Book Design: Steve Kinslow

Weightlifting Action Photos: Bruce Klemens, Miloš Šarčev, LiftingLife.com

Cover Image: Viviana Podhaiski, LiftingLife.com Book Design: Steve Kinslow
Copyright © 2021, Strength Sensei
Warning: Before beginning any strength and conditioning program, consult with your physician or appropriate health care
provider to ensure that you are healthy enough to engage in this type of training. This book is not intended to provide medical
advice. Strength Sensei assumes no liability for any of the information contained herein.

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How to Use this Book
You can benefit from reading this book cover to cover. If you’re an experienced athlete, you can skip
ahead and get right into the workouts. If you are not familiar with Coach Poliquin’s workout
prescriptions, however, you should at least start with “Chapter 6: How to Read Workouts.”
The Ultimate Guide to Squatting is divided into three parts.
• Part I explains Coach Poliquin’s approach to squatting.
• Part II goes into detailed workouts designed by Coach Poliquin and his colleagues to achieve
specific goals. For example, the workouts that best develop muscle mass are not necessarily the best
workouts to develop strength. Although it is tempting to skip to the advanced workouts, they are
more challenging than they appear on paper and may not be the most effective for your current level
of conditioning. And if you are not in peak condition, it may be best to start with the lower-level
workouts, at least for a short period.
• Part III explains the key points on how to perform the exercises, along with photos of many of the
exercises. That said, we encourage you to get quality coaching as it is challenging to master lifting
techniques from just photos and text.
As for bonuses, the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section at the end of the book covers
common questions Coach Poliquin has been asked about the squat. Want to know his opinion about
the value of box squats? It’s here. Want to know what he thinks about the effectiveness of the so-
called “Russian Squat Program?” It’s here. Want to know if he believes squats will widen your hips?
It’s here too. There is also a Glossary for unique terms used in the book.
With that background, let’s get to work!

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SQUATTING

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents

PART 1 TOPICS
1 : Why Squat?
2 : Are Squats Bad for the Knees?
3 : What You Need to Know about Squatting Deep
4 :The Front Squat Advantage
5 : Squats vs. Deadlifts
6 : How to Read Workouts

PART 2 SQUAT WORKOUTS

7 : Über Squat Workout for Beginners
8 : Squatting for Strength
9 : Squatting for Mass
10 : Hardcore Squat Program for Mass
11 : Milos Šarčev Giant Sets Routine
12 : Omni Squat Routine

PART 3 EXERCISE LIBRARY

13 Equipment Basics
14 Exercise Descriptions
FAQ ABOUT SQUATS
GLOSSARY

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PART 1 TOPICS
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1 : Why Squat?
No discussion about squats would be complete without paying tribute to
Paul Anderson. The winner of the super heavyweight division at the
Olympic Games was awarded the title “World’s Strongest Man.” Anderson
won that title in 1956 and was the first man to standing Olympic press 400
pounds. What secured Anderson’s legacy in the Iron Game, however, was
his record-setting squats.
Anderson was always strong. At age 20, he squatted 660 pounds, exceeding
the world record by 30 pounds. In 1953, lifting in bare feet, Anderson
squatted 762 pounds. The following year he squatted 820, and in 1965,
Anderson used his 36-inch quads to power up a 930 squat. This lift was
especially impressive as he performed it without the supportive gear used
today, such as squat suits and stiff knee wraps.
I have nearly all my athletes squat, even in sports you wouldn’t think the lift
would have much benefiwt. For example, speed skaters are known for
exceptional muscular endurance. Yes, skating by itself will increase this
athletic quality but strength is the foundation of muscular endurance, which
means skaters can benefit from pumping iron. Case in point: Kevin Scott.
Scott is a speed skater who broke the world record in the 1,000 meters. I got
him to squat, all the way down, 462 pounds. Scott was not a powerlifter or a
strongman but an athlete who supplemented his training with squats,
making that 462 even more impressive. Then there’s Yves Nadeau, a speed
skating coach I worked with whose athletes won 203 medals at the World
Championships and the Olympic Games. Nadeau is a big believer in squats.
Of course, athletes in these strength/power sports benefit from the squat
even more. The best shot putters, discus throwers, and hammer throwers
often have monster squats. Consider Jud Logan, a 4x Olympian I trained in
the early 90s.
With Logan’s age and experience, I knew when I started coaching him that
increases in athletic performance would unlikely come from improvements
in technique. What I believed would produce the biggest difference in his
performance was to make him stronger and more powerful, which meant
getting his squat up. To make my case, the following table shows the
relationship between Logan’s results in the hammer events and his squat:
Performance Indicator 10/9, 1991 By 5/5, 1992
7.26 kg hammer (meters) 77.00 79.86
6 kg hammer (meters) 86 89.04
35 lbs. hammer (feet) 77.75 80.25*
Squat (kilos) 135 225
*World record

On a larger scale, the following table, modified from Letzlter & Letzlter
(1986) and Poliquin (1986), shows the strength standards for squats
expected by elite athletes in various sports:
Discipline Qualification Full Squat (kg)
Weightlifting 100 kg/220 kg jerk 285
Shot Put 20m 235
Hammer Throw 72m 225
 Sprint 9.78s 200
Bobsleigh Olympic Team 200
Judo Olympic Team 180
Alpine Ski National Team 170
Shot Put 14m 140
Decathlon 8000 Points 145
Rowing National Class 140
Badminton National Class 95

Before going further, let me address squat depth as defined by the sport of
powerlifting.
There are many powerlifting federations, and the rules for squats vary
among them regarding squat depth. However, because the International
Powerlifting Federation (IPF) is one of the oldest organizations, established
in 1972, let’s go with their judging standards.
The IPF Rulebook says that for a squat to pass in their competitions, the
athlete “…must bend the knees and lower the body until the top surface of
the legs at the hip joint is lower than the top of the knees.” Using a standard
of saying the top of the thighs should be slightly lower than parallel to the
floor puts those with huge thighs at a disadvantage. Using our example of
Paul Anderson, his thighs were so large (36 inches at 5-feet-10) he needed
to get into a full squat to reach a thighs-parallel position.
Other powerlifting federations allow for a slightly higher squat depth. This
difference, plus the use of supportive gear such as squat suits, are reasons
why the records in these organizations tend to be much higher than those in
the IPF.
The goal of powerlifting is to lift the heaviest weight possible over the
shortest distance allowed by the rules of the sport. Thus, powerlifters will
focus on lifting techniques that, unfortunately, may not have the best
transfer to athletic performance or bodybuilding.
For example, many powerlifters use a hyper-wide stance that reduces the
forward movement of the knees. This squatting style minimizes the work of
the quadriceps and prevents them from working the legs through a full
range of motion. Contrast that technique with the narrow-stance, full-range
squats that bodybuilders often perform to increase the work of the quads.
Both types of athletes are squatting but using two radically different styles
to accomplish different goals.
Just as you would not fully develop the biceps by only performing biceps
curls halfway up, you must perform full squats to achieve maximal growth
of the quadriceps. If you compare the leg development of weightlifters to
powerlifters, you’ll find that the weightlifters often have greater
development closer to the knee than powerlifters. Having full development
of the quadriceps is considered desirable in a physique competition, along
with helping to stabilize the knee during athletic competition. If your
primary goal is physique transformation and structural balance of the legs,
the powerlifting squat may not be a good idea.
Tom “The Golden Eagle” Platz set the standard for leg development in
bodybuilding. Platz not only performed full squats (well, as much as his
enormous thigh mass allowed!) but often had a slight bounce out of the
bottom. And his legs were also almost as strong as they looked.

At a fitness expo in 1993, Platz participated in an exhibition with Fred “Dr.

Squat” Hatfield, a world record holder in the squat.
For a single, Platz managed 775 pounds to Hatfield’s best of 865. When the
weight on the bar was reduced to 505 for a “max reps” competition,
however, Platz grinded out 23 reps to Hatfield’s 12.
Although Hatfield was two inches shorter than Platz at about the same
bodyweight, Platz possessed considerably more overall thigh mass than
Hatfield. This statement is not to slight Hatfield. Hatfield was an elite
powerlifter, and Platz was an elite bodybuilder. Besides, alongside the rest
of humanity, everyone’s thighs looked small compared to Platz’s!

