By Paul Chek, HHP, NMT
Founder, C.H.E.K. Institute
Here are some variations of the squat that you can use to give some variety to your squatting program.
The Front Squat
Front squats are the squat of choice for most athletes and those wanting to get the most benefit from a squat for both aesthetics and functional carryover (see Figure 11).
After all, unless you are a sprinter, rugby player, wrestler or power lifter, when will you ever have a massive load on your back? In most work and sports situations, we are handling loads in front of our bodies, not behind them. In addition, hamstring weakness and poor posture plague the general athletic and sports specific athlete populations alike. The front squat is a perfect antidote for both.
When the load is in front of your body, your center of gravity is moved forward, resulting in a greater lever arm against the spinal erectors and hip extensors. This results in a greater force trying to pull you forward than if the bar were on your back.
This requires that you have increased recruitment of the extensor muscles of the back and hip to hold you erect as you descend into the squat. According to strength coach Charles Poliquin, you should be able to front squat at least 85 percent of your back squat at any intensity. For example, if you can perform 10 reps with 200 pounds in a back squat, you should be able to perform 10 reps 170 pounds (85 percent/200 lb.) in the front squat.
Because holding the bar properly requires flexible wrists and fingers (Figure 11) and is often uncomfortable for those without adequate muscle mass around the shoulders, placing a folded towel across the shoulders and crossing the arms is more tolerable for beginners.
You can also use a very helpful little product called Sting Rays which support the bar and take the pressure away from your bones. With many females, I don't use the bar at all because if they have watched professional bodybuilding on TV, they are afraid that if they touch a barbell they will grow male genitalia and have to shave twice a day.
I simply have them hold a medicine ball to their chest since I have medicine balls weighing to 60 pounds, which is plenty for most females wanting good looks and general fitness.
Jefferson Squats
A great variation of the front squat is the Jefferson Squat, which makes use of a dumbbell for resistance (see Figure 12). While there is a lot of similarity between a Jefferson Squat, and dead lift and a Front Squat, it is considered a squat. The Jefferson squat is very good for females wanting to reap the anti-gravity benefits of good posture on their breasts. The exercise begins in the position shown in Figure 12, and ends when you are standing fully upright with good posture, as you would with a traditional deadlift. Extra effort must be made to keep the chest up and shoulder blades back, particularly for the ladies wanting the beneficial, lift effect for their breasts!
I commonly give this to women who want breast enhancement surgery with the intention of improving their posture so they can reevaluate the surgical approach to aesthetic improvements where drooping is more the issue than size is.
I've been successful at keeping them away from the operating table many times because the suspensory ligaments of Cooper, which hold the breast tissue and attach to the clavicle through the superficial fascia, allowing improved breast position as a result of improved posture.
Renegade Squats
Created by Coach John Davies, the Renegade Squat is a hopped up version of a Jefferson squat (see Figure 13). With virtually the same bottom position, you accelerate as though you were going to jump right off the ground and continue to pull the dumbbell to about clavicle height.
This is a fast, dynamic and fun method of squatting that is particularly useful to the athlete wishing to convert slow-speed strength into high-speed power.
Belt squats
The belt squat is important for those of you who can't keep your knees tracking properly during squats or while walking up stairs for example. Lateral tracking patella is a common knee problem today and, as I alluded to earlier, it is often related to poor abdominal function.
To get the best from your belt squats, take a piece of kite string, stand with good posture and draw your umbilicus in gently until you see the oblique line become prominent. Then tie the string in a knot at the umbilicus level, snug to the skin (see Figure 14).
Next, take a weight belt and place it around your thighs, adjusting it so that when you are in the bottom of your squat pressing outward on the belt with your legs enough to keep the belt strung tight, the center of your knee caps is just above or slightly outside the second toe (Figure 10). Initially using only your body weight (and good squat form), hold tension on the belt and lower into the squat for six seconds, pause for one and rise for six seconds.
