Here's the greatest cue for learning low back "set:" Stand normally and vividly imagine how your posture would change if someone came up behind you and touched your low back with a wet ice cube. You'll find that your low back arches big-time, and simultaneously, your chest pushes forward and up, while your shoulders pull down and back. That's the position you're looking for.
I first discovered this drill through the Cross Fit community, and we use it extensively as a warm-up at Bed & Barbell. I find it to be not only the least "invasive" way to warm up the whole body, but also a great way to hone squat mechanics prior to getting under the bar.
The primary value of front squats is that they teach you how to stay more upright. The video I've included below shows how to assume an Olympic style "shelf" which is more stable than crossing your arms. Front squats can be used as a way to incorporate variety into your lower-body program, and/or as a dynamic warm-up for back squats.
Overheads are fantastic for thoracic mobility an also for teaching how to "sit between your feet" as opposed to "folding over."
7) Box Squats:
To treat dryness, you should moisturize the skin once or twice daily. Foot soaking is not necessary, and tends to dry out the skin even more by leaching vital oils. Avoid placing moisturizer in between toes, as this can increase the likelihood fungus will develop. If fungus does infect the foot skin, it will cause Athlete's foot. This condition creates redness and itching on the bottom of the feet or in between the toes, and needs medical treatment to destroy the invading fungus. Sometimes over-the-counter medication works well, and sometimes prescription medication is needed. Skin can also become thinner over time. Because of this, sores, scrapes, blisters or minor cuts may need medical attention as healing can take longer. The feet should be protected for this reason by wearing properly fitted shoes at all times.Corns and calluses are caused by pressure from bones as they squeeze overlying skin against your shoes or the ground. As we age
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Only those with ideal leverages can squat well without proper footwear. My clients are almost uniformly amazed at how much better they can squat with proper lifting shoes. You'll get more depth and better stability. Instantly.
2) Warm-Up With "Wall Balls:"
I learned this drill from my friend Pavel Tsatsouline. It's a great way to improve hip mