STEP BY STEP SQUATTING
As told to Powerlifting USA
by Louie Simmons

Is it possible to increase your squat without squatting? The answer is yes and no. Confused? Don’t be. First, of course, one has to squat.
Work must be directed to explosive power and to teach yourself to accelerate. This is done in multiple sets of low reps. We perform 2s for 8-12 sets with short rest periods 45-60 seconds.
A second day must be devoted to using very heavy weights, 90-100%+. We use a variety of special squats with dif­ferent apparatuses on which to max out.
What if you have a body type that causes you to use mostly one muscle group? That’s why some have huge legs but small glutes or wide hips and small legs. If these lifters continue to
to increase their squat, they will continue to over train some body parts while under training others.
Think for a minute if the muscles that squat become stronger, then your squat should increase. What follows is a description of special exercises that are done at Westside to strengthen these muscles. Keep in mind that when an expert squatter performs, his/her back and knees
never move.
First, the hamstrings contribute greatly to the squat. So how do you build the hamstrings? One of the best exercises is the calf/ham/glute raise. A special bench is required. You lie facedown with your toes against a toe plate. By pushing against the toe plate and contract­ing the hamstrings, you leg curl up to a vertical position while flexing the glutes. This device enables you to contract the hamstrings at the knee and at the glute, simultaneously. This cannot be done with a leg curl machine. It simulates lifting a barbell from the floor to full extension. It is also perfect for run­ning and for an exercise on off days or a second workout. 
­The Reverse Hyper is exceptional for the hamstrings. When heavy weights are used, the ham­strings are involved quite heavily, especially where the glute ties in. This exercise should be used 4 to 5 times a week. Not only will it build the hamstrings but it works as restoration by opening the disk area and allowing spinal fluid to re-enter. One of our strongest females was tested at Ohio State University and was found to have a hamstring/quad ratio of 60-40%, the highest ever tested there. Now with a bilat­eral arm, the Reverse Hyper ma­chine is even more effective.
A third exercise that is great for hamstrings is a special deadlift we do for squatting. It took Matt Dimel from 820, where he was stuck for 18 months, to a 1010 squat. Use a shoulder width stance and grip the bar at the rings. First, stand up with an arched back. Then squat down with the glutes pushed far to the rear, never letting your knees move forward. Lower the bar to just below the knee very fast. Then with a strong concentric action return to the starting position. These partial deadlifts are done in a very, quick manner, first dropping the bar from an erect position to just below the knees, then catching the weight and lifting it explosively. Two sets of 20 reps can be done 4 times a week for 2 weeks with 30-40% of your 1 rep max. Then switch to a different exercise.
I have mentioned only 3 exer­cises, but there are many from which to choose for the hamstrings.
The back must not bend while squatting. That means it must become stronger, just like the ham­strings. Again, here are 3 exercises to do. First is the arched back good morning. Angelo Berardinelli trains his squat with weights between 385 and 460 to squat a 749 at 165. He supplements his squat with arched backs with weights up to 425 for 2 or 3 sets of 10 reps. To perform these cor­rectly, carry the bar low on the back. Take a wide stance with the knees pushed out to the sides as hard as possible. Push the glutes out to the rear, and with your back arched as
much as possible, lean forward slightly until the bar is in front of your knees. To return to the starting position, drive your head into the traps and stand up. Two things to re­member: this is not a quarter-squat and you must arch as hard as possible. It is much like the action of a back raise or hyperextension, ex­cept large weights can be used.
Speaking of back raises, we do a similar exercise on the calf/ham/glute apparatus. It is known as the inverse curl. With the feet locked 8-10 inches higher than the pad that supports the hips just like the back raise, raise up into arm arched posi­tion. Heavy weights must be used, up to 200 pounds for some of our lifts. Some of the reps are held statically for 2 seconds. This exer­cise will condition the spinal erectors to function in a manner much like the back works while squatting. Three to six sets are recommended. Reps range from 12 (with light weight) to 3 with heavy weight. If you have trouble staying arched while squatting, do more static work.
