Fast Workouts For Everyday

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Have you ever set yourself a really aggressive short-term goal? I mean like 20 things on a to do list when there is really only time to do 5 things?

Well, I am here to tell you that you are not alone. This behavior is something that I have struggled with my entire life. It crosses over into everything I do – personally and professionally. Mike, my husband, always calls me a slave driver when I tell him what’s on the list for the weekend. As a child my parents lovingly told me that I would make a great third world dictator when I grew up.

I guess I come by it naturally.

Knowing that doesn’t eliminate this tendency from my personality. However, as I’ve matured and confirmed my loved ones are in fact correct, I have tried to curb my aggressive short-term goal habit. One of the ways I do that is by setting REALISTIC goals based on the time I have in the day not my desire to get projects done.

One area of my life that I find easy to throw into the “back seat” is my workouts. I know I am a trainer and that probably sounds ridiculous. But we are human too. We struggle with the same things everyone else struggles with.

Exercises is also an area of my life I can’t function without. I am just irritable, obnoxious and unhappy when I don’t workout. Which means I make everyone else around me feel irritated, annoyed and unhappy. So I have to make it priority. For the sake of my marriage, my relationships and my happiness. I like to use fast workouts occasionally to help me blow off some steam. They give me some much needed self-love and don’t increase my stress because of the time commitment.

THE “ALPHABET WORKOUT”

This is why I LOVE the idea that is trending around town of “alphabet workouts”. They are so simple, can be done anywhere and leave you no room for excuses (hopefully). But what is an alphabet workout? You saw the image at the top of this article right? Maybe you even found this article because you clicked on that very image. THAT is an alphabet workout

We developed a list of exercises, where each exercise represents a letter of the alphabet. Then we will post a word of the week for you and everyone else who needs a FAST workout to use. The spelling of that word is used to select the exercises and the order.

You can do 1 round, 3 rounds or 5 rounds. Whatever you can do based on the time you have.

You can also use the same word or workout several times in the same week. Giving you multiple times to release some stress.

Heck, you can even make up your own words and do this entirely on your own or with your friends and family.

All we care about is that you feel good about doing it. Otherwise, why do it at all?!

Save the image here!

This week’s word is PURE FITNESS.

That means you are doing: 10 forward raises, 20 bent over rows, 1 minute wall sit, 20 alternating reverse lunges, 1 minute of jumping jacks, 20 high plank shoulder taps, 20 toe touches, 2o Russian twists, 20 alternating reverse lunges, 10 reverse flys & 10 more reverse fly.

Go through it once, twice or as many times as you can!

EXERCISE EXPLANATIONS

Dead Bugs – While laying on your back with your legs and arms straight up, extend your right leg and left arm, move them back into the straight up position and then extend the opposite limbs. Keep your core engaged throughout the exercise to avoid a painful arch in the back.

Pushups – These can be performed from your knees or toes. Position your hands outside your shoulders and bend your elbows to 90 degrees.

V Sit – Sit back on your sit bones with your knees tucked towards your chest. Extend your legs and arms out then pull back into the starting position.

Side Plank W/ Crunch – In the side plank position crunch your core and bring your top elbow and knee together.

Alternating Reverse Lunge – Standing feet together reach one leg back and sit into a lunge position. Try for a 90 degree angle in both legs.

Jumping Jacks – Starting feet together and arms at your side, jump your legs out laterally while also raising your arms laterally to a comfortable height.

Burpees – Start standing up right, drop down into the push up position, jump your legs back up towards your hands, jump into the air.

High Plank Shoulder Taps – Hands under your shoulders and back as flat as possible and feet wide to avoid rotation at the hips. Bring your right hand to your left shoulder and then your left hand to your right shoulder.

Bicep Curls – Standing comfortably with good posture weights at your sides, flex your bicep with palms up and bring the weights towards your shoulders. Avoid movement in the elbows.

