How to Squat: An Introductory Guide
Squat Standards
There are many different squat variations and movements that put a unique twist on the classic movement. For the purposes of our discussion, a ‘squat’ refers to a back squat; a movement executed with the bar resting across the traps and rear delts where the lifter bends at the hip and knee until the leg is parallel with the floor or below while keeping the torso relatively upright. In typing this, I can already think of several common variations that blatantly violate this description. Regardless, we will stay with this explanation of the squat as the gold standard for lower body strength and view the other variations as derivative of this definition.
When the squat is contested at a local powerlifting meet, the standards become much more important. To keep an even playing field, everyone is held to the same squat standards so that apples are compared to apples and not elephants. The important points in this context tend to be squat depth and ‘cleanness’ of the movement. The crease of the hip must pass below the top of the knee for the lift to be considered parallel and the bar must come up in an even fashion without reversing direction or the lifter taking a step. While squat depth is a universal issue in all strength sports, the quibbling over the aesthetics of the lift are exclusive to powerlifting. Strongman and crossfit athletes typically enjoy a much shorter rule book: get to depth and stand up.
When analyzing the squat as a training tool that can be used to develop any number of physical traits, rather than simply an event at a lifting contest, the important points tend to change. As with all other compound movements, the important standards in training will revolve around a.) safety and b.) effectiveness. Many a squat Nazi has blasted bodybuilders and strength athletes for deviating from some universal standard to be observed by all athletes at all times, regardless of goal. This unwavering standard is, of course, imaginary.
There are numerous cases where partial ranges of motion, different bar positions, different tempos, and different stances are not only appropriate, but optimal for the goal. Many of these are beyond the scope of this article, but will be touched on later. This article will primarily focus on the development of your individual squat style, which you will use during the majority of your training to build size and strength, which you will be the most familiar and confident with, and which you will be able to handle the most weight in a competitive environment with.
When the squat is contested at a local powerlifting meet, the standards become much more important. To keep an even playing field, everyone is held to the same squat standards so that apples are compared to apples and not elephants. The important points in this context tend to be squat depth and ‘cleanness’ of the movement. The crease of the hip must pass below the top of the knee for the lift to be considered parallel and the bar must come up in an even fashion without reversing direction or the lifter taking a step. While squat depth is a universal issue in all strength sports, the quibbling over the aesthetics of the lift are exclusive to powerlifting. Strongman and crossfit athletes typically enjoy a much shorter rule book: get to depth and stand up.
When analyzing the squat as a training tool that can be used to develop any number of physical traits, rather than simply an event at a lifting contest, the important points tend to change. As with all other compound movements, the important standards in training will revolve around a.) safety and b.) effectiveness. Many a squat Nazi has blasted bodybuilders and strength athletes for deviating from some universal standard to be observed by all athletes at all times, regardless of goal. This unwavering standard is, of course, imaginary.
There are numerous cases where partial ranges of motion, different bar positions, different tempos, and different stances are not only appropriate, but optimal for the goal. Many of these are beyond the scope of this article, but will be touched on later. This article will primarily focus on the development of your individual squat style, which you will use during the majority of your training to build size and strength, which you will be the most familiar and confident with, and which you will be able to handle the most weight in a competitive environment with.
Leverage
Everyone possesses different limb ratios which can greatly affect their leverages. A lifter with relatively short legs will be able to sit straight down without much concern for how far their knees come forward and hips move back. When the femurs are longer, the simple act of squatting down becomes more cumbersome and the margin of error is reduced greatly. Despite common folklore, height does not affect squat performance beyond the simple fact that taller lifters can potentially store more muscle mass. It is the ratios of limb to torso length that determines whether squat day will be a joyous or dreadful occasion.
Take for instance a very long limbed lifter with a short torso, like if Tim Burton made an animated rendering of a grasshopper. As this disadvantaged lifter squats, the long length of the femur (thigh bone) will push the knees far past the toes and the hips far behind the heel. This will make getting depth very difficult without bending over and/or having extreme ankle flexibility. These types of lifters almost universally will favor a wide stance/ low bar squat. The wide stance makes it easy to push the knees out to the side, which shortens the front to back distance of the femur, and the low bar puts the bar closer to the pivot point (hip) which makes bending over during the lift less of a chore. Add in other factors such as the actual shape of the hip socket and flexibility (or lack of) of the hips, knees, and ankles, and the best way to do squats can suddenly become a very individual thing. For the purposes of this article, I will focus on the 80% under the bell curve who can take some broad recommendations and run with them. For you 20%.... stay tuned.
Everyone possesses different limb ratios which can greatly affect their leverages. A lifter with relatively short legs will be able to sit straight down without much concern for how far their knees come forward and hips move back. When the femurs are longer, the simple act of squatting down becomes more cumbersome and the margin of error is reduced greatly. Despite common folklore, height does not affect squat performance beyond the simple fact that taller lifters can potentially store more muscle mass. It is the ratios of limb to torso length that determines whether squat day will be a joyous or dreadful occasion.
