Categoriescoaching Exercise Technique

Strive For Progress Not Perfection: Squat Edition

My dream as a kid was to be He-Man play professional baseball. Growing up in Middle-of-Nowhere, NY1 made this dream a bit more of challenge because 1) I often had to resort to doing things alone and 2) I didn’t have a ton of access to watching baseball.

My parent’s house was outside of town lines, which meant we didn’t have access to cable television. I had five channels to choose from (<– borderline child abuse nowadays), and the only way I could watch a MLB game was to wait for the “Game of the Week” broadcast every Saturday afternoon on one of the major network channels.

Although, sometimes, if I used enough tin foil on my small black and white television in my bedroom, and angled my antenna juuuuust right, I could snake a regional broadcast out of Elmira, NY of the Yankee games.

I’d stand there in the middle of my bedroom with my bat and emulate the swings of Don Mattingly, Jesse Barfield, or Steve Sax pitch by pitch.

Anyways, I’d record the weekly broadcast on Saturdays on our VHS player and play back the game over and over and over again throughout the week.

The real treat was the annual All-Star Game. I’d record that game too, and play it back ALL year…oftentimes watching an inning or two and then heading outside to my backyard to pretend I was Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, or Greg Maddux.

I’d tried so hard to perfect their mechanics and their way of doing things, that I’d get frustrated whenever things didn’t click or make sense. Things would get even more frustrating when I didn’t throw 95 MPH.

I mean, WTF!?!

Suffice it to say, in looking back (hindsight is always 20/20), it was the mentality I took in striving for PERFECTION and not focusing on PROGRESS that was the issue.

Not coincidentally it’s a mantra I feel holds a lot of weight in many facets of day-to-day lift…especially in the weight room.

Your Squats Aren’t Perfect (And That’s Okay)

I started working with a new female client a few months ago and knew within the first 15 minutes of coaching her squat that she was a perfectionist.

She’d get easily frustrated and discouraged whenever she performed a “bad” repetition and would seemingly respond like a reprimanded puppy whenever I coached her or offered some advice.

Mind you, I like it when people take a more proactive approach to their training and want to get better. What I don’t like is when people set the bar so high for themselves that it becomes more of a detriment than anything else.

I started repeating the above mantra to her…noting that small, incremental “wins” in technique (progress) trumps the perceived need for perfection, every day of the week.

Except for every other Saturday. Just because.

To put things into perspective: I’m pretty good at deadlifting (best pull of 570 lbs at a bodyweight of 190), and would consider myself an “advance lifter” in that realm.

I still tinker and tweak my technique, and understand (and accept) the notion that I’ll never be perfect.

What’s more I’m often dumbfounded by my client’s dumbfoundedness when they realize that I, too, their coach, am still trying to “figure things out” when it comes to lifting stuff.

I should know all there is to know by now, right?

And here they are giving themselves a hard time for not understanding a concept after reading one T-Nation article and/or training seriously for only six months.

Sheesh, relax.

But lets get back to the squats.

Look at a guy like Chad Wesley Smith, one of the best squatters in the world.

 

He’s pretty locked in with his technique, but you can peruse any number of his articles and videos and he’ll reiterate the same sentiment: He’s still tinkering.

I am no where near Chad’s level when it comes to performing – let alone coaching – the squat. However, I know a thing or two.

Sometimes.

And, having done some major finagling myself for the past year or so with my squat I wanted to share some of my own thoughts and experiences with how I’m striving for progress and not perfection.

1) There’s No ONE Right Way to Squat

This is by no means a new revelation on my end. I mean:

  • Meryl Streep is kind of a good actress.
  • Richard Dawkins is kind of smart.
  • Bacon is kind of delicious.

No new news there.

I’ve always taken the stance that everyone is going to be a little different when it comes to squatting. I never quite understand the steadfastness of some coaches who are adamant that everyone needs to squat “x” way, and if they don’t they might as well jump into a live volcano, cause they’re stupid and suck.

It’s a very standoffish, ornery – borderline childish – approach to take.

I mean, sure, we could make an argument for this way or that approach with regards to lifting as much weight as humanly possible but:

1. Not every cares about max strength.

2. Even with strong dudes (and women), if you watched 20 different videos of them squatting, you’d see 20 different approaches.

And that more or less feeds into the dilemma at hand.

Someone watches a video of Dan Green squatting:

 

Then tries to emulate his squat stance, his bar position, his hand width, his whatever (training program, volume, etc) and is left wondering why they end up hurt all the time or never make any progress.

[NOTE: I recall Chad Wesley Smith saying something to the effect of “you shouldn’t emulate what elite level lifters are doing NOW in their training. You should do what they did 10, 15, or 20 years ago to get to that level.”]

Some people will squat better with a narrow(er) stance (maybe even an asymmetrical stance), some with a high(er) bar position, and some with their feet pointing out more.

More to the point, as Dean Somerset notes in THIS excellent article, no two hips are the same and variances in things like anteversion, retroversion, degree of APT, and angle of inclination will dictate what type of squat (and depth) will be the best fit.

To put my word vomit into a short sentence: We need to respect everyone’s individual anatomy and anthropometry.

It’s hard to pound a square peg into a round hole. I feel that’s what many trainees end up doing when they fall into the trap of holding themselves accountable to copying a specific individual or book/article 100% of the time.

Speaking for myself I prefer a narrow stance when I squat with a high(er) bar position. It just feels better to me. I finally accepted this a few months ago and have seen much better progress overall.

Which serves as a nice segue to…..

2) “Feel” of a Set Matters

Too, since we’re on the topic of falling into traps, I feel many trainees think the only way to gauge progress is to lift more weight.

It’s actually an excellent way to gauge progress. I should shut up here and move on.

But it’s not the only way.

“Feel” of a set matters too. And this is something I’ve latched onto more and more with my own squatting.