Penguins – On your back, knees bent towards your butt. Pull your shoulders off the ground and reach your fingers towards your toes alternating sides.

Lateral Raises – Standing up right knees slightly bent, start with your hands at your side with weight and lift the weights laterally about shoulder height. Keep a slight bend in the knee.

Arnold Press – Standing up right knees slightly bent, hold your elbows out in front of your body, rotate your elbows out to your sides and then press the weight over head. Your palms should start facing you and face out as you finish the press.

Russian Twist – Hold the V Sit with a weight at your chest, rotate your torso and touch the weight to the ground at your side, then do the same on the opposite side.

Hammer Curls – Bicep Curls – Standing comfortably with good posture weights at your sides, flex your bicep with palms facing in and bring the weights towards your shoulders. Avoid movement in the elbows.

Forward Raises – Standing up right, knees slightly bend, raise your hands forward to shoulder height. You should have a slight bend in your elbow.

Plank Shifts – Elbows on the ground under shoulders, and back flat, shift shoulders in front of elbows and then behind.

Wall Sit – With your back flat against the wall, lower your body down into a squat position, aim for a 90 degree angle at your knees.

Reverse Fly – In a slightly bent over position, weight in front of you and elbows slightly bent, retract your shoulders and raise your hands to shoulder height.

Toe Touches – On your back with your legs straight in the air, reach your fingertips towards your toes while crunching your core and bringing your shoulders off the ground.

Bent Over Rows – Knees slightly bent, and torso leaning forward, let weight hang down and then retract shoulders to pull the weight towards your chest

Planks – Either and your elbows or hands, shoulders over your base, and core engaged to avoid a dip in your back.

Wood Choppers – One weight in your hands, rotate your body to bring the weight above one shoulder, and then rotate the opposite way and control the weight across the body to the opposite knee.

Squat Jumps – Squat down to a comfortable depth then explode out of the hole and jump into the air. Arms come down as you squat and can be used as momentum to propel you upward.

Split Squat Jumps – In the split squat or lunge positions, with knees at or above 90 degrees, jump into the air and land in the beginning position.

Plank Dips – In an elbow plank, with shoulders over elbows and back flat, rotate hips to one side and then the other.

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INCREASE YOUR BENCH WITH THESE EXERCISES

INCREASE YOUR BENCH WITH THESE EXERCISES

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Who has heard or been told that if you bench, you are to get all buff and muscular? I have, tons of time. But in reality there is no research that proves bench alone is going to make you huge. The bench will actually increase stability and strength in your shoulders and tone your muscles.

Okay, so now that we have addressed that rumors, are you interested in starting to bench, increase your bench press numbers, or learn about bench form? Let’s take a look at what muscles are involved in benching and what to remember during the lift.

First, not all benches are created equal. I guess we could say that about all lifts. And what I mean is that for a lift like the bench limb length has a big impact on how “easy” it may be for you. Shorter arms = less range of motion. Less range of motion = less work. That’s why you don’t see a lot of tall powerlifters. Height is actually one attribute that makes the sport harder. 

And before you come at me, that is not to say that a 5’2″ girl benching 135 is not as impressive as a 6’0″ girl. They are both impressive. The 5’2″ girl likely has less body mass making her 135 crazy compared to her bodyweight.

Then there is form. Depending on your form when you bench, like wide grip or narrow grip, muscles used will vary. This is important to note when you are, or your coach is, programming your auxiliaries. Another consideration in selecting auxiliaries is where your personal deficiencies exist. Do you always fail at lockout? To me that could signify a tricep strength issue. So I would have my lifter increase their tricep auxiliaries. 

To be more specific, the wider your grip on the bar goes the more lats you will use. The more narrow a bench grip gets will require more triceps. Similar to above, this is a lot to do with how wide and narrow grips change the range of motion required to perform the bench.

This article will go over the major muscles involved and exercises you can do to strengthen them. I will also talk about common dysfunctions in the bench and key points to help.