There is an argument that partial squats more effectively overload the end
range of leg extension. This difference would make them more specific to
explosive activities such as the vertical jump. Professor Yuri Verkhoshansky
had the same idea.
Verkhoshansky was a track coach who worked with jumpers attending the
Aeronautical Engineering Institute in Moscow in the 1950s. Verkhoshansky
determined that during the takeoff for the triple jump, the stress on the legs
could reach as much as 300 kilos (660 pounds). Because the hard Russian
winters made training outdoors impossible, to make his workouts more
sport specific, he tried to replicate that stress with partial squats.
The problem with this approach was that Verkhoshansky’s athletes began
complaining of lower back pain from the heavy loads they would use with
partial squats. Leg presses were also not an effective option because the
machines used today were not available. Instead, athletes performed leg
presses by having training partners lift a barbell and rest it between their
feet! A risky practice, but the stability required to perform this lift severely
restricted the amount of weight the athlete could use.
The challenges with partial squats and the lack of effective lower body
machines led Verkhoshansky to develop special, high-intensity jumping
exercises that fall into the category of “shock training.” In one three-month
study he conducted with track and field athletes, Verkhoshansky found
these “depth jumps” could produce greater results in jumping ability than
conventional jump training with a third less volume.
As evidenced by the remarkable leaping ability of gymnasts, jumping by
itself can improve vertical jumping ability. However, greater improvements
may be achieved if these exercises are combined with squatting.
In one 6-week study published in the Journal of Applied Sports Science
Research in 1992, researchers divided subjects into three groups: a
plyometric-only group, a squat-only group, and a group that performed both
plyometrics and squatting. The results? The squat group increased their
vertical jump by 1.2 inches (3.3 cm); the plyometrics group, 1.5. inches
(3.81 cm); and the combined group, 4.2 inches (10.67 cm)!
That’s the positive side of squatting. In the next chapter, I will discuss some
of the common myths associated with squats.
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2 : Are Squats Bad for the Knees?
“Do squats harm the knees?” Short answer: No.
Here’s the long answer.
The controversy about squats started when college professor Karl K. Klein
conducted a research study on how squats affect knee stability. The results
were published in 1961. A decade later, Klein and Dr. Fred Allman, Jr.
wrote The Knee in Sports. This book convinced many coaches, the medical
community, and the parents of athletes to fear the squat. It took decades to
persuade these groups otherwise.
For the record, Klein did not condemn all types of squats. What he didn’t
like were full squats. In his book, you will see photos showing that he was
fine with the parallel squats that would now pass in some powerlifting
federations. What’s more, Klein’s arguments lost steam when later studies
contradicted his research; specifically, that weightlifters and powerlifters
tended to possess tighter knee joints than control groups and were less
susceptible to knee injuries. Let’s look at some details.
One of the subjects in Klein’s studies was Bill Starr, a US weightlifter who
competed internationally and broke the world record in the standing
Olympic press. Starr said Klein’s study wasn’t objective because he asked
the subjects before testing them if they performed full squats. Klein would
then place a metal device that extended above and below the knee joint and
apply manual pressure to access knee stability, so Klein determined how
much pressure was applied. Starr also said many of the subjects complained
that Klein pushed too hard and that the device hurt their knees.
Weightlifters squat as low as possible but possess high levels of knee
stability. Photo by Joseph McCray, LiftingLife.com.
I’ve always believed, and there is research to back me up, that partial squats
place more stress on the patellofemoral (knee) joint than full squats. My
work with the Canadian National Alpine Ski Team suggests that not only
did squats reduce the number of injuries but reduced the recovery period if
they do get injured.
Back to Jud Logan, he suffered from knee pain for eight years when I
started coaching him. I believed his pain was caused by an altered strength
curve developed from performing partial squats. I switched him to full
squats, bending his knees until his hamstrings covered his calves. Six weeks
later, he was pain-free and told me his sitting position improved in turns.
Here are the specific changes I made to Logan’s squatting technique:
Technical Point Pre October 1991 Post October 1991
Depth Slightly above parallel *Full squat
Elbow Position Back Under the bar
Hips during ascent Moving back Moving forward
Neck Posture Protracted In line with torso
Torso Angle Leaning Forward Torso erect
* Hamstrings covering calves at the lowest point
Many individuals cannot perform full squats because of structural
imbalances. Those who have never squatted often round their lower back at
the bottom, creating harmful stress on the lower spine. Most likely, the
cause is tight calves.
One way to test for tight calves is to place two thin (about 1-inch) weight
plates under your heels. Squat. If you can go all the way down comfortably,
rather than avoiding full squats, this suggests you need to stretch your
calves!
I’ve found one of the best ways to stretch the calves is with loaded calf
raises, holding the stretch at the bottom. Don’t use maximal weights as it
can cause injury if you use too much weight or hold the stretch too long.
Let’s look at one more example of how a structural imbalance can affect
squatting ability.
Full range movements on a standing calf machine can help you improve the
flexibility of the calves so you can squat deep.
I trained the Canadian National Women’s Volleyball Team in the late 80s.
During my initial assessments, I found that most of these athletes suffered a
type of overuse injury called jumper’s knee. An athlete with jumper’s knee
may find squatting extremely painful, and for this reason, will usually avoid
the exercise. A conservative approach involving rest and anti-inflammatory
medications is often recommended. I took a different approach.
I believed these athlete’s knee trouble could be attributed to a structural
imbalance between the vastus medialis oblique (VMO), the teardrop-shaped
muscle on the inside of the thigh, and the vastus lateralis (outer sweep thigh
muscle). The VMO helps the kneecap track properly. I believe their
imbalance developed from sport-specific training that doesn’t take the legs
through a full range of motion.
One of the structural balance exercises I used with these volleyball players
was the Petersen step-up, which focuses on the VMO. As their VMO
strength improved, I moved them to squatting. Although rest is usually
recommended for overuse injuries, the athletes did not have to stop training
or cut back on practices, a standard recommendation of many doctors and
therapists. Within two months, only one of the players still suffered from
jumper’s knee. In addition to the Petersen step-up, my go-to exercise for
jumper’s knee is an easier movement to master called the Poliquin Step-up.
The Poliquin step-up is an isolation exercise for those who have a relative
weakness in the VMO.
Finally, some trainers recommend squatting with a flat back. This technique
is also often taught in aerobics classes to more intensely work the glutes.
While squatting this way in an aerobics class may not do any harm,
squatting with load in this manner is just asking to be hurt. I say this
because squatting with a flat back affects the ability of the spine to absorb
shock; in fact, a flat spine is considered a postural fault. What is the correct
way to squat? This subject will be covered in Chapter 3.
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3 : What You Need to Know about
Squatting Deep
I’m a big believer in deep squatting. Again, just as you wouldn’t perform a
biceps curl halfway up, it makes little sense to focus on squats through a
partial range of motion unless you are a powerlifter. The problem is some
people think they can’t squat deep, emphasis on “think.”
Again, not being able to squat low is often a matter of tightness in the
calves. A simple way to determine if this is the problem is to put your heels
on a board or under thin weight plates and try to squat. If you can go lower
with a more upright stance, you need to stretch your calves.
Those with tight calves can often get into full squats sooner by purchasing
weightlifting shoes. In addition to being rigid to give you a solid platform
for squatting, weightlifting shoes have an elevated heel, usually about one
inch. This heel enables the shins to incline forward further so that the back
can maintain a more upright position during the squat. The rigid design of
the shoe also helps align the bones of the ankle and foot so that it is easier
to keep the knees tracking properly when squatting.
WORKING ON THE CHAIN GANG
Another tool to help you squat deep is with lifting chains.
Powerlifting guru Louie Simmons is a big proponent of lifting chains, but
their history goes back even further. Consider the work of Arthur Jones, the
founder of Nautilus and MedX.
In his early writings, Jones admitted that free weights were a path to
developing tremendous gains in strength and size. Evidence of his belief
was Casey Viator, a bodybuilder Jones began training two months after the
young man placed sixth in the Teenage Mr. America.
In a workout that has become legend, Jones pushed Viator to perform 13
full squats with 502 pounds after pre-exhausting his quads with 20 reps in
the leg press with 750 and 20 reps in the leg extension with 225! As for
muscle gains, during the 10 months Jones trained Viator, he gained 20
pounds of solid muscle. Still a teenager, Viator became the youngest winner
of the AAU Mr. America in 1971.
Although Jones recognized the value of free weights, he believed they were
limited in building strength and muscle mass. Jones said free weights only
stressed the muscles through a partial range of motion. This limitation
encouraged him to experiment with altering the resistance of the exercise
with chains but eventually decided that shell-shaped cams were more
practical and effective. He used these cams on his popular Nautilus and later
MedX machines.
Although Jones abandoned chains, the powerlifting community (and later
the strength coaching profession) embraced them. Let’s step back a bit and
take a closer look at the concept of variable resistance.
A strength curve is a mathematical model representing how much force you
can produce at specific joint angles during an exercise. The competition
powerlifts – squat, bench press, and deadlift – have “ascending” strength
curves, meaning the athlete can display more force when they extend their
joints.
The weakest leverage position for the squat is the bottom position, and the
exercise gets easier during the ascent. As such, an athlete can parallel squat
more than they can full squat, and they can quarter squat more than they can
parallel squat. When an athlete squats using chains, as the athlete
straightens their legs the chains lift off the ground, and the resistance
increases.
Besides more appropriately overloading the athlete’s strength curve during
the squat, chains can help improve explosiveness because the athlete can
apply more force over a longer distance. With the barbell alone, during
exercises with ascending strength curves, you must decelerate earlier to
prevent hyperextending the joints. Research published in the

