Squats!

Squats!

Squats! The mother of all exercises! Although it's part of "The Big 3," if ever there was a big one, this is it!

Women, want to know how to build that booty? Squats. Men, want to lift big and strengthen your body from head to toe? Squats. 

OK, squats are a great exercise. But there is a fair amount of technique involved in executing a strong, productive, safe and powerful squat, regardless of which style of squatter you are.

High Bar Squats

High bar squats are what most people are familiar with. In this type of squat, the bar rests off the neck in the trapezius muscles. The squatter first unracks the weight, takes a step back and squats down until the crease of the hip dips just below the knee. Seems simple enough, right?

Well, what seems simple is not always the case. And much like other technical movements, there is really a lot involved in a good, powerful squat. First and foremost, the back should never round. Now, that's not to say you have to look up the ceiling and arch your back like no tomorrow. But it should be flat and not rounded or with a slight arch.

Another thing to take note of is foot position. This really depends on the shape of lifter and their legs. Generally speaking, feet should be about shoulder width with toes pointed out at a slight angle (so, not dead ahead). Pointing the knees and toes out takes some pressure off the knees and it ends up resulting in more power from the quadraceps.

When actually executing the squat, coming down means sitting back in the squat - think of sitting in an invisible chair. At the bottom of the squat, the squatter should drive from the center of the foot. Some people say, "drive from the heels." However, in a good squat, the bar should have a straight vertical path from the middle of the foot. So, the lift is actually from the middle of the foot. However, if thinking of driving from your heels helps you to sit back in the squat then drive from your heels.

High Bar Squat Equipment

Shoes: High Bar Squat shoes should be flat and have a non-compressible sole. Why? Squatting high bar with flat soles shouldn't cause a balance issue since the bar rests high on the back. A high bar means that it will be further forward at the bottom of the squat, allowing the lifter to keep proper balance from the base to the top of the lift. And having non-compressible soles afford the lifter a more sturdy footing under load which translates to a more powerful lift (and fewer concerns over balance).

Belt: Some people choose to squat beltless. I am very cautious about squatting at all without a belt. A good lifting belt can allow you to create internal pressure by pushing your abs against the belt, thereby stabilizing your core and providing more power through the lift. It is not uncommon for lifters to report higher squat numbers using a belt than without one. Personally, I like that it helps stabilize my lumber since I have some lower back issues.

Knee Sleeves: I'm not going to get into multiply suits or knee wraps. I don't wear either in the gym or in competition. So, I wouldn't be much good talking about them, anyway. But I no wear knee sleeves. Why? Because they are comfortable and they keep my knees warm. This is important since warm joints are more elastic than cold joints, which means I am that much less likely to injure something. 

Low Bar Squats

Low bar squats are what you frequently see in powerlifting competitions. The term "low bar" is given because the bar rests lower on the back: below the trapezius muscles, on the shelf created by the posterior deltoids. There is an interesting thing that happens when you low bar squat, however. It becomes more difficult to keep balance and get low enough for the hip crease to dip below the knee. This is because there is more of a rear weight shift that changes the balance when the bar is held over the center of the foot. To account for this, the butt goes back and the torso is less erect than in high bar squats.

The rest of the movement is similar to high bar and the basic principals are the same. The back should not round, and the knees and toes are pointed slightly out. So, why do low bar vs high bar? Simply put, a skilled low bar squatter can generate more power from the posterior chain. This leads to bigger lifts.

Low Bar Squat Equipment

Shoes: The only real difference in equipment for low bar squatters is the shoes. For low bar squats, I use squat shoes that have a non-compressible flat base with a raised heel. Unlike athletic shoes, squat shoes have a rock solid sole with zero give. And the elevated heel shifts my weight just forward enough that I can sit back in the squat, while maintaining stability and improving drive. I also find it easier to reach the required squat depth with low bar using squat shoes.

Posted by Clayton Long