After reading this article I hope you will have a better understanding of the muscles involved in the bench press and how to use them to your advantage.

PRIMARY MUSCLES INVOLVED IN THE BENCH

Let’s review the primary muscles used in the bench. This will help you to understand why you want to train those muscles individually in addition to just in the bench pattern. But remember that depending on your set up your muscles will be used to varying degrees.

Pectorals – The pectoral muscles contract to press the weight up during the accent of the bench.

Latimuss Doris – The lats are the broadest muscles in the back. They work with the teres major to control the descent of the bench.

Triceps – The triceps extend the elbow during the lock out of the bench.

Deltoids – The deltoids work with the pectorals to contract and press the weight during the accent of the bench.

MAIN DYSFUNCTIONS SEEN DURING THE BENCH

In my experience, it is sometimes better to first talk about the dysfunctions or what not to do when learning a new movement. You are then able to recognized the dysfunction and know how to fix it if you ever notice a problem with your form.

One of the most common dysfunctions I see is the elbows often flair out instead of staying tucked during the accent. This changes the load and muscle activation and will decrease the chances of the lift being successful. Being aware of this and making sure all of your warm ups have perfect form will transfer over into the working sets.

When you are starting to bench you are going to think about pushing the bar up but really you should be thinking about pushing the bar back. This may sound weird because you want the bar to go up. But if you think about pushing the bar back towards your head while pressing up you will use more triceps and lats and in turn be able to push more weight.

In my world, your butt should not be coming up off the bench. This will result in a red light at a powerlifting meet in the USA Powerlifting Federation where I am a  member. I prefer to also teach my clients this way. The legs are also important during the bench because they help “drive” the weight up by pushing into the ground. (Remember Newton’s Third Law of Motion?) So in order to have a successful bench you have to keep your core engaged and glutes tight to avoid an upward movement of the hips. Which will help keep your butt on the bench.

AUXILIARY EXERCISES THAT CAN HELP INCREASE YOUR BENCH

If you are looking to increase your bench press you are going to have to start including auxiliaries into your workout that address your weaknesses. Check out the list I have below of some of my favorite and most effective exercises categorized by muscle group. Try them out in your next workout and let us know what you think!

And remember that auxiliaries are used to stimulate a huge adaptation. If you aren’t pushing yourself on auxiliaries you are missing the whole point.

Exercises to Strengthen Your Pectorals

  • Flys
  • Incline bench
  • Cable press
  • Push ups

Exercises to strengthen your Latissimus Dorsi

  • Pull downs
  • Pull ups
  • Palms up bent over row
  • Eccentric push ups

Exercises to Strengthen your Triceps

  • Push downs
  • Kick backs
  • Overhead tricep extensions
  • Tricep dips
  • Tricep pushups

Exercises to Strengthen your Deltoids

  • Forward raise
  • Lateral raise
  • Flys

Side Note

While it isn’t listed here, core strength is integral to your bench performance. Focus your attention on building a strong core and following a consistent training schedule and your bench, and other lifts, will common along. Do the opposite and you will likely experience plateaus and injuries. Check out this article on why training your core is essential.  and take a look at all of our core workout videos here.

My favorite ab focused exercises:

  • Ab Wheel – work up to 5 sets of 20 before adding resistance, like a plate on your back. Make sure you have a full range of motion and proper form before adding resistance.
  • Plank – any and all variations are excellent. Be sure to hold your form when you add movement. The low back can not sag or arch. Upper body mountain climbers are a great finisher, or “to failure” exercise.
  • Decline Bench Sit-Ups – there are many variations you can use to target unilaterally, rotation or upper body. A good goal to start with is 20 full sit-ups for 5 sets.

Auxiliary Bench Workout

Key Points to Increase Your Bench

Scapular retraction is key! A strong set up with well placed shoulders will put you in the position to have optimal scapular retraction. And the use of your posterior shoulder muscles and back (those performing scapular retraction) will make or break your lift. 