October 2009 issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

confirmed this theory. Using the bench press, researchers found that chains
increased the velocity of the bar off the chest during a bench press by 10
percent.
The title of this chapter is “What You Need to Know about Squatting
Deep,” and chains can help you squat deeper. When you squat with a
barbell, the weight remains constant as you bend your knees but your ability
to apply force decreases. In other words, the weight feels heavier as you go
down. This sensation can make an athlete reluctant to squat all the way
down. With chains, as more of the chain rests on the floor, the weight will
feel lighter, and thus there is less reluctance to squat deep.
Because chains increase the resistance during the ascent, it takes longer to
complete the movement. Increasing how long a muscle is placed under
tension has benefits in terms of muscle hypertrophy. For example, if it takes
10 seconds to complete a set of 3 reps in the squat. With chains (and the
same amount of effort), it could take 12-15 seconds to complete that set.
Putting this all together, lifting chains will not only help you squat lower
but has many other benefits in terms of increasing strength, muscle mass,
and athletic performance. Don’t buy a set of chains — invest in a set of
chains!
If you want to get the most from squatting, squat hard, squat frequently, and
squat deep!
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4 :The Front Squat Advantage
Although this book focuses on the back squat, there is much to say about
the benefits of the front squat. Not only is the front squat a primary exercise
for weightlifters, but it also has many benefits for other types of athletes.
The same muscles worked in the back squat are used in the front squat.
However, the front squat places less compressive force on the knees. Also,
EMG research suggests that the front squat more strongly activates the
vastus lateralis and the rectus femoris, two of the other quadriceps muscles.
Another way to put it is that the front squat is easier on the knees and works
the quads harder.
There are other reasons I like the front squat. I consider the front squat an
“honest test of lower body strength.” I say this because it’s easier to perform
a partial back squat, and you can lift considerably more with a partial
movement than a full movement.
There are dozens of powerlifting organizations and the rules about what
constitutes a legal squat vary. A squat that is deep enough to pass in one
organization may not be deep enough in another. Differences in anatomy
aside, this is why you often see powerlifters squat with hundreds of pounds
more than they deadlift. With the front squat, the leverage differences are
such that the athlete will almost always squat deeper.
Another consideration is that it is easier to cheat with the back squat than
the front squat. If you shoot your hips back as you come out of the low
squat position in the front squat, changing the leverage to a more
advantageous position places considerable more stress on your wrists and
elbows and may cause you to drop the bar. That is, you are more likely to
use optimal form in the front squat than the back squat.
If athletes are hitting rock bottom in their squats, I prefer a front squat/back
squat ratio of about 85 percent to ensure structural balance. Rather than
using expensive laboratory leg extension/leg curl testing equipment, a coach
can test an athlete’s front squat and back squat to determine if they are
structurally balanced.
Now that we know what constitutes a good front squat from a structural
balance perspective, let’s address the question, “How strong is strong?”
One athlete I trained who excelled in the front squat was Pierre Leuders, an
Olympic medalist in the bobsled. Weighing 220 pounds, Leuders front
squatted 462 pounds. Other athletes I coached include World Cup medalists
in downhill skiing Felix Belczyk and Cary Mullen. Mullen weighed 200
pounds and Belczyk 191; both could front squat 352 pounds.
Unquestionably, the most impressive performance was the 451-pound front
squat of Ian Danney, an Olympic bobsledder who weighed 180 pounds!
Again, these are not weightlifters or powerlifters but athletes who
performed the front squat as part of their conditioning for their sport.
Perhaps due to flexibility issues or because they don’t see the transfer in the
lift to their sport, powerlifters seldom perform front squats, so it’s not
possible to know on a large scale what most elite athletes in this sport can
do in this lift. In contrast, weightlifters excel in the front squat because they
perform the concentric portion of the front squat when they rise from the
clean. A case could also be made that the back squat is a better exercise for
strengthening the first pull of a snatch as the wider snatch grip encourages
the athlete to start with a higher back angle.
Weightlifters seldom max out on front squats for single reps, and some will
place less emphasis on it in favor of working other components of the sport,
such as the pull or jerk. That said, Russia’s Vladimir Marchuk could front
squat 700 pounds. The absolute world record holder in the clean and jerk,
Russia’s Leonid Taranenko (586 pounds), front squatted 600 pounds for 3
reps. Then there’s Dursun Sevinc of Turkey and Pyrros Dimas of Greece,
athletes who competed in the 197-pound division, could front squat triple
bodyweight!
Next, I like to use the front squat as a flexibility assessment tool. If an
athlete has mobility issues, it will be immediately apparent as the athlete
performs the exercise. When athletes are required to perform a test of
strength that is influenced by flexibility, they are often motivated to work
on their flexibility. In the case of the front squat, athletes who have tight
external shoulder rotators or forearms often have difficulty maxing out.
Many athletes, especially bodybuilders, skip the front squat because holding
the bar causes pain in their wrists and elbows. If holding the bar on your
fingertips and relaxing your grip doesn’t resolve the issue, here are two tips
that should work.
First, try crossing your arms in front of you, pushing your shoulders
forward, and resting your hands over the bar. It takes a bit of practice to
master this technique, but it works. Also, the company that developed the
Manta Ray squat holder created the Sting Ray that helps securely position
the bar on your shoulders for front squats.
Crossing your arms in front of you during the front squat reduces stress on
the wrists and elbows.
Although there are specialty harnesses that support the bar in front of the
body, a more practical solution (that only costs a few bucks!) is to use
lifting straps. The straps will enable you to hold your elbows high with
minimal stress on your wrists and elbows. Here’s how it’s done.
Hook the straps around the bar at shoulder width, position your shoulders
under the bar, and grasp the straps with a neutral grip. You’re all set — lift
the weight off the supports and squat! Because it can be challenging to
remove and replace the bar on supports when you first use straps, have a
training partner assist you.
Don’t just consider my endorsement of the front squat. A survey of elite
coaches from Europe were asked what they believed were the best three
weight training exercises for athletes. Their answer? The power snatch, the
incline bench press, and the front squat! I suspect this selection is
influenced by the force-velocity curve as there is an inverse relationship
between velocity (speed) and force (strength). The power snatch addresses
velocity, and the front squat and the incline bench press addresses force.
The back squat may be the King of Lifts, but the front squat deserves a
place on the roundtable!
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5 : Squats vs. Deadlifts
Are squats better than straight bar deadlifts? What about hex bar deadlifts
and Romanian deadlifts? These are questions often asked in the strength
training community. After all, both work the largest muscle groups, and
especially heavy weights can be used. Let’s look at some answers.
Just as Paul Anderson is a squatting legend, many athletes are considered
superstars in the deadlift. Names belonging to any Top 10 deadlift list
include Bob Peoples, Vince Anello, Lamar Gant, Ed Coan, Andrew Bolton,
and Franco Columbu.
Born in 1910, Peoples grew up on a farm and developed homemade
equipment to train the deadlift, such as a pair of 50-gallon barrels linked
with a metal pipe that he would fill with rocks. Because he didn’t have a
power rack, Peoples would vary the distance he deadlifted using this barrel
weight by standing on platforms. Good enough! Peoples deadlifted 500
pounds in 1935 and became the first to hoist 700 in 1947. His official best
came two years later. Weighing only 178 pounds, Peoples deadlifted 725
1/5, a standard that held for two decades.
Following Peoples’ legacy was Franco Columbu, a 2x winner of the Mr.
Olympia bodybuilding competition. Weighing 185 pounds, Columbu
deadlifted 750 pounds, exceeding the world record at that bodyweight.
Another pound-for-pound pulling powerhouse was Vince Anello. Anello
had long arms and a short back, ideal leverages for deadlifting, and became
the first man weighing under 200 pounds to deadlift 800 (actual weight 805,
weighing 198). Let’s move on to Ed Coan.
Coan is a powerlifting legend who I invited to speak at my seminars. At 239
pounds, Coan became the lightest man to pull 900 (actual weight, 901), and
in training did 900 for a double! As for four-figure deadlifts, Andy Bolton
was the first to hit 1,000. Finally, there was Lamar Gant, who many
consider the greatest deadlifter in history.
Gant was the first and only man to deadlift five times his bodyweight. At 5
feet 2 inches, Gant won 16 world powerlifting championships. At a
bodyweight of 123, he deadlifted 634; at a bodyweight of 132, he deadlifted
661. Making these accomplishments even more impressive is that Gant had
idiopathic scoliosis, which according to the osteopathic medicine expert
Terry Todd interviewed in his famous Sports Illustrated article on Gant,
shortened his height by 4-6 inches.
With that history lesson aside, how does the deadlift measure up to the
squat? Should you perform one and not the other, or do both have a place in
your training? Here’s my take.
First, the deadlift is much easier to master than the squat and doesn’t require
the ankle flexibility needed to squat low. Flexibility restrictions are not
common among women, but for many males, this structural imbalance
presents a problem. Especially tall males. This restriction may explain why
so many strength coaches replaced the regular deadlift with the Romanian
deadlift. The Romanian deadlift starts at the finish of a conventional
deadlift, and the bar is lowered with a hip hinge to about knee level.
Next, the deadlift is a more practical exercise than the squat. The deadlift
doesn’t require squat racks, nor does it require spotters. Although it’s easier
to perform higher reps in the squat, it’s easier to perform a one-rep max on a
deadlift because there is no fear of being crushed by the weight. Finally, for
most people, deadlift technique is easier to master than the squat. It also
works the grip and trapezius muscles strongly. Let’s move on to the squat.
The biggest advantage of the squat over the deadlift is that the squat works
the legs through a greater range of motion. Yes, deadlifts can be performed
from a deficit (i.e., standing on a platform), which would increase the range
of motion of the quads, but it’s challenging to start from a lower position.
Finally, there is the hex bar deadlift. Because the torso is more upright, hex
bar deadlifts can also be used to increase the work of the quads.
The bottom line is that it’s not a case of “either/or” with the squat or
deadlift. Both have their benefits, so I would include both exercises in your
training.
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6 : How to Read Workouts
The workouts in Part II contain components that allow for a precise exercise
prescription. These components include exercise order, exercise name, body
position, type of resistance, grip, sets, reps, tempo, and rest.
Here is an example of an exercise formula:
A1. Seated DB Overhead Press, Neutral Grip, 4 x 3, 3010, rest 30 seconds
Here is how you would break down the first exercise in this formula:
A1. (exercise order) Seated (body position) DB (type of resistance) Overhead Press (name of
exercise), neutral grip (hand position), 4 (sets) x 3 (reps), 3010* (tempo), rest 30 seconds (rest
between sets).
*The first number represents the lowering phase, the second the pause in disadvantageous
leverage position, the third the lifting phase, and the fourth the pause in the advantageous
position.
Here is an example of two exercises, alternated in a superset fashion:
 A1. Seated DB Overhead Press, Neutral Grip, 4 x 3, 3010, rest 30 seconds
A2. Lat Pulldown, Pronated Grip, 4 x 5, 3110, rest 60 seconds

This formula may seem extreme, but it ensures that you provide an exercise
prescription to produce the precise training stimulus to achieve your goals.
In our example of the overhead press, just writing “overhead press” doesn’t
give you enough information. Is the lift perform as part of a superset, or are
all the exercises performed in sequence? Is it performed standing or seated?
Is it performed with a barbell or dumbbells? Then there are other options,
such as using bands or lifting chains.
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PART 2 SQUAT WORKOUTS
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7 : Über Squat Workout for
Beginners
For beginners, especially those with structural imbalances preventing them
from squatting correctly, this is a good workout. Its benefits include
increasing flexibility in the ankles and increasing strength in the hips and
quadriceps, preparing you to perform squats properly.
The best way to do this workout is in a team of three, or at least with a
training partner, so you have a spotter in case of technical failure. If you’re
new to lifting, consider investing in the services of a coach to teach you the
basics of good form.
The program is divided into three four-week programs. Follow the workouts
in the order presented as each workout becomes progressively more
challenging.
MONTH 1

The first month focuses on developing the ability to squat deeper by using a
front-foot elevated split squat.
A1. Split Squat, Front Foot Elevated, DB, 4 x 6-8, 2010, rest 90 seconds
A2. Leg Curl, Prone, Unilateral, Feet-in and ˆ, 4 x 6-8, 3010, rest 90 seconds

B1. Poliquin Step-Up, DB, High Platform, 4 x 15-20, 2110, rest 60 seconds

B2. Back Extension, 45-Degree, DB, 4 x 12-15, 2010, rest 60 seconds

C1. Calf Raise, Seated, 3 x 15-20, 1110, 60 seconds

C2. Twisting Crunch on Swiss Ball, 3 x 15-20, 2010, 60 seconds

MONTH 2

The second month includes some bilateral work, including the hex bar
deadlift. Don’t let the name fool you. Although it’s technically a deadlift,
this lift emphasizes the quads in much the same way a traditional squat
does. This will help you build the hip and quad strength while teaching you
to maintain the torso upright.
As for unilateral work, the split squat uses the same barbell position as the
squat to teach the proper positioning of the elbows and how to maintain the
upper back tight. The lower load used in the split squat helps make it a safe
and effective way for beginners to learn these crucial elements of proper
form.
A1. Hex Bar Deadlift, 5 x 4-6, 3110, rest 120 seconds

A2. Leg Curl, Prone, Foot Neutral and Flexed, Unilateral, 5 x 4-6/leg, 4010, rest 120 seconds
B1. Split Squat, BB, 4 x 6-8/leg, 3010, rest 90 seconds

B2. Good Morning, Seated, 4 x 10-12, 3010, rest 90 seconds

C1. Calf Raise, Standing, Unilateral, DB, 3 x 12-15/leg, 2110, rest 60 seconds
C2. Low Pulley Pull-In, 3 x 15-20, 1110, rest 60 seconds
MONTH 3

This is the month you hit pay dirt! It will start with the heels elevated
version of the back squat.
A1. Back Squat, Heels Elevated, BB, 4 x 8-10, 4010, rest 120 seconds
A2. Leg Curl, Prone, Feet Inward, 4 x 6-8, 4010, rest 90 seconds
B1. Lunge, DB, 4 x 8-10/leg 30X0, rest 90 seconds

B2. Leg Curl, Prone, Feet Neutral, Dorsiflexed, 4 x 6-8, rest 4010, rest 90 seconds
C1. Back Extension, 45-Degree, Snatch Grip 3 x 12-15, 3110, rest 60 seconds

