3 Ways To Achieve BACK SQUAT goals….FASTER!! Here’s why…
Everyone’s goals are different, but with a goal we expect a specific result right? Whether that’s to increase strength, improve mobility, improve our body composition or improve our health/fitness, the BACK SQUAT might need to be your BIGGEST focus….and here’s why:
1) Optimal squat performance requires great levels of mobility and stability
Achieving the optimal squat position can be a hard process for many people. You will require sufficient mobility and stability in certain areas of the body. We look for mobility at the ankles, hips and thoracic. While we try and achieve stability at the foot, knee and lower back. To emphasise the importance of both, let’s put this into context. Imagine your ankle mobility is VERY POOR, therefore forcing your hips to utilise more mobility, putting added load requirement through your lumbar spine, that unfortunately leads to injury!……..OR……..you lack stability at your knees through weak glutes and tight adductors, creating inefficient technique, leading to decreased strength development! The possible combinations are endless. So if we want to move the maximal amount of loads, over a long period of time, the safest way possible, achieving the optimal balance of mobility and stability IS A MUST!
2) In the long game our back squat is the best exercise to add more volume/stress
Now if you don’t already know, consistency is the key! This is important to understand, because if you are like me and see results in the gym as a ‘long game’, good shit will happen. I personally find it hard to articulate everything that goes on in my head when I think about the long game of training, but I’ll try and make it as simple to understand as possible…….THE LONG GAME ALWAYS WINS!!
The Back Squat is one of our biggest compound lifts, utilising nearly every muscle to produce force and/or create tension. Therefore we can lift more loads and accumulate more stress on our bodies, not just in a single session but over the long term. If we combine this accumulative stress with good recovery, we get a never ending story of SUCCESS! We adapt! We build more muscle, recruit more muscle fibre, produce more force and constantly progress. Its amazing when we do the simple shit well.
”If you’re not getting stronger progression has far too many limitations”
3) The ability to hold your own for the rest of your life
When we think longevity it’s about quality of life. I personally do not want to be 40,50 or even 60 years of age and not able to move without pain or even run out in the sun. I’m gonna be throwing around barbells my entire life! There’s far too much benefit to the rest of my life! More stability, better posture, less pain, reduced injury risk, higher testosterone…..the good will always outweigh the bad
Conclusion
Start BACK SQUATTING!! Even if you are still new to squatting, currently working through an injury or need to work on better mobility, work your programming towards progressing towards it or even slight variations depending on your context. Don’t avoid it because you “don’t like it” or because it “hasn’t worked in the past” or you “don’t like free weights”…..this one movement could be the single most effective exercise to get your desired result!!
Author – Callum Maggs (full time Coach/Head Junior Athlete Strength & Conditioning Coach)