{"id":500,"date":"2014-02-09T08:32:06","date_gmt":"2014-02-09T16:32:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/?p=500"},"modified":"2019-05-24T15:08:11","modified_gmt":"2019-05-24T22:08:11","slug":"powerlifting-technique-how-to-squat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/powerlifting-technique-how-to-squat\/","title":{"rendered":"Powerlifting Squat Technique"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Many of the core, foundational biomechanical principles discussed in this article were gleaned from Mark Rippetoe&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0982522738\/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0982522738&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=powtowin-20\">Starting Strength<\/a><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;\" src=\"http:\/\/ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/e\/ir?t=powtowin-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0982522738\" alt=\"\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" border=\"0\" \/>. Though the book is not about powerlifting per se, it contains over 300 pages of discussion on how to apply classical mechanics to the powerlifts. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0982522738\/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0982522738&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=powtowin-20\">I highly recommend getting a copy of the book<\/a><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;\" src=\"http:\/\/ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/e\/ir?t=powtowin-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0982522738\" alt=\"\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" border=\"0\" \/> if you consider yourself a student of the game.<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"The Scientific Principles of Powerlifting Technique\" href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/powerlifting-technique-the-scientific-principles\/\">The first article in this series<\/a> laid out the basic scientific principles that govern Powerlifting technique. Namely, the bar must travel in a vertical line directly over the middle of the foot in order for the lift to be efficient.<\/p>\n<p>In <a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/powerlifting-technique-the-scientific-principles\/\">the second installment<\/a>, specifically focusing on squat mechanics, the wide stance, low bar squat was proposed as the best squat for the sport of powerlifting. The wide stance, low bar squat reduces our range of motion, allows us to be more upright, emphasizes using the larger, stronger posterior chain over the quads, and it also allows us to manipulate our leverages to make the lift easier. If you\u2019re arriving here without having read <a title=\"Squat Form Analysis\" href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/powerlifting-technique-squat-form\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Part II<\/a>, I highly suggest that you do so now.<\/p>\n<p>I realize that technique articles are simply not as effective as videos. If you\u2019d prefer a shorter, but more visually oriented explanation of the PowerliftingToWin squat technique, check out this video:<br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Perfect Squat Technique for Powerlifting\" width=\"665\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/rOJGzAgLWDc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>How to get into Low Bar Position<\/h2>\n<p>For the high bar squat, all we have to do is place the bar on top of our traps and we\u2019re set to squat. Not so in the low bar squat. The low bar squat is carried just above the rear delts. In order to get into this position most effectively, I\u2019ll recommend what we\u2019ll call the \u201cclick\u201d method:<br \/>\n1) Take a grip on the bar<br \/>\n2) Place your body on the front side of the bar and stand all the way up so your rear delts are actually above the bar<br \/>\n3) Pinch your shoulder blades together and slowly start sliding your back down the bar<br \/>\n4) Once the bar &#8220;clicks&#8221; into place, it will be in the perfect low bar position<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_501\" style=\"width: 328px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/goodlowbareverytime.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-501\" class=\"size-full wp-image-501\" src=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/goodlowbareverytime.jpg\" alt=\"The perfect low bar rack position every time.\" width=\"318\" height=\"526\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/goodlowbareverytime.jpg 318w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/goodlowbareverytime-181x300.jpg 181w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/goodlowbareverytime-250x413.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 318px) 100vw, 318px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-501\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The perfect low bar rack position every time.<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>Grip Width<\/h2>\n<p>Now, I\u2019m sure you\u2019re wondering what is the best place to put your hands in step one? This is an easy question to answer. The narrower you can grip the bar, the better. The narrow your grip, the tighter your upperback muscles will be. The tighter your back muscles, the more secure the bar position will be.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_502\" style=\"width: 649px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/gripcomparison.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-502\" class=\"size-full wp-image-502\" src=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/gripcomparison.jpg\" alt=\"The bar rests on the shelf made by your upperback muscles. Note how much more tight the upperback is with a closer grip.\" width=\"639\" height=\"88\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/gripcomparison.jpg 639w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/gripcomparison-300x41.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/gripcomparison-250x34.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 639px) 100vw, 639px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-502\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The bar rests on the shelf made by your upperback muscles. Note how much tighter the upperback is with a closer grip.