C2. Calf Raise, Standing, Machine, 3 x 12-15, 1110, rest 60 seconds

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8 : Squatting for Strength
MONTH 1
A1. Back Squat, Heels Elevated, Narrow, BB, 6 x 4, 4010, rest 120 seconds

A2. Leg Curl, Prone, Feet Neutral, Dorsiflexed, 6 x 4, 3010, rest 120 seconds

B1. Back Squat, Heels Elevated, BB, 4 x 3-5, 4010, rest 120 seconds
B2. Leg Curl, Prone, Feet Outward, Dorsiflexed, 4 x 4-6, 3010, rest 120 seconds
MONTH 2
A1. Front Squat, Heels Elevated, Narrow, BB, 8 5, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3110, rest 120 seconds

A2. Leg Curl, Prone, Feet Inward, Plantarflexed, 8 5, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 4010, rest 120 seconds
B1. Hex Bar Deadlift, High Handles, 4 x 4-6, 3010, rest 90 seconds

B2. Good Morning, Wide Stance, BB, 4 10-12, 3010, rest 90 seconds
MONTH 3
A1. Back Squat, Heels Elevated, BB, 6 x 2-3, 4010, rest 120 seconds

A2. Leg Curl, Prone, Feet Neutral, 6 x 2-4, 4010, rest 120 seconds

B1. Back Squat, Heels Elevated, Wide Stance, BB, 5 x 3-5, 30X0, rest 90 seconds
B2. Leg Curl, Prone, Foot Neutral, Plantarflexed, Unilateral, 5 x 4-6, 4010, rest 90 seconds

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9 : Squatting for Mass
This 3-month mass workout uses the squat as the primary stimulus. You
will get to experience the powerful effects of squatting to increase lower
body mass.
Train with a spotter as fatigue will quickly set in, and proper form is crucial.
However, technical failure can happen, and with a bar on your shoulders,
that might be a problem.
MONTH 1

This month uses an old-school method, yet time-proven called a back-off

set. It simply means to perform a set of higher reps after you finish with
your regular sets. This approach taps into new motor units and floods the
muscle with nutrient-rich blood. Modern scientific research from Japan has
only recently shown the effectiveness of back-off sets, even though they
have been used successfully for decades in bodybuilding and lifting circles.
A1. Back Squat, BB, 6 10, 8, 8, 6, 6, 25, 4010, rest 120 seconds

A2. Leg Curl, Prone, Feet Inward, 6 8, 8, 6, 6, 6, 15, 3010, rest 120 seconds
B1. Step-Up, DB, 3 8-10/Leg, 10X0, rest 60 seconds

B2. Leg Curl, Prone, Plantarflexed, Unilateral, 3 x 6-8, 3010, rest 60 seconds

C1. Leg Press, 45-Degree, 3 x 25-30, 10X0, rest 60 seconds

C2. Back Extension, DB, 3 x 15-20, 3010, rest 60 seconds

MONTH 2

While the relative intensity of this month’s program is higher than last
month’s, the exercise order is planned to maximize fatigue. You will end the
session with another time-tested gem: the breathing squat.
A1. Back Squat, Heels Elevated, BB, 5 x 4-6, 3010, rest 10 seconds

A2. Back Squat, 1 1⁄4 at Bottom, BB, 5 x 10-12, 3010, rest 120 seconds

B1. Leg Curl, Prone, Feet Inward, 4 x 6-8, 4010, rest 10 seconds
B2. Romanian Deadlift, DB, 4 x 10-12, 3010, rest 120 seconds

C. Back Squat, Breathing, 1 x 20, 3010, rest 120 seconds

D. Calf Raise, Seated, 3 x 20, 1110, rest 60 seconds

MONTH 3
A1. Front Squat, Narrow, 5 5-7 1 x 15, 4010, rest 120 seconds
A2. Leg Curl, Prone, Feet Neutral, Plantarflexed, 5 x 5-7, 40X0, rest 120 seconds

1 x 10 40x0, rest 120 seconds

B1. Front Squat, Heels Elevated, Kolko Pause, 3 1, 76X0, 120 seconds
B2. Leg Curl, Prone, Feet Outward, Dorsiflexed, Unilateral, 3 x 6-8, 40X0, rest 120 seconds

C1. Leg Press, 45-Degree, Duck Stance, 3 2 min, 3010, rest 90 seconds
C2. Back Extension, 45-Degree, DB, 3 x 12-15, 3010, rest 90 seconds

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10 : Hardcore Squat Program for
Mass
If you’re looking for a brutal workout that will make your legs grow like
weeds, look no further. I first designed this workout for Olympic wrestlers
who needed functional hypertrophy in their legs. It was a favorite with 3X
World Champion Helen Maroulis. I have also given it to Special Forces
candidates as nothing beats it for improving lactate tolerance and clearance.
I often use this program to determine one’s commitment to hard work. Most
of you will die after two circuits. If performed correctly, you will need to
drop the load 5 percent every subsequent workout. Also, this is one of the
best programs to lean out I have ever developed.
Want to get the most out of it? Get a stopwatch to time your rest periods!
A1. Front Squat, Heels Elevated, Chains, 4 x 4-6, 30X0, rest 15 seconds

A2. Hex Bar Deadlift from Deficit, High Handles, 4 x 6-8, 30X0, rest 15 seconds

A3. Leg Curl, Prone, Feet Inward, Dorsiflexed, 4 x 6-8, 4010, rest 180 seconds

A4. Reverse Lunge, BB, 4 x 6-8/Leg, 30X0, rest 15 seconds

A5. Back Squat, Heels Elevated, BB, 4 x 15-20, 20X0, rest 180 seconds

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11 : Milos Šarčev Giant Sets
Routine
My good friend IFBB Pro Milos Šarčev is well known for two things: 1)
increasing muscle mass dramatically fast and 2) getting people into the best
conditions of their life. He accomplishes this in many ways, but his
“weapon of choice” is giant sets.
You take a mix of 8-15 exercises and do them in a row for three total giant
sets. That’s it! No magic, but some of the most brutal workouts you’ll ever
encounter. However, they are excellent for stimulating muscle growth and
lactic acid, meaning you will quickly change your body composition.
A1. Front Squat, Heels Elevated, Narrow, BB, 3 x 4-6, 40X0, rest 10 seconds
A2. Leg Press, 45-Degree, Duck Stance, 3 x 12-15, 3010, rest 10 seconds

A3. Lunge, BB, 3 x 8-10/Leg, 3110, rest 10 seconds

A4. Leg Curl, Feet Neutral, Dorsiflexed, 3 x 6-8, 4010, rest 10 seconds

A5. Back Squat, Heels Elevated, DB, 3 x 15-20, 3010, rest 10 seconds

A6. Hack Squat, BB, 3 x 10-12, 2020, rest 10 seconds

A7. Leg Press, 45-Degree, 3 x 15-20, 3010, rest 10 seconds

A8. Hex Bar Deadlift, 3 x 10-12, 4010, rest 10 seconds

A9. Back Squat, BB 3 x 15-20, 30X0, rest 10 seconds

A10. Leg Extension, 3 x 12-15, 3010, rest 10 seconds

A11. Leg Curl, Feet Neutral, Plantarflexed, 1 ¼ 3 6-8, 3010, rest 60-90 seconds

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12 : Omni Squat Routine
The Omni Squat routine alternates several types of squats, varying inclines,
bar position, and stances at every set. It uses different recruitment patterns
for your legs to increase the motor units that are fatigued, leading to more
gains in mass and strength.
In this Omni Squat variation, you’ll perform nine sets of squats. You will
perform three different types of squats and alternate for each set. It looks
like this:
Set 1. Front Squat, Heels Elevated, Narrow, Chains, BB

Set 2. Back Squat, Heels Elevated, Chains, BB

Set 3. Back Squat, BB

Set 4. Front Squat, Heels Elevated, Narrow, Chains, BB
 Set 5. Back Squat, Heels Elevated, Chains, BB

Set 6. Back Squat, BB

Set 7. Front Squat, Heels Elevated, Narrow, Chains, BB

Set 8. Back Squat, Heels Elevated, Chains, BB

Set 9. Back Squat, BB

Set 1, 4, 7 -- 4-6, 40X0, rest 10 seconds

This is a grueling training program, and you should reduce other big muscle
groups’ volume by 40 percent to recover properly.
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PART 3 EXERCISE LIBRARY
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13 Equipment Basics
A commercial gym is filled with a large variety of equipment. For
squatting, there are two essentials: a squat rack and a barbell. Let’s get more
specific, starting with the barbell.
THE SECRETS OF STEEL
Serious weightlifters use an Olympic barbell. This bar is flexible to reduce
the stress on a lifter’s joints, especially the wrists, and creates spring that
enables the athlete to lift more weight in the snatch and the clean and jerk.
The amount of spring is related to steel quality. The barbells with the most
spring cost much more than those with lower-quality steel.
Olympic barbells have smoothly revolving sleeves, allowing for a rapid
turnover at the top of the snatch and clean, and no center knurling that
would scratch the lifter’s throat during the clean. A special women’s barbell
is available that weighs 5 kilos (11 pounds) less than a men’s bar. It’s
shorter and has a thinner shaft that makes it easier for women to grip as they
tend to have smaller hands.
Weightlifters can certainly squat with this type of bar, but because of their
cost (about $1,000 for a competition Eleiko), they often used a lower
quality bar to prolong the life of their primary bar. Also, it’s not a good idea
to squat with a women’s bar as it will oscillate excessively. Such oscillation
reduces how much you can lift because you have to expend considerable
effort stabilizing your body. Although you could consider this oscillation a
good core workout, you will be using less weight because you have to
expend considerably more energy stabilizing the weight. Reduced stability
is one reason why you can bench press more with a barbell than you can
with the combined weight of two dumbbells – that and having to heave the
weights from your legs to your shoulders!
Serious squatters use a powerlifting barbell that facilitates performance in
the squat, bench press, and deadlift. These bars have less spring than
Olympic bars, as a too-flexible bar can result in excessive oscillation. The
sleeves should revolve smoothly, and the center area of the bar has
aggressive knurling to prevent slipping during the squat (and to improve the
grip in the deadlift). With competition powerlifting bars, the distance
between the inside collars is narrower to reduce oscillation, and so more
plates can fit on the bar.
On this last point, consider that because some powerlifting competitions
allow the use of gear and have loose judging standards, lifters can squat
considerably more. One thousand-pound squats have become
commonplace, even in competitions that require the lifter to step back with
the weight (rather than using special squat racks where the supports pull
away from the lifter), have stricter judging standards, and allow only
limited supportive gear such as a weightlifting belt and knee wraps.
Although not legal in all powerlifting competitions, there are special
deadlift bars that have more flex, effectively increasing the height of the bar
from the floor. For example, at the 2016 Arnold Sports Festival, the
“Elephant Bar” was introduced. Not only was it longer than standard
Olympic bars, but the plates used in this competition were 2 inches,
positioning them closer to the ends of the bar so that the bar flexes more.
While having the center of the bar only a few inches off the ground may not
seem like much, it can significantly increase the weight lifted. Also, one
reason you see such heavy weights lifted in strongman competitions is that
they use plates (such as large tires) that position the bar considerably higher
off the floor than conventional plates.
Commercial gyms usually only offer general-purpose barbells that are a
hybrid of the Olympic bar and the powerlifting bar. They are generally of
lower quality and cost considerably less. Let’s move on to the squat rack.
WHAT YOU MUST KNOW ABOUT SQUAT RACKS AND POWER RACKS
Squat racks or power racks are necessary for heavy squatting because with
minimal training, you will be squatting with more weight than you can lift
overhead.

Weightlifters often have a set of lightweight, portable squat racks they can
move onto the platform to perform squats. They also squat with bumper
plates, so if they miss a weight, they simply toss the bar behind them to the
platform. Good bumpers will ensure that a decent barbell is not damaged.
However, bailing out of a squat takes considerable skill and some practice
to perform with heavy weights; don’t wait until you hit a max weight that
you can’t handle before you try dumping it! Also, dumping weights is
usually not permitted in commercial gyms, even those with bumper plates.
If you train in a commercial gym, you probably have only one place where
you can squat and one type of squat rack (which is why most serious
athletes prefer not to train in commercial gyms).
If you have the option of setting up a home gym, consider your options for a
squat rack. First, you have to decide if you want a power rack, a squat cage,
or a half rack.
The squat cage, or power rack, consists of four vertical posts linked with
crossbars to increase their stability. A standard size is 48 by 48 inches. The
posts have holes cut through them, usually set about 2 inches apart to secure
U-shaped hooks. The barbell will rest on these hooks, and higher-quality
hooks are lined with rubber to protect the knurling.

In addition to supporting the hooks at the optimal height for squatting,

safety rods can be placed across the posts. These posts should be set at a
point just a few inches below the lowest position you will squat. If a weight
is too heavy, or if you lose your balance and cannot control the weight, you
can drop the weight on these catches.
Dropping a weight only a few inches in this manner saves the barbell. If the
safety rods are set too low, the risk of injury is higher, and the barbell will
probably become permanently bent. This same idea is used in Smith
machines, which I am not a fan of. Several individuals using these machines
did not set the safety supports, resulting in horrific injuries that left them
paralyzed as the unit did not allow them to bail out safely.
Smith machines have adjustable safety catches, which are essential with
these units as it is difficult for the user to bail out of a missed lift.

For whatever reason, many trainees will set the bar hooks outside the power
rack so they can squat outside of the rack. This defeats the purpose of the
safety rods. It makes it more likely that someone might walk into you or
that you could drop the weight on them if they got too close. By the way,
never assume that everyone in a gym knows how to behave around people
who are lifting serious weights.
The safety rods can also be adjusted to perform partial movements through
specific ranges of motion. Let’s say your sticking point in the squat is with
your thighs at parallel. Position the safety rods a few inches below the
sticking point, rest the barbell on the safety rods, then perform your sets
starting at this point. Combining these “sticking point reps” with full-range
squats will help you blast through your particular training plateaus.
The more high-end power racks will have a platform attached to them,
converting them into “do it all” stations. You could start a workout with an
Olympic lift, or variations such as a power clean, step into the rack for
squats, do some isometric movements, and then use the crossbars for chins.
Many modern units have additional attachments, such as a step-up platform,
an adjustable bench, a landmine device, or a dip station. Such stations are
popular in high schools and colleges as it reduces the amount of traffic in
the gym because an athlete can do their entire strength workout in one
place.
Depending upon the size of the facility and the number of athletes it
services, a weightroom will have 8-20 half racks. Do the math. In a
weightroom with 10 racks and three athletes per unit, one to lift and the
other two to spot and help with loading the weights, 30 athletes can train at
the same time. In a weightroom with 15 racks, 45 athletes can train; with 20
half racks, 60 athletes can train. Such efficiency is why these racks are
popular in high schools and especially colleges that have a large population
using the gym.
Another version of the power rack is the half rack, which has an open
design and adjustable safety rods that extend outside the rack. The issue is
that the safety rods only extend out about 18-24 inches, so if you walk out
too far from the rack, the safety rods will not save you. As such, it is wise to
have a spotter when squatting in a half rack. Also, whereas power racks are
free-standing, it’s recommended that half racks be bolted to the floor.
A sturdy power rack and a good powerlifting bar are the essential tools for
good squatting, so invest in the best equipment you can afford. After all,
you only pay for quality once!
BELTS AND SHOES
Two essential tools for squatting are weightlifting shoes and, to a lesser
extent, weightlifting belts. A building is only as strong as its foundation, so
you want to squat in shoes that provide good support.
It’s not just about cost here. A top-of-the-line running shoe may cost you
$150 (or more!), but these shoes are often designed to assist with pronation
when the foot strikes the ground. Such shoes can cause the knees to buckle
excessively during squatting.
Not only is a weightlifting shoe sturdy, but it also has the advantage of
having an elevated heel, usually about 5/8th of an inch. Some brands, such
as many from China, have a higher heel. The elevated heel helps align the
subtalar (think below) joint and the talus (think above) joints of the feet to
prevent the internal rotation of the feet that causes the knees to buckle. The
elevated heel also enables the shins to incline further so that the knees move
further in front of the toes so that the torso is more upright during squatting,
and the athlete can squat deeper.
Many powerlifters prefer to use a shoe with a lower heel. Among the
requirements of a good powerlifting shoe is that they are made of a sturdy
fabric and fits snugly. The bottom of the shoe should have a non-slip
surface so the shoe will not slip during squatting. That said, for deadlifting,
a shoe with a lower heel is usually preferred, so the lifer is pulling from the
lowest height.
Weightlifting belts help with squatting by compressing the gasses and fluids
in the abdominal cavity to increase the stability of the torso. The Russians
did pioneering research on belts by having subjects swallow balloons that
would be inflated as the subjects exercised. Many weightlifters don’t use a
belt when squatting as their abdominal muscles are so strong that the belt
doesn’t provide any additional support. If you want to invest in a belt,
consider there are three types.
The weightlifting belt is about 4 inches wide (10 centimeters for
competition) in the back. It is relatively thin, so it doesn’t catch on the bar
when a lifter pulls, and flexible. It is tapered in the front to prevent any
restriction when the athlete bends down or catches the bar in the low
position of the snatch or clean.
A belt can also provide some support when the athlete performs an
overhead press. At least, it will give the athlete better awareness of the
position of their torso when they press, helping to prevent excessive
hyperextension of the lower back. In 1972 the standing Olympic press was
dropped from weightlifting competition, and a belt was essential as the
athletes would bend backward significantly to assist with this lift.
The powerlifting belt is usually a double-notched, 4-inch belt that doesn’t
taper in the front. It is thicker and stiffer than a weightlifting belt. The
thickness in the front helps keep the torso from bending excessively
forward during a powerlifting squat. Steel buckles are the most secure (and
coolest), but Velcro designs and lever powerlifting belts provide a snug fit.
Often, for the deadlift, powerlifters prefer to use a weightlifting belt as the
powerlifting belt can dig into the waist at the start of the lift.
You don’t see many training belts in the gym, and not just because they
look ridiculous. They are usually about 6 inches wide in the back and taper
to 2 inches in the front. Some people believe these belts give their back
extra support, but they are not allowed in weightlifting and powerlifting
competition. And, again, they look ridiculous.
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14 Exercise Descriptions
Although squats are King, there are many variations of the exercise I like.
One of the training variables you most quickly adapt to is the type of
exercise you perform, so my programs tend to contain a lot of variety.
BACK EXTENSION, DB. This exercise is performed on a horizontal back extension unit.
Rest your pelvis on the thigh pad, hook your legs under the ankle pad, and place your feet against the
footplate. Your hip bones should extend just over the edge of the thigh pad so you can perform the
exercise throughout a full range of motion. Keeping your legs straight, grasp a dumbbell and hold it
across your upper chest. Lower your torso until it is perpendicular to the floor (or as near as possible
without rounding your back), then lift it until it is parallel to the floor, no higher.
BACK EXTENSION, 45-DEGREE, DB. This exercise is performed on an incline
back extension unit. Positioned at a 45-degree angle. Rest your pelvis on the thigh pad, hook your
legs under the ankle pad, and place your feet against the footplate. Your hip bones should extend just
over the edge of the thigh pad so you can perform the exercise throughout a full range of motion.
Keeping your legs straight, grasp a dumbbell and hold it across your upper chest. Lower your torso as
far as comfortable without rounding your back, then lift your torso until it is in line with your legs, no
higher.
BACK EXTENSION, 45-DEGREE, SNATCH GRIP, BB. This exercise is
performed on an incline back extension unit. Positioned at a 45-degree angle. Rest your pelvis on the
thigh pad, hook your legs under the ankle pad, and place your feet against the footplate. Your hip
bones should extend just over the edge of the thigh pad so you can perform the exercise throughout a
full range of motion. Keeping your legs straight, grasp a barbell with a snatch (wide) grip. Your start
position should be with your torso as low as possible without rounding you back. Lift your torso until
it is in line with your legs, no higher, then return to the start.
BACK SQUAT, BB. Place a barbell across your upper back and spread your feet shoulder-
width apart, toes pointed slightly out. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart, or narrower if you
can do so comfortably, with your elbows down or slightly back. Initiate the squat by bending your
knees, not pushing your hips back. Go as low as possible, trying to have the hamstrings cover the
calves. Return to the start. For breathing, hold your breath, descend into the full squat, and let the air
out when you pass the sticking point (i.e., the hardest part of the lift).
BACK SQUAT, BREATHING. Place a barbell across your upper back and spread your
feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed slightly out. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart, or
narrower if you can do so comfortably, with your elbows down or slightly back. Initiate the squat by
bending your knees, not pushing your hips back. Go as low as possible, trying to have the hamstrings
cover the calves. Return to the start. With breathing squats, you take several additional breaths
between squats, which are usually performed for higher reps.

BACK SQUAT, 1 ¼ AT BOTTOM, BB. Place a barbell across your upper back and
spread your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed slightly out. Your hands should be shoulder width
apart, or narrower if you can do so comfortably, with your elbows down or slightly back. Initiate the
squat by bending your knees, not pushing your hips back. Initiate the squat by bending your knees,
not pushing your hips back. Go as low as possible, trying to have the hamstrings cover the calves.
Come a quarter of the way up, return to the bottom position, then stand up completely. That equals
one repetition.
BACK SQUAT, HEELS ELEVATED, BB. This variation of the back squat is
performed with your heels elevated. Place a barbell across your upper back and spread your feet
shoulder-width apart, toes pointed slightly out. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart, or
narrower if you can do so comfortably, with your elbows down or slightly back. Initiate the squat by
bending your knees, not pushing your hips back. Go as low as possible, trying to have the hamstrings
cover the calves. Return to the start. For breathing, hold your breath, descend into the full squat, and
let the air out when you pass the sticking point (i.e., the hardest part of the lift).

