

Written by Chad Wesley Smith The squat is the foundational movement to strength and athletic development. For powerlifters, strongmen, weightlifters and CrossFit athletes, success begins in the squat rack; and for athletes looking to sprint faster, jump higher and move more powerfully-great squat mechanics and the strong hamstrings, glutes, quads and hips it develops are critical. Check out this tutorial on how to squat…

I get tons of questions on the Juggernaut Facebook about all sorts of issues regarding the squat. Here are answers to some of the most common ones… I keep missing squats at the bottom of the lift, what exercises can I do to get stronger at the bottom of the lift?

-Speed up your descent to get more rebound out of the hole. Many people miss heavy squats because they are afraid to go down as fast as they did with lighter weights. You need to descend with the same speed, regardless of the weight.

-Try pause squats for 3, 5 and 7 seconds. Pause squats will build hip strength with longer time under tension and build your body’s strength to drive weight out of the hole, without relying on the stretch reflex. How do I fix ‘butt wink’?

-Pelvic tilt is caused by some combination of improper breathing patterns and tightness in the glutes, hamstrings and hip flexors. My knees ache when I squat, how can I stop them from hurting?

-Foam roll your quads, IT bands and calves consistently, tightness in any of these can contribute to knee pain.

-Invest in a quality pair of knee sleeves to keep your knees warm during training.

-Activate your quads and glutes before your squatting. Which stance should I use?

-Everyone’s stance will be unique to their own body’s dimensions, strengths and weaknesses.

-When training for sport, a stance that is moderate is usually best. What kind of shoes should I wear to squat?

-Footwear will depend on your squatting style What should I focus on when getting under a heavy squat?