ABCs of Squatting, Part I
By
Chris Clark
This is part one of a two-part series.
Learning to squat properly may be one of the hardest tasks you have ever
undertaken, but it is well worth the effort. When you say the word “squatting,”
it registers differently in most everyone’s mind. The uneducated have one
interpretation, the football coach has another, the beginner powerlifter has
another, and the elite powerlifter has another. And then everyone knows that guy
at the gym who has a skewed definition which only requires him to break his
knees at about 15 degrees. But I digress…
In the following article, we will talk about learning how to squat. In part
two, I’ll speak about how to make the switch from raw to assisted lifting. So
let’s learn to squat and I mean properly. After the publication of this article,
squatting above parallel will not be tolerated anymore. Sound like a deal?
I’ll start by saying that everyone is built differently, and therefore
everyone squats a little differently. You have to step back and take a good
honest look at how you’re built. Film yourself from different angles to see how
little changes like foot width, bar placement, and toe angle changes your
leverage. If you have a short torso or a long torso, a long femur or a short
one, there is a stance that will work best for you. But it will take a little
work to find the one that fits you best. The key is to find a stance that allows
you to keep the bar on your back, over your knees, and over your ankles. As you
widen your feet and knees, it may allow you to be more upright, and moving the
bar down your back one inch may help even more.
Let’s begin with how to get started. First, you need a good squat bar like a
Mastadon bar. This is an eight-foot bar that is used in many top organizations.
Some federations only allow a seven-foot bar like the
Texas power bar, which can
be tough for large lifter, but you have to do what you have to do. You need a
power rack or a
monolift or one of those cool
combo deals like EliteFTS.com
sells. You’ll also need a good
adjustable squat box, some weight plates, and a
good belt (we will learn how to use all of this properly next time). The
addition of bands and chains are very helpful, and eventually the addition of
specialty bars like the cambered or safety squat bar will be helpful in
broadening your training and making you stronger faster. That’s the name of the
game, is it not?
Now, let’s talk about learning the proper squat form. (I will use a monolift
for reference.) Walk up to the bar and acquire your favorite stance. The bar
should be around nipple height. Take your grip and dip, or have someone help you
under the bar and secure it in that “spot” on your back. Take a breath into the
gut and arch the bar out, making sure your head and chest are up. Allow the bar
to become stable, and with your butt moving first, sit back. Continue to hold
the breath, keeping the head and chest up and forcing your knees to stay out
(not pinching). Sit back further and further until you become fully seated on
the box. Relax the hip flexors, drive the head back (keep driving it back until
lockout), keep those knees out, and drive the hips through until lockout. Well,
how was it? Sucked, didn’t it? It takes time and significant hamstring and hip
strength to sit back properly, but you will get it.
One of the purposes of the box squat is to allow you to make sure you hit the
depth of choice. You can find parallel by simply sitting back on the box
properly and looking at the knee and the hip joint. If you can’t tell, have
someone snap a photo from the side at the proper angle. It’s ok to start with
the box a few inches above parallel and gradually work it down over the next few
workouts because learning the proper form is the battle. The big weights will
follow. There are many exercises that will strengthen the body parts needed to
squat well. We will address many of these in part two.
Thanks for taking the time to read this article. I hope that you learned
something and will return to read part two. In the mean time, learn all you can
and follow all the training and tips at
www.elitefts.com. We are here to make you strong!
Chris Clark is a single heavy weight powerlifter from North Carolina. He
has recorded a 970-lb squat, a 675-lb bench press, and a 733-lb deadlift. He won
the 2006 WPC SHW open class in New York. He currently trains at Granite City
Barbell with Travis Mash and Chris “Ox” Mason.
Elite Fitness Systems strives to be a recognized leader in the strength
training industry by providing the highest quality strength training products
and services while providing the highest level of customer service in the
industry. For the best training equipment, information, and accessories, visit
us at www.EliteFTS.com.