BACK SQUAT, HEELS ELEVATED, CHAINS, BB. This variation of the back
squat is performed with your heels elevated and with lifting chains attached to the ends of the bar.
Place a barbell across your upper back and spread your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed
slightly out. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart, or narrower if you can do so comfortably,
with your elbows down or slightly back. Initiate the squat by bending your knees, not pushing your
hips back. Go as low as possible, trying to have the hamstrings cover the calves. Return to the start.
For breathing, hold your breath, descend into the full squat, and let the air out when you pass the
sticking point (i.e., the hardest part of the lift).

BACK SQUAT, HEELS ELEVATED, DB. This variation of the back squat is
performed with your heels elevated. Grasp two dumbbells and spread your feet shoulder-width apart,
toes pointed slightly out. Initiate the squat by bending your knees, not pushing your hips back. Go as
low as possible, trying to have the hamstrings cover the calves. Return to the start. For breathing,
hold your breath, descend into the full squat, and let the air out when you pass the sticking point.
BACK SQUAT, HEELS ELEVATED, NARROW, BB. This variation of the
back squat is performed with your heels elevated. Because especially heavy weights can be used, an
incline platform is best because it fully supports the arch of the foot. Rest a barbell across your upper
back. Position your heels slightly narrower than hip-width (the exact width will be determined by
your flexibility). Your hands should be shoulder-width apart, or narrower if you can do so
comfortably, with your elbows down or slightly back. Initiate the squat by bending your knees, not
pushing your hips back. Go as low as possible, trying to have the hamstrings cover the calves. Return
to the start. For breathing, hold your breath, descend into the full squat, and let the air out when you
pass the sticking point (i.e., the hardest part of the lift).
BACK SQUAT, HEELS ELEVATED, WIDE STANCE, BB. This variation
of the back squat is performed with your heels elevated. Because especially heavy weights can be
used, an incline platform is best because it fully supports the arch of the foot. Rest a barbell across
your upper back. Put your heels slightly wider than shoulder-apart, toes slightly out. Your hands
should be shoulder-width apart, or narrower if you can do so comfortably, with your elbows down or
slightly back. Initiate the squat by bending your knees, not pushing your hips back. Go as low as
possible, trying to have the hamstrings cover the calves. Return to the start. For breathing, hold your
breath, descend into the full squat, and let the air out when you pass the sticking point (i.e., the
hardest part of the lift).

CALF RAISE, SEATED. Place the balls of your feet on the footplate of a seated calf
machine; move up or back as needed so that you can achieve a full range of motion. Your toes should
be pointed straight ahead, and the thigh pad should rest above your knee. Release the mechanism to
receive the resistance. Lower your heels as far as possible, and then lift them as high as possible.
Complete all the reps, and then use the mechanism to release the weight on your legs.

CALF RAISE, STANDING, MACHINE. Position your feet on a standing calf

machine so that only the balls of your feet rest on the footplate; move up or back as needed so that
you can achieve a full range of motion. Adjust the shoulder pads so you perform the exercise with
your legs straight. Release the operating mechanism (if one is available) to receive the resistance.
Lower your heels as far as possible, and then lift them as high as possible. Reset the operating
mechanism to release the resistance so you can exit the machine.

CALF RAISE, STANDING, UNILATERAL, DB. Position your feet on a calf

block (a stair will suffice) so that only the balls of your feet rest on the footplate; move up or back as
needed so that you can achieve a full range of motion. Hold one dumbbell on the same side as the
working leg. Lower your heels as low as possible and then lift them as high as possible.

FRONT SQUAT, HEELS ELEVATED, CHAINS. This squat is performed with

the barbell resting on the front of your shoulders; chains are attached to the barbell outside collars. If
you have difficulty holding the bar, position it on your fingertips or wrap lifting straps around the bar
and hold onto the end. Remove the bar from the support, elbows high, and position your feet about
shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees, keeping your torso as upright as possible and elbows high,
and squat as low as possible. Return to the start, keeping your elbows high.

FRONT SQUAT, HEELS ELEVATED, KOLKO PAUSE. This squat is

performed with the barbell resting on the front of your shoulders. If you have difficulty holding the
bar, position it on your fingertips or wrap lifting straps around the bar and hold onto the end. Remove
the bar from the support, elbows high, and position your feet about shoulder-width apart. Bend your
knees, keeping your torso as upright as possible and elbows high, and squat as low as possible.
Return to the start, keeping your elbows high. The difference in this variation is that you go down in
7 seconds and pause for 6 seconds in the bottom position.

FRONT SQUAT, HEELS ELEVATED, NARROW, BB. This squat is

performed with the barbell resting on the front of your shoulders. Heavy weights can be used, an
incline platform is best because it fully supports the arch of the foot. If you have difficulty holding
the bar, rest it on your fingertips or wrap lifting straps around the bar and hold onto the end. Remove
the bar from the support and position your feet about 4-5 inches apart and straight ahead. Bend your
knees, keeping your torso as upright as possible and elbows high, and squat as low as possible.

FRONT SQUAT, HEELS ELEVATED, NARROW, CHAINS, BB. This

squat is performed with the barbell resting on the front of your shoulders. Chains are attached to the
outside collars. Because heavy weights can be used, and an incline platform is best because it fully
supports the arch of the foot. If you have difficulty holding the bar, rest it on your fingertips or wrap
lifting straps around the bar and hold onto the end. Remove the bar from the support and position
your feet about 4-5 inches apart and straight ahead. Bend your knees, keeping your torso as upright
as possible and elbows high, and squat as low as possible.

GOOD MORNING, SEATED, BB. Place a barbell on the back of your shoulders and
straddle a bench, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keeping your back arched, lean
forward as far as your flexibility will allow, then return to the start.
GOOD MORNING, WIDE STANCE, BB. Rest a barbell on your upper back and
spread your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Lean forward, keeping your back straight
and slightly bending your knees until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor (or as far as your
flexibility will allow). Return to the start.

HACK SQUAT, BB. This exercise requires a barbell and a small platform about 2-4 inches
high, such as a bumper plate. An incline platform is best. Hold the barbell behind you, arms straight
and palms facing away from your body. Place your heels on the platform, feet straight ahead and
about 4 inches apart. Keeping your torso upright and looking straight ahead, squat as low as possible
and return to the start.
HEX BAR DEADLIFT. This deadlift requires a hexagon-shaped barbell called a hex bar. If
your hex bar is a combination unit with high and low handles, turn the bar over and use the low
handles. Step inside the bar, stand on the platform, and spread your feet hip-width apart, feet straight
ahead or slightly out (whichever stance is most comfortable). Keeping your back angle constant for
the initial part of the lift, straighten your legs and follow through by extending your back.

HEX BAR DEADLIFT, HIGH HANDLES. This deadlift requires a hexagon-

shaped barbell called a hex bar. If your hex bar is a combination unit with high and low handles, turn
the bar over and use the high handles. Place a 4-inch platform (a thick bumper plate will work) in the
center. Step inside the bar and spread your feet hip-width apart, feet straight ahead or slightly out
(whichever stance is most comfortable). Lower your hips, spread your chest, and look straight ahead.
Keeping your back angle constant for the initial part of the lift, straighten your legs and follow
through by extending your back.

HEX BAR DEADLIFT FROM DEFICIT, HIGH HANDLES. This deadlift

requires a hexagon-shaped barbell called a hex bar. If your hex bar is a combination unit with high
and low handles, turn the bar over and use the high handles. Then place a 4-inch platform (a thick
bumper plate will work) in the center. Step inside the bar, stand on the platform, and spread your feet
hip-width apart, feet straight ahead or slightly out (whichever stance is most comfortable). Lower
your hips, spread your chest, and look straight ahead. Keeping your back angle constant for the initial
part of the lift, straighten your legs and follow through by extending your back.

LEG CURLS. These exercises are performed face down on a leg curl machine with your knees
extending just over the edge of the bench. Hook your ankles under the ankle pad and pull your heels
to your glutes; return to the start.
These workouts have several different positions of the feet. Here are the key
terms that distinguish each one:

LEG EXTENSION. Sit in the leg extension machine, adjusting the unit so that your ankles
rest behind the footpad. Keep your back against the backrest and look straight ahead. Straighten your
legs and return to the start. Do not lock (hyperextend) your knees during the exercise.
LEG PRESS, 45-DEGREE. Sit in a 45-degeee leg press machines with your feet against
the middle of the footplate, feet hip-width apart, and your toes slightly out or straight ahead
(whichever is most comfortable). Grasp the handles and press against the footplate until your legs are
straight; release the operating mechanism. Return to the start, but don’t bend your knees so much that
your lower back rounds at the bottom. Press the weight until your knees are straight (but not
hyperextended). When finished, reset the operating mechanism to secure the weight.

LEG PRESS, 45-DEGREE, DUCK STANCE. Position yourself in a 45-degee leg

press machine with your feet against the middle of the footplate. In contrast to the conventional
version of this exercise, rotate your feet out with your heels about two inches apart with your toes
out, forming a V. Grasp the handles and press against the footplate until your legs are straight; release
the operating mechanism. Return to the start, but don’t bend your knees so much that your lower
back rounds at the bottom. Press the weight until your knees are straight (but not hyperextended).
When finished, reset the operating mechanism to secure the weight.

LOW PULLEY PULL-IN. Attach your feet to the pulley and lay face up, legs extended.
Bracing your feet on the floor, pull your knees to your chest; return to the start.

LUNGE, BB. Rest a barbell across your upper back. Move your feet about hip-width apart, toes
straight. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart, or narrower if you can do so comfortably, with
your elbows down or slightly back. Step forward with one leg and lower your hips until your
hamstring covers the calf. Push back into position on the way up and alternate legs each rep.
POLIQUIN STEP-UP, HIGH PLATFORM. Stand with one foot on a high incline
board. The heel of the other foot should be in line with the toes of the foot on the high incline board.
Stand up, allowing your free leg to drift in front slightly. Lower to the start.

REVERSE LUNGE. Rest a barbell across your upper back. Put your heels slightly wider
than shoulder-apart, toes slightly out. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart, or narrower if you
can do so comfortably, with your elbows down or slightly back. Step backward with one leg and
lower your hips until your hamstring covers the calf. Push back into position on the way up and
alternate legs each rep.