Core should be engaged but back should be arched. This is specific to a powerlifting bench. The arched back puts the shoulders into a better position. The extended spine locks the shoulders into a position where the range of motion is decreased and safest for the shoulders. The core must be engaged to offset the arch in the back and protect from over arching.

Use your legs. Keeping your feet stable and flexing your glutes and hamstrings during the bench will help with full body tension. This will allow your body to successfully control more weight.

Other Main Lifts

Because of my powerlifting background I associated bench and the other two main lifts of powerlifting. Which are squat and deadlift. They each contain their own unique muscular demands, but the philosophy behind training is no different. I have put together an article just like this one on the squat and the deadlift. Follow the links below to get specific information you can start applying to your workouts today.

How to Increase Your Back Squat

How to Increase Your Deadlift

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The Number 1 Exercise for Club Speed and Distance

The Number 1 Exercise for Club Speed and Distance

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To II used If you have just found our website you might have missed my recent post. Top 5 Exercises for Increasing Your Distance. If you haven’t read it, take a minute and hop over there. It will best set you up to value and understand the below information.

After I released my Top 5 Exercises for Increasing Your Distance I sat back and did some more thinking. I share conversations with our trainers and ultimately decided that I should share my absolute, no questions ask, Number 1 Exercise for Club Speed and Distance.

WHAT EXERCISE?

I have spent many years training golfers to obtain this attribute. To achieve faster club speeds thus to improve distance. I have worked with some high-level golfers in which I controlled their off-season and in-season programs. Through those experiences I have developed a favorite to answer this question of what is the best exercise.

Without a doubt the number one exercise is the back squat.

WHY?

A proper cycled back squat program. Designed to peak at the right time. Has shown to increase club speed within 4-6 weeks by a substantial number. It didn’t happen once, or twice. It happens every time. If I get to truly get cycle and adapt a golfer’s squat program, they will drive the ball further. Every time.

To be clear,  the exercise MUST be done correctly to get the right results. The golfer (client) must be programmed correctly, making adjustments as needed throughout the program.

You simply can’t just do a back squat at minimal weight or with improper technique and expect large increases in speed.

RESULTS

Here is a quick program breakdown of two top level players I have trained for the last 7 years.  I  have controlled everything they do from a strength training program intently:

  • I cycled them every 6-10 weeks, adjusting their intensity and volume throughout.
  • To maximize strength gains, I selected auxiliaries that work synergistically. Especially with the back squat.
  • I changed exercises and adapted the program as the cycle progressed to respond to their body.
  • Limitations with flexibilities were identified and monitored to ensure progress.
  • I established stability and maintained it through the entire program with proper exercise selection.

Over seven years their club speeds/ball speed were most impacted during cycles that included the back squat. No other program could come close to replicating the same results in the same time frame. 

It is without a doubt that the back squat has yielded the largest results in club speed thus allowing further distance, which is why it is my number one exercise. That being said, I certainly have seen golfers that the back squat is not appropriate for due to orthopedic limitations. I cannot stress this enough. Strength training is NOT one size fits all. The program must meet the client where they are and then be applied to get them where they want to go. 

WHERE TO START

If you are familiar with the back squat or perhaps you are already working with a trainer adding in the back squat might be easy for you. Talk to your trainer about different ways to incorporate it into your weekly training program. Remember, maximizing results from the back squat requires appropriate programing and adjustments. Just tossing it in modestly will not yield high results. 

In the event that you don’t know how to back squat or how to properly include it in your program, reach out to us for an appointment. We are eager to help you develop the distance you have always dreamed of. We work both face-to-face and in online training formats.  