3) Upper Back Tightness Is Crucial

This is a concept lost on some trainees. Nothing saddens me more than poor attention to detail during the set-up.

Well, that and a well done steak.

You want to see something that will have an instantaneous effect on someone’s squat? Have him or her actually take the time work on their upper back tightness.

Hand position will vary person to person, and mostly be a slave to one’s shoulder mobility. That being said, a closer grip will generally lead to better upper back stiffness compared to a wider grip.

Moreover it’s important to note that the elbows should not only point towards the floor but be INSIDE the hands. If the elbows are outside the hands and then you crank them forward it will lead to some, well, cranky elbows.

Additionally, two cues I like to use to get people to turn on their lats to improve upper back tightness other than saying “turn on your lats:”

“Place your shoulder blades in your back pocket.”

And

“Try to get your triceps to touch your lats.”

 

Progress over perfection can mean different things to different people. With squats it can mean something as simple as not holding yourself to some unrealistic expectation (that you HAVE to do it one way) or staying more cognizant of “feel” of a set.

But the mantra as whole can be applied to anything: whether you’re following a nutritional plan to lose fat, learning how to salsa dance, or playing a piano. It works. Life’s easier that way.

Categoriescoaching Strength Training

2 Squat Cues That Pretty Much Work For Everyone

I guess before we dive into the cues it may be cogent, first, to discuss what the squat is…especially for those reading who may be hearing/learning about this for the first time.

Squat – noun [skwot]

1) A weightlifting exercise in which a person squats and then returns to an erect position while holding a barbell at the back of the shoulders.2

2) A place occupied by squatters. Not to be confused as a place occupied by people literally squatting – like a gym, or a really cool house filled with squat racks – but rather, a place where a person settles on a land or occupies property without title, right, or payment of rent. Basically, an a-hole.

3) Nautical. The tendency of a vessel to draw more water astern when in motion than when stationary. Huh, I never knew that!

4) Slang. As in, “you don’t know jack squat about squats.”

For the sake of this post, however, we’re going to stick with example #1. I.e., this:

What Is a Squat?

Squats were invented by bears (citation needed), and have long been a staple in weightlifting, strength and conditioning, and powerlifting circles for years and years and years. There’s a reason why most (if not all) successful training programs include squats. They work!

You’d be hard pressed to convince me otherwise that the squat isn’t THE king exercise (definitely top 3) out there that plays a role in helping to increase strength, increase muscle hypertrophy, as well as helping to improve athletic performance. Too, I’d make the case that the squat, when performed correctly to fit one’s unique anatomy, anthropometry, and goals, is one of the best exercises to help “bulletproof” the body and to help offset many of the postural imbalances many people accumulate on a day-t0-day basis from sitting at a desk all day.

Unless you work at the coolest place ever, like in the pic above. Or in space.

Think about what’s required and “needed” in order to perform an acceptable squat (and hit acceptable depth):

Depth (via Mark Rippetoe in Starting Strength) = anterior (front) surface of the thighs dips below knee level.

To help elucidate my point (regarding depth) lets use the ol’ tried and tested Mike Boyle method of coaching. The this-not this-this method.

This:

Not This:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPfRacm6Jxc

 

This:

Of course many people can hit appropriate depth yet still have all sorts of things go awry.

  • Too much knee valgus (or in some cases, varus).
  • Too much rounding of the upper back (spinal flexion for the snobs out there).
  • Face planting the floor.

Also, we have to be cognizant of any pre-existing injuries or anatomical limitations that may prevent someone from getting to depth in the first place.

Without getting too deep into the biomechanics – if that’s your bag I’d suggest Starting Strength or heading over to Bret Contreras’ blog – lets just all agree (I hope) that there’s a degree of ample t-spine extension, shoulder external rotation, scapular posterior tilt, core stability, hip/knee flexion, adductor extensibility, ankle dorsiflexion, and attitude required to perform a good or “passable” squat.

Likewise, while this topic could easily spin into a I’m right/you’re wrong/my way of squatting is the only way to squat everyone, ever diatribe….I want to do my best to avoid the mental gymnastics involved with that. But mostly because it’s dumb.

A case can be made for low bar vs. high bar, wide-stance vs. narrow(er) stance, hands wide vs. hands close, arched back vs. “canister” position for the ribs, and zombies vs. vampires. Everybody is different and different shit is different.

Moreover we could also make arguments for foot flare, shin angle relative to the floor, torso angle, head-neck positioning, and where the eyes are pointing.

A good coach will always place what’s best for the athlete/client before defaulting to his or her’s personal biases with any one way of performing a lift.

With that out of the way…..

What Is Not a Squat?

To steal a train of thought from one of my new favorite books, Guys Can Be Cat Ladies Too, I feel it’s important to take things a step further and discuss what is not a squat.

Not a squat – noun [nat] [a] [skwot]

1) Anything that is not a squat.

2) A deadlift, a person, a cheese sandwich, a Ford Focus, a Blu-ray player, a baseball, a picture frame — none of these things is a squat.

3) Anything else that is not a squat.

I think that’s settled.

Lets Get To Those Cues

As much as my job revolves around improving the performance of the athletes and clients I work with (Example: lets squat a shit-ton of weight), it’s equally important that I play the role of educator and extinguisher of bad habits.

Read: I fix stuff and make it look better.

It’s not that hard to look at someone’s squat and think to yourself:

A) Does that look good?

or

B) My eyes! MY EYES! MAKE IT STOP!!!!

Step #1, oftentimes, is to put on the brakes and clean up someone’s technique before we begin to worry about increasing load or hitting some kind of tangible number.

What follows are cues that have worked for ME and the clients/athletes I’ve worked with in the past (and present). I am in no insinuating that they’re cemented as “all encompassing,” (for all I know I may very well change my approach next week), but I do feel they bode well for most people looking to hone their squat technique.