Take for instance a very long limbed lifter with a short torso, like if Tim Burton made an animated rendering of a grasshopper. As this disadvantaged lifter squats, the long length of the femur (thigh bone) will push the knees far past the toes and the hips far behind the heel. This will make getting depth very difficult without bending over and/or having extreme ankle flexibility. These types of lifters almost universally will favor a wide stance/ low bar squat. The wide stance makes it easy to push the knees out to the side, which shortens the front to back distance of the femur, and the low bar puts the bar closer to the pivot point (hip) which makes bending over during the lift less of a chore. Add in other factors such as the actual shape of the hip socket and flexibility (or lack of) of the hips, knees, and ankles, and the best way to do squats can suddenly become a very individual thing. For the purposes of this article, I will focus on the 80% under the bell curve who can take some broad recommendations and run with them. For you 20%.... stay tuned.
"What Do Squats Do?"
Squats do numerous things that are important for bodybuilders and athletes alike. I remember when I was giving a buddy of mine a hard time for skipping his squat workout. He asked bluntly, “What do squats do, anyways?”. My response, “Everything”. Firstly and most obviously, it places the main movers through a substantial range of motion under a load. The best compound exercises for building size and strength tend to optimize the intersection between range of motion and load. When range is reduced, overload is optimized and vice versa. Because squatting is such a biomechanically friendly movement (even infants know how to do it), we are able to get the best of both worlds and that creates a vicious training stimulus.
Aside from building a monster pair of wheels, squats also massively increase the strength and stability of the midsection and upper back. The role of your abs and posterior are primarily to brace your spine, especially under a load. To put a barbell on your back and maintain posture while moving through space is to condition these muscles to do their job better. This is hugely beneficial to virtually all athletes, including those who engage in high impact activities.
On top of all of these qualities, squats are also said to increase the release of testosterone. According to modern bro science, harder efforts in training lead to a response in hormones that optimize repair in the body, and there are few harder efforts than an all-out squat party. Basically, the more devastating a training stimulus, the more testosterone is released post workout which, of course, leads to dramatic increases in size and strength. I’ve even heard of bodybuilders putting biceps at the end of squat workouts to reap this reward in other areas of the body. In addition, it maintains connective tissue and bone density, promotes real world mobility, and can even stave off the degenerative effects of arthritis and osteoporosis. In short, squats do everything.
Except the dishes.
Muscles Used in Squats
The squat is commonly revered as the best compound exercise for size and strength, the King of All Exercises, if you will. Besides the gut-busting effort they require, they utilize more muscles at once than any other compound strength exercises. The list of muscles used in the squat include, but is not limited to, the traps, lats, rhomboids, spinal erectors, abs, obliques, glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calf muscles. You will notice that this isn’t just a lot of muscles in one list, but they are some of the biggest muscles in the body. This fact is what makes taking a squat set to failure such a monumental effort. In fact, it is not uncommon for a seasoned lifter to tax out their cardiovascular capacity in a high rep set before fully exhausting the working muscles.
We can divide muscles used in squats into two categories: main movers that perform a concentric contraction (scrunch up) and supportive muscles that perform an isometric contraction (freeze in place). Essentially, everything below the belly button is a main mover and exists to move the ankle, knee, and hip joints in a concentric contraction to physically move you through three dimensional space. Since a concentric contraction will produce more metabolites (waste product), these are the muscles used in squats that suffer the brunt of the torture when waste product builds up and the burn sets in. Most of you can guess that this includes the quads (usually the first muscle group to burn), as well as the glutes and hamstrings.
The supportive muscles don’t actually go through a concentric contraction, but rather go through an isometric contraction to freeze a particular body part in place. You can think of your spine as a bunch of Jenga blocks, and this isometric contraction of your upper back, obliques, and abdominals all serve to keep the blocks from falling. While you may not think that stabilizing through an isometric contraction would be a sufficient enough task to spur new strength and size gains, the muscles used in squats that maintain position under a heavy weight actually grow dramatically from this effort. I have had more than a few squat marathons that have left the muscles of the upper back and abdominals in some serious pain.
How to Squat Properly
Proper squat technique is going to vary significantly by training goals and body type, but for the most part, we can categorize squat technique into two different camps: low bar/wide stance and high bar/narrow stance. 95% of all squat setups, for bodybuilders, powerlifters, and athletes, can be derived from these basic principles. While there are some instances of outliers who, for example, squat narrow stance with a low bar and fold way over, I can assure you these hybrid setups are rare and usually address some unique anatomical issue. In short, they most likely don’t apply to you.
Proper Squat Technique: High Bar/Narrow Stance
Who It Most Likely Applies To
High bar narrow stance squat position is referred to as a ‘quad dominant’ technique. A high bar position implies that the lifter is going to stay upright, since it gives a large leverage disadvantage to any lifter who leans forward in this position. This upright squat position paired with a narrow stance results in more angular motion in the knee joint, which places a much larger stress on the quadriceps. This makes it a great choice for any aspiring bodybuilder looking to improve the size and appearance of their quad muscles.
From a competitive standpoint, high bar narrow stance squats closely resemble the bottom position in a clean and jerk, so it’s no surprise that hundreds of reps per week are performed by competitive Olympic weightlifters. If you are simply a powerlifter looking to find a proper squat technique that suits your build, high bar narrow stance squats are going to favor those with great ankle and hip mobility, relatively short femurs, and quads that are stronger than their glutes and hamstrings.
As a Training Tool
As a training tool, high bar narrow stance squats contribute to overall athleticism and thigh development more so than it’s low bar counterpart. The increased range of motion help retain basic mobility through the body as massive forces are applied, which helps carryover to dynamic sports that require constantly changing position. Also, the disadvantage that normally accompanies increased range of motion is made up for by the bounce technique that happens in the bottom squat position. This controlled bounce adds a speed component to the lift, also contributing to the development of more athletic qualities that carryover to other activities.