ROMANIAN DEADLIFT, DB. Holding dumbbells, you will start by upright with your
feet shoulder-width apart and keep the dumbbells in front of you. From here, lean forward from your
hips, allowing for a slight bend in the knees until you feel an intense stretch in your hamstring. This
is the point that you will stand up.
SPLIT SQUAT, BB. Rest a barbell across your upper back. Move your feet about hip-width
apart, toes straight, then split your feet about a foot in each direction (or more, depending on your
flexibility). Your hands should be shoulder-width apart, or narrower if you can do so comfortably,
with your elbows down or slightly back. Drop straight down by bending your front leg as far as
possible, allowing the rear heel to lift off the floor, without allowing the knee to touch the floor.
Straighten your front leg to return to the start position.
SPLIT SQUAT, FRONT FOOT ELEVATED, DB. This variation of the split
squat is performed with your front foot elevated on a platform about 4-5 inches tall. Grasp two
dumbbells, place one foot on a low platform (about 4-6 inches tall) with the other leg about two feet
back (depending on your flexibility). Drop straight down by bending your front leg as far as possible,
allowing the rear heel to lift off the floor, without allowing the knee to touch the floor. Straighten
your front leg to return to the start position.
STEP-UP, DB. Set up a step at mid-shin height. Grasp two dumbbells and position your feet
hip-width apart and pointed straight ahead. Place one foot on the platform, lift the toes of the bottom
leg, and step up. Return to the start, complete all the reps with that leg, then perform an equal number
of reps for the other leg.
TWISTING CRUNCH ON SWISS BALL. Laying back on a Swiss ball on a
surface that will not cause you to slip (such as a rubber floor), perform crunches twisting to either
side in an alternating fashion. Focus on squeezing the abdominals more than trying to lift your
shoulders as high as possible, this way you will recruit the abs more than your hip flexors and not
crank on your neck in the process. Have a spotter assist you when you first perform this exercise.

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FAQ ABOUT SQUATS
Q. Should athletes perform powerlifting squats?
CP. First, powerlifters are athletes. Second, variety is essential to
progress. Including a cycle of powerlifting squats in an athlete’s strength
programs is a change of pace that ensures continual progress, overloads
the end range of the strength curve, and keeps motivation high. However,
full squats should form the base of an athlete’s workout to ensure healthy
knees and ankles, and to strengthen the elastic properties of the connective
tissues.

Q. Can you squat every day?

CP. Elite weightlifters squat every training session, some twice a day.
 This is necessary to achieve the volume of training necessary at their
level. They usually don’t, however, use high intensities often. (That said,
lifters from Kazakhstan reportedly would have training periods where
they would front squat 12 times in a single week and go heavy on eight of
them!)
Some people have made remarkable short-term progress on “squat every
day” workouts that have you train heavy frequently because it helps them
refine their technique using heavy weights. Performing higher reps, say 6-
12, can get you stronger. However, it’s difficult to switch from focusing
on high reps to doing a max single as the timing is different (specifically,
the lifter tends to drop faster using higher reps, a technique that often
doesn’t lend itself to performing a max single).

Q. What are the fastest ways to improve your 1-rep max in the squat?
CP. This advice may seem odd, but the best way to train for a heavy
single is to rarely perform heavy singles. I attribute this advice to Frank
Mantek, a German weightlifting coach who won a bronze medal in the
1980 Olympics and knows how to make the strongest athletes even
stronger.
Mantek’s success stories include Ronny Weller, the 1992 Olympic gold
medalist in the heavyweight class who broke six world records; Marc
Huster, the 1994 World Champion in the 82.5-kilo class who broke two
world records; and Matthias Steiner, the 2008 Olympic gold medalist in
the super heavyweight division. I should point out that Huster won silver
medals in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics but had the bad luck to compete
against the phenomenal Pyrros Dimas, a 3x Olympic gold medal winner
who broke 11 world records.
In 2010, I attended a seminar Mantek held in Colorado Springs. He said
he avoided having his athletes perform max singles in the back squat
because the risk of injury was too high (although he was fine with max
front squats, as it’s easy to dump the weight in front if you get into
trouble). Rather than singles, Mantek said it would be better to focus on
performing maximum doubles in the squat and converting those weights
into a max single mathematically. For example, Maxim Agapitov won the
 1997 World Weightlifting Champion in the 91-kilo class. Agapitov told
me he avoided max singles but at 94 kilos bodyweight, had back squatted
300 kilos for a double!
Here are four workout systems that use low reps (but no max singles) to
help you squat strong. Consider that these are the working sets — you
need to warm up with a few lighter sets before hitting the big weights.
Patient System #1. Choose a weight that is extremely challenging (but
possible) to squat for 8 sets of 2 reps. Try to get 8 sets of 3 reps in every
workout. Once you can do 8 sets of 3 for every set, increase the weight.
Max Double, Max Sets of 3 Method. Go for a max double, take off
about 7 percent of the load, and perform as many sets of 3 reps as possible
with that new load within a 50-minute time frame. The time frame starts
as soon as you complete the heavy double!
Wave-Like Pattern #1. With this protocol, you use more weight during
each successive “wave” as the nervous system adapts to the workout. For
example, a lifter might squat 150 kilos for 3 reps on the first wave, 160
kilos for 3 on the second, and 170 kilos for 3 on the third.
1 x 7, 1 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 7 , 1 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 7 , 1 x 5, 1 x 3
Wave-Like Pattern #2. This is a variation of the previous workout, but
it’s designed for a more advanced athlete striving for maximal strength,
especially relative strength (i.e., strength per unit of bodyweight).
1 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 2, 1 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 2, 1 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 2
The lesson here is that to hoist the heaviest weights, you need to study
how the best squatters got that way!

Q. Can you achieve the highest levels of muscle mass without squats?
CP. Many professional bodybuilders have developed massive legs without
squats, but squats are the most effective ways to get bigger legs. Machines
can build larger legs, but they are limited in developing mass because they
provide a fixed movement pattern that reduces the number of motor units
recruited.

Q. For bodybuilders who focus on squats in their training, how do they

compare to weightlifters and powerlifters in terms of strength?
CP. Bodybuilders tend to focus on high-rep training, which is not as
effective for developing maximal strength as low-rep training. Among
bodybuilders who possess tremendous leg development and are excellent
squatters are Tom Platz and 8x Mr. Olympia winner Ronnie Coleman. As
discussed in Chapter 1, Platz’s high-rep squatting performances are
legendary, and Coleman squatted 800 pounds for 2 reps.

Q. If elite weightlifters squat daily, even twice a day, why can’t they squat
as much as elite powerlifters?
CP. Weightlifters use the squat as an assistance exercise for their
competition lifts (the snatch and the clean and jerk), whereas the squat is
one of the three competition lifts in powerlifting. Weightlifters also often
divide their squat training between front and back squats, with the front
squat being more specific to the recovery from the clean.
Next, weightlifters usually perform squats at the end of their workouts
when they are fatigued. Powerlifters usually perform squats at the
beginning of a workout when they are fresh and thus put more effort into
the lift. That said, many weightlifters have excellent back and front
squats. Leonid Taranenko clean and jerked 586 pounds as a super
heavyweight, the absolute record in this lift. This Russian giant reportedly
front squatted 660 for 3 reps and back squatted 837 with a two-second
pause at the bottom.
Next, consider that other than a weightlifting belt, weightlifters seldom
use the heavy knee wraps and squat suits that enable athletes to squat
considerably more. Also, powerlifters seldom squat lower than a point
where the tops of their thighs descend below parallel, whereas the
weightlifters usually go all the way down, often with a slight bounce out
of the bottom.
Few elite weightlifters switch to powerlifting, so it’s difficult to determine
how much of a transfer their type of squatting would transfer to a
powerlifting squat. Likewise, it’s difficult to determine how much of a
powerlifting squat would transfer to a weightlifting squat. The bottom line
is that powerlifters will generally squat more weight than weightlifters,
 but the squats are different, and so is the gear.

Q. What is your opinion about using knee wraps when squatting?

CP. Knee wraps enable powerlifters to lift more weight, and as such, they
should use them in training and competition (so, train the way you are
going to fight!). Knee wraps are not necessary for a weightlifter and
should not be used as they can increase stress on the knee. The knee
sleeves that are popular among weightlifters help keep the knees warm but
provide little assistance in helping an athlete lift more weight.

Q. Do squats widen the hips?

CP. Vince Gironda was an accomplished bodybuilding coach who thought
that squats could widen the hips. Perhaps some of this belief comes from
looking at physiques of elite powerlifters, who often have thick torsos,
especially the obliques. But to answer this question, the gluteus maximus
grows back, not out.

Q. Should women squat differently than men?

CP. Well, women are built differently than men. To squat more
comfortably and lift more weight, they tend to squat more upright than
men.
Because women have wider hips than men, their upper thigh bones come
inward more than men, forming what is known as a “Q” angle. Their
knees tend to come inward more than men as a result. If a female is
determined to be structurally balanced, they will not buckle their knees to
a level that it can cause harm.

Q. Are Smith machine squats a good substitute for barbell squats?

CP. Smith machines squats place unnatural stress on the anterior cruciate
ligament (which is crucial for knee stability) and the patellar. I especially
don’t like the type of Smith machine squat in which you place your feet
forward so that you squat with a vertical trunk. This exercise reduces the
contribution of the hamstrings. Co-contraction of the hamstrings reduces
the shearing forces on the knee; that is, forces that try to pry the joint
apart. Finally, because the Smith machine increases the stability of the
 exercise, there is minimal carryover to the barbell squat.

Q. Is it necessary to train to failure in squats?

CP. The most successful strength programs involve maximal voluntary
contractions. It is not necessary to train to failure every workout, but
maximal lifts should be performed regularly for rapid strength gains.

Q. Are leg presses comparable to squats for quad development?

CP. The leg press is good for adding mass to the quads, but they don’t
involve the lower back and thus will do little to help with squatting
strength or sports performance.

Q. What do you think about the Russian Squat Program?

CP. Not much. This so-called Russian workout was apparently used by
one coach at one weightlifting club in Russia, so it’s rather extreme to
suggest that it’s a program endorsed by most Russian weightlifting
coaches. Whatever the case, the problem with this workout is it gradually
increases both the intensity and the volume of training. If you increase the
volume of training, you have to decrease the intensity — you can’t
increase both at the same time and make rapid progress, at least for long.