What’s more, I also find that if I’m able to get someone to “buy” into these cues that a lot of other things tend to take care of themselves without me even addressing them. Kinda cool.

1) Point Belt Buckle Towards Chin

Admittedly, this is the one cue I may get the most flack for and one which may make people shit a weight belt and un-friend me on social media…but whatevs.

Paying meticulous attention to the set-up is going to make or break your squat. More to the point, paying meticulous attention to getting and MAINTAINING tension is going to make or break your squat.

Getting people to appreciate the importance of a “canister” position with their torso and relying less on an aggressive lumbar arch is, in my opinion, crucial.

I don’t like seeing this:

You’ll notice how there’s an aggressive rib flair in tangent with an aggressive lumbar arch. In PRI (Postural Restoration Institute) circles this is called a “scissor position,” where the two are pointing in opposite directions.

This is not a stable position to be in (and, honestly, open’s up a box of other issues that may need to be dealt with down the road with regards to extension based back pain, Spondy, etc).

Ironically, for the majority of trainees/coaches who adopt this approach – and I used to be one of them – when someone inevitably begins to fall forward on the descent or out of the hole the cue always used is to “arch, chest up, arch, chest up, ARCH.”

Which just feeds into the problem. They’re not stable to begin with!

Now, I am not implying not to arch (nor am I implying not to keep the chest up) The lumbar spine has a natural lordotic curve to it, and I’d prefer to maintain that. All I am saying is that it often works in people’s favor to not OVERarch, cue them to posteriorly tilt the pelvis (belt buckle to chin), and then lock the rib cage down to help maintain anatomical neutral throughout their set.

If I can get someone to accomplish this out of the gate, it’ll make a lot of other things fall into place.

 

2) Rip the Floor Apart

Whether you’re a wide-stance squatter or narrow-stance squatter the cue to “rip the floor apart” applies.

Why?

Truth be told: it lends itself to a better and more efficient bracing strategy, which in turn helps with the whole “getting and maintaining” tension thing.

Not only does it help clean up technique for those who are hyper-mobile or lack motor control with their squat3, but it’s also a nice way to address that annoying “butt wink” or tuck under many people exhibit as they go into deep(er) hip flexion.

Cueing someone to “rip the floor apart” and to gain more external rotation torque in the hips is generally a good strategy for most.

Another way to cue people and get the same effect is to say “spread your sit muscles apart,” which is one I stole from Todd Bumgardner. This way people understand that they should be feeling tension in the hips.

 

Miscellany

Other ones to consider that I’m not going to elaborate on (because I’m hungry):

  • Point elbows towards the floor and “set” lats (which is really pulling elbows towards one another and attainting scapular posterior tilt. Cranky elbows generally mean you’re not moving through the scaps).
  • Push knees out. But not to the point where your feet come off the ground. Think: knees track in line with the direction toes are pointing (which is 15-30 degrees of ER). It helps to open up the hips more and allow for better depth.
  • Take some weight off the bar. It’s not a cue, but seriously, take the weight off. Try not to sacrifice technique for more weight.

For any ladies reading, as it happens, next week Jen Sinkler and Jennifer Blake (JVB) are releasing their Unapologetically Powerful resource to help people learn the ins and outs of powerlifting and how accessible it really is for women.

All this week, to help build buzz, they’re releasing a bunch of FREE videos that are excellent resources in of themselves. Today’s video, coincidentally, is on the squat and three variations that can help make it more fail proof.

I just watched it myself and it gets the TG thumb of approval, which looks like this:

All you have to do is go HERE and enter your email (no spam) and you’re good to go.

CategoriesExercise Technique Program Design speed training

3 Exercises To Help You Squat Deeper. Without a Single Mobility Drill

Today’s guest post comes courtesy of fellow Cressey Sports Performance coach, Tony Bonvechio (AKA: the other Tony). He’s got some excellent pointers on squat technique and how you can go about improving squat depth without mention of a single mobility exercise.

Enjoy!

I didn’t like hip-hop music until I met Tony Gentilcore. I’m more of a heavy metal guy, but when TG handles DJ duties during staff lift, I can’t help but get amped up to the sounds of the 90’s Hip Hop or Dirty South Pandora stations.

Note From TG: Tribe Called Quest Radio. You’re welcome.

So when Ludacris poses the esoteric question, “How low can you go?” during a heavy squat workout, it gets me thinking how I can get my clients to safely improve their squat depth.

TG is right when he says not everyone should (or needs to) squat as low as possible. But outside of our baseball players at CSP, I deal primarily with powerlifters who need to squat below parallel in competition. If they can’t get low enough, their squats won’t count, so we prioritize hitting depth in training.

When we combine deep squats with heavy loads and we know not everyone can hit depth (defined as the hip joint passing below the top of the knee joint) easily, how do we get there in the best position possible.

Well, you could stretch, foam roll and mobilize every joint head to toe. Or you could just learn how to squat.

The second option is my favorite. In my experience, nine times out of 10, a person’s inability to squat to depth is NOT a mobility issue but rather a squat strategy issue. Simply picking the right squat accessory exercises to hammer home an optimal squat pattern will almost always improve depth and strength. Here are my three favorite squat exercises to help you drop it low and crush heavy weights.

Squatting: Upright vs. Hip Hinge

First, here’s a harsh reality: an upright squat will always be the most mechanically efficient squat. If you’re pointing your nipples at the floor to use “hip drive,” you’ll never maximize the contribution of your legs and abs. There’s a reason every 1,000-pound squatter (raw or geared) stays almost perfectly vertical through their torso instead of leaning forward.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSs6_THxn5A

 

Are YOU gonna tell Malanichev to lean forward with 1,036 pounds on his back? Didn’t think so.

