The squat has been coined “The King of All Exercises” and for good reason. It calls upon just about every part of your body to execute it with good form.
Keeping form in a squat is hard enough, now try and add some weight to the equation and things can get a bit hairy.
I am a huge advocate for single leg exercises for many reasons: Correcting imbalances, less direct load on the spine, contralateral loading, BUT the bi-lateral squat has been the king for a reason.
This exercise can add some serious strength to not just your legs but also your entire body. Bracing through the core, calling upon hip mobility, forcing your ankles into flexion, forcing your shoulders to retract, maintaining a mostly upright torso.
This list grows with every single thing you can add. The amount of variety and load that can be added to this exercise is one of the main reasons it is on top.
Although it is a well-known exercise there are many people that avoid it or do it wrong. This is because the bi-lateral squat is really freaking hard.
We are going to walk through 3 tips to help make the squat the best it can be.
Tip #1: Push With More Force Than You Need
Without pushing more weight than is required then the bar will crush you, which is pretty self-explanatory. So to be able to lift 50lbs you need to use 51lbs of force to move it.
The problem is, that someone who can squat 315lbs will have 225lbs on the bar and push with 230lbs of force.
If you have so much extra force available why not use it. You won’t get any better if you aren’t trying to get better. Let’s start using lighter weights as an advantage to our strength gains instead of just a stepping-stone.
When you have sub-maximal loads on the bar make sure you are moving that weight with some effort. Push with some real force, use some speed, generate power and watch your squat improve in the process.
Tip #2: Focus on Bracing
When you are doing any exercise your core is involved in some way. Being able to brace your core is more efficient, is safer, and generates so much power that this one tip alone can change your squat.
The biggest factor when learning to brace your core is proper breathing techniques. With most people chest breathing you must re-learn how to breathe deep into your stomach.
Try doing this with a bodyweight squat. Take big breath in through your nose to fill your belly. Hold that breath and feel your core tighten, brace your spine, and feel the tension rise in your body. From there, drop into a squat and drive back up releasing most, but not all of your breath.
Practice this technique and force that tension to build with each rep. Bracing is not an easy concept to perfect so keep practicing and notice your improvements over time.
Tip #3: Do A REAL Warm-Up
This tip is the main pre-requisite before you step under that bar. You must be prepared to squat. Now what the hell does that mean?
You must have the correct amount of mobility to perform a squat in the first place.
If you already possess the mobility requirements to pull of a squat then the next step is to get a damn good warm-up in before a squat session.
“WOW a warm-up what a great new and exciting piece of information!”
I know, how many times have you heard that you should warm-up before exercise?
I am not talking about just hopping on the treadmill for 3-5 minutes. I am talking about a targeted warm-up routine that will improve your squat the very first time you utilize it.
So how the hell should you warm-up. First you have to figure out your limiting factors.
- Not getting deep enough
- Can’t stay upright
- Feel unstable
- Ankles are locked
- Unable to engage your core
- Tightness in the hips
Whatever your limiting factors are we will have a heavier focus on those areas in the warm up.
First things first, we have to get moving and raise your core temperature.
Let’s start with jump rope
30 seconds on, 30 seconds off for 3-5 minutes
Now we will move into some self-release of your muscles. Foam rollers, lacrosse balls, or tennis balls will work great.
The main goal is to put pressure on a particular area of your body so when we move into mobilization those areas are able to move with less restriction.
Someone who has shoulders, hips, or ankles as a limiting factor will want to spend some more time on those spots and really focus on releasing some pressure.
If you have poor ankle mobility then work on the muscles surrounding the ankles, easy enough right?
Once you are feeling good from the self-release, then its time to move into some mobility work. The exercises will vary depending on your limiting factors yet again.
In most cases for squats I like to focus on stretching the pecs and lats to make sure you can bring your shoulders back to hold the bar.
Then move into thoracic mobilization to ensure you can keep a neutral spine while a bar is trying to crush you to the floor.
Once you are good there let’s move onto the hips. Most people I work with have tight hips in the first place so this is a must. Focus on the internal and external rotators of the hip and then the hip flexors as well because all these areas get very tight from sitting all day.
Now onto the area that people always miss! Your feet and ankles, please don’t skip this one. You will need to work on ankle mobilization in all directions but for most people starting with just regular ankle flexion is a good idea.
All mobilized, so now we move into activation. We want the correct muscles working when we get into our squats.
For this portion of the warm-up I focus on the upper back, glutes, and core. 3 main areas, good activation work, and you are ready to go.
Here is an outline of a warm-up routine to do for your next squat day:
- Jump rope: 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off, 3-5 minutes
- Foam Roll: 20-45 seconds on each area, feel a tight spot, hold it there for a bit
- Pecs
- Lats
- ABductors
- ADductors
- Calves
- Mobilize: 3-10 second holds, 5-10 reps
- Thoracic extensions
- Banded pec/lat stretches
- Tactical Frog
- 90-90
- Combat Stretch
- Activate: 2 rounds
- Glute bridges or bandwalks- x10-20
- Side planks- 30 seconds each
- Band Pull Aparts- x15
Push through this warm-up in about 8-15 minutes and let me know how your next squat day goes!
Jeffrey Nagle
Coach || OPEX South Shore