Q. What is the value of box squats for improving squatting ability and
sports performance?
CP. Louie Simmons has proven the value of box squats for powerlifting.
His gym has produced more powerlifters who have squatted 1,000, 1,100,
and 1,200 pounds than any other. He also walks the talk. Despite multiple
spinal injuries, when he was 52 years old, he squatted 935.
Before Simmons, credit should be given to George Frenn for helping to
popularize the lift. Frenn was a hammer thrower who competed in the
1972 Olympics, broke world records in the heavier hammers, and
appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Without the aid of supportive
gear such as a squat suit, Frenn squatted a world record of 853 pounds at a
bodyweight of 242. Frenn performed high box squats using 20-inch-tall
bench and a low box squat with a bench six inches lower. For the high
squat he would rock back when he sat on the box, lifting his feet off the
 floor. He would then rock forward to gain momentum and slam his feet
into the floor and stand up!
Again, powerlifters have proven the value of box squats for powerlifting,
but I don’t believe the lift transfers well to sports performance. The shins
must move forward to propel the body forward, whereas the shins are
vertical (or close to it) during his box squats. Also, partial squats affect the
soft-tissue integrity of a glute muscle called the piriformis, which is
involved in a change of direction. Finally, the box squats place a high
level of stress on the sacral vertebrae if not performed correctly.

Q. Can you squat and deadlift in the same workout?

CP. Generally no, because these lifts are so taxing on the lower back. It
would be better to squat and deadlift on the same day but in different
training sessions. Rest 4-6 hours between sessions, with squats being
performed first.

Q. Which is a better tool for squats, chains or bands?

CP. Chains and bands are primarily used with exercises that have an
ascending strength curve. With an ascending strength curve, you can
produce more force as you extend a joint, such as during a squat or a
bench press. In effect, they change the resistance curve to match an
athlete’s strength curve so that the exercise is just as hard, or even harder
than at the start of the exercise.
Chains and bands can be used in rehabbing certain injuries. If an athlete is
recovering from a pectoral injury such that it’s difficult to perform the
start of a bench press, chains and bands can be used as they will provide
the most overload at the end of the motion.
The major difference between chains and bands is that chains provide a
gradual increase in resistance, whereas bands provide the most resistance
only near the end range of motion but at an extremely high level. Due to
the instability that bands create, along with a higher eccentric (lowering)
load at the end range, they do not require as many reps to achieve the
desired training effect and require longer rest periods between training
sessions.
Q. What is the value of split squats?
CP. Performing single-limb exercises are a practical way to achieve
structural balance. If you perform them properly, you will strengthen the
hamstrings, quadriceps, and adductors. I have seen many sprinters,
jumpers, and bobsledders with well-developed squats add inches of mass
with split squats and lunges. They are also useful to train the quads when
the back is fatigued from squats or deadlifts.
Split squats stretch the hip flexors. More flexibility in the hip flexors
translates into faster running speeds as it increases stride length. They also
help prevent lower back pain and help prevent groin pulls in many sports,
especially soccer. In one season of having elite skiers perform split squats,
there was a dramatic decrease in lower back pain among my elite alpine
skiers. Finally, they enable you to train the quads hard with minimal stress
on the spine.

Q. How do you resolve butt wink?

CP. Bunk wink occurs when the pelvis rotates excessively at the bottom
of the squat. First, it is not caused by tight hamstrings. Second, butt wink
may be attributed to anatomy. But most likely, it is caused by tight ankles.
By elevating the heels or wearing weightlifting shoes, the shins can
incline further forward and resolve the condition.

Q. Despite stretching, I cannot get my elbows high in the front squat. What
can I do?
CP. If you cannot keep the elbows up and in, the external rotators of the
humerus are probably too tight. Find a good soft-tissue practitioner who
can help you develop rapid increases in mobility. There are many forms of
these techniques available to give the soft tissues the proper elasticity,
from Active Release™ to Applied Kinesiology and the FAT tool.

Q. What are the best protocols for increasing the front squat?
CP. One of the challenges of designing workouts for the front squat is that
it is difficult to perform higher reps in this exercise as the bar compresses
the chest (making it difficult to breathe). Another issue is that it is difficult
for the scapulae retractors to maintain an upright posture for more than a
few reps. Here are several set-rep protocols recommended by several elite
weightlifting coaches:
Wave-Like Pattern 1. With this protocol, the trainee should be able to
use more weight during each successive “wave” as the nervous system
adapts to the workout. For example, a lifter might squat 150 kilos for 3 on
the first wave, 160 kilos for 3 on the second, and 170 kilos for 3 on the
third.
1 x 7, 1 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 7, 1 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 7 , 1 x 5, 1 x 3#
#Sets come before reps
Wave-Like Pattern 2. This is simply a variation of the previous workout,
but it’s designed for a more advanced athlete who is striving for maximal
relative strength.
1 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 2, 1 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 2, 1 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 2
Wave-Like Pattern 3. This is the one recommended most often by elite
weightlifting coaches, requiring you to perform a total of 12 sets.
1 x 3, 1 x 2, 1 x 1
1 x 3, 1 x 2, 1 x 1
1 x 3, 1 x 2, 1 x 1
1 x 3, 1 x 2, 1 x 1
Patient System 1
Here you choose a weight that is very challenging (but possible) to lift for
8 sets of 2. In every workout, try to get to 8 sets of 3. Once you can do 8
sets of 3, increase the weight.
East German Stair-Step System
You perform 5 x 2, decrease the load of 7 percent, then perform 5 sets of 3
at the new step load.
Modified Hepburn Method I
This requires you to perform 8 singles followed by 5 x 3-5. With my
athletes, I have them perform the singles with a regular stance, then the 5
x 3-5 with the heels elevated by 2-2.5 cm.
Modified Hepburn Method II
Perform 8 sets of singles with a 50X0 tempo, followed 5 x 3-5 with a
32X0 tempo. As with Method I, perform the singles with a regular stance,
then the 5 x 3-5 with the heels elevated by 2-2.5 cm.
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GLOSSARY
ABSOLUTE STRENGTH. The maximum amount of force produced, irrespective of how
much the individual weighs or how long it takes for him or her to develop that force.

ANDERSON, PAUL. The 1956 Olympic Games gold medalist in the super heavyweight
division in weightlifting. Anderson helped popularize the squat.

ACCUMULATION. A training phase where the focus is on volume.

BODY COMPOSITION. The ratio of bodyfat to lean tissue, expressed as a percentage.
DANNEY, IAN. An Olympic bobsledder who front squatted 451 pounds at a bodyweight of
180 pounds.

DELOADING. A training phase where the difficulty of the workouts is reduced to enable the
athlete to peak for competition.

FEUERBACH, AL. An Olympian and world record holder in the shot put who won the US
Nationals in weightlifting.

FRONT SQUAT. A squat performed with the barbell resting on the front of the shoulders.
GANT, LAMAR. Considered one of the best-ever deadlifters, pound-for-pound. He was the
first man to deadlift five times his bodyweight.

GIANT SET. A set containing four exercises or more.

HATFIELD, FRED. Nicknamed Dr. Squat,” Hatfield was a world record holder in the squat.
HYPERTROPHY. The growth of muscle.
INTENSIFICATION. A training phase where the focus is on intensity.
INTENSITY. How much weight lifted concentrically, expressed as a percentage of the 1
repetition maximum.

ISOLATION EXERCISE. An exercise that focuses on a single joint.

IPF. An acronym for the International Powerlifting Federation, established in 1972.
JONES, ARTHUR. Founder of Nautilus and MedX equipment who popularized variable
resistance training. Trained Casey Viator, the youngest winner of the AAU Mr. America in 1971.

KLEIN, KARL K. A researcher who published a controversial study on squats in 1961. He

co-authored a book with Dr. Fred Allman that expanded on his theories about squats.

LIFTING CHAINS. Chains that are attached to the end of barbells to increase the resistance
of an exercise during the concentric portion of the lift.

LOGAN, JUD. A 4x Olympian in the hammer throw trained by Charles Poliquin.

MANTA RAY. A device that snaps onto a barbell and makes it more comfortable for some
individuals to perform the squat.

MULTI-JOINT EXERCISE. An exercise involving multiple joints.

OPTIMAL STRENGTH. The amount of strength needed to perform at optimal levels,
such that additional strength doesn’t improve performance.

PEOPLES, BOB. The first lifter to deadlift 700 pounds.

PLATZ, TOM. A bodybuilder who possessed the greatest leg development of his time; he was
also an exceptional strong squatter.

PLYOMETRICS. An activity that involves a rapid stretching of a muscle in a relaxed state

followed immediately a mechanical shock and a rapid shortening of that muscle (concentric phase).

POWER. A muscle’s ability to display strength quickly, expressed as Force x Velocity/Time.

RELATIVE STRENGTH. Strength that can be displayed per unit of bodyweight.
MILOS ŠARČEV, MILOS. A colleague of Charles Poliquin who placed in the top 10 of
the Mr. Olympia bodybuilding championships.

SCOTT, KEVIN. A world record holder in the 1,000 meters speedskating event who could
squat 462 pounds.

STRENGTH CURVE. A mathematical model representing how much force an individual

can produce at specific joint angles during an exercise.

STRENGTH ENDURANCE. Also known as muscle endurance, it is a muscle’s ability to

resist fatigue above 30 percent of its 1RM while producing force.

PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD. Also known as the theory of progressive resistance. It

states that for muscles to become strong, during exercise must be exposed to increasing levels of
difficultly, such as by using more weight.

SIMMONS, LOUIE. An accomplished powerlifting coach who founded the Westside

Barbell Club in Columbus, Ohio.

STRENGTH. A muscle’s ability to produce force. Muscular contractions are classified as

isometric, concentric, or eccentric.

ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION. A muscle produces tension, but there is no external

movement.

CONCENTRIC CONTRACTION. A muscle produces tension, causing the muscle to

shorten and movement to occur.
ECCENTRIC CONTRACTION. A muscle produces tension but lengthens, causing
movement to occur.

SUPERSET. A set containing two exercises.

TARANENKO, LEONID. The absolute world record holder in the clean and jerk with 586
pounds.

TIME UNDER TENSION (TUT). How long a muscle contracts during a repetition or
set.

TRAINING SPLIT. How all the exercises in a workout are organized until they are repeated.
In bodybuilding, rather than exercises, the workouts are organized according to what bodyparts are
trained, such as arms and chest.

TRI-SET. A set containing three exercises.

VERKHOSHANSKY, YURI. A Russian sports scientist and track and field coach who
developed the type of exercise called plyometrics.

VMO. Acronym for vastus medialis oblique, a quadriceps muscle essential for knee stability.
VOLUME. How much work performed in a workout, expressed as the number of reps x sets.
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CHARLES R. POLIQUIN
Charles Poliquin is one of the most accomplished strength coaches — ever!
Poliquin designed workouts for 78 of the 118 Canadian athletes who
competed in the 1992 Olympics and won 5 medals and saw seven of his
athletes win medals in the 1994 Olympics
At the university, Poliquin majored in exercise physiology, and his master’s
thesis examined the optimal loading intensity curves for building strength.
He designed workouts for hundreds of Olympians and professional athletes.
A prolific writer, his work has been translated into several languages.
strengthsenseiinc.com
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