Here’s what happens far too often when people try to squat: they puff their chest up (thoracic extension), which pulls the ribcage up. They take a big breath, which is entirely ineffective because you can’t get good intra-abdominal pressure with a poor rib cage position. Then, they push their butt back as they squat down (lumbar extension, anterior pelvic tilt and hip flexion simultaneously).

Like a seesaw, as one side drops (the chest), the other side must go up to maintain balance (the hips). Not surprisingly, you can’t hip depth if your hips are shooting up and back to keep you from falling forward.

This scenario also effectively minimizes the space the head of the femur has to glide in the hip socket while limiting the contribution from your anterior core to keep your torso upright. What happens? Your hips get stuck so you fall forward to try to get lower. All bad news if you want to squat low and heavy safely.

That said, the optimal squat pattern is going to have an upright torso, knees out and slightly forward of the toes and the hips between the knees. This is much preferred to leaning forward with a vertical shin and over-arched lower back if greater depth is desired.

Here’s how to dial in that optimal pattern:

1. Front Squats

Front squats can cure your depth woes by teaching you to sit straight down between your knees instead of sitting behind your knees. You simply can’t sit back and dump your pelvis forward or you’ll dump the bar, so you internalize proper positioning. Carry this same strategy over to your back squat and you’ll be in business.

 

That’s why we use so many front squat variations at CSP. It immediately dials in a solid ribcage position and forces you to stabilize with your anterior core instead of your lumbar extensors.

I’ve lost count of the number of athletes who get stuck above parallel with a back squat or body weight squat but can magically sit their butt to their heels with a front squat. Kind of throws the mobility excuse out the window, huh?

By learning to keep the ribs down, chest up and knees out, you create proper alignment for nailing a deep squat. If you struggle with depth, try front squatting for a few weeks before returning to the back squat and I’m confident your depth will improve.

2. High-Bar Pause Squats

Also called Olympic squats because of their popularity with weightlifters, high-bar squats bridge the gap between front squats and a powerlifting-style back squat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6fQ6UPES24

 

A low-bar position (i.e. holding the bar across the rear deltoids instead of the traps) has ruined many a squatter’s depth. You might be able to handle more weight because it keeps the bar closer to your hips, but it doesn’t matter one bit if you can’t hip depth because it pitches you forward too much.

Switching to a slightly higher bar position has helped many of my lifters get lower. Similar to the front squat, it lets you stay more upright so you can lock the ribcage down and stabilize with your abs instead of your lower back.

Adding a brief pause at the bottom position builds confidence in the hole, which eliminates much of the fear associated with squatting low. This also forces the lifter to initiate the reversal by staying tall and driving the knees out.

Try high-bar pause squats as your second exercise on a squat day. Pause anywhere from 1 to 5 seconds and do sets of 3-8 reps. You can pause at the lowest position, right below parallel, or even on the way back up to target specific sticking points.

Note From TG: These suck donkey balls. You’ll hate life, but they work. Get it done.

3. Squat to Pins

Not to be confused with an Anderson squat where the bar starts on the pins, squatting to the pins hammers home the same technique points as a front squat but is even more sinister and unforgiving.

 

By lowering the bar to the pins and pausing, you’ll have virtually no room for error in torso position. If you sit back and lean forward, you’ll immediately get stuck as you try to squat back up. Only by staying tall, driving the knees out and keeping the bar over the mid-foot will you be able to stand up.

Few exercises build control and confidence like squatting to the pins. These not only cured my falling-forward problem, but also eliminated my knee cave issues by forcing me to spread the floor and keep tension in my hips.

Cues to Cure Your Squat Woes

Remember these useful cues as you practice these squat variations:

  • “Belt buckle toward your chin” – This prevents unlocking the pelvis as you sit down.
  • “Take all the air out of the room” – This stabilizes your spine by filling your belly and lower back with air.
  • “Bend the bar around your traps” – This locks in the lats to help you tay upright.
  • “Spread the floor apart” – This tenses up your hips and glutes to keep your knees out.

Notice there’s not a single instance of “chest up” or “sit back” on that list. Ditch these antiquated strategies for the ones above and you’ll be hitting depth more consistently while getting stronger.

Optimizing the “Big 3.”

Want to learn these strategies in person? Come see me and Greg Robins at our Optimizing the Big 3 seminar at Warhorse Barbell in Philadelphia on September 19.

There are only a few spots left, so sign up today.

CategoriesAssessment Corrective Exercise

Feed the Dysfunction: A Simple Squat Fix

A few months ago I wrote about my experience participating in the Functional Movement Screen. I spent an entire weekend (something like 20 contact hours) completing both module I and II.

I didn’t get a t-shirt4, but it was an awesome learning experience nonetheless.

You can read all about it HERE.

One of the chief messages that stood out to me was the notion of “feeding dysfunction.” It’s a concept I’ve used intermittently throughout the years to help clean up movement, but hearing it described and used in the confines of four walls amongst so many other smart people…it really resonated more with me.

I’m sure it’s a concept that many of you reading have used as well.

One of the more common iterations is when someone’s knees cave in during a squat.

Unfortunately, there are some trainers and coaches out there who would deem this an acceptable squat pattern, and do nothing to correct it. They should be drop kicked in the neck.

The less lazy trainer may fix it by screaming, “knees out, knees out, PUSH YOUR KNEES OUT!”

It’s a step in the right direction, but sometimes it takes more than a verbal cue. For some trainees their nervous system needs a little more “feedback.”

So the more savvy trainer will wrap a band around one’s knees.

The idea is that the band will push the knees in, giving the trainee some proprioceptive feedback to prevent or resist this action. More often that not it works like a charm.

Squat pattern is fixed, all is right in the world, parades are held in your honor.

What About a Weight Shift?

Ever watch someone squat and he or she tends to sway/weight shift to one side or the other?

There can be any number of reasons this happens.

