To avoid these uncomfortable positions, lifters tend to shift their bodies into positions that feel more comfortable. This affects the squat in 2 ways:. In the image below, the first skeleton is in a good position to squat. Its center of balance is over the midfoot. Please tag me in a squat video on Facebook or Instagram yashakahn if you feel an improvement in your back squats trying this out. For this you will need a bar with some weights, weightlifting shoes ideally , and two 0.
A few weeks ago I asked people to share videos of their lifting in order to get my feedback. Dan Juchniewicz sent me the following video to get critique on his back squat:. This is a good example of an imbalanced squat. By the third rep, his hips can be seen moving backwards as the balance moves onto the toes. To avoid falling off the 0.
With the right balance, he was forced to stay in the right positions. I always have a tendency to use that stretch reflex at the bottom and bounce out. I would lose a lot of tension in the hamstrings. This allowed me to keep that tension the entire time and made it easier to keep my chest up. To make the change permanent, I advised Dan to use the 0. This turns on the right muscles for squatting, and lets Dan experience the right movement and balance throughout the warm-up to then follow during working sets.
By balancing the squat correctly, inflexible lifters are forced into positions that increase flexibility. Immobile lifters are forced into positions that improve mobility. And lifters with positional weaknesses are forced into weak positions, which in turn makes them stronger. They will start to get developed as soon as they are put to proper work.
The 0. Thanks for a great article. If someone is limited in their flexibility, it should be pushed gradually. Sometimes Squatting feels more technical and less natural to me than the Snatch or Clean. Does this apply only for back squats or should front squats and overhead squats be balanced over mid foot too? Yeah, this applies to all squats. This is especially good for overhead squats, and pulls to the hip without ankle extension.