Away from the field of sports, deep atg (ass to grass) squats done in this style can serve as a brutal conditioning tool in it’s own right, giving the metabolism a serious kick to the shin. For fat loss, size and strength development, or just sheer pain training, you can’t get much more bang for your buck than a balls out set of 20 rep squats.
As a Competitive Lift
Powerlifters who adopt a high bar narrow stance squat technique are typically very mobile lifters without exceptionally long limbs. To execute this squat technique properly, the lifter must be flexible to sit straight down with the heels on the ground, the knees over the toes, the torso upright, and spine neutral. These prerequisites will already eliminate a portion of lifters.
Just as with the close grip on an overhead press, narrow stance squats make up for a range of motion disadvantage by drastically increasing compression. This is exaggerated further by the use of knee wraps, which can greatly contribute to the drive out of the bottom squat position. Usually, high bar lifters will take advantage of a bounce in contest, exploiting stretch reflex to build bar momentum.
Bar Position
The proper bar placement for a high bar squat is going to be anywhere from resting directly on the rear delts to sitting high up directly on the trap muscles. The key is that the bar is secured on the lifters back without having to bend forward at all to support it. I personally have a longer torso, which gives me more options for a squat bar placement. Over the years, I have gotten comfortable squeezing my shoulder blades together and setting the bar on the shelf my rear delts make. This is a secure squat bar position that still allows me to stay upright as a I squat atg. ALL THINGS BEING EQUAL – BAR ON REAR DELTS SLIGHTLY BELOW TRAPS
Hand Placement
Hand placement in a squat will largely be determined by flexibility in the pecs and shoulder girdle of the lifter. Ideally, the bar as grabbed as close as possible to the shoulders with the thumbs wrapped around. A closer squat bar grip creates compression in the shoulder joint and tenses the muscles of the upper back, greatly improving upper back stability. Lifters with tighter pectorals and front delts may find it hard to wrap their thumb around the bar with this narrow hand placement, if they can get their hands that close to begin with. Taking a thumbless squat grip is an option in training, but disallowed in some powerlifting federations.
And, while taking the hands out wider is always an option, be advised that this requires a structurally strong upper back to execute without compromising squat position. Those accustomed to walking with heavy yokes or doing loads of upper back work may not have issue with this, but others may take a while to acclimate to this wide grip squat setup. ALL THINGS EQUAL – HANDS AS CLOSE TO THE SHOULDERS AS POSSIBLE WITH THUMBS WRAPPED
Elbow Position
Elbow position in a squat is an unnecessarily controversial topic. There are very few situations where I feel a squat technique point should be written law, and they usually involve an increased likelihood of injury. Option one is to drive the elbows high up behind you, which you will find drives the bar into the back providing extra security, but also puts strain on the shoulder and wrist and forces the chest down. Mark Rippetoe made this squat technique cue popular along with several others, and the unique squatting style of Starting Strength disciples can usually be spotted a mile away.
Typically, a thumbless grip is used to compensate for the extra strain on the wrists, while the tension in shoulders is merely adapted to as the lifter executes this setup over time. The other elbow position option is to drive the elbows the other direction, down under the bar, which brings the chest out and reinforces an upright position out of the hole while also being easier on the wrists. I have heard people almost go to blows over this trivial point and, after years of study, can tell you with absolute certainty…… it doesn’t matter.
A high elbow technique may be a helpful cue if you have issues with bar stability across your shoulders, whereas a low elbow option might be a necessary cue for a lifter who tends to drop their chest on heavier attempts. But long term success certainly won’t hinge on it and it isn’t even guaranteed that these cues will help in the first place. What I do know with certainty is that trainees adapt to how they train. Use some critical thinking and play around with which feels better to you. Make a choice, then stick to it. ALL THINGS EQUAL – ELBOWS SLIGHTLY DOWN, ESPEC. AT BOTT.
Foot position
A narrow stance can constitute anything from the heels two inches apart to the feet just outside the hips. As a default, I recommend the feet right under to slightly outside the hips, although there are likely some outliers who will need to modify this further. When you look in the mirror as you squat down, you should see your shins vertical, your knees tracking over wherever the toes are pointed, and you should feel strong, compressed, and stable at the bottom squat position. The ‘toes out’ and ‘toes straight’ cues are another silly point of contention among squat gurus. In a very obscure point of personal preference, some high bar lifters claim to get a lot of assistance out of the bottom position of the squat by ‘twisting’ their feet into the ground as if they were trying to open two jars of peanut butter with their feet. Supposedly, keeping your toes straight ahead while practicing this cue can greatly increase this tension and contribute to an aggressive rebound out of the hole.
I personally think that the benefit of this technique is exaggerated and any lifter would be better off worrying about the intensity of their last rep set instead of whether the twist in their feet was on point. As another blanket recommendation, I suggest pointing the toes wherever the knees tend to track. If you have short legs or you hip sockets point forward, then pointing the toes forward is just fine. If your legs aren’t so short or your hip sockets point to the side, you will want to emphasize the outward push of the knees which may be easier with the toes pointed out to the side. Once again, picking a technique and sticking with it will serve you better than obsessing over a point of personal preference. ALL THINGS EQUAL – TOES SLIGHTLY OUT, FEET HIP-SH. WIDTH
Breathing
This is a more serious point, since breathing during a squat is directly related to stability, which can make or break a lift when the weight is maximal or fatigue sets in. As with all other compound movements, performance is optimized when lungs are filled to capacity with air and all of the supportive musculature of the torso is clamped down around it. Right before the descent of the squat, take several deep breaths and finish with one big one, pushing your abs out as hard as you can. Hold this into the bottom squat position until you rebound back up and pass the sticking point.
