Workout Of The Week - What Is The Best Workout To Improve Your Squat?

[Admin]

As you know Squats are one of the big 3 lifts along with the bench press and deadlifts. Some even go as far as saying that squats are the king of all the exercises.

So to improve your squat lift , What is the best workout to improve your squat?

How much will those workout improve your squat weight?

How important are squats to one?s workout routine?

Who would benefit from this type of workout and why.

 

[Bazza20]

Best way to improve the squat is more squats.

 

[Sticky]

More squats.








Lots more squats.

 

[kaz]

When I want to aim for an increase of weight in my squats, I drop my usual weight lower and aim for higher reps. My legs can push out a 90kg squat, but my shoulders and lower back are only just strong enough to support the bar. I have had success this way.
I don't train with a partner so a spotter is not always available.

 

[callan]

squat to improve squat. improvements in technique is where the big gains as a beginner are.
i swapped from high bar with poor form, to low bar with average form, and went from struggling to squat 67.5kg to getting pb's in the 100's a few weeks later.

improve technique = enhance strength

 

[dave]

All depends on how you fail. My hips are much stronger than my torso so I need to work on that. So it is more squats, zercher squats, some Ab work, good mornings etc.

 

[The Hamburgler]

Agree with Callan's points re: technique improvement for the beginner.

For me I think the biggest improvements will come with more time under the bar, increase hip and thoracic mobility as well as a little more upper back strength

 

[walt]

20 rep squats!!! Get your quads growing. I remember Fadi saying his quads grew a lot from 20 and 30 rep squats.

Start of nice and light with squats, and slowly work your way up in weight, high bar squats for me. The amount of times i see people load up 3 plate squats, then barely reach parrellel, squatting 60kg deep would have been more benefit.

high bar for life

 

[kaz]

20 rep squats!!! get your quads growing. I remember fadi saying his quads grew a lot from 20 and 30 rep squats

^this^

 

[walt]

warning for 20 rep squats - be prepared for total domination.

Although 20 rep squats is very physical, i reckon its more of a mind game.

 

[kaz]

I find 20 reps squats force you to keep form when the muscles are on the brink of total fatigue.
Ahhh the DOMs......!

 

[The Hamburgler]

I find the opposite. As I get fatigued my form degenerates rapidly.

Personally for muscle development/growth I would favour multiple low rep (5-10) sets with short rest periods (60 seconds at most)

 

[Bazza20]

Yeah I'm not the biggest fan of 20 rep squats but really any rep range as long as you are progressing in some way will have you increasing strength and size.

 

[walt]

I find 20 reps squats force you to keep form when the muscles are on the brink of total fatigue.
Ahhh the DOMs......!

i find as a i go on, form gets worse, but still good.

I forgot to mention the DOMS for a reason Its like death

 

[kaz]

DOMs is great!

 

[The Hamburgler]

What is it with women and their DOMs lol

 

[dave]

What is it with women and their DOMs lol

I know.

 

[wingman]

What is it with women and their DOMs lol

^They don't eat enough protein usually (or eat enough in general).


But to answer the original question, depends on where you're at in the training. If you're a beginner, just practicing technique will see your squat go up. A bit further a long, working a linear progression on them will help. More advanced probably need to do some dynamic/isolation work with hamstrings, hipflexors, glutes, quads, back etc.

Lets assume the more advanced part is actually the question here - which exercises?

 

[The Hamburgler]

Not why they get DOMS, but how they think it's a good thing.

Advance exercises - really depends on your squatting style. An upright high bar squat would most likely benefit more from trap bar deadlifts, front squats, bulgarian split squats than a super wide equipped squatter, who will see more benefit from box squats and good mornings

 

[dave]

Not why they get DOMS, but how they think it's a good thing.

They are crazy. But then again they are women so that should have been expected...
















waits for furious assualt.

In all seriousness it depends on the women. The ones who are attracted to CrossFit and the like are the ones that like their DOMS. The other side hate DOMS and won't exercise because of it and funnily enough then get DOMS all the time.