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>If you struggle to get your hands closer in the squat, the number one mobility exercise that will help is shoulder dislocations:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/shoulderdislocations.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-521\" src=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/shoulderdislocations.jpg\" alt=\"Shoulder Dislocations\" width=\"206\" height=\"273\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Now, there are a few caveats here. If your grip is hurting your arms, it is too narrow. Don\u2019t get me wrong, this is not supposed to be comfortable, but joint pain is a bad sign. We don\u2019t want impingement and we don\u2019t want the arms to carry any of the weight.<\/p>\n<p>While I promise to devote an entire article to <a title=\"Powerlifting Wrist Wraps\" href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/powerlifting-wrist-wraps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the proper use of wrist wraps in every lift<\/a>, this isn\u2019t that article. However, it needs to be said that wrist wraps are absolutely necessary if you plan to use bent wrist grips. Otherwise, the wrist intercepts some of the weight of the bar. This is a great way to get tendonitis. If you don\u2019t have wrist wraps, you can get the same 36&#8243; pair that I use <a title=\"Buy Wrist Wraps\" href=\"https:\/\/www.andersonpowerlifting.com\/product-p\/max-rpm-wrist-wrap-36-inch.htm?Click=10460\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">here<\/a>. If you don\u2019t want to get wrist wraps, you\u2019ll need to widen your grip a bit so that you can keep your wrists straight.<br \/>\nIf you\u2019ve been lifting a while, I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve seen that some people take a thumbless grip on squats whereas others use the thumbs-around grip. For bent wrist grips, I recommend a thumbs around grip. This will allow you to physically \u201csqueeze\u201d the bar with your hands. \u201cSqueezing the bar\u201d tends to tighten up the entire body. However, for straight wrist grips, I recommend the thumbless grip. When you wrap your thumbs around the bar with a straight wrist, \u201csqueezing\u201d the bar tends to invite the wrists to bend once you start actually lifting.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_504\" style=\"width: 648px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/thumblessvsthumbsaround.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-504\" class=\"size-full wp-image-504\" src=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/thumblessvsthumbsaround.jpg\" alt=\"Straight wrist, thumbless grip (left) vs. the bent wrist, thumbs around grip (right).\" width=\"638\" height=\"77\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/thumblessvsthumbsaround.jpg 638w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/thumblessvsthumbsaround-300x36.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/thumblessvsthumbsaround-250x30.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 638px) 100vw, 638px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-504\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Straight wrist, thumbless grip (left) vs. the bent wrist, thumbs around grip (right).<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>Stance Width<\/h2>\n<p>We haven\u2019t unracked the bar yet, but we\u2019re going to skip ahead to stance width. If you don\u2019t know where to put your feet BEFORE you unrack the bar, you\u2019re in trouble. It is much harder to re-position yourself with a heavy weight on your back than it is to just get to the right spot in the first place.<\/p>\n<p>Stance width is primarily determined by your ability to reach depth without hip pain. Something that many people don\u2019t stop to consider is that there are different anthropometrical possibilities for how the femur and the hip socket actually interact. In other words, not everyone\u2019s bones look alike.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_506\" style=\"width: 675px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/boneanatomy.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-506\" class=\"size-large wp-image-506\" src=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/boneanatomy-1024x340.jpg\" alt=\"A pair of different femurs and hips.\" width=\"665\" height=\"220\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/boneanatomy-1024x340.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/boneanatomy-300x99.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/boneanatomy-250x83.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/boneanatomy-665x220.jpg 665w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 665px) 100vw, 665px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-506\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A pair of femurs and hips.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Notice how one femur attaches straight in and the other clearly attaches at at angle. Likewise, one hip socket points straight out whereas the other points down and to the front. These angles have implications on squat technique. You can&#8217;t change your anatomy. You must work with it.<\/p>\n<p>Recently there has been a huge trend to work on \u201cmobility\u201d in the Powerlifting community. For the most part, this is good. However, some people fail to realize that not all movement pattern problems come down to mobility. There are people out there who simply cannot squat with certain stances due to the way they are built. You might be one such person. If your hips impinge at wide stances, you\u2019ll have to narrow your stance until it stops. It is that simple. You can work on mobility all day long, but if you don\u2019t have the right structure to squat wider, being more flexible won\u2019t help. If this is something you&#8217;re particularly interested in, check out <a title=\"More on Hip Anatomy\" href=\"http:\/\/themovementfix.com\/the-best-kept-secret-why-people-have-to-squat-differently\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this article<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For those of you who struggle with hip pain, my recommendation is that you squat as wide as your circumstances will allow. After you finish your next squat training session, just dedicate some time to figuring this out. Bring a camera and film yourself squatting at a variety of stance widths. Pinpoint the set that allowed the widest stance without pain and start using that stance going forward.