As a rule, I never exhale on a squat until I am past my sticking point and there is zero chance of me missing the lift. This strategy is hugely important on max effort lifts or the last few sets of a ball breaking high rep set. If you are cruising at, say, 5x10 at 65% then optimizing abdominal pressure on each rep isn’t as important. As a side note, always get several quick breaths at the top of each rep. If a breath is held for multiple reps, or many reps are done with one breath on each rep, the odds of blacking out tend to increase. ALL THINGS EQUAL – STEAM TRAIN HEAVY, RELAX LIGHT
Knee Position
Knee position in a high bar squat is another individual preference based primarily on limb length and hip socket shape. Pushing the knees to the side on the descent shortens the distance of the knee and hip from your center of mass, creating a leverage advantage for longer limbed lifters. It also squeezes the glutes, creating much more tension at the bottom of the squat and aiding in propelling back up. Some lifters have reported feeling a trampoline effect when the push their knees out and drop their butt down in between the space created. Personally, my hip sockets don’t allow for much outward motion of the knees, so I feel just fine with my knees pointed straight forward. But I also have hobbit legs. ALL THINGS EQUAL – KNEES OUT
Hip Action
The hip position in a high bar narrow stance squat is also going to vary slightly between lifters. Olympic lifters tend to squat extraordinarily upright which, given the variety of body types that compete in Olympic lifting, leads me to believe keeping the hips directly under the shoulders is largely an issue of flexibility as opposed to limb ratio. Keeping the hips directly under you is also more advantageous to catching a snatch or receiving a clean than it is to squatting absolute weight. The trend among high bar powerlifters is the hips tracking back slightly before dropping down. The difference seens minimal, but the extra engagement of the hips can greatly increase the poundage being used. ALL THINGS EQUAL, HIPS BACK THEN DOWN
Depth
Squat depth should never be a question. Like brushing your teeth, it should just be something you do. The question is whether you will adopt an atg style squat or a barely-to-parallel powerlifting high bar squat. Squatting just to parallel with a narrow stance is actually a disadvantage when compared with a deep, well placed bounce, but this generation of heavy duty knee wraps compensates for this fact. Guys like Lilliebridge, Oak, and Kuhdzaryov exploit these wraps to give them a ton of extra pop at what is normally a relatively weak transition point for a narrow stance squatter. Since you likely are not Oak or Lilliebridge, I recommend taking the bar to just below parallel, feeling the tension build as you find the sweet spot in the bottom squat position and rebound off of it. This action will not only contribute more to heavy squats early in your career, but will actually put less shearing forces on your knee joint than stopping right at parallel. Youre welcome.
The Bounce
High bar narrow stance squats should always be done explosively. The descent always needs to be controlled, whether slow or fast, but once the last few inches of the lift are reached, the lifter should sink quickly and trampoline off their stretched glutes and hamstrings. The benefit of a narrow stance high bar setup is the speed that can get developed by rebounding out of a deep squat. The faster the barbell moves in the beginning of the lift, the more likely the weight will be carried through the natural sticking point. ALL THINGS EQUAL – CONTROLLED DESCENT FOLLOWED BY EXPLOSIVE REBOUND
On the way up
Assuming that every cue leading up to this point was executed flawlessly, your torso should be rigid, belly full of air, knees should be out, chest up, and you should be moving violently out of the bottom squat position. The rest of the lift hinges on making it past the stick point, after which you will be home free. An Olympic lifting coach once described a squat as a race to get your hips through. Assuming you stay upright out of the bottom squat position, the main limiting factor to locking out the lift will be how quickly your glutes will fire to shift your hips under you. One of the most common cues I scream at my lifters is “roll the hips”. This is to combat the instinct of the lifter to keep pushing with their legs, as in a leg press. If attention isn’t given to the action of ‘rolling the hips’ under the bar, the leg press action will leave the hips slightly behind, creating a disadvantage that can result in a missed lift that shouldn’t have been. ALL THINGS EQUAL – ROLL THE HIPS
Putting the high bar narrow stance squat form all together
There are a lot of moving parts in this squat setup and it can be overwhelming to think about, especially if you’re new. It helps to break each point down into a cue that can be easily remembered. Let’s break down the execution of the squat into 3 phases: setting up under the bar, getting ready for the descent, and reversing direction and standing up. As you set up under the bar, the things to consider are hand placement, bar placement, and elbow position. I personally have a thumbless squat grip, carry the bar slightly lower on top of the shelf of my rear delts, and keep my elbows very slightly back. Moving into my setup under the bar, I think:
thumbs…. shelf….. elbows up
Once I feel secure, I stand up with the bar and walk back into position.
Getting ready for the descent involves getting your feet set, taking in your air, and cueing your knees and hips to track properly. A newer lifter may focus on broader cues, such as:
Toes and knees out.... big air.... break at the hips
Where a more advance lifter who already is comfortable with their squat groove may focus on more subtle cues:
Squeeze the glutes and quads.... push the abs into the belt.... twist the feet into the ground
Regardless of the technical points, focus on mastering the simpler cues first until they no longer require thought before moving onto the more subtle, advanced squat techniques. It doesn’t matter how much torque you get in your hips from twisting the feet if your hips aren’t tracking right or your stance is too wide.
