The BACK SQUAT
The squat is the foundation of so many x-training techniques and we do them almost daily at 8 Limbs in one form or another. It’s a seemingly simple exercise but surprisingly most of us are still doing it wrong as there are so many elements we need to nail in order to get the most out of our squat and to ensure safe lifting technique. The below covers common mistakes, how to correct them and then up your squat game.

THE SQUAT: BASIC MISTAKES
While it’s refreshing for men and women alike to use the barbell as their main tool of destruction on their health & fitness journey, with the day and age we live in now it’s extremely easy to be misled as to how a lift should be done properly. For the most part people are far better off than they were 10 years ago, if you ask someone to squat they’ll probably try and keep the weight back in the heels and not let their chest touch their knees – this is good news!
But when we start throwing some serious weight on the bar, the form deficiencies stick out like a sore thumb, and it’s clear that the base knowledge of the lift is still incomplete
There are some fine points and positioning that a lot of people are missing out on, and it can lead to bad form, missed lifts, or even injury.
So, we’re gathered here today around this glorious round table of fitness to talk about one of the mother lifts – the squat. She can be a great asset in your strength game, but if you don’t pay attention to her finer details – she could bite back.
Most technique issues can be solved with some mobility work to help the muscles achieve the right amount of range of motion
to complete the lift, but we’ll go over some of that stuff another day. Today we’re going to focus on something that you should do not only before you squat, but before you lift ANYTHING.
BRACING SEQUENCE FOR BETTER SQUAT TECHNIQUE
This sequence will help you properly engage your mid line and keep the tightness throughout so you can stay tight during the lift and not fold like a lawn chair in the bottom of your squat – or any lift for that matter. A lot of the times lifts are missed not only because the athlete didn’t have the strength to complete it, but they lost the stability in their core to stay tight which then cuts off power to the extremities whilst trying to complete the lift. Core to extremity ring a bell? So here’s our BRACING SEQUENCE to help with that stabilization:
- Squeeze your glutes together. This is going to set your pelvis in the correct position we need it to support the weight.
- Pull the rib cage down by flexing your core while still squeezing the glutes. This ensures our backs are not over extended and mid line is engaged.
- Take a big breath in from that tightness you’ve created by flexing the core and pulling the rib cage down.
WHILE YOU’RE EXECUTING THE LIFT:
- Keep the mid line as tight as possible and don’t let go
- Squeeze the glutes on the way down to ensure they are activated and you’re using them to carry the weight. (Assuming that you’re squatting).
All in all, we still want our chests up, but be careful to not over extend. Go through the bracing sequence with all the lifts you do – and watch your weights skyrocket further than you ever thought