# Squatting Like a Powerlifter, Squatting Big



## Saturday Fever (Jul 9, 2004)

With the recent threads on squatting, I figured I would create a check list of things to do to squat like a powerlifter, or things to do to squat big. I will accompany this checklist with two videos that should demonstrate the checklist in practice. I would also like to stress that the only way to make sure your squatting like a powerlifter correctly is to tape and critique yourself. There is a GREAT opportunity for injury by squatting incorrectly, and this is often not avoided because someone thought they were, in fact, squatting correctly. Tape yourself, watch yourself, make adjustments as necessary. 

1. Grab the bar low on your shoulders. Pull down on the bar as if you were trying to bend the bar over your shoulders.
2. Pull your shoulders blades tight together and draw your elbows forward.
3. Breathe air into your belly. With your abs, push all this air out. If you wear a belt, make it a notch loose and push against it.
4. Arch the bar out of the rack and push with your legs to clear the pins. The bar should not travel forward and touch the rack as you unrack it.
5. Push out on your knees as you prepare. You'll know you're doing this right if you feel increased tightness in your hips. (see setup image below, this is how you should look when you're preparing to descend)
6. Push out on the sides of your feet, not down. Act as if you're going to spread the floor.
7. Drive your head through the bar. Don't look up or down. Imagine laying on the floor, on your back, and driving your head into the floor.
8. Start the squat with your hips going backwards. Imagine sitting back on a toilet. If you start with your knees, your bath will corrupt and you'll miss the big lift. Hips back is your first motion. You'll know you're doing this right because your hamstrings will tighten up like never before.
9. Keep siting back until you're at parallel. Parallel is defined as the crease of your hip being in line with the top of your knee. Sit back, not down! (see box image below to see what you should look like. the box is optional.)
10. Drive your head and upper back into the bar as I described above. 
11. Push out on your knees and feet and draw your hips forward. Stay tight! Keep driving your head and upper back through the bar and driving your hips forward.

Here are two videos for you to reference back to. Keep particular notice to how the knees stay in place, and the hips are the moving force.

http://www.teamtaylor.net/Videos/2004/Part2/CR505sq.wmv
http://66.235.16.23/training/2004_west_coast_open/040528-squat-705-200chain.wmv








 Setup.





 Box.


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## P-funk (Jul 9, 2004)

Great post.


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## Sapphire (Jul 9, 2004)

Wow!  Now I know what you mean by Box squat, I had no idea.  OUCH!!


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## chadeau (Jul 9, 2004)

I love the converse kicks that guy is sporting. Great post.


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## Saturday Fever (Jul 9, 2004)

Actually, Chuck Taylor's are reat shoes to use for squatting and deadlifting as the sole is almost nonexistent, and they're strong enough not to blow out when you push out on them. I've heard some guys have used Airwalk shoes as well, but the general consensus is that the Chucks are the best shoe for the money.


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## P-funk (Jul 9, 2004)

I like addidas samba classics for the same reasons, almost a non-existnet sole.


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## CowPimp (Jul 9, 2004)

Saturday Fever said:
			
		

> Actually, Chuck Taylor's are reat shoes to use for squatting and deadlifting as the sole is almost nonexistent, and they're strong enough not to blow out when you push out on them. I've heard some guys have used Airwalk shoes as well, but the general consensus is that the Chucks are the best shoe for the money.



Do you think there's anything wrong with squatting in bare feet?  I think I'm going to try to use PL style for my big lifts from now on because increased strength is one of my training goals for sure.


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## Var (Jul 9, 2004)

P-funk said:
			
		

> I like addidas samba classics for the same reasons, almost a non-existnet sole.



I like a big sole to make me a little taller, but thats another topic I guess.


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## Erik (Jul 9, 2004)

That is a good post. Love squats for so many reasons. I am so glad to see that the box squatting I do identical to the picture
It sucks being the only squater at my gym

For shoes. I love an old par of wrestling shoes. I have a few pairs and diff types of soles. They see to all be the same.
I really hate working out in running shoe. I dont even think its safe with a big squat. My lbs + a 500 pound squat and I could see them exploding


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## Saturday Fever (Jul 9, 2004)

CowPimp said:
			
		

> Do you think there's anything wrong with squatting in bare feet?  I think I'm going to try to use PL style for my big lifts from now on because increased strength is one of my training goals for sure.



The main problem I can see is slipping. Feet can get sweaty and not want to grip. I would imagine (I don't know since I've never tried) that you'd have problems pushing out on your feet without shoes and support as well.

The high top Chucks, when laced up real tight, provide much better ankle support than one would guess.