The actual rebound in to the hole and transition into the ascent tends to be more about a.) aggression and b.) not messing up steps 1 and 2. Again, starting with a newer lifter, the cues should be basic, like:
Controlled descent.... bounce the hips.... then roll them forward
Once the basics become second nature, the lifter can focus on more subtle techniques or issues more specific to them. A more seasoned lifter who may drop their chest at the bottom of the squat may focus on these:
Knees out hard.... drop the elbows.... eyes to the sky
Or a lifter who gets stapled mid range might worry specifically about glute activation and speed of execution:
Squeeze the glutes.... aggressive rebound....snap the hips forward
Boil the movement patterns down to no more than 2-3 cues for each phase of the squat, always working to master the most fundamental positioning points first. Once a squat technique becomes second nature, move on to a more advanced move.
Identifying Weakness
These are 4 of the biggest issues that plague high bar narrow stance squatters on max effort attempts.
Stick at the Bottom
If a lifter can squat 200lbs decisively but gets stapled in the hole with 210lbs, it means one of three things. Either a.) their back and abs aren’t strong enough to handle the weight so their squat position gave as soon as they reversed direction (mainly a novice problem), b.) the glutes or hammies aren’t pulling their weight and go dead at the rebound where they are needed the most, or c.) their us of the rebound sucks and needs a few thousand reps to dial in. The ability to maintain position is something that most intermediate lifters don’t actively deal with: for most, it improves over time with more work under the bar. If it is an immediate weakness that needs addressing, yoke walks and strict rowing will correct it sooner rather than later. For option b. hip dominant squat exercises such as box squats and pause squats will do the trick, along with any other barbell hip extension (i.e. good morning, back extensions, stiff leg/Romanian deadlifts, etc.). For option c. there is no substitute for practice. Double the amount of warmup sets and make sure each one consists of a crisp, explosive bounce. Eventually, it will be second nature.
Sticking Point Half Way Up
This is by far the most common sticking point for squatting. Most lifters can pop out of the hole some distance with a weight in excess of their one rep max and almost everyone can lock the weight out once it is at the top end. The mid point, usually right above parallel, is where the muscles used in a squat turn over, from one group providing the majority of the effort to the next. It is in this ‘changing of the guard’ that efficiency is lost and the weight slows down. Rather than targeting this specific range of motion or muscle group, an increased emphasis on speed out of the hole and rolling the hips through on the ascent can have a dramatic improvement on a mid-range squat sticking point.
Hips Shoot Up
Popular thought was that this meant the posterior chain was weak, since it seems like the quads were contracting, but the hamstrings weren’t staying tight to maintain an upright position. This is actually completely backwards; in reality when the hips shoot up out of the hole of a squat, it is typically because the quads are weak. Think about it like this; you are in the bottom of the squat, your knees extend and push backwards (which means the quads contract) but the weight stays in the same place. The quads just contracted to move no weight and the glutes and hammies worked from a disadvantaged position to move the weight anyways! In the face of technique breakdowns, ample time should be spent reinforcing proper squat technique with lighter weights. But a vital remedy to this could easily be some extra weekly volume placed directly on the quads. Deep front squats tend to do the trick, along with leg extensions, lunges, leg presses with a narrow stance, and most of all, long distance backwards sled dragging.
Back Rounds
Any postural weakness in a squat setup can easily be fixed with a few strategies, such as yoke walks, bag carries, and strict rowing exercises. Since the musculature of the upper back and midsection work isometrically to brace the spine, they should be overloaded and trained in that same capacity. Carries work wonders for upper back stability, and bent rows done in strict style reinforce good posture under a load. The inclusion of tempo squats could round out the list by forcing the lifter to exist under tension in a the bottom position of a squat for longer periods of time with lighter weight.
These are 4 of the biggest issues that plague high bar narrow stance squatters on max effort attempts.
Stick at the Bottom
If a lifter can squat 200lbs decisively but gets stapled in the hole with 210lbs, it means one of three things. Either a.) their back and abs aren’t strong enough to handle the weight so their squat position gave as soon as they reversed direction (mainly a novice problem), b.) the glutes or hammies aren’t pulling their weight and go dead at the rebound where they are needed the most, or c.) their us of the rebound sucks and needs a few thousand reps to dial in. The ability to maintain position is something that most intermediate lifters don’t actively deal with: for most, it improves over time with more work under the bar. If it is an immediate weakness that needs addressing, yoke walks and strict rowing will correct it sooner rather than later. For option b. hip dominant squat exercises such as box squats and pause squats will do the trick, along with any other barbell hip extension (i.e. good morning, back extensions, stiff leg/Romanian deadlifts, etc.). For option c. there is no substitute for practice. Double the amount of warmup sets and make sure each one consists of a crisp, explosive bounce. Eventually, it will be second nature.
Sticking Point Half Way Up
This is by far the most common sticking point for squatting. Most lifters can pop out of the hole some distance with a weight in excess of their one rep max and almost everyone can lock the weight out once it is at the top end. The mid point, usually right above parallel, is where the muscles used in a squat turn over, from one group providing the majority of the effort to the next. It is in this ‘changing of the guard’ that efficiency is lost and the weight slows down. Rather than targeting this specific range of motion or muscle group, an increased emphasis on speed out of the hole and rolling the hips through on the ascent can have a dramatic improvement on a mid-range squat sticking point.