1. Bony Block. Those with Femoral Acetabular Impingement on any given side will block/impinge quicker on that side, often resulting in a weight shift to that very side.

I don’t want to get into a heavy FAI discussion now, but suffice it to say it’s often in this person’s best interest to 1) stop squatting altogether (in lieu of exercises that require less hip flexion, like deadlift variations) or 2) tweak squat height so they don’t enter the “danger zone” (90 degrees or below).

2. If we were to jump down the PRI (Postural Restoration Institute) rabbit hole we could explain things by stating how much of the population tends to weight shift into their right hip.

CSP coach, Greg Robins, PRI Blue Steel pose

In this scenario – which is very common – people are more internally rotated and adducted on the right side (externally rotate, abducted on the left), which then parlays into their squatting pattern. I.e., you’ll see a weight shift to the right.

As I’ve noted in the past: I like PRI, I use PRI, I think there’s a lot of validity to PRI. And, in this scenario I do feel some dedicated positional breathing drills hold weight with helping to “correct” the issue at hand.

If we can encourage more neutral (we’ll never, ever, like, ever be 100% neutral) and help to shift the hips and own our rib position (reduce Zone of Apposition) the likelihood we can fix the faulty pattern is fairly high.

 

All that said, the PRI rabbit hole is a deeeeeeeeeeeep one, and I do find many fitness professionals tend to overstep their scope of practice and forget that, you know, barbells still work and that our jobs are to still give people a training effect. 

I’m sorry but people aren’t going to get fired up spending 30 minutes of their training session practicing their diaphragmatic breathing. In fact I think a recent research study found that incidences of people wanting to stab themselves in the eye with a pen increase by 130% when this is the case.

Don’t get me wrong: PRI drills could very well be a part of the equation and I have used them to fix this very dysfunction, but I try not to get too carried away with it.

3. Lack of kinesthetic awareness. Much like the notion above with placing bands around someone’s knees to prevent them from caving in, we can use the same concept here.

Band Reactive Neuromuscular Training (RNT)

If you find someone exhibits a weight shift during their squat you can use a band to pull them into the weight shift (“feed the dysfunction”), and attempt to fix the faulty pattern. Essentially you use the RNT factor to help turn other stuff on that otherwise would be under-active or not firing efficiently and contributing to wonky movement.

How’s that for science?

Give the video a quick watch.

CategoriesExercise Technique Program Design

Want to Get Better And Feel More Comfortable Squatting? Do This.

Squats. You either love them, or hate them.

If you’re reading this site, you’re probably a member of the former camp.

You love them.

But even if you love squats, I think it’s safe to assume that we all secretly love to hate them.

Squats aren’t easy.

They take a lot of practice, patience, and attention to detail to perform correctly. And even when all of that is taken into consideration – and you’ve anointed yourself the Ambassador of Squatting Badassery – there are still days when you step into a squat rack and it feels like riding a bike for the first time.

The sucktitude is always right around the corner.

I’ve written my fair share of articles on squat technique.

HERE’s one discussing the set-up which, more often that not, is going to be the determining factor on the success of a set.

99.94% of the time, anytime you see a technique flaw or breakdown during a set it can be attributed to a lackluster set-up.

Pigging back on the set-up conversation, HERE’s one where I discuss Active Foot vs. Passive Foot and how getting & maintaining TENSION is a huge factor in squatting success.

Annnnnd, running with the whole “setting up” theme (are you catching onto the gist that the set-up is kind of a big deal yet?) here’s a video where I discuss how cueing more of posterior pelvic tilt can help with squatting (and deadlifting) performance.

 

And that’s just glossing over the tip of the iceberg. Entire books and weekend seminars have been dedicated to the squat. The technique differences between all the different variations (back squat vs. front squat vs. powerlifting squat vs. ATG squats vs. high-bar squat vs. low-bar squats…..ALL vs. Godzilla), programming considerations, periodization schemes, corrective strategies….you name it, there are any number of resources out there that covers all of it.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Bret Contreras has written a 10,000 word blog post on hand position during the squat alone.

If anyone can do it, he can……;o)

There is one “thing,” however, I feel is often overlooked with regards to helping people get better at squatting and feeling more comfortable while doing it.

And yes, I realize that using the word “comfortable” in the same sentence as “squatting” is a bit of an oxymoron. Kind of like “deafening silence” or “random order” or “non-douchey Justin Bieber.”

Work with me for a second.

What’s that one “thing”?

Paused Squats

As in, actually pausing at the bottom of your squat. Not fake pausing. But actually STOPPING at the bottom.

[And maintaining good spinal position]

In Brospeak: pausing in the hole.

It’s by no means an Earth shattering suggestion, and I highly doubt it’s going to win me any “Strength Coach of the Year” Awards…but it is something I find not many people (coaches and trainers included) utilize enough.

Let me ask you this.

1. Where do most people “fail” or dump the weight when squatting?

2. What portion of the squat are most people weakest and feel less comfortable?

The bottom.

Here’s a quick video I shot yesterday of one of our female clients, Emma, who’s training for her 3rd powerlifting meet, performing her paused squats:

A Few Things To Note:

1. Most cogent to the conversation, you’ll note she comes to a complete stop. Kind of a crucial component for paused squats.

2. Generally speaking, a 1-3s pause is the goal. If we want to be super meanie-heads, we can up that to 5s holds.

3. Most important: she MAINTAINS TENSION in the bottom. Far too often I see people just kind of “hang out” in the bottom position and don’t actively use their musculature to do the work. Instead they use their passive restraints – ligaments, tendons, etc – and aren’t really doing much work to begin with.

Not coincidentally these are often the same people who complain of back pain.

It’s important to learn to stay tight throughout the entire set, even in the bottom.

4. Emma was only doing 2-3 reps per set in this case, with a relatively short pause (1-2s) so her breath didn’t play too much of a role here.