<\/p>\n<p>For the rest of you, the process of determining stance width will be very similar. You\u2019re going to film a bunch of training sets directly from side (where a judge would normally be looking to determine your squat depth). Start at your normal stance and slowly work your way outwards 1-2\u201d at a time. When you reach a stance width that no longer allows you to hit depth, go back a few inches and there you have it: your new wide stance squat.<\/p>\n<p>In order: narrow, medium, and wide stance squat comparisons:<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/stancewidth-front.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-507\" src=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/stancewidth-front.jpg\" alt=\"Squat Stance Comparison - Front View\" width=\"966\" height=\"238\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/stancewidth-front.jpg 966w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/stancewidth-front-300x73.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/stancewidth-front-250x61.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/stancewidth-front-665x163.jpg 665w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 966px) 100vw, 966px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/stancewidth-side.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-508\" src=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/stancewidth-side.jpg\" alt=\"Squat Stance Comparison - Side View\" width=\"440\" height=\"250\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/stancewidth-side.jpg 440w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/stancewidth-side-300x170.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/stancewidth-side-250x142.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 440px) 100vw, 440px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/stancewidth-45.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-509\" src=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/stancewidth-45.jpg\" alt=\"Squat Stance Comparison - 45 Degree Angle View\" width=\"564\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/stancewidth-45.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/stancewidth-45-300x106.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/stancewidth-45-250x88.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 564px) 100vw, 564px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>You can see that, for me, the truly wide stance squat is just a bit too wide to hit depth. However, when over 315lbs are on the bar, I can do it. I typically only use that stance for wrapped squats done out of a monolift. For knee sleeve only squats, I typically use the middle stance. Take these same pictures of yourself and see what works best for your body.<\/p>\n<p>A quick note, for those of you in the IPF, make sure that your stance width allows you to go at least 2-3\u201d below parallel. In that federation, just cracking parallel isn&#8217;t usually enough; it has to be convincing. Another thing to keep in mind is that this exercise cannot be done without weight. The weight will actually push you down and allow you to get deeper.<\/p>\n<p>Our primary goal here is to ensure that our natural squat \u201cbottom\u201d is just below parallel. The number one way to add weight to your squat is to squat higher. Squatting higher both reduces range of motion and improves leverage. However, we have to follow the rules, too. This exercise is designed to help you find the technique that allows you to hit the bare minimum depth without thinking about it.<\/p>\n<h2>Foot Angle<\/h2>\n<p>Before you go about trying to determine your stance width, realize that foot angle plays a major role in this discussion. In a proper squat, the knees must track in line with the foot. If they don\u2019t, you place the ligaments in an unsafe position.<\/p>\n<p>Beyond that, let&#8217;s remember why the wider stance works: it facilitates more femur rotation. If you&#8217;re just standing wider, but your legs are rotated in, you&#8217;re not actually reducing the moment arms. We need to decrease the horizontal distance between the hip and the knee and this can&#8217;t be done when the femurs are not externally rotated. Here&#8217;s the short version: keep your knees out!<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_510\" style=\"width: 538px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/kneescomparison-bottom.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-510\" class=\"size-full wp-image-510\" src=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/kneescomparison-bottom.jpg\" alt=\"Left: Incorrect; Right: Correct. Keep your knees out.\" width=\"528\" height=\"271\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/kneescomparison-bottom.jpg 528w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/kneescomparison-bottom-300x153.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/kneescomparison-bottom-250x128.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 528px) 100vw, 528px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-510\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Incorrect; Right: Correct. Keep your knees out.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The wider you stand, the more you\u2019re going to have to point your feet out. For people with fairly wide stances, this may be as much as 45 degrees. For medium stances, you\u2019re usually looking at 30 degrees. And, finally, for narrow stances, you may only point your toes out 15 degrees.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_511\" style=\"width: 675px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/footangle.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-511\" class=\"size-large wp-image-511\" src=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/footangle-1024x520.jpg\" alt=\"Take whichever foot angle best facilitates getting your knees out.\" width=\"665\" height=\"337\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/footangle-1024x520.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/footangle-300x152.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/footangle-250x126.