Hips Shoot Up
Popular thought was that this meant the posterior chain was weak, since it seems like the quads were contracting, but the hamstrings weren’t staying tight to maintain an upright position. This is actually completely backwards; in reality when the hips shoot up out of the hole of a squat, it is typically because the quads are weak. Think about it like this; you are in the bottom of the squat, your knees extend and push backwards (which means the quads contract) but the weight stays in the same place. The quads just contracted to move no weight and the glutes and hammies worked from a disadvantaged position to move the weight anyways! In the face of technique breakdowns, ample time should be spent reinforcing proper squat technique with lighter weights. But a vital remedy to this could easily be some extra weekly volume placed directly on the quads. Deep front squats tend to do the trick, along with leg extensions, lunges, leg presses with a narrow stance, and most of all, long distance backwards sled dragging.
Back Rounds
Any postural weakness in a squat setup can easily be fixed with a few strategies, such as yoke walks, bag carries, and strict rowing exercises. Since the musculature of the upper back and midsection work isometrically to brace the spine, they should be overloaded and trained in that same capacity. Carries work wonders for upper back stability, and bent rows done in strict style reinforce good posture under a load. The inclusion of tempo squats could round out the list by forcing the lifter to exist under tension in a the bottom position of a squat for longer periods of time with lighter weight.
Proper Squat Technique: Low Bar Wide Stance
Most of what was covered in the high bar narrow stance squat discussion applies to all squat variations; the primary differences in a low bar wide stance squat position are bar position and the action of the hip and knees throughout the lift.
Who It Most Likely Applies To
Low bar/wide stance squatting is a ‘hip dominant movement’, meaning the muscles that extend the hip (glutes and hamstrings) are more heavily used than in a ‘quad dominant’ movment. This setup is most commonly seen in powerlifting, since the position of the bar and hips are meant to give a leverage advantage so that the most weight can be moved. It is not common for this style to be intentionally programmed for athletes, bodybuilders, or Olympic weightlifters, unless the specific goal is to focus on the strength and size of the hips and development of the posterior chain.
There is a percentage of lifters who, by virtue of their natural limb lengths and hip structure, will not be able to comfortably execute a heavy back squat without a wider stance. This can be mitigated in some with focused mobility work, but all the stretching and flossing in the world won’t make up for hip sockets that point out to the side. Just as with the high bar narrow stance squat technique, the position of the bar is determined by the stance. Since the feet come out wide, the hips must track backwards more on the descent which will force the lifter to bend over slightly. This will create a huge leverage disadvantage if the bar is up too high on the neck.
Any lifter who has employed this strategy for any period of time can tell you how much more effortless a wide stance squat is with the bar only a few inches closer to the hips. Think of your spine as a fishing pole: the further the fish is from the handle, the more it will bend. The same is true with the weight on the bar and the distance from your hip.
As a Training Tool
Low bar wide stance squats are a fantastic training tool for hip development and strengthening the posterior chain. The posterior chain refers to the muscle that run from your upper back all the way down to your calves. Since these muscles are interconnected and all work together to stabilize and move the hips, they are said to be a ‘chain’, where each link impacts the next. The action of pushing the hips back and bending over slightly during a squat requires a ton of effort from the upper back and spinal erectors (in an isometric, stabilization role) as well as the glutes and hamstrings (in a concentric, moving role).
Powerlifters who employ a low bar wide stance enjoy much more carryover to the deadlift, which is also extremely hip dominant, because the movement pattern is similar and much of the same muscles are used. Bodybuilders and Instagram models alike routinely employ a wider stance to target development of the glutes, while sports athletes can use it to improve efficiency In the triple extension, improving position and performance in running and jumping exercises.
As good as wide stance squatting is for developing the posterior chain, the scope of development is much more limited and specific than high bar narrow stance squats. Primarily this is because wide squats don’t involve as much knee flexion or range of motion, leaving the quads out in the cold, whereas narrow stance squats will develop the posterior chain along with the quads and a host of other athletic qualities.
As a Competitive Lift
When it comes to optimizing weight moved in a powerlifting or strongman squat event, on paper, the low bar wide stance setup should reign supreme. However, there is a conundrum here, since so many world record squatters utilize a more medium/narrow stance. This issue is similar to the powerlifting bench press technique, where the torso is arched high into the air, the elbows are tucked in hard to the side, and the range of motion is diminished as much as possible. This is a great setup for optimizing weight, but a poor setup for stimulating growth in the muscles being used. The fact is that being slightly disadvantaged by having to move the barbell farther through space will ultimately lead to more size and strength over time.
Because of the rule of specificity, the more time a lifter spends in a specific setup, the more comfortable and efficient they will be. This rule makes it impractical to train one way for growth and then switch to another way for performance. Your best bet is to stick with one squat technique and drill it as often as you can until you are the best at it. My recommendation for lifters utilizing a wide stance low bar squat setup is to fill your squat workouts with as much accessory as you can to prevent weak points from developing. There should be plenty of unilateral work, machine work, and quad accessory work as a regular part of your programming.
