We’re CrossFitters.
And that means that in the course of a week we’re squatting dozens, maybe even hundreds of times. The squat seems like a simple enough movement… right? So if you ask most of us to define a squat we’d probably say something like, “Just send your butt down to the floor and stand up.”
But there is actually much more to a good squat than just sending your backside on a quick trip to the floor and standing up again. In fact, the squat is a foundational movement that is one of the building blocks that will help you advance as you progress in CrossFit.
And that’s why our coaches stress the importance of getting this basic movement right.
If you have a strong basic squat, you’ll have the proper, sturdy foundation that will allow you to add the stress of weight and speed to it. But if your basic squat is weak or slightly off in positioning, things are going to get very off track down the road when heavy weight is added.
So that’s why our very own Coach Seth as well as Coach Johnny (PCF’s newest coach) shared the top five ways we can improve our squat… Because it’s very necessary to the growth of a CrossFitter.
1. Revisit the Basics Often
A movement like the air squat is quickly written off because it seems simple, but it’s actually something that all CrossFitters should be spending the time to develop and improve because it will translate into so many other movements.
That’s why Coach Seth says it’s important to revisit the basics often… Because learning bad form on a basic squat and not correcting it, means having to unlearn a lot later down the road. Undoing an improper squat is much harder then simply getting it right in the beginning.
Even doing movements like side lunges can help you maintain good control while moving from one side to the other, which in turn will help improve your squat.
You’re never too good to revisit the basics.
2. Get a Good Warm Up
A good, thorough warm-up can go along way… Especially when you incorporate specific movements to engage your glutes and hamstrings and get those muscle groups firing before you jump into doing any variety of movements that include squatting.
Also, get plenty of mobility and stretching – if not every day, at least once a week. If you sit a lot during the day, you may not be sore from exercise but actually from sitting so long. This can attribute to tight hip flexors, as well as hip and low back pain. Good mobility will help with this a lot.
3. Develop A Strong Posterior Chain.
We all know that CrossFitters and weightlifters tend to be very quad dominant. In fact, sometimes the tell-tale sign of a serious CrossFitter is those muscular quads bulging out the top of a pair of shorts. But that quad dominance can lead to an imbalance between quads and posterior chain (glutes and hamstrings). In order to have a good squat, developing a strong posterior chain is very important.
Beside an obvious movement like the deadlift, there are many ways to develop that. Hip extensions, single leg deadlifts, and split squats are some of the best movements to help develop a stronger posterior chain which will instantly improve your squat. The GHD is a very helpful tool as well… hop on there and do some hip extensions and glute/ham raises often and you’ll quickly see results. Also RDLs (like a straight legged deadlift) can be beneficial.
4. Learn to Breathe and Brace your Core… And Don’t Reach For That Lifting Belt Too Soon
Learning to breathe and brace your core can improve your squatting ability tremendously. This is especially important if you want to squat heavy… Which is pretty much the desire of all CrossFitters. So make sure you’re taking big breaths all the way from your belly and not just through your lungs.
Your abdominal wall actually serves as a natural weight lifting belt as you breathe correctly and brace your core. Coach Seth says that many people actually begin to use weight lifting belts way too soon and wear them way too often which can lead to over-dependance on the belt instead of the development of a very strong abdominal wall which is your natural lifting belt. Weight lifting belts should be reserved for very heavy sets or for the times that your core is getting weak and you feel yourself starting to fatigue.
Coach Johnny says that often times, people don’t know how to breathe and brace properly… they tend to want to brace out in front instead of to the sides. A good test to see if you’re engaging correctly or not is to put your hand on your sides and then take a big breath and brace… If you’ve created a nice little belly out front, but your hands don’t feel any pressure on your sides that means you’re not bracing right. When you brace your abdominal wall, you want to feel the pressure out at your sides, not just in front.
5. Slow It Down
Practicing tempo squats can help you get a better feel for how you’re coming down and adding that pause at the bottom can help develop and improve your bottom position greatly. A lot of people drop really fast to the bottom of their squat which is okay if you have excellent form and control, but far too many people drop so quickly that they lose their strong bottom position. That’s why tempo squats can help a lot.
Just take a full 3-5 seconds to come down into your bottom position and then hold for another 3-5 seconds. And beware…. That counting tends to speed up a lot when you have heavy weight resting on you. Those “One Mississippi, two Mississippi’s” quickly turn into a rapid, “One Mis-, two Mis-, three Mis-” when you’re counting to yourself. So snag a buddy sometime and ask them to count slow, and you’re sure to get a good feel for a set of tempo squats.
However, when you are practicing tempo squats, make sure that you drive quickly out of your bottom position and see it through to the very top. Don’t just shoot your butt back immediately. Instead, squeeze the glutes, maintain control, and drive up. And make sure you don’t get sloppy at the end just because you think you have it made… maintain that good form, see it all the way through, and finish it well.