You will have chosen the right stance width when you can comfortably lower your body to the point that you can touch the ground and keep your knees in the correct position. Perform sets of 10-15 reps for one to three sets and only perform these squats at the end of a workout or your stabilizers will be too fatigued to exercise with good form and you could get hurt.
When you are strong enough to use a slow tempo and work for over 100 seconds straight for three sets with body-weight, you can begin adding weight.
How Often Should I Squat?
While squats are the "King of All Exercises," they may also be the king for providing muscle soreness if you overdo it! If you are squatting at intensities of 8 RM (repetition maximum) or less, I don't suggest you squat more often than once every five days.
| Breath Holding Concerns It is normal to hold your breath through the descent and sticking point (point of maximum load and minimum mechanical efficiency) on the way up. As you pass the sticking point, release your breath through firmly pursed lips, like a trumpet player. This keeps your deep abdominal wall active, serving to stabilize your spine. If you have cardiovascular risk factors, you should not hold your breath through the sticking point, but begin a progressive release as you ascend. You should also get clearance from your doctor before squatting with heavy resistance! |
You can get away with once every four days using 8-12 rep loads, providing the volume is not greater than 36 reps per workout (elite lifters need not follow this suggestion if antagonistic to a well periodized plan). If your training intensity is low enough to complete more than 12 reps, judge how often you can squat based on soreness. Generally, you will be fine squatting as often as once every three days. But, again, use muscle soreness as your guide.
A simple rule of thumb at any intensity is that if you come to the gym and can't improve your last performance by at least 1-3 percent, you shouldn't be doing that exercise (1/2 percent is acceptable for world class athletes). If you do, you will be draining, not training!
Conclusion
Everyone should squat! I have told many of my patients with orthopedic injuries to their spine and legs, "If you can't, you must!" Over and over, I have seen workers and athletes get re-injured because they avoided developing strength in the squat pattern. As I have said before, it is the person who can't squat or got hurt squatting, then avoided it, who develops a weak wound repair and ends up re-injured!
If this article doesn't give you the confidence to squat properly or you have an unresolved injury that has limited your ability to squat, visit my Web site to find a CHEK Practitioner near you who can give you a proper assessment and teach you correct technique.
The squat provides tremendous benefits to your physiology, aesthetics, work and sports performance and, therefore, your psychology. In my opinion, we should get rid of as many leg presses and Smith machines as it takes to give each gym enough squat cages so that anyone can squat without having to stand in line.
If you're going to spend time in the gym earning health and performance, why not start with the King!
Suggested Reading and Resources:
If you would like more information on how to squat or exercise properly, please visit Paul Chek's Web site at www.chekinstitute.com or call 800/552-8789 for a free catalog.
Figure 5 Breathing Squats
Choose a stance slightly wider than shoulder width and allow the toes to turn out slightly; if you have the right stance width and adequate toe-out, you will be able to squat till your trunk rests on your thighs with no discomfort in your hips or knees and without your knees falling inside your toes at the bottom of the squat.
Begin your breathing squat set by placing your tongue on the roof of the mouth just behind the front teeth; where it naturally goes when you swallow. This will facilitate the action of your diaphragm for deeper breathing. Take a deep belly breath and then lower your self in the squat in a completely relaxed manner with your arms hanging at your sides, breathing out through your nose (unless you can't) as you go.
Pause at the bottom, resting your torso completely on your thighs (or going as low as is comfortable for you), and begin to rise as you sense the need to inhale. As you rise, make sure to inhale through the nose and allow the belly to expand for the first two thirds of the breath, only allowing the chest to elevate in the last third of the inhalation.
Such deep breathing facilitates the PNS. If your mind begins to wonder, try to focus on counting your breaths and pay attention to the energy (chi or prana) flow through your body. It is not uncommon to begin to shake or feel aching in areas where you have an energetic block.
If you keep at it, you will soon notice that your body feels calm and well balanced after a session of breathing squats. If you have any back pain or recent history of back pain, it is important to have your doctor or physical therapist clear you to do this exercise!
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