So yeah… as the title says… aside from squatting more, what are some other exercises I can add to improve my squat? Benching and deadlifting come easy for me but my squat is really sucking so I want to improve on it.
I’m currently doing WS4SB 3.
I’m 5’9, 158lbs, Bench = 260lbs Deadlift = 365lbs Squat = 225lbs (highest I’ve tried, maybe could have done a bit more but this almost folded me in half). You can see what I mean by a crap squat lol.
Thanks!
With a 225 squat… just squat.
Use more weight/more reps as often as possible, thats about it.
I dont think the program that your doing is ideal is squating is a weak point.
Youd probably be better off doing squats more often at various intensities until you get the movement down pact.
You bench 260 at 158lb Raw? How old are you? And how long have you been benching and not squatting? Whatever you do for deadlift training seems that it would have carried over a little more to your squat, weird.
I am right there with you man. 5’9 249 with a dl in the high 500’s a bp of 425 and bam a squat of 455. my bp is almost equal to my squat and i can’t seem to get my squats moving. i have looked at some of the westside stuff and none of it looks all that different from what i already do. if you figure it out let me know.
If you want to squat more, squat more.
Try Bill Starr’s 5X5.
I haven’t heard of someone going through with that program and not improving their squat.
[quote]Hanley wrote:
If you want to squat more, squat more.[/quote]
Golden advice!
Since you’re just staring out I would strongly suggest ordering Westside squat video’s, I believe there a two or three; also if possible find someone who is a good powerlifter to help you with technique. Now is the time to do things right. I have seen way too many guys squat with their knees forward and the bar placed way up on their traps, these are just a few of the things that should be fixed now.
After addressing the tech. issues find a good squat routine and go for it. There are several on the net just type in squat routines or squat cycles and have fun. One other thing, make sure to use a belt correctly by pushing out with your abs. If you don’t have one, you should order a powerlifting belt and then learn to push your abs out hard against the belt when you squat and deadlift.
George
If you do the Westside for Skinny Bastards template correctly, you should be doing a lot of exercises besides squatting.
A lot of people don’t know this because they don’t know the original template, but for your Max Effort workouts you MUST rotate the Max Effort Exercise you do. Rotate the exercise every week.
So, if your Max Effort Lower Body main lift was Deadlifts last week, do Box Squats this week. Then do something totally different from Box Squats like Front Squats, Rack Deadlifts, or Zercher Squats.
Find 4 exercises you can rotate for your Lower Body Max Effort Exercises and 4 Bench Press variations you can rotate for your upper body.
Example (I think this rotation would be good for bringing up your squat in particular):
Week 1: Box Squat
Week 2: Sumo Deadlift
Week 3: Front Squat
Week 4: Zercher Squat
And for Bench…
Week 1: Incline Bench Press
Week 2: Weighted Chin-up
Week 3: Bench Press
Week 4: Weighted Dips
It’s very important to keep track of the 3-5RM that you hit on each exercise, because you’ll need to beat that number again the next time you do that exercise.
As for rotating the various other exercises, just do that when progress begins to stall in that exercise. If you’ve been stuck at the same weights with Pull-Throughs or Barbell Curls, then switch to Glute-Ham Raises or Dumbbell Curls.
Just follow the Westside for Skinny Bastards program to the T and rotate the Max Effort Exercises. On the Dynamic Effort Lower Body day DO NOT replace the Jump Training with Cleans or more Squats. Do the Damn Jump training. When you can jump onto a 48’ Box, your squat will be a lot higher.
And if you can Squat only 225 with a 365 deadlift, then chances are your Squat form is not the best. Learn the right way to Box Squat by watching EliteFTS videos, watching SquatRx videos, and actually talking to powerlifters and watching them. Box Squatting will teach you how to Squat with your Hips instead of your Quads, where to put your body, and how to stay tight.
I’d suggest concentrating on form and muscle activation. There are a series of videos on Youtube called squatrx which helped me a lot.
If you concentrate on keeping good form and activation and just slowly increasing your weight each week and giving your legs good recovery then your squat will increase along with other lifts 
I was just slamming weights on and goign for it and getting pretty much nowhere fast. I ended up watching a few of the videos from squat rx (I think the first 4? then it gets pretty full on) dropping from 80kg to 60kg and just concentrating on form.