Check out our other online resources for golf programming:

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GOLF: TOP 5 EXERCISES FOR INCREASING YOUR SWING SPEED

GOLF: TOP 5 EXERCISES FOR INCREASING YOUR SWING SPEED

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People that love the game of golf regardless of how good they are all wish for one thing, more distance. Why? Because distance matters. More distance, when controlled, can mean less strokes to get to the green. Which cans clearly mean a lower score. (If you can putt.) And to get more distance you need to improve your swing speed.

HOW DO YOU INCREASE GOLF SWING SPEED?

Thats the million dollar questions. And I have a free answer for you. You are going to be shocked because it is simple. 

Strength. 

You need to have more strength to be able to produce more power to be able to drive the ball further. A, B, C. That’s it. 

personal trainer mequon wisconsin

WHAT’S THE CATCH?

But if it was really that simple wouldn’t we all have incredible golf swing speed and driving distance. Logic serves that if we all just get stronger we can all have more distance. Well you are right. Go ahead get stronger. 

Here is the catch.

Educated and experienced personal trainers, like myself, exist not just to be a therapist or make sure you show up to your workout. We have specific training & knowledge that allows us to increase your strength and translate it to sport performance. That’s why the guy that can squat 400 pounds and bicep curl 50s isn’t necessarily the best golfer. Sometimes that guy is all show and no go.

This process WILL look different depending on your health history and current physical fitness. After all, if there was just one exact way to get stronger and hit the ball further that applied to every person, I wouldn’t have a job or a leg to stand on.

BUT, every person has to go through the same progression to get to strength and power. In previous posts we touched on our approach that we use with every golfer – flexibility/range of motion, stability and then power. If you try to do 2 before 1 or 3 before 2 you won’t get the results you are looking for. Which is where we come in as personal trainers. Follow the right progression based on where your body and you get the right results. Simple.

TOP 5 STRENGTH EXERCISES FOR SWING SPEED IN GOLF

If you already follow an exercise program or like to work out here are a list of my top 5 exercises to improve your golf swing speed. How they are implemented within the program obviously make a difference, as mentioned above. But just implementing them into your routine in any manner will help immediately. You will notice that 3 of the 5 exercises are lower body, this is because the stronger and more stable you are in your legs will allow you to swing harder without a loss in stability which will give you speed immediately.

Back Squat

Power from the swing starts from the ground up, if you know how to use force from the ground up and understand how to load properly you will hit the ball further. This is why the back squat is so beneficial for distance.

  • TIP: the back squat is a technical lift, start light and master the mechanics to get the best results in the long run.

DB Deadlift

Again, same reasoning as the back squat, however, it is an easier exercise to accomplish. And arguably easier place to start with all golfers. The drawback is that it is not quite as efficient as the back squat. It can’t be loaded as much because you are restricted by the weight of the dumbbell. In our gym that goes up to 100 pounds. It also works the muscles in a different capacity than the back squat because the load is below your waist instead of on your back. This differentiates it from the back squat, giving it a place in your training program. 

  • TIP: form is of the highest concern. Poor form can lead to low back aggravation and tightness. Maintaining core bracing is and a flat back is essential.

High to Low Core Rotator

This movement teaches the appropriate kinematic sequence while mimicking the downswing. This allows us to train the translation of power from ground through core and to the club. 

  • TIP: your arms are the lever in this exercise. The further away from your body line you can keep them the more load you place on your core. The more load you place on your core the stronger it can get.

Single Leg RDL

Again, teaching the body how to load properly is the foundation of power in the swing. This exercise helps give you stability while also being able to focus on power and speed.

  • TIP: your range of motion will be limited backs on hamstring flexibility. Tight hamstrings will impact your ability to balance, or be stable. If this exercise is difficult you likely need to implement a stretching routine. Check out our golf specific stretching routine here.

Eccentric Core Rotator

This teaches the body how to isolate the eccentric muscle contraction phase and will help increase force production right away. Not an easy way to isolate the muscle but gives a fantastic output for speed and power.

