Growing as a lifter means getting outside of your comfort zone. There's nothing more uncomfortable than squatting for high reps. High-rep squats conjoin the best of all worlds – hypertrophy, conditioning, and toughness training. Want to try them? Here's some in-depth plans:
Squatting starts from the ground up – all other mechanics depend on your stance. How you set your feet also determines what you put on your feet. Squatting with a powerlifting stance requires flat-soled shoes (Chuck Taylors or indoor soccer shoes). The flat sole will let you push on the outside of your feet to spread the floor.
If you squat with an Olympic stance, wear weightlifting shoes.
They'll give you the ankle mobility you need to hit good depth.
More tension equals more strength, so if you want to squat heavy, you have to create as much tension as possible. It starts at the top with your hands and at the bottom with your feet. Setting your grip hard on the bar creates tension that runs into your upper-back, solidifying a solid shelf for the bar to rest on. Squeezing the floor with your feet creates tension that's transferred through your legs and into the hips.
Setting up to squat should use as little energy as possible. You're about to sit down with a considerable amount of metal on your back and that takes enough energy. Here's what an efficient set-up should look like:
To be a strong squatter you need to squat two and a half times your bodyweight. And unless you are a world-class bench presser, you better be able to squat more than you bench. If you can't, start making the squat rack your church.
Ask Me Anything I receive great questions in my T Nation Community Coaching Lab. If…
Ask Me Anything I get a lot of great questions in my T Nation Community…
An Exaggerated Warm-Up Isn't Helpful I don't know when the lengthy warm-up became a thing,…
Training and Your Metabolic State When I think "workout," I think of speeds. Your metabolic…