat is a basic movement pattern that everyone should be able to perform. I’m not insinuating that everyone should be able to walk into a gym on day #1 and drop it like it’s hot into a clean, deep squat and/or be able to load it to a significant degree.
Not everyone can (or should) squat deep. I’ve written on the topic several times, and for those interested you can go HERE and HERE.
That said, it is a movement pattern that’s important and one that can help offset many postural weaknesses, imbalances, not to mention more colloquial goals like athletic performance and aesthetics.
Assessment
Squat assessment is a crucial component to figuring out what’s the right “fit” or approach for each individual.
I can’t stress this enough: Not everyone is meant to squat to ass-to-grass on day one. Not everyone has the anatomy or hip structure to do it!
But it’s also important to figure WHY someone can’t squat to depth? Is it a mobility issue (which many are quick to gravitate towards) or a stability issue?
Digging deeper on the mobility-stability conundrum, Dean hit on a few important points this past weekend in trying to differentiate what mechanism(s) prevent someone from A) squatting deeper than that think they can squat and B) squatting with a better, more efficient pattern.
It’s a concept I’ve used myself with my own athletes and clients, but Dean did a really great job at peeling back the onion and helping the attendees better understand where they should focus their efforts.
Is it a Structural Issue?
Say someone makes the Tin Man look hyper-mobile when they squat. No matter what they do or how they position themselves, they just can’t seem to squat to an appreciable depth.
Most trainers and coaches would chalk it up to something lame like “tight hip flexors” or lack of hip mobility (which certainly could be the case), and revert to any litany of drills to improve either of the two.
This could very well be the correct anecdote, but I do feel it’s an often simplified and overused approach. I can’t tell you how many coaches have taken this route only to end up barking up the wrong tree.
It’s imperative to dig a little deeper.
Structural issue(s) = bony growth (FAI?), bone spur, and/or geometry of the hip joint itself.
As a trainer or coach you’re not diagnosing anything, and unless you’re Superman17 and have X-ray vision you’re more or less speculating anyways.
Assuming you have the knowledge base and are comfortable doing so, you can ascertain of what each person’s (general) anatomy is telling you by using a hip scour.
Supine (Passive): Have an individual lay on his or her’s back and bring knee into hip flexion. Is it uncomfortable or do they feel any pinching at or near the hip joint? If so, abduct the hip. Does the pinching go away? Do they gain more hip flexion?
This can speak to what their ideal squat-stance width should be.
You can also check hip internal/external rotation. Do they have more or less ROM in either direction? This could speak to more retroversion/anteversion of the acetabulum itself.
In general: those with an anteverted acetabulum (more than enough IR) are going to have crazy amounts of hip flexion. These are people are the ones who can squat ass-to-grass without blinking an eye. Of course, whether or not they can control that ROM is another story.
Conversely, those with a retroverted acetabulum (more ER) may struggle with hip flexion (bone hits bone earlier) and will likely never live up the all the internet trolls’ expectations regarding squat depth.
They’ll likely dominate hip extension ROM, however.18
Supine (Active): You can also have someone test their hip flexion ROM actively (meaning, they’re the ones doing the work). The key here, however, is making sure they use their hip flexors to actively “pull” their knees towards their chest.
Can they do it? Any restrictions?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3TI-GJNl9w
Prone/Quadruped: Another “screen” to add is in the quadruped position where, again, the person is more stable.
Here you’re checking to see at what point do they lose control of lumbar positioning?
Some people, due to their anatomy, and despite 698 coaching cues being tossed their way, will lose positioning before they hit 90 degrees of hip flexion. You can be the most well-intentioned coach in the world, but unless you’re Professor Dumbledore you’re never going to be able to fit a square peg into a round hole.
So, you work with what’s presented to you. This person will need to squat at or above parallel.
I’m fairly certain the Earth will still continue to spin.
However, what you’ll often find is that they’re able to get into what would be equivalent to a “deep squat” position. Further, if you have them dip down and extend their arms above their head it’s akin to the same position as an overhead squat.
If they’re able to assume this position, it’s a safe bet (although not entirely exclusive) they it’s not a structural issue that’s preventing them from assuming a deep(er) and “clean” squat pattern.
All of it’s information – which may or may not stick – but it’s information nonetheless. And it’ll all help guide you as a coach to figure out what’s most suitable approach for your athletes and clients.
When assessing someone’s active squat pattern they may present as a walking ball of fail and demonstrate a whole host of compensation patterns. This is where some fitness professionals are quick to jump on the “it’s a mobility issue” bandwagon.
Taking the time to perform a more thorough screen (like the ones suggested above), though, is an excellent way to glean whether or not that is indeed accurate.
Squat From the Bottom
Lets assume you figured out it’s NOT a structural issue. You assess/screen someone in the supine/prone/quadruped positions and find they’re able to exhibit a passable squat pattern.
Yet, when they stand up and attempt to squat they resemble a stack of crashing Jenga pieces.
One of the best strategies I’ve found to help address this is to teach/re-groove the squat pattern FROM THE BOTTOM. Basically, start in the end position.
It helps to build context and confidence. In addition, it engrains the CNS to inform the brain “dude/dudette, relax, we got this!”
Assisted Squat Patterning
If I’m working with someone in person, I’ll hold my hands out in front of me (palms up), ask them to place their hands on top of mine (palms down), assume a squat stance, and “groove” their squat pattern (sit back with the hips, push the knees out), and “pull” themselves down into the bottom position of the squat.
I’ll then have them let go, hold that position for a good 3-5 second count, and then stand back up. We start them where we want them to finish. As a result this BOTTOMS-UP approach helps groove technique, but more importantly helps improve people’s confidence at sitting in the hole.
Some other variations you can use:
Squat Walk Down
Suspension Trainer Assist
Have someone grab the side of a squat or power rack (or use a suspension trainer – TRX, Jungle Gym) and use as much assistance as they need in order to get into the bottom position.
Note: Make sure they maintain a good back position.
Once they get into a position they feel they can control and “own,” have him or her let go and hold that position for a 3-5s count.
Then, stand up.
Have them repeat for several repetitions.
You’ll often find that after a few reps things start to click.
Boom
When it comes to squatting, not everyone should be held to the same standard.
Perform the screens mentioned above. Do your job.
Figure out what the best “fit” is for each person – depth, stance width, foot placement, etc.
Use pattern assistance if necessary. Start from the bottom. Build success into people’s training.
Either approach you use – whether it’s partner assisted or with external assistance (rack, TRX) – the main advantage is that it forces anterior core engagement, which in turn helps improve stability, which in turn improves motor control, which in turn makes people into rock stars.
Except without the fame, money, and glory. And amphetamines.
George began his time at Cressey Sports Performance as an intern in the fall of 2013, and returned in 2014 as CSP’s Group Fitness Coordinator, overseeing all Strength Camp coaching and programming responsibilities.