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## Erik (Jul 9, 2004)

I have to agree about the chucks, but why I like wrestling shoes better is that there is no way to slip off of them, you know what I mean?
Wrestling shoes allow me grip, but there is no danger of falling off or out of them. The also dont have any cushion to them, I dont have to fight a sponge on the way up


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## CowPimp (Jul 9, 2004)

Saturday Fever said:
			
		

> The main problem I can see is slipping. Feet can get sweaty and not want to grip. I would imagine (I don't know since I've never tried) that you'd have problems pushing out on your feet without shoes and support as well.
> 
> The high top Chucks, when laced up real tight, provide much better ankle support than one would guess.



I squat on carpet.  "Traction" is not an issue.  I always weight lift in bare feet.


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## kvyd (Jul 9, 2004)

Wow bare feet.  I scared ill drop weights on my toes.  Plus im flat footed.


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## seabee (Jul 9, 2004)

Am I missing somthing here?  I'm not able to download the videos right now, but I have always done ass to the grass squats.  If I only need to squat to the box...well, I can add 200 lbs to the bar tomorrow...no prob.


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## P-funk (Jul 9, 2004)

Saturday Fever said:
			
		

> The main problem I can see is slipping. Feet can get sweaty and not want to grip. I would imagine (I don't know since I've never tried) that you'd have problems pushing out on your feet without shoes and support as well.
> 
> The high top Chucks, when laced up real tight, provide much better ankle support than one would guess.




I used to squat in bare feet, until I got the samba's, because I hate squating in running shoes since the heel is elevated.  The only problem I ran into is when you get over 300lbs you are going start feeling it without the ankle support.  Flat shoes are better for me but bare feet isn't to bad.


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## rks1969 (Jul 9, 2004)

I tried to squat in combat boots for a while,but I got tired of them & the low heel.Now I have about 4 pair of Otomix now & won't squat or deadlift in anything else.Great traction. Tried only once to squat in Nike Shox & they collapsed during warm up sets.


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## Saturday Fever (Jul 10, 2004)

seabee said:
			
		

> Am I missing somthing here?  I'm not able to download the videos right now, but I have always done ass to the grass squats.  If I only need to squat to the box...well, I can add 200 lbs to the bar tomorrow...no prob.



You're wrong.  Ask a "full squatter" to squat a powerlifter's weight. He will fail. Aks a powerlifter to squat a "full squatter's" weight. He will blow it up. The guys at Westside have shown this time and again. They've taken the challenge. They've blown them out of the water. There is a drastic difference between the force your quads can produce and the force your posterior can produce.

I'm not knocking guys who du "full squats." But what they lift, and can lift, is ass compared to powerlifters.


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## Novo (Jul 10, 2004)

Really interesting stuff SF 

Question! His feet are WAY spread, I tend to be c.shoulder width/slightly wider ... fancy talking me through the difference please?


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## Premiere (Jul 10, 2004)

CowPimp said:
			
		

> I squat on carpet.  "Traction" is not an issue.  I always weight lift in bare feet.



same here! i think i rarely use shoes


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## wdp8 (Jul 10, 2004)

*Further question*



			
				Novo said:
			
		

> Question! His feet are WAY spread, I tend to be c.shoulder width/slightly wider ... fancy talking me through the difference please?



Ditto to that question and also - 
I noticed that the toes are turned out.  Would you mind explaining that a little more as well?  Is it to bring the hams and glutes into it more?

Lastly, just to clarify, are the videos solely examples of box squats (w/o the box obviously)  or is that considered standard squatting form by westside.  As far as relative difficulty - I personally find squatting parrallel harder than going ass to grass.

Thanks for the post.  Very helpfull.

-w


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## Mudge (Jul 10, 2004)

Saturday Fever said:
			
		

> You're wrong.  Ask a "full squatter" to squat a powerlifter's weight. He will fail. Aks a powerlifter to squat a "full squatter's" weight.



I dont see any relation at all to his comment, but what you are saying is common sense. If I only half squat and I go wide as hell, of course I can squat more (when the body adjusts that is). As of now I do not wide half squat and cannot do so like they would, dont have the hip strength.

Again though, I dont see what it had to do with his comment at all about adding weight to his squat, unless you are talking about simply adding 200 pounds "by tomorow."

You WILL add weight to your squat only going half way down, but it takes some training to be able to use the stance that a powerlifter uses.


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## Mudge (Jul 10, 2004)

Novo said:
			
		

> Question! His feet are WAY spread, I tend to be c.shoulder width/slightly wider ... fancy talking me through the difference please?



THINK ABOUT IT, same thing as a powerlifter bench press, _*reduce the distance traveled and you do less work.*_  This is _in part_ why so many of the lifting greats like Ed Coan are short guys.


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## Mudge (Jul 10, 2004)

wdp8 said:
			
		

> I personally find squatting parrallel harder than going ass to grass.