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/footangle-665x337.jpg 665w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/footangle.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 665px) 100vw, 665px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-511\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Take whichever foot angle best facilitates getting your knees out.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Don\u2019t get caught up in the numbers. The only thing that matter is whether you or not you can keep your knees out, tracking in line with your toes. If you can\u2019t, try turning your foot more. If that doesn\u2019t work, the stance is too wide for your currently mobility. You\u2019ll need to narrow your stance and\/or work on adductor flexibility (muscle on the inside of your thigh).<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_522\" style=\"width: 241px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/kneesoutstretch.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-522\" class=\"size-full wp-image-522\" src=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/kneesoutstretch.jpg\" alt=\"This is my favorite stretch to improve adductor flexibility.\" width=\"231\" height=\"260\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-522\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">This is my favorite stretch to improve adductor flexibility.<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>The Squat Walk Out<\/h2>\n<p>Now that we\u2019ve got the bar position and stance handled, we actually have to unrack the bar and set-up to do the lift. When it comes to the walk out the only thing that really matters is that you do it as efficiently as possible. Don\u2019t waste energy. You literally want to use as few steps as possible.<\/p>\n<p>How many steps you need depends on your stance width:<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/walkoutgraphic.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-513\" src=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/walkoutgraphic-461x1024.jpg\" alt=\"walkoutgraphic\" width=\"461\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/walkoutgraphic-461x1024.jpg 461w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/walkoutgraphic-135x300.jpg 135w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/walkoutgraphic-250x554.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/walkoutgraphic-665x1475.jpg 665w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/walkoutgraphic.jpg 952w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 461px) 100vw, 461px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>So many people overlook the walk out for whatever reason. If you have a sloppy walk out, it WILL cost you pounds at the meet. Sure, you can walk out 75% without paying much attention but that is because it is 75%. When you are handling 90%+ of your one rep max at a meet, any extra steps that you have to take are going to tax your stabilizers and waste energy. This directly translates to less weight being lifted. Why do you think a monolift adds weight to people\u2019s squats? It saves energy. You can simulate the same effect by having an efficient walk out. Even when you\u2019re just taking the empty bar out of the rack you should be practicing and perfecting your walk out.<\/p>\n<h2>Preparing to Squat<\/h2>\n<p>After you\u2019ve walked the weight out, it is time to get fully \u201cset\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The single most repeated coaching cue in powerlifting is \u201cget tight\u201d. If you know it what means, this is one of the best cues there is, period. If you don\u2019t, you strain real hard, make some funny faces, and nothing really happens.<\/p>\n<p>First, overall \u201ctightness\u201d mostly comes down to how you breathe. The most important thing you can do before you attempt a heavy lift is take a huge breath and HOLD IT IN. Holding in your air pressurizes your \u201ccore\u201d which stabilizes the spinal column.<\/p>\n<p>The more conformable the kinetic chain is, the less efficient the force transfer will be. For example, imagine trying to tow something around using a spring. Before you could move whatever it is you were trying to move, the spring would have to completely stretch out and \u201cget tight\u201d before any of your tugging and towing could amount to a damn thing.<\/p>\n<p>Well, the same thing happens when you\u2019re trying to squat and you have slack in your abs, back, or anywhere else. We want ALL of that slack GONE before we try to squat. Otherwise, we lose some of our very valuable effort (force production) because it goes into straightening and tightening all of the elements that we didn\u2019t address before we started the movement.<\/p>\n<p>The following is my personal procedure for squat \u201ctightness\u201d:<br \/>\n1) Make sure my feet are set where I want them<br \/>\n2) Set my whole back into extension by shoving my chest up<br \/>\n3) Tighten up my lats by pulling down on the bar with my hands<br \/>\n4) Take as big of a breath as I can and hold it in<br \/>\n5) Set my head position<br \/>\n6) Squat!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/set-up-procedure.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-514\" src=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/set-up-procedure-154x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Squat Set-up Procedure\" width=\"154\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/set-up-procedure-154x1024.jpg 154w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/set-up-procedure-45x300.jpg 45w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 154px) 100vw, 154px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Squat Technique: Descent Speed<\/h2>\n<p>Ready to squat?<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019ve followed the model above, there isn\u2019t a whole lot left to discuss. The vast majority of your success in the lift is determined before you ever begin your descent. However, there are two technical issues that I want to address in more depth: descent speed and hip drive.<\/p>\n<p>One of the most common concerns people have over the actual execution of the squat is how fast they should perform the movement. The answer is relatively simple: you should descend as fast as you can without losing ANY tightness. Now, some people interpret this to mean that they should just divebomb as fast as possible into the hole. You cannot \u201cdrop\u201d into the squat while remaining tight. You MUST loosen something up to do this.