About two months later I put 140kg on the bar last workout and knocked out a couple of reps. That was after 80kgx20 and 105kgx20 so legs were already a bit worked
So yeah, form and muscle activation and just slowly bump the weight up and never give yourself a rest (within reason obviously :P)
[quote]FightingScott wrote:
If you do the Westside for Skinny Bastards template correctly, you should be doing a lot of exercises besides squatting.
A lot of people don’t know this because they don’t know the original template, but for your Max Effort workouts you MUST rotate the Max Effort Exercise you do. Rotate the exercise every week.
So, if your Max Effort Lower Body main lift was Deadlifts last week, do Box Squats this week. Then do something totally different from Box Squats like Front Squats, Rack Deadlifts, or Zercher Squats.
Find 4 exercises you can rotate for your Lower Body Max Effort Exercises and 4 Bench Press variations you can rotate for your upper body.
Example (I think this rotation would be good for bringing up your squat in particular):
Week 1: Box Squat
Week 2: Sumo Deadlift
Week 3: Front Squat
Week 4: Zercher Squat
And for Bench…
Week 1: Incline Bench Press
Week 2: Weighted Chin-up
Week 3: Bench Press
Week 4: Weighted Dips
It’s very important to keep track of the 3-5RM that you hit on each exercise, because you’ll need to beat that number again the next time you do that exercise.
As for rotating the various other exercises, just do that when progress begins to stall in that exercise. If you’ve been stuck at the same weights with Pull-Throughs or Barbell Curls, then switch to Glute-Ham Raises or Dumbbell Curls.
Just follow the Westside for Skinny Bastards program to the T and rotate the Max Effort Exercises. On the Dynamic Effort Lower Body day DO NOT replace the Jump Training with Cleans or more Squats. Do the Damn Jump training. When you can jump onto a 48’ Box, your squat will be a lot higher.
And if you can Squat only 225 with a 365 deadlift, then chances are your Squat form is not the best. Learn the right way to Box Squat by watching EliteFTS videos, watching SquatRx videos, and actually talking to powerlifters and watching them. Box Squatting will teach you how to Squat with your Hips instead of your Quads, where to put your body, and how to stay tight. [/quote]
I think you make some good points. I’ve been rotating my ME exercises every 3 weeks or so, same with the assistance work. I’ll try changing the max effort every week.
I think part of what helps my DL be so far ahead of my squat is my body structure. I’m pretty long in the limbs and narrow in the hips/waiste. Also, pretty broad in the shoulders, back and chest… probably why my bench comes easy. I also incline 80lb DB’s with no spot. But I figure even if my body isn’t ideal for squatting… I won’t allow it to remain as pathetic as it is.
I’ll try switching every week now with the exercises you’ve mentioned.
[quote]JFG12 wrote:
FightingScott wrote:
If you do the Westside for Skinny Bastards template correctly, you should be doing a lot of exercises besides squatting.
A lot of people don’t know this because they don’t know the original template, but for your Max Effort workouts you MUST rotate the Max Effort Exercise you do. Rotate the exercise every week.
So, if your Max Effort Lower Body main lift was Deadlifts last week, do Box Squats this week. Then do something totally different from Box Squats like Front Squats, Rack Deadlifts, or Zercher Squats.
Find 4 exercises you can rotate for your Lower Body Max Effort Exercises and 4 Bench Press variations you can rotate for your upper body.
Example (I think this rotation would be good for bringing up your squat in particular):
Week 1: Box Squat
Week 2: Sumo Deadlift
Week 3: Front Squat
Week 4: Zercher Squat
And for Bench…
Week 1: Incline Bench Press
Week 2: Weighted Chin-up
Week 3: Bench Press
Week 4: Weighted Dips
It’s very important to keep track of the 3-5RM that you hit on each exercise, because you’ll need to beat that number again the next time you do that exercise.
As for rotating the various other exercises, just do that when progress begins to stall in that exercise. If you’ve been stuck at the same weights with Pull-Throughs or Barbell Curls, then switch to Glute-Ham Raises or Dumbbell Curls.
Just follow the Westside for Skinny Bastards program to the T and rotate the Max Effort Exercises. On the Dynamic Effort Lower Body day DO NOT replace the Jump Training with Cleans or more Squats. Do the Damn Jump training. When you can jump onto a 48’ Box, your squat will be a lot higher.