I dont like pausing and going back up, same for bench or any other movement, it makes it harder. However, you need the stance they use to get it going, then it will be natural. Grab a light weight and see how it feels, you'll see there is a difference.


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## Erik (Jul 10, 2004)

I have thought the same thing about wide stance toes out. I am 6 feet tall, but have a 30 inch inseam. When I do a box squat just like in the picture I am really only movins something like 10-12 inches. Thats why I can squat so much. 

  The technique and mechanics that I have gained have  helped me squat heavier and better wihout the box. I can go deep and heavy and  not have any concern about say...the bar hurting my back, or my hand postion. So much of squating, I feel, is mechanics and technique. 
  Box squat 450....and at the very least, when I deep squat 300....The only thing I concentrate on is the sqaut itself, becase mentally and to some extent physically, it feels like I am dealing with very little wieght.

I would have to agree that technique as well as build are more then likely the biggest factors in how much one can squat.


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## Terok`Nor (Jul 10, 2004)

ass to grass is hard for your lower back not to round yea?


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## P-funk (Jul 10, 2004)

Terok`Nor said:
			
		

> ass to grass is hard for your lower back not to round yea?




it is really difficult, unless you are incredibly flexable to which I have only seen one person and possibly a number of professional olympic lifters, to perform an ASS to the grass squat without posterior pelvically tilting.


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## Saturday Fever (Jul 11, 2004)

And even then, I'd wager a week's income theose lifters were rounding their backs, but their builds hid the fact.


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## P-funk (Jul 11, 2004)

Saturday Fever said:
			
		

> And even then, I'd wager a week's income theose lifters were rounding their backs, but their builds hid the fact.




It depends what you mean by round thier backs.  If you mean that they are sqauting high bar with heavy weight and they are rounding in their thoracic spine then no, they can keep their chest up (lead with the chest) and back flat as a board.  If you mean that their hamstrings pull them into a posterior tilt and they round out at the bottom, where the lumbar vertabrae are, and their butt "tucks underneath them", then yes, it happens.  However hands down the best squater I have ever seen is Shane Hammon, US olympic lifter, who has squated 1000lbs, raw, and he squats with a pretty narrow stance, ass to the grass.....but he is an exception to the rule.


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## Saturday Fever (Jul 11, 2004)

Youngest guy to ever hit a grand, no less. Westside has a guy posed to take that record from him, but either way, I agree. He's an insane lifter and he has so far surpassed his peers it almost seems like a sick joke.


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## P-funk (Jul 11, 2004)

One of the coolest things about his training is that at 5'9", 359lbs he does box jumps onto a 42" box!!!  Now that is explosive!


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## CowPimp (Jul 11, 2004)

P-funk said:
			
		

> One of the coolest things about his training is that at 5'9", 359lbs he does box jumps onto a 42" box!!!  Now that is explosive!



Jesus Christ, that is one big guy.  That is 20 pounds shy of me jumping onto a 42" box with a clone of myself on my back.


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## nikegurl (Jul 16, 2004)

Pssst - Sat Fever...where in CA are you b/c I think I may need a house call to settle my squatting issues once and for all 

The trainers at my gym tell me I have "perfect form" when I squat...but I suspect they're wrong.  The thing about hips back might help.  Do you take it to the extent you would when starting a stiff legged deadlift?


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## Saturday Fever (Jul 16, 2004)

I live in Chico.

The hips are the focus of my squat, or squatting like a powerlifter. The best way to learn it is to get yourself on video and constantly check your form against the checklist and the attached images and videos. It would be fun to work out with you and help though.


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## CowPimp (Jul 17, 2004)

Should the form for deadlifts be nearly identical to the form for squats?  PL squats seem fundamentally similar to deadlifts...


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## Saturday Fever (Jul 17, 2004)

They should be identical, assuming you deadlift sumo style. The only thing that should be different is where the bar is located.


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## CowPimp (Jul 17, 2004)

Saturday Fever said:
			
		

> They should be identical, assuming you deadlift sumo style. The only thing that should be different is where the bar is located.



I deadlift sumo and with a closer stance.  I like to mix things up.  Do powerlifters usually use a sumo style?  My DL feels stronger in sumo stance.


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## zubairkhan14 (Aug 2, 2004)

wow saphire, that's one of the sexiest asses i've seen... i would love to hit that


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## Saturday Fever (Aug 2, 2004)

Thanks for ruining a good thread, jackoff. Why don't you go play tag in the middle of the freeway?


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## zubairkhan14 (Aug 2, 2004)

whoa relax man..


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## M.J.H. (Aug 3, 2004)

LOL! Play tag in the freeway, that's classic! 

BTW, I wanted to add that even though what SF said was funny, he has a GREAT point. Who the hell in the middle of a great squatting thread makes such a derogatory comment?


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