  • TIP: proper eccentric load is all above maximizing the time spent in the muscle lengthening phase. Perform this exercise with even more control than usual to get the maximal results.

WHERE TO START

If you are familiar with the exercises or perhaps you are already working with a trainer. Find a way to incorporate these into your weekly training program. In the event that you don’t know how to add these exercises to your workout, reach out to us for an appointment. We are eager to help you develop the distance you have always dreamed of. We work both face-to-face and in online training formats. 

And if that is not possible, the safest place, with the largest impact would be flexibility. I didn’t talk much about it here because I have an entire article dedicated to the topic. Go read Golf Flexibility now. Implement those stretches and you will feel better, move better and play better.

Sign-up for our newsletter and we will send you 5 golf mobility exercises that will have you feeling better and playing better in just a few minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Fit Finds: The Ultimate 2023 Fitness Gift Guide

Fit Finds: The Ultimate 2023 Fitness Gift Guide

Welcome to the world of fitness and wellness gifting! As we gear up for 2023, it's time to start setting goals and looking for resources to help us succeed. Whether you're a fitness fanatic or seeking the perfect gift for one, our Ultimate 2023 Fitness Gift Guide is...

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In the world of personal training, where trust and credibility play pivotal roles, the concept of social proof functions as an authentic way to connect with your audience. Social proof, the influence created when individuals see others engaging in a particular...

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INCREASE YOUR BACK SQUAT WITH THESE EXERCISES

INCREASE YOUR BACK SQUAT WITH THESE EXERCISES

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When starting out, the squat can seem like a very simple movement, right? And it is, but if you are looking to increase you strength in the squat pattern there is a little more you will need to know.

So, let’s start with the basics, almost everyone does a form of a squat everyday. But odds are most of those squats are not performed with pristine form. When it comes to a sport like powerlifting or any time you are trying to move as much weight as possible, things can go wrong if you are not thinking about your form.

The more weight you are doing, the more technical the lift becomes. And any strength imbalances or deficiencies become glaringly apparent. That could mean your form is holding you back from lifting as much as possible. Or even worse, will cause an injury. My goal in writing this article is to help you avoid any pain and squat as much weight as possible.

At some point throughout my powerlifting career I have struggled with every single one of the issues that I will talk about below. Through experience and education, I have learned what I need to do to make my squat as efficient as possible. And I still don’t have it all figured out. But I hope to share with you what I have learned so hopefully you can avoid my mistakes.

After reading this article I hope that you will have a better understanding of how the body moves during a squat and why auxiliary and supporting exercises are so important to increase you squat numbers!

tips for a bigger back squat from a personal trainer

Primary Muscles Involved In The Back Squat

Let’s start by reviewing the primary muscles used in the back squat. This will help you to understand why you want to train each of those muscles individually and how it will help your back squat.

Quadriceps – The quads consists of four muscles on the anterior of the thigh. As knee extensors and hip flexors, the quads are active in both the decent and accent of the squat helping to control the movement.

Hamstrings – The hamstrings are made up of three muscles on the posterior of the thigh. Your hamstrings control hip extension and knee flexion, keeping them involved in both the decent and accent of the squat. 

Glutes – There are three muscles that make up the glutes and they act as extensors at the hip. They are critical to hitting lockout at your hips when finishing the squat.

So in the squat pattern your quads, hamstrings, and glutes are working together to move your body through the correct muscle pattern which allow the muscles to work to their maximum potential allowing you to reach high numbers in the back squat.

If you want to an inside look at my training auxiliaries check out my glute and hamstring exercises.

Main Dysfunctions Seen During The Back Squat 

Sometimes I find that it is easier to start a conversation by addressing common mistakes. Pointing out common dysfunctions in the squat will allow the lifter to be more aware of their body and decrease risk of injury from these common mistakes. So let’s talk about a few of the most common dysfunctions and what can help it.