Bar Position
The low bar position can be tricky to find since it forces the lifter into a slightly forward lean. A low bar can technically be anywhere from the shelf created by the rear delts, to directly on or even slightly below the rear delts. Remember that a low bar squatter will be bending forward on the descent and relying on hip power to stand back up; the closer the bar is to the hips, the easier the lift will be. This has to be weighed against the fact that lower bar positions are harder to maintain without extra strain on the shoulder joint or the bar slipping of all together. My recommendation for most all low bar lifters is that the bar be glued to the shelf created by the rear delts. I have personally seen some impressive feats of shoulder flexibility and stability from lifters who seem to carry the weight half way down their back, but this ventures so far into the realm of specificity that I find it counter productive. Pinch your shoulder blades together, find the shelf with the bar, and stick it there.
Hand Placement
Just as with the high bar narrow stance setup, this is a personal choice and dependent on upper back strength and flexibility. A closer squat bar grip grants more upper back stability, but doesn’t allow the bar to ride as low. Let your natural flexibility determine the closeness of your hand placement on the bar. With a low bar setup, many lifter feel more secure going with a thumbless grip since it allows the hands to come in closer. While this may feel more natural, it isn’t allowed in all powerlifting federations and can result in a botched attempt (I’ve seen what happens when a lifters hand slips off the bar).
I recommend wrapping the thumb whenever possible, but a low bar position does put much more strain on the wrists. I never understood the need for wrist wraps on squats until I tried wrapping my thumb around the bar while carrying it low. A sturdy pair of wraps can work wonders in preventing wrist pain while accommodating a more secure low bar squat position.
Elbow Position
High elbows are typically more common with a low bar setup, since it helps shove the barbell forward into your back, keeping it more stable. If you are comfortable with the bar on your rear delts and do not feel like stability is much of an issue, dropping the elbows down as you sink into the bottom squat position can help your chest stay up and facilitate a more powerful drive out of the hole. Assuming elbow position in a squat isn’t going to be used to address a specific issue, you will adapt over time to whichever setup you choose; don’t waste too much time thinking about it. Let what is most comfortable now dictate what you choose to go with.
Foot Position
This is the crux of the low bar wide stance setup. Foot position ranges from just outside the shoulder for shorter limbed squatters to extreme sumo stances that look like a failed attempt at the splits. Those who go extra wide stances fall into two categories a.) lifters interested in powerlifting and powerlifting only (likely multiply lifters from Westside) and b.) those with super specific anatomical considerations (like David Douglas or Chuck Vogelpohl).
I strongly suggest new squatters not become preoccupied with getting one more inch of leverage advantage and instead find a setup that is strong, stable, and conducive to growth. Start with your feet just outside your shoulders with the bar low on your back. Push the hips back and keep your chest up while driving the knees out. Fight to keep the shins vertical.
Are they perpendicular to the ground? Are they slanting in at all? Is the position comfortable? Can you hit depth?
Take inventory, move your feet out another inch or two on each side, and repeat. Eventually you will be able to check every item off the list. As far as the toes go, assume that the further out to the side they are pointed, the further out to the side your knees will be tracking. If you are in a sumo stance and are striving to get your knees pointed directly to the left and right of you, then point the toes that way. For the rest of humanity, a small angle out to the side should do.
Breathing
The considerations for getting your breath on a heavy squat are the same, low bar or high bar. Since there will be a forward lean with a wide stance squat, stability in the midsection is even more important to keep the spine properly aligned and effectively drive out of the hole. Get as much air as you can stomach, then a little more, and push the abs out against the belt as hard as you can. Hold your air until you are convincingly past the stick point. Your head will feel like a zit that’s about to go. This means you are doing it right.
Knee Position
The glutes are a hip abductor, meaning they pull the legs away from the body. It just so happens that the glutes are also extremely important in getting a wide stance squat moving out of the hole. Getting the knees out allows your joints to line up in safe and optimal manner, but also keeps your glutes tight, creating compression at the bottom and assisting with the initial break. The knees must come out as hard to the side as the possibly can and stay that way during the duration of the lift. Once you set the width of your feet, the best barometer of proper knee position in a squat is whether or not the shins are perpendicular to the ground and completely vertical. At the bottom squat position, the knees should be well behind the toes and there should be zero lateral slant inwards. If it is hard to keep your shins upright, you either need to a.) increase flexibility in your hips and improve activation in the glutes, or b.) accept that your hips aren’t built that way and take your feet in closer.
Hip Action
Aside from considerations about knee position and stabilizing the torso, the entire movement in a wide stance squat is essentially just a hip extension: Hips go back, hips come forward. Once you are standing with the bar on your shoulders and a belly full of air, the descent starts by keeping the chest out and letting your hips sink back. You should feel tension loading into your glutes and hamstrings and should be extremely tight right around parallel. Very few lifters are able to sink below parallel in a wide stance position (again, hip shape), but many will find that they have a hard time getting to depth, even under a heavy load. This is actually optimal for competitive purposes, since it ensures a powerful start.
Depth
It is important you know exactly where parallel is when you squat with a wide stance. An inch deviation may not feel like much from rep to rep, but on video you will see it is the difference between a convincingly parallel squat and one that doesn’t get a single white light. The purpose of a wide stance squat is not to take the barbell through the scenic route; it is to work within the minimum confines of the rules to optimize the amount of weight moved. Stand to the side in front of a mirror, have a friend watch you, or better yet record yourself so you know exactly when the crown of the hip breaks below the top of your knee.