<\/p>\n<p>The faster you descend, the harder you will rebound out of the bottom of the squat. This is due to something called the \u201cstretch reflex\u201d. Whenever any movement is preceded by a loaded eccentric contraction (weight pushing you down), the muscles will stretch out past their normal capacity and, once the concentric movement begins (going back up), the muscles will reflexively contract harder because of the preceding stretch. Think of a vertical jump. Can you jump higher with a sharp dip or can you jump higher by bending, waiting, and then jumping? The reason you jump higher with the sharp dip is due to the stretch reflex of the relevant muscles.<\/p>\n<p>We want to take advantage of the stretch reflex effect, but we don\u2019t want to loosen up to move faster. Remember, any \u201cslack\u201d in the system must be removed before efficient force transfer can occur. By divebombing, you\u2019re setting yourself up for a very nasty whip once the rebound stops and all of that slack has to be removed.<\/p>\n<p>Bottom line? Descend as quickly as you can while maintaining maximum tightness. This takes practice. So practice it.<\/p>\n<h2>Squat Technique: Hip Drive<\/h2>\n<p>Let me quickly remind you why we picked the low bar squat: to emphasize posterior chain usage. Many people have been taught a version of the squat where the lifter leads with their chest. This throws both the hips and knees forwards. The net effect is that the lever arm at the knees is increased and the lever arm at hips is decreased. This defeats the whole purpose of picking the low bar position.<\/p>\n<p>Instead of driving up out of the bottom by leading with your chest, you need to drive with your hips. This does not mean that you push your hips up while letting your chest fall. Your back angle should be maintained the entire time. That is the point, actually. Leading with your chest alters your back angle leading to a more upright posture. Instead, We lead with our hips to preserve our posterior chain dominant squat style and maintain the back angle we\u2019ve so carefully chosen.<\/p>\n<p>In the pictures below, the top image demonstrates the incorrect way to begin your ascent. The bottom image shows the correct way. Lead with your hips, not with your chest:<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_515\" style=\"width: 648px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/hip-drive-vs-leadingchest.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-515\" class=\"size-full wp-image-515\" src=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/hip-drive-vs-leadingchest.jpg\" alt=\"Notice how leading with the chest really throws the knees forward.\" width=\"638\" height=\"802\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/hip-drive-vs-leadingchest.jpg 638w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/hip-drive-vs-leadingchest-238x300.jpg 238w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/hip-drive-vs-leadingchest-250x314.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 638px) 100vw, 638px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-515\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Notice how leading with the chest really throws the knees forward.<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>Common Squat Form Errors<\/h2>\n<p>Nearly all of the most common errors in squatting result because the lifter has failed to follow the guidelines we\u2019ve already talked about. In each of the following pictures, the error is depicted on the left with the corresponding correction shown on the right.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Mistake #1: Rounded Back<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_516\" style=\"width: 648px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/error-back-round-final.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-516\" class=\"size-full wp-image-516\" src=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/error-back-round-final.jpg\" alt=\"Coaching Cue Fix: Chest up!\" width=\"638\" height=\"423\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/error-back-round-final.jpg 638w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/error-back-round-final-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/error-back-round-final-250x165.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 638px) 100vw, 638px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-516\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Coaching Cue Fix: Chest up!<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Mistake #2: Getting Forward of mid-foot at the bottom of the squat<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_517\" style=\"width: 646px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/error-getting-forward-final.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-517\" class=\"size-full wp-image-517\" src=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/error-getting-forward-final.jpg\" alt=\"Coaching Cue Fix: Chest up!\" width=\"636\" height=\"424\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/error-getting-forward-final.jpg 636w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/error-getting-forward-final-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/error-getting-forward-final-250x166.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 636px) 100vw, 636px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-517\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Coaching Cue Fix: Chest up!<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Fix, Coaching Cue: Chest up!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Mistake #3: Knees In<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_518\" style=\"width: 644px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/error-knees-in-final.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-518\" class=\"size-full wp-image-518\" src=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/error-knees-in-final.jpg\" alt=\"Coaching Cue Fix: Knees Out!\" width=\"634\" height=\"424\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/error-knees-in-final.jpg 634w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/error-knees-in-final-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/error-knees-in-final-250x167.