All These Squat Articles and Info
is really overwhelming me…knees out, sit back, wide stance/close stance, feet out or straight ahead…etc what do i do now???technique is all jacked up.
I like these two articles by Mike Robertson.
Basically, I like to cue:
1)Shoulder Blades together when getting under and unracking the bar.
2) Sit back first, then bend the knees. I don’t like sitting back as much as some though.
3) Weight in your heels and knees out the whole time.
4) Down until hips are below knees.
5) Stand up
Stances will vary depending on body proportions and mobility. Start with your heels at shoulder width and toes pointed out a bit. Adjust from there.
Hope that helps.
Find what’s most comfortable and squat. The biggest differences in the squat are a gear squat and raw squat - technique completely different no matter what anyone tells you. Raw squatters are not trying to get more out of a suit, hence the reason gear lifters try to stretch the suit as much as possible to get the biggest spring out of the bottom. Watch some vids of raw guys squatting vs geared guys. It’s pretty obvious how a raw guy should be squatting. Some raw guys will squat wide if they have strong/flexible hips, but most do not.
Raw squat - sit down
Gear squat - sit back
Raw squat - narrow
Gear squat - wide
Just make sure your knees track in a straight line w/ your toes. There will always be debates on how to squat properly but the facts are, do what’s comfortable and allows you to train injury free.
I am having the same problem. This video is on the longside, but I think the advice is what I need. Bssically stop over thinking it, man up and sit back.
It helps to break down the analysis and remember the basics of the squat. I don’t mean cues, I mean what squat mechanics basically involve:
An interaction between the
(1) ankles
(2) knees
(3) hips/ posterior chain
Form wise these three points will determine how the outline of your squat looks. Foot placement and bar placement will affect how they interact.
So if you want to change your squat form around, first play with the foot and bar placement.
Then watch how the above three interact and start playing around.
If you find major flexibility issues or strength issues, identify the source (usually one of the three above) and work on it. You can also test the above areas individually to find mobility issues.
If you wanted to know what the STRONGEST way to squat is…sorry dude but you just gotta squat more and find out for yourself.
Just remember if you change your form it may take awhile to get stronger in it, especially if you have strength imbalances.
Anyway, pick a style, stick with it, and get good with it.
Hey bro. I was a bit like you when i first started lifting reading all these internet forums and watching youtube videos. You know what the best way to squat is? The kind that leaves you injury free and feeling good. Take this advice for me please. Just Squat and do what feels natural. Just make sure your back is not doing rounding shit lol. But seriously try this for me squat for 2 months straight the way it feels natural to you. Dont type anything on the internet about squats dont read any how to articles and dont watch any youtube videos. Just Squat and forget about all these crazy ques. The internet is very good for information and is also very shitty and can confuse lifters. Good luck man.
lift run bang has a good squat series. i find if i sit back at all, it turns into a shitty good morning. i naturally sit back because of the way my hips are, and cueing any more than that fucks it all up. videotape yourself with something fairly heavy, but not a max is the best idea
…and the funny/frustrating thing with ALL these articles/tutorials is that they are all hopelessly superficial in their descriptions/tips. Take all those cues as a starting point and do the good ol’ trial and error. I find heavy volume based squat programs (like Smolov) will quickly sort out many technical issues because otherwise you will die.