Analyzing Your Squat Workouts
As told to Powerlifting USA
by Louie Simmons

“…..If know how to squat, there Is no need to do extra actual squatting. In fact, If your squat form is not correct, more squatting will rein­force the same bad form.” ….LOUIE S.

Every time I pick up a Power­lifting USA I see some miracle squat program that calls for squatt­ing 3 or 4 times a week.
This is ridiculous, to say at the least, and impractical for the full powerlilter. Those 4 times a 
Week programs are intended for sports like track and field and rugby, or sports for conditioning, not powerlifting. It would kill a bench press, and how would one do dead lifting workouts during this time? If you had bad form, this type of training would make it worse. If you have a muscle group that’s lagging, you will have an injury before long. Think about it, If you want to learn to box, why don’t you box 4 times a week with Mike Tyson. Right, you would land in the hospital for sure.
I had a lengthy discussion with a long-time world record holder in the Javelin. He told me how he trained: he threw everything but the Javelin. He also said that the man who broke his record did even more specialty work and less javelin throwing than his predecessor.
John Carlos was the world’s fastest man in the late 1960s and was also in trouble a lot for spend­ing most of his time in the weight room and not on the track.
Valery Borsof, the Olympic champion in the 100 meters, also concentrated his efforts in the gym, building his sprinting muscles with glute/ham raises and raising his GPP.
A football player plays football only about 20% of the time. The other 80% is composed of special drills.
I personally made a top 10 squat in 1972 and am third in 2001. The 920 I did this year ranks sixth on the 242 all-time list. At Westside Barbell we have many all-time top 10 squats. Not only do we not squat 4 times a week, we don’t do any regular squats at all, just box squats.
We developed our training methods after the original Culver City Westside Barbell methods of training and then modified them to some extent to keep up with the times. In 1984, I then added the old, proven Soviet methods.
If there is one thing I have learned, no one can only squat to excel at squatting. And no one can squat 4 times a week and survive it. However, you can train the squat 4 times a week by special means.
In 1972, the Dynamo Club in Russia came up with a method of training called the conjugate method. This club consisted of more than 70 top lifters. First, 25-40 special exercises were used. At the end of the test period, one lifter said that was enough, but the rest of the lifters wanted more exercises to choose from. Here at Westside, we use hundreds of combinations to increase the squat.
If you look at our training, it is totally intended to raise the squat. One day we work on special strength and at the same time build the critical squatting muscles and perfect form. Three days later, we do on exercise that builds absolute strength, like deep box squat, good morning, or some type of pull.
That’s 2 days a week. Now, let’s think logically. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and so is the squat. I see liters that hurt their lower back, but instead of paying more attention to it, they go back and squat again. Obviously their lower back muscles are weak and need extra work. This extra work will prevent a weak link. The rest of your squat muscles, maybe able to squat 75 or 100 more pounds, but not as long as your lower back continues to get injured constantly. The same holds true for hamstrings or even the upper back or abs. Again, do one dy­namic squat workout a week using multiple sets with 50-60% and a max effort day where you work up to a max in a box squat, pull, or good morning. Remember, at certain times of the year you may not be able to break your all-time PR, but you must do all you can, much like the Bulgarian method.
Now let’s look at two more workouts during the week for the squat. As a bonus, these will also increase your deadlift. The hamstrings and glutes are the primary movers for squatting. Each workout should last 15-30 minutes. A 30 minute workout is a long special workout. It should be al­most nonstop. Always include abs In your extra workouts.
First, if you can’t sit back in the squat, your glutes and hamstrings are weak. Try glute/ham raises. This exercise works the hamstrings properly. The hamstrings extend from the knee to the glute, and both attachments work simultaneously as if you were jumping or sprinting, or of course squatting. If you alternate, a set of abs and a set of G/H raises, you have a great extra workout that is designed to raise your squat. In the old USSR, 600 G/H raises a month was just mainte­nance work. We like to tilt the G/H bench as high as 30 inches; this makes the exercise harder.
Pull-throughs work the glutes and hamstrings vary well. Pick an ab exercise and do supersets. When you fail a squat, many times it is caused by your back bending. So good mornings are in order. Try using Jump-Stretch bands on the bar. We prefer high reps, but I never count the reps. To change the in­tensity, use stronger bands. One workout do them with a bent-over style and the next, with an arched back. We also do a lot of regular weighted good mornings of all types.
For squatting without placing a bar on your back, do belt squats. One method is belt squats with weights. A second method is to hook a Jump-Stretch band through your power belt and stand in both ends. Then do box squats. This will build lower body flexion.
Pull a weighted sled. Early in the week use the heaviest weight, and reduce the amount as the week goes on.
You could substitute Reverse Hypers for a squat workout. 
A number of extra workouts can be squat­ting. I suggest all be done on a box: front squat, Zercher squat, MantaRay squat, belt squat, safety bar squat, cambered bar squat, etc. Immediate after squatting, go to this special exercises that fit your individual needs. 
If you know how to squat, there is no need to do extra actual squatting. In fact, if your squat form is not correct, more squat­ting will reinforce the same bad form. To become biomechanically sound, you must have proper muscle control. Very few people have great form. If your back is weak, you will bend over, causing bad form. If your glutes and hamstrings are weak, it is hard to sit back properly. If your abs are weak, you will be weak in the bottom and fold over.
An extra workout can also be a flexibility workout. Whatever workout you decide to do, include ab work. Remember, don’t train longer than 30 minutes few these extra workouts. If you are out of shape, these workouts should be done al­most nonstop. The better condition you are in, the less stressful your heavy or high-volume training will be.
Matt Smith has made great progress by doing special exercises such as G/H raises and safety squat bar squats. His squat has gone horn 733 to 930 and his deadlift from 633 to 800 in, believe it or not, 2 years. Mike Ruggiera’s squat was raised from 780 to 1000 in 2 1/2 years. Reverse Hypers and pullthroughs helped Mike.
What I have been describing is called the conjugate method. Spe­cial exercises will not only increase strength but perfect form. This training has produced nine 900+ squat­ters and two at a grand, all from a small gym. Success usually requires a complex plan with many parts. If one part is missing, you will fall.

Westside Barbell
614-276-0923