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 634px) 100vw, 634px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-518\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Coaching Cue Fix: Knees Out!<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Fix, Coaching Cue: Knees Out!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Mistake #4: Leading with the chest<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_515\" style=\"width: 648px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/hip-drive-vs-leadingchest.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-515\" class=\"size-full wp-image-515\" src=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/hip-drive-vs-leadingchest.jpg\" alt=\"Coaching Cue Fix: Hip Drive!\" width=\"638\" height=\"802\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/hip-drive-vs-leadingchest.jpg 638w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/hip-drive-vs-leadingchest-238x300.jpg 238w, https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/hip-drive-vs-leadingchest-250x314.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 638px) 100vw, 638px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-515\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Coaching Cue Fix: Hip Drive!<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Mistake #5: Timid descent speed<\/strong><br \/>\nIf you have a tendency to get nervous and approach the descent too slowly, you&#8217;re going to squat less. Not only is this going to diminish the stretch reflex, but it shows your head isn&#8217;t in the right place. Get your mind right and hit the hole with aggression.<br \/>\nFix, Coaching Cue: Fast Down, Fast Up!<\/p>\n<h2>Moving Forward<\/h2>\n<p>Well, there you have it: The Powerlifting To Win Squat Technique. If you haven\u2019t watched the technique video yet, I highly recommend you do so if you\u2019re a visual learner:<br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Perfect Squat Technique for Powerlifting\" width=\"665\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/rOJGzAgLWDc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>If you found this content interesting, intriguing, hell, even fascinating, I know you&#8217;ll love <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0982522738\/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0982522738&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=powtowin-20\">Mark Rippetoe&#8217;s Starting Strength<\/a><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;\" src=\"http:\/\/ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/e\/ir?t=powtowin-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0982522738\" alt=\"\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" border=\"0\" \/>. Starting Strength is the only book I am aware of that analyzes lifting from a framework of biomechanics and classical physics. If you haven&#8217;t read it yet, you should.<\/p>\n<p>In <a title=\"Powerlifting Technique: Bench Form Analysis\" href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/powerlifting-technique-bench-press-form\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Part IV<\/a>, we\u2019ll be discussing the mechanics of bench press technique.<\/p>\n<h2>Like this Article? Subscribe to our Newsletter!<\/h2>\n<p>If you liked this articled, and you want instant updates whenever we put out new content, including exclusive subscriber articles and videos, <a title=\"Newsletter Sign-up\" href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/newsletter\">sign up to our Newsletter<\/a>!<\/p>\n<h2>Questions? Comments?<\/h2>\n<p>[contact-form-7 id=&#8221;3245&#8243; title=&#8221;Contact form 1&#8243;]<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"TOC\">Table of Contents<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/powerlifting-technique-the-scientific-principles\/\">Part I: The Scientific Principles of Powerlifting Technique<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/powerlifting-technique-squat-form\/\">Part II: Squat Form Analysis<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/powerlifting-technique-how-to-squat\/\">Part III: How to Squat Like A Powerlifter<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/powerlifting-technique-bench-press-form\/\">Part IV: Bench Form Analysis<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/powerlifting-technique-how-to-bench-press\">Part V: How to Bench Press Like A Powerlifter<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/powerlifting-technique-deadlift-setup\">Part VI: Deadlift Setup Science<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/powerlifting-technique-deadlift-form\">Part VII: Deadlift Form Analysis<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/powerlifting-technique-how-to-deadlift\">Part VIII: How to Deadlift Like a Powerlifter<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many of the core, foundational biomechanical principles discussed in this article were gleaned from Mark Rippetoe&#8217;s Starting Strength. Though the book is not about powerlifting per se, it contains over 300 pages of discussion on how to apply classical mechanics to the powerlifts. I highly recommend getting a copy of the book if you consider\u2026 <span class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/powerlifting-technique-how-to-squat\/\">Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":525,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[420,42,43],"tags":[65,5,60,61,56,66],"class_list":["post-500","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-squat-training","category-training","tag-how-to-squat","tag-powerlifting","tag-powerlifting-squat","tag-powerlifting-squat-technique","tag-powerlifting-technique","tag-squat-technique"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/500","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=500"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/500\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3673,"href":"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/500\/revisions\/3673"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/525"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=500"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=500"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.powerliftingtowin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=500"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}