Unable to hit depth

If you are unable to hit depth this is often due to flexibility in the hip, knee, or ankle and your stability during the movement. Stretching/ mobility training and consistently practicing the correct form will help to solve this issue.

Rounding of the back

Your instinct is probably to assume that rounding of the back is due to the weight of the bar. You are not wrong, but you aren’t entirely right either. The weight on the bar is causing your back to round, but it has to do with your core strength and bracing. If your core is not engaged, or you start the squat with a poor set up, it will be easy to round your back and/or lean forward during the squat. Rounding commonly causes issues with hitting depth and holding you back from squatting the maximum amount of weight. So make sure you have a strong set up and walk out before every lift.

Knees caving in 

This is a very common issue and easily fixable. It is caused by weak adductors. To fix this, exercises like a wall sit with med ball squeezes can help or squatting patterns that have a toe out set-up.

Auxiliary Exercises That Can Help Increase Your Back Squat

increase your back squat with a personal trainer

If you are looking to increase your back squat you are going to have to start by including auxiliaries into you workout that address your weaknesses. Check out the list I have below. These are some of my favorite and most effective exercises that are categorized by muscle group. Try them out in your next workout and let me know what you think!

Remember that auxiliaries need to stimulate a physiological adaptation. And that requires you work to a maximal level. Similar to you wanting to work to a 1 rep max in the squat. To summarize, if you aren’t pushing yourself on auxiliaries you are missing the whole point.

Exercises to Strengthening your Hamstrings

  • Hamstring Curl
  • Glute Ham Raise
  • Straight Leg Deadlifts

Exercises to Strengthening your Quadriceps

  • Split Squats
  • Front Squats
  • Bulgarian Split Squats
  • Lunges
  • Step-ups

Exercises to strengthening your Glutes

  • Band Walks
  • Glute Bridge
  • Hip Thrusts With Barbell

Exercises to strengthening your Core

  • Deadbugs
  • Planks
  • V-Sits

I can’t really say enough about training your core. It is the number one missing link that I see with clients and I have personally experienced the different of a weak and strong core while back squatting. Maximal effort lifting is an extension of your core strength. Focus your attention on building a strong core and following a consistent training schedule and your lifts will come along. Do the opposite and you will likely experience plateaus and injuries.

Auxiliary Squat Workout

Stretches to include in your workout:

While we focus a lot on what strength exercises will get us to our end goal, you should still consider your recovery exercises in your program. These are my four standard stretches that you should include after a lower body workout day.

  • Standing Hamstring Stretch
  • Standing Side Hamstring Stretch
  • Thoracic Stretch
  • Quad Stretch

Key Points to help increase your back Squat

back squat tips

Keeping your core engaged is key! Tension in your core and throughout your entire body will help with proper form and aid in hitting depth. Eventually leading to increased strength in the squat pattern.

Focus on your breathing. This will help keep tension (mentioned above) in your body. If you use a belt, taking a deep breath before the squat will put pressure against the belt keeping you tight and strong.

Sit back onto your heels and push your butt back. This is the very basics for a squat, but sometimes when the weight is on your back people try and compensate, which might help initially, but it will cause a chain reaction that can cause injury and limit your potential strength gains.

Shoulders back and chest up! Again, this is just proper form, but if your setup is funky, it is going to mess up the whole lift. In this case, if you don’t set up strong, you are going to end up rounding your back which will cause you to “taco.” Or if you are able to fight the weight, it will be limiting when trying to max out.

Other Main Lifts

Because of my powerlifting background I associated squat and the other two main lifts of powerlifting. which are bench and deadlift. They each contain their own unique muscular demands, but the philosophy behind training is no different. I have put together an article just like this one on the bench and the deadlift. Follow the links below to get specific information you can start applying to your workouts today.

How to Increase Your Bench

How to Increase Your Deadlift

Or CONTACT ME directly and I’ll get you going with a written program and online coaching

increase your back squat with a personal trainer

 

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