However, it’s not uncommon to have people perform paused reps for a longer duration and work on owning the position while maintaining their breath.

This is something Greg Nuckols has discussed in the past:

 

5. It’s also important to note that paused squats don’t always have to be performed in the lowest position. I’ve played around with having people pause at a certain point on their descent AND/OR on the ascent (out of the hole).

Practicing pauses in the hole is where I feel most people, most of the time should focus their time.

All of this to say: paused squats are an awesome way to not only help people get better at squatting (learning to get and maintain tension, increasing time under tension, even working on breathing) but also to feel more comfortable in the positions where they feel most vulnerable.

Don’t dismiss them.

Yes, you’ll need to use lower loads (I rarely ever go above 80-85% of 1RM with them, and most often stay in the 60-75% range for 3-6 sets of 4-6 reps)….but it’s the notion that paused squats will help you address a weakness in your technique that makes them so valuable in the first place.

Have fun.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 1/23/15

I made a cameo appearance coaching up the Cressey Sports Performance Strength Camp (formerly known as Excellence Bootcamps) this morning in lieu of head CSP Group Fitness Instructor/Strength Camp coach George Kalantzis‘ absence.

Why was George away? He had to go off and get married and have a kick-ass honeymoon this past week. As if that’s a good excuse!

Obviously I’m kidding with the whole ornery vibe5. Of course I’m very happy for George, and it was actually a nice welcome back, because I was once the “Friday guy” for a few months last year. It was fun to come back and coach some old (and new) faces and see people’s reactions to this AM’s workout:

The other benefit of coaching so early in the morning is that I get to leave early. I’m now home sitting at the table in a comfy pair of sweatpants catching up on some stuff. You know, writing this blog post, responding to emails, catching up on Season 3 of American Horror Story: Coven. The important stuff.

So, with all of my procrastination aside here’s this week’s list to stuff to read……

Why “Chest Up” In the Squat Is Wrong – Chris Duffin

“Arch, arch, arch, ARCH.”

For years that’s how we’ve always been told to squat. Unrack the bar, arch your back like a mofo, and then drop it like it’s hot. Whether or not you come back up is hit or miss.

The cue to arch isn’t wrong, it’s just not ideal.

Not ideal for a number of reasons, and Chris does a solid job at explaining why.

Which Routine Is For Me? – Andy Morgan

Andy is known for more of his nutritional expertise (he’s one of my “go to” nutrition guys), but I felt this was an excellent piece on discussing some of the criteria that needs to be considered/addressed when figuring out which programs is the right fit for any one individual.

The Pros and Cons of Powerlifting Training – Ben Bruno

Nailed it.

CategoriesExercise Technique Program Design

Cueing Posterior Pelvic Tilt When Squatting and Deadlifting? Have I Gone Mad?

One of the more popular cues trainers and coaches use when teaching the squat and deadlift is to arch the lower back….hard.

There’s a legitimate reason why, too. Squatting and deadlifting under load (consistently) into lumbar flexion is a major no-no, and usually results in any number of lower back dysfunctions and injuries. All someone has to do is open up either one of Dr. Stuart McGill’s seminal books on the topic – Low Back Disorders or Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance – to be slapped in the face 10x over with research study after research study proving this point.

Cueing someone to avoid (loaded) flexion and to arch their back while squatting and deadlifting engages the muscles of the back – erectors, iliocostalis, longissimus, multifidi – which not only helps to both stabilize and strengthen the spine, but also aids in offsetting and drastically reducing shear force.

It’s a hard to debate this point and has long been accepted as the “correct” way to cue proper form and technique.

However, the fitness industry runs on a perpetual pendulum of extremes – the middle ground is for pansies – and if doing “x” amount of something is good then doing even M.O.R.E of “x” must be really good. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Arching the back is fine.  Excessively arching the back, long-term, not so much. Just like we would shit an EMG study over excessive spinal flexion, excessive spinal extension is just as deleterious and detrimental to the spine.

In extreme cases:

Repetitive, excessive spinal flexion = disc herniations

Repetitive, excessive spinal extension = end plate, pars fractures.

It’s no coincidence we’ve seen the rise of things like Spondylosis, Spondylolisthesis, and other extension-based dysfunctions in the fitness and athletic realms – in both young and old(er) populations.

In younger populations a large portion of the blame can be pointed to more and more kids being less active, ill-prepared, and/or specializing in one sport too soon (pattern overload).

In older populations the blame can be directed towards some of the same culprits, albeit I’d also argue a major monkey-wrench is how we as coaches and trainers have been cueing our athletes and clients for the better part of a decade (if not longer) into OVER-arching during their squats and deadlifts.

It’s great for lifting a metric shit-load (a shade more than a metric boat-load) of weight, but not so great for long-term back health.

In the video below I break down why cueing more posterior pelvic tilt (in addition to owning your rib position) during squats and deadlifts may be more advantageous in the long run. Remember: All we’re trying to do is encourage people back to “neutral,” from an excessive extension pattern, and to own that position during their lift(s). So, instead of thinking of it as “arch and sit back,” it should be “find neutral, set/own ribs,bace, and sit down.”  I think this not only has merit with regards to back health, but performance as well. Give it a looksy.

Side Note:  Eric Cressey discusses the same concept (in more detail) in Functional Stability Training for the Lower Body if you want to dive more into the topic.

Cueing Posterior Pelvic Tilt During the Squat and Deadlift

CategoriesExercise Technique Program Design Strength Training

Q&A: Does Age and Heavy Training Take a Toll on the Spine?

As you can imagine I get a lot of emails on a daily basis.  I get emails from friends, colleagues, clients, Nigerian Princes wanting to give me all their money, and I also get a fair number of emails from people I don’t know asking me any number of health and fitness questions.