For a third choice, many of our lifters will do seated good mornings. Chuck Vogelpohl will straddle a bench with the bar on his back and bend over until his face touches the bench. He has done 525 this way. Although most of our men work up to a max single, it may be to your best interest to start with 5s, then 3s, and when you return to them latter for another minicycle, go for a single. This exercise will also build very strong abdominals. Just like all of our special exercises, seated good mornings should be done for only 2 or3 weeks.
We know strong abs are very important for a record squat. Here are 3 favorites at Westside.
When squatting, the abs must be held statically for the duration of the squat. So we do very heavy static sit-ups. Up to 150 pound dumbbells arm used. They are held for 5-6 seconds for 5 or 6 sets. To do these correctly, you must push your stomach out to the sides, much like blowing up a balloon. This is also how you should squat. To ascend out of a squat, you must push down against the belt.
Our workouts are very taxing on our back, so the last thing we want to do is wear out our backs while doing abs. So, we use the ab bench several times a week, both conventionally and statically. How­ever, we hold a medicine ball be­tween our legs. This increases the pressure on the abdominals an estimated 300%, making ab work much more effective. This tech­nique is quite common overseas (I thank Brandon Green for rekindling my interest in this matter.)
My personal favorite is standing up ab work on a Lat machine. Stand facing away from the ma­chine and squeeze your knees against the seat of the machine or a medicine ball. Use a triceps rope sand pull it down to the base of your neck. Now with the rope ends held tightly against your chest, bend forward and do a crunch. In a way, this is like doing eccentric deadlifting. With light weights, do the motion continuously for 2-4 minutes, 2 sets before squatting and 2 sets after. Doing them after squatting will take all the pressure off the spine. After
you get the hang of these, you will want to use heavy weight for low reps. This can be done by running your belt through the bottom of the lat machine and around your legs to hold you down. These will make you very strong. Remember, when you squat or deadlift, you are standing up, not sitting down.
Remember the title, Step by Stop Training? My friend Eskil Thomasson, of Sweden, told me how he had talked to some Finns about deadlifting to find out why so many of them deadtlift so much. They said that many of them worked at lumber camps and as a part of the job had to pull paper wood logs out of the wood and into the path the tractor could pick them up. It certainly worked for them, so I thought plates ranging from 45 to 200 pounds and attached them to our belt with another chain. We then walked (out-side) while dragging the weight behind us. The distance is about a quarter mile. With a 45 pound plate, we do 2 trips, or a half mile total. With 100-200 pounds, we do a quarter mile, breaking it into walks of 120-200 feet at a time.
Sometimes we walk forward and sometimes we walk backward. Other times we walk up a slight grade. This really develops the hips, glutes, hamstrings and quads. Some of us drag weights as much as 8 times a week; twice on Friday, squat day, morning and evening, with 145-200 pounds: Saturday and Sunday, 1 time with 45-100 pounds: Monday, deadlift day, 2 times, morning and evening, 145-200 pounds; Tuesday and Wednesday, 1 time, 45 pounds.
Ease into this exercise. At first it will wear you down, but you will get used to it. It may take some lifters longer than others to adapt, but all will get stronger. This exercise benefits the squat and deadlift by building up the hip flexors. Walk, don’t run, forward and backward for the squat and deadlift.
Sometimes we pull the weights uphill using a handle. This will really build the upper back and legs. Sometimes we bend over and pull the weights behind with the hands close to the ankles. This is a real hamstring killer.
Dave Taylor, Chuck Vogelpohl’s brother had a 600 max deadlift off a 3 inch box. After dragging weights for less than 3 weeks, he did 650 easy off the same box. His squat off a 12 inch box jumped from 570 to a strong 605. Dave is just 19 years old and is a football player, not a powerlifter(so far).
I highly recommend that you try this exercise. All that is needed is 1200 pound test chain to hook the weight to your belt.
You must cut back on dragging weights about 7 days before a contest. We replace them with calf/ham/glute raises and, of course, reverse hyperextensions. Remember to keep the walk to a half mile with 45 pounds and a quarter mile with 100-200 pounds. 
Yes, our women do this as well. So get to it boys and girls. If it’s a record squat you’re after, take it step by step and you will get there.


Westside Barbell
(614) 276-0923