And if you can Squat only 225 with a 365 deadlift, then chances are your Squat form is not the best. Learn the right way to Box Squat by watching EliteFTS videos, watching SquatRx videos, and actually talking to powerlifters and watching them. Box Squatting will teach you how to Squat with your Hips instead of your Quads, where to put your body, and how to stay tight.
I think you make some good points. I’ve been rotating my ME exercises every 3 weeks or so, same with the assistance work. I’ll try changing the max effort every week.
I think part of what helps my DL be so far ahead of my squat is my body structure. I’m pretty long in the limbs and narrow in the hips/waiste. Also, pretty broad in the shoulders, back and chest… probably why my bench comes easy. I also incline 80lb DB’s with no spot. But I figure even if my body isn’t ideal for squatting… I won’t allow it to remain as pathetic as it is.
I’ll try switching every week now with the exercises you’ve mentioned.
[/quote]
Why dont you just stick to squating for your “ME” exercise?
You know the guys at westside barbell all got strong as hell just squating, benching, and deadlifting before they got into all that shit?
Almost every program will work, but it takes a proper ammount of knowledge to understand what program would be best for you. I know a thing or two about getting a good squat. And Im here to tell you at 225 you dont need to switch ME exercises every week, you dont need to switch them every 3 weeks, or 5 weeks, or 10 weeks.
All you need to do is squat, 2 or 3 days a week considering your max is 225lbs and you will be able to make gains and recover allot faster than someone with lets say, a 500lb squat.
For that matter, try smolov, with a 225 max you should have no problem completing smolov with flying colors, I wouldnt be suprised if you ended up with a 350 squat after wards with a belt and knee wraps.
[quote]Flow wrote:
Try Bill Starr’s 5X5.
I haven’t heard of someone going through with that program and not improving their squat.[/quote]
That’s good advice from FightingScot, but I would definitely have to second this, or at least something like it. Or maybe implement some of Pavel’s greasing the groove type stuff in regards to squating very frequently with low volume.
[quote]AlexM wrote:
Flow wrote:
Try Bill Starr’s 5X5.
I haven’t heard of someone going through with that program and not improving their squat.
That’s good advice from FightingScot, but I would definitely have to second this, or at least something like it. Or maybe implement some of Pavel’s greasing the groove type stuff in regards to squating very frequently with low volume.[/quote]
The sad thing is I started by doing Starr’s 5x5. I did it for about 12 weeks. My 225lb squat IS an improved squat lol. The squat feels like no other movement for me. The weight doesn’t feel heavy on my back, doesn’t feel too heavy going down, but then I lack the explosiveness that I have in all of my upper body movements, and my DL.
I’m just sayin’ if you’re gonna do WS4SB then do what I suggested.
But you can defiantly make progress by just Squatting. If you do that, however, you shouldn’t be taking triples every week. The Westside for Skinny Bastard’s template is designed for exercises to be rotated relativly frequently.
So, if you’re gonna just Squat, Bench and Deadlift then you should follow a program designed around that idea.
Ed Coan just maxed out on Squats every time he got in the rack when he was in his teens. He did this until he could Squat 500 pounds. But Ed Coan is a freak. Think about all the kids who Max out on Bench every time they get a bar in their hands.
They’re lucky if they add 20 pounds to their Bench Press in a year. This is why you can’t do the WS4SB template and only do Back Squats on your lower body day.
Your a complete newb at the exercise. I read earlier in the thread of the Bill Star’s 5x5 routine and everyone I see talk about it have nothing but great things to say. You should just go ahead with that.
hum… u could cycle in some front squats.
However, if you are going ATG on ur back squats don’t expect them to go up high really quick.
My best DL is 375lbs, and my best back squat ATG is 268lbs (best front squat ATG 245lbs). BW of 185lbs at the time.
[quote]NeoSpartan wrote:
hum… u could cycle in some front squats.
However, if you are going ATG on ur back squats don’t expect them to go up high really quick.
My best DL is 375lbs, and my best back squat ATG is 268lbs (best front squat ATG 245lbs). BW of 185lbs at the time. [/quote]
your front squat is very close to back squat, have you maxed back recently? I bet you could probably get more out of it.
@ 225, i don’t think it makes sense to use conjugate period. for squats. a VERY simple program should be all you need e.g. 2x per week 5x5 (straight sets, all sets equal weight). and, in case you’re doing PL-style squats (and your flexibilty allows it): switch to ATG squats! i believe they are better for overall muscle/strength improvement.