Below is a question I received the other day which I had never received before and something I felt I could elucidate on here in more detail (while at the same time helping others who may have the same question).

Q: Can people squat and deadlift because they have strong backs, or do they have strong backs because they squat and deadlift?

After squatting and deadlifting for the first time in 8 years, I found that my back (lower and thoracic) is by far the weakest it has ever been – it holds my numbers back substantially and if I push just a little too hard, my back feels like its about to go.

Not only that but my back stays incredibly tight the following days.

Prior to this hiatus, I was almost bullet-proof and could do nearly everything without pain. I’ve since had chronic tightness in literally every muscle, but switching to unilateral lower body movements resulted in a dramatic training difference with no after pain or tightness.

I may have my biases, but is this why I see so little older individuals continuing to squat and deadlift the numbers they used to? Or to reiterate, do those rare older individuals who squat and deadlift heavy already have strong lower backs to begin with, or did they build up this strength by squatting and deadlifting heavy?

Lastly, is unilateral lower body movements substitutes for squats when long-term joint health is concerned? Thanks!

Spencer

A: Thanks for the question, Spencer. There are a few angles I’d like to take to answer this.

1.  I kinda-sorta hit on the topic earlier this year when I wrote THIS blog post on Programming Strategies for the Old(ish) Meathead.

I’m 37 now, and while I don’t consider myself old by any stretch of the imagination – although Lisa and I love early bird dinners before 5:30 PM on the weekends, and I’m usually in bed before 9 PM – I understand that what I used to do in the gym when I was 25, and what my body was able to handle back then, no longer holds weight (<—- HA! Pun totally intended).

This isn’t to say I don’t still get after it, but I’d be lying if I said that I haven’t accumulated a few aches and pains throughout the years and that I haven’t had to “tone down” my training to a small degree.

The article linked to above taps into some of my thought process(es) with regards to programming strategies for guys who don’t feel like Batman or Superman anymore.

2. A believe a little dose of expectation management needs to be addressed here.  You mentioned that it’s been eight years since you last squatted or deadlifted with any frequency. Don’t you feel that that plays a bit of a role in the grand scheme of things?

Are the squats and deadlifts themselves to blame for your soreness and tightness? Maybe. Or should we point the finger at the eight year absence from any significant loading?

I remember back in the summer of 2008 I decided to play in an over-30 adult baseball league. I had obviously thrown a baseball here and there up to that point, but I hadn’t played competitive baseball or thrown any significant innings since the summer of 1999 and 2000. An eight year hiatus itself.

Me, circa 1999, my senior year at Mercyhurst University. I had hair back then. The good ol’ days.

On the batshit scale on which WTF “why is my arm killing me?” was measured, what was to blame more: the actual act of throwing a baseball, or the fact I took an eight year break from throwing a baseball?

I went from zero innings pitched over the span of eight years to over 70 innings pitched in one summer.

To be fair (to myself), I did hold my own that summer. I went 8-1 with an ERA under 1.00 and had over 100 Ks in those 70 innings.

Funny story:  my best game that summer was the first game after my then girlfriend broke up with me out of nowhere. I showed up to the game and struck out 20 batters in nine innings. Granted, I was probably crying on the mound during the entire game…..but my fastball was un-hittable that day!

I even tossed a no-hitter that summer. I didn’t suck or embarrass myself during the season. But by the end, my arm was hanging on a thread.

The only person to blame was myself because I didn’t do much to properly prepare myself.

It’s analogous to what you’re going through, Spencer, and what I’m sure a lot of people in the same situation are going through.

3. Barring any current injury, the body will adapt to whatever stress you place upon it.

Consider Wolff’s Law and Davis’s Law.  You can’t discount physics. The former states that bone in a healthy person or animal will adapt to the loads it is placed under. The latter states the same thing, except with regards to soft tissue.

Deadlifting/squatting = strong bones + soft tissue. You need a minimal essential strain (MES) in order for tissue to adapt. Likewise, in order to strengthen tissue, you need to load it.

Neither of the two just happen. So no, I don’t believe people “just automatically have strong backs,” therefore they can squat and deadlift to their hearts content with little ramification(s).

I do believe heavy training (which I understand is all relative) does take a toll on the spine. However, I also believe that if someone takes the time to learn and hone technique, implement appropriate progressions based off their needs and ability level, and refrain from taking eight year breaks, that they’d best set themselves up for long-term success….;o)

Lastly, as far as unilateral lower body training is concerned and whether or not that’s a more “joint friendly” substitute for squats……..it depends.

There’s no denying that performing unilateral movements will lead to less axial loading on the spine. But we could also make the case that how people squat – even when it’s not with heavy loads – can place more stress on the joints, particularly the spine and knees.

– Are you squatting with an overly rounded back? How about the exact opposite end of the spectrum: are you overarching?  Both can be detrimental.

– Are you ensuring upper back stiffness when you set up to squat?

– Are you performing more of a “quad dominant” squat or a “hip dominant” squat? With the latter, you’ll need to sit back with the hips more, push the knees out, and use more of your hips and posterior chain to perform the movement.  This can make a profound difference on not only how the squat feels, but performance as well.

It is possible to make squats more knee friendly.

All of this is not to say everyone has to squat and deadlift.

Especially the older we get.

Sometimes it just doesn’t feel good no matter how on-point someone is with their technique and programming. If either of the two movements aren’t a good fit, they’re not a good fit. It’s not the end of the world.

But I do know plenty of people older than myself who are still deadlifting and squatting with abandon and do quite well.

That being said: I feel the above suggestions are an excellent way to audit yourself and to troubleshoot a few things.  Hope that helps!

CategoriesExercise Technique Program Design

Why the Box Squat is Overrated

There are a lot of things I don’t do anymore that I used to.

