Hello! I’ve been lifting weights for a little over a year, I can’t say I’m a natural and the progression has been slow but I’m in it for the long run. I bought the Beginner’s template today and watched the video and read some of the information, but had a question…squats are my biggest struggle, there is a choice to do leg press instead, I know it’s preferred to do the regular back squat but if I subbed out would I be cheating myself?
To give a little background, I thought I was amazing at the squat and my weights were going up, last heavy squat was 155. Then I did a video of my workout and saw that my depth was not great. As it turns out going lower is harder and my weights have dropped significantly. So I’ve been working on depth, currently doing box squats with 95lbs and it feels so hard, the “appropriate” depth feels crazy low to me. So do I keep working with this until I master it, or change direction and maybe come back to back squats in the second round of the template? (I’ve had a few coaches, one in person and the rest were online).
Thank you and love the content, you’re my favorite podcast.
It’s interesting you say that, I did my workout this morning and felt really good at 75lb and then went up to 95 and it felt horrible. At 75 I thought “I think I’m making progress” and at 95 felt like I was backsliding again. I suppose it’s just a bit embarrassing to keep going down in weight but you’re right, maybe that’s what I need to do to get better.
Should I keep doing the box squats or lower weight and use the box to confirm depth but not sit?
Thanks for the posts. I think it would be perfectly reasonable to squat on Days 1 and 2 and leg press on Day 3 for Block I of the Beginner template IF you want to squat. If you’re over it (for now), that’s cool too. You can come back to it later if you want.
In any case, our take on technique is roughly as follows:
Your form should be repeatable, e.g. it’s consistent enough where you can do multiple reps in a row without the movement being wildly different each time. In saying that, we expect significant variation rep-to-rep. Each rep is not going to be a carbon copy of the last.
The form should be fairly efficient. This is what you’re developing now- movement efficiency- using your current leverages to perform a task as best as possible. This will continue to develop (and change!) over time.
The technique for the exercise should meet the points of performance , which are determined somewhat arbitrarily in most cases (save for competitive barbell sports). In the back squat, the points of performance are as follows: 1. Place the bar on the back- typically in the “high bar” or “low bar” position, based on your preferences.
Initiate the squat with simultaneous hip and knee flexion, e.g. hips back + knees forward and out. The degree and rate at which these things happen is going to be somewhat unique to you the individual, as it is a reflection of your current leverages, motor pattern, and so on.
The tempo during the descent should be controlled, but not dramatically slowed, as seen in a 3 second eccentric squat for example. Similarly, there shouldn’t be a pause at the bottom, which would be a different type of squat- a paused squat. The ascent should be completed under control, as fast as volitionally possible without losing balance- again, not performed with an artificially slow tempo.
The range of motion should move from near complete hip and knee extension (at the top) to the point where the hip joint is below the top of the knee joint (e.g. below parallel) when viewed from the side, and back to near complete hip and knee extension at the top.
You should ideally remain in balance at all times, e.g. heels and toes stay planted on the floor throughout the rep. Whatever load you need to select in order to achieve these points of performance and match the prescribed RPE would be appropriate. If you were to squat 95 x 4 reps at 3" above parallel @ RPE 8 one week and then 75lbs x 4 reps 1" below parallel @ RPE 8 the next week, it would be difficult to compare the two efforts given the different points of performance. We think most able-bodied people should squat below parallel if they choose to squat, but this is a somewhat arbitrary goal from a health perspective. If you only wanted to squat to parallel or 1" above with a bar on your back, you could live a full and complete life doing so, though you would likely have a somewhat blunted hypertrophy response and reduced strength progress in the “full” squat (below parallel) compared to if you squatted below parallel.
This is amazingly helpful, thank you for taking the time to respond! I watched the Alan Thrall squat video so will try again with low bar and see how that feels. I’ve been a high bar girl. I felt low bar would slide off. haha
And it is just 1" that I’m struggling with, I’m getting to parallel and feel fine, that last inch is deceptively hard for me. I think it’s mental, I’m afraid I won’t be able to stand up, so the lower weight recommendation makes a lot of sense. And if this never works for me I’ll still live a full and complete life!