The Bounce
98% of wide stance low bar squatters use a slow descent and a controlled change of direction when they lift. There is so much tension built up in the hips at the bottom of the movement that a bounce is unnecessary and can result in getting out of position. The posterior chain is very good at extending the hips under a load from a dead stop, and that is the main player in this lift. For the few lifters who squat wide AND deep, a slight rebound on the way up can be useful. But chances are, this isn’t you.
On the Way Up
The big considerations for the ascent on a wide squat is maintaining upper body position while the hips go to work. It is counter-intuitive to stay upright, since the backward motion of your hips will force you to bend over as you descend, but there should be an emphasis on keeping the chest out regardless. At this point, the action of the glutes and hamstrings on the hip is the only consideration. Imagine leg pressing the floor away like you are trying to stretch out a rug and aggressively extend your hips through. The hips moving forward is more important than the knees extending; similar to the ‘roll the hips’ cue, the emphasis should be on stacking them under you as fast as possible. This is the same hip action that will occur on all hip extension barbell movements: good mornings, box squats, deadlifts, etc.
Identifying Weaknesses
Weaknesses in the wide stance squat setup is easier to identify since it is a less dynamic movement and relies on fewer working parts. Similar to a high bar squat, failing at the bottom position can be an issue of weak movers or weak stabilizers. Since the muscles of the midsection and upper back are more disadvantaged in a wide stance squat than in a high bar squat, there will be more intermediate lifters losing stability in their torso. This means that regular work in the form of good mornings and strict bent rows must be done in addition to building proficiency in the lift. If body position doesn’t change, a bottom position sticking point will be the result of the glutes and hamstrings failing to overcome the load.
Along with other compound hip extension movements previously discussed, direct isolation on the glutes and hamstrings can aid in building a more powerful push out of the hole. Work on the glute ham deck, lying hamstring curls, and even glute bridges are all valid ways to bring up a lagging posterior.
Exceptions to the Rule
I have already alluded to lifters on the tail end of the bell curve who have unique squat setups due to some special anatomical considerations. While you should always be striving to make your squat groove more smooth and efficient, sometimes you have no choice but to take lemons and make lemonade. Here are a few examples of these exceptions and a brief explanation of why you shouldn’t copy what they do.
Different Squat Variations
There are dozens of different squat variations, each with their own subtle changes in position and their own list of benefits. Lifters should always follow their main squat work up with some squat variation to preempt the development of weaknesses and reinforce strength in different positions. Here is a brief list of the most effective squat variations.
Front Squat
Barbell Front Squat Benefits range from greater upper back and midsection stability and development to stronger and bigger quad muscles. The movement must be done upright, so it can assist wide stance squatters with developing lagging quads or aid high bar squatters in learning how to stay more upright. The front squat is also a very athletic movement, since most physical activities will require moving around an object that is in front of you. Staying upright in the bottom position with a narrow stance and the load in front is similar to a lineman in a four point stance, or a sprinter getting ready to fire off the blocks.
Pause Squat
Squats with a pause are brutally effective at targeting the glute, both wide and narrow stance. The extra time in the bottom means the development of more strength and power out of the hole as well as more strength in the stabilizers of the upper body. This is a no brainer for lifters struggling to maintain position or get the bar going out of the hole.
Pulse Squat
This is more of a training trick than a squat variation. Usually, the cadence of a heavy squat involves stopping at lockout to get a few breaths and go again. While this is valuable for optimizing your setup and moving maximal weight in a set, it also gives the glutes, quads, and hamstrings time to rest. Pulsing the squat refers to not letting the weight stop moving; the squat is taken into the bottom position, bounced back up, and dropped back down just before lockout. Even light weight done for 10-15 reps can be brutal. This is hugely effective for adding mass to the legs, improving strength endurance, and building intestinal fortitude.
Zercher Squat
Zercher movements are any exercise done where the barbell is held in the crooks of the elbows. While not terribly comfortable at first, the dynamic of the bar resting across the middle of the torso causes some interesting things to happen. Most noticeably is how difficult it is to stay upright under the load. If there are any issues with maintaining posture during a squat, a few weeks of zercher squats will send those issues by the wayside. Zerchers are also valuable for improving hip extension, made evident by how brutal they are on the glutes. If you can’t tolerate the weight of the barbell on the forearms, wrap a towel or pad. It is worth the discomfort.
Box Squat
Box squats are almost universally done incorrectly. Without writing a novel, the box squat is used to build power in the hips by using a wide stance and breaking the weight from a dead stop. This is best done with a box that puts you right around parallel, if not even an inch higher, and coming to a dead stop before standing up. When done properly, box squats improve the pop of the hips, creating carryover to both wide stance squats and deadlifts.
Bulgarian Split Squat
Unilateral work (doing one limb at a time), is huge for keeping your body symmetrical and avoiding inconsistencies that can lead to pain and injuries. It is possible for dominant sides to take over and vital muscle groups to weaken without noticing it, and this is a recipe for movement dysfunction. Bulgarian split squats are a great option for building the glutes and quads, maintaining flexibility through the hip, and working the often ignored groin muscles. They will also give you a clear picture of strength discrepancies between your left and right legs. Did I mention that they are awful?
Related:
Better Than the Original?: The 5 Best Squat Variations You Aren't Doing
A Case for Quads: An Analysis of the Role of the Quadriceps in Squatting Performance