1. Unlike when I first moved here eight years ago, I no longer refer to Boston as Beantown. That’s a big no-no amongst locals.  Doing so is as sacrilegious as wearing a Laker hat or a Derek Jeter jersey down Boylston!

2. I don’t watch Saturday morning cartoons. That much.

3. I don’t start hyperventilating into a brown paper bag anymore if a baseball player walks in on day one and lacks internal range of motion in his dominant throwing shoulder. As Mike Reinold brilliantly states HERE, glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD for short. Who wants to write all that out?) is a normal adaptation to the throwing shoulder.

4. I no longer feel Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is the weakest chapter in the Star Wars saga.  That title goes to Episode II: Attack of the Clones.

5.  And, I don’t pick my nose in public.*

Wanna know what else I don’t do?

I Don’t Place Box Squats Into Any of My Programs

Yes, yes I did.

Well, I do place box squats in my progams and I don’t.  Let me explain myself a bit further.

So that I can stave off the barrage of hate mail and people reaching for their pitchforks at the notion of me saying something so batshit crazy….

……..I like box squats.

While the box squat is considered a fairly advanced movement (and it is), it might come as a surprise to know that we use them quite often with beginners at CSP – particularly with regards to teaching proper squatting technique.

Lets be real, most people don’t come remotely close to squatting to acceptable depth (for the record, this equates to the point where the anterior surface of the thigh is BELOW the knee joint), let alone performing anything that you’d actually, you know, call a squat.

Most guys kinda bend their knees a little bit and call it squatting, like this guy. 

Nevertheless, the box squat is a superb way to keep people honest with depth and “groove” the proper pattern we’re looking for: to break their descent with their hips, push their knees out, and learn to sit back a tad more. Doing so targets the posterior chain to a higher degree and increases the lever/moment arm of the hips to take on a larger brunt of the load (rather than the knees).

I understand there’s a bit more to it than that and that this is a pretty extensive topic which people write books about. Cut me some slack, I’m trying to simplify things here.

Besides, considering most people have ADD as it is and won’t read past the first two paragraphs anyways, I figured something short and to the point would, oh look, a shiny!

Where was I again?

Right, box squats.

In short, box squats serve a purpose and I do utilize them quite often with beginners and some intermediate lifters to help groove technique and coach appropriate depth.

Outside of the learning curve, and once someone exits the beginner stage, for RAW lifters I don’t feel box squats serve a purpose or have a place in a training program.

Note:  for those wondering what the hell I mean when I say “raw lifter,” all I’m referring to is someone who is not a competitive powerlifter and doesn’t use gear to lift.  I.e., a squat suit.

When someone wears a squat suit it changes the dynamic of the lift. You HAVE to sit back more aggressively compared to not wearing one.

Powerlifters utilize the box squat because it’s specific to their sport. They have to sit back because if they don’t they’ll be a crumpled up ball of fail on the platform.

Past a point, for raw lifters, the box squat creates too many bad habits.

1.  Teaches people to sit back more than they could/should.

2.  Teaches people to “relax” on the box and to rock their weight back up. This works for geared powerlifters because A) they’re strong enough to stay out of those last 2-3 degrees of end range flexion of the spine and B) the suit is there to help provide more stability.

Stealing an awesome quote from the guys over at Juggernaut:

“Do not focus on excessively sitting back onto your heels if you are a raw lifter, this is not advantageous because you don’t have a suit to sit back into. There will be some forward movement on the knees in the lift and that is fine. A short movement of the hips backwards and then squat down from there. “Back, back, back” isn’t for you, it is more “down, down, down”.

– 10 Steps to a Great Squatting Technique

And there you have it. That’s my current line of thinking regarding box squats. If you’d still like to grab pitchfork, go for it.  But hopefully I did a good enough job making my case.

EDIT:  to say that I also find box squats are a great fit for those who are unable to squat (deep) due to knee issues, Femoral acetabular impingement, other musculoskeletal issues, or simply their own anatomy.

Here are a couple of articles I wrote on the topic:

How Deep Should I Squat?

Does Everyone Need to Squat Deep?

 

* = actually, that’s a lie. I totally do.

CategoriesExercise Technique Program Design Strength Training

3 Ways to Improve Your Squat

Among the many gems that I gleaned this past weekend during Greg Robin’s Optimizing the “Big 3” workshop was the notion that, contrary to popular thought, the purpose of supplemental work (or exercise) isn’t so much to make an exercise harder, but rather to address a some form of “kink” in one’s technique.

One such example would be deficit deadlifts. These are a very popular supplemental lift for those who are slow off the floor with their pull.  The i

dea being that by elevating yourself on some form of platform or elevated surface you increase the ROM the bar must travel, and thus make the lift harder (and build explosiveness off the floor).

Is that really what’s happening?

Think about it:  you’re decreasing the weight of the bar. If progressive overload is the rule to live by, how can taking weight off the bar help?

For the more visual learners in the crowd here’s a video of me pulling 505 lbs from a deficit to help.

Now, I’m not suggesting that performing deficit pulls – with lighter loads – doesn’t help with building explosiveness off the floor.  Rather, all I’m suggesting is a slight paradigm shift and change of view.

Performing deficit pulls forces me to address my TECHNIQUE!!  Honing my technique and addressing kinks in THAT is what’s going to help me pull more weight in the long run.

I naturally pull with my hips a bit higher than most people – it’s how my body is built.  I’m also very slow off the floor.  So is the increased ROM helping me be more explosive off the floor or is it the fact I’m forcing myself to dip a tad lower and engage my quads a bit more?

Note:  I admit this would be even more applicable if I were puling conventional.

Now lets direct the discussion towards squats and what supplemental (squat) movements help with improving our technique in that realm.

Paused Squats

Anderson (Deadstart) Squats

1-1/2 Squats

In my latest article on BodyBuilding.com I discuss all three variations and why they’re a good choice to help with your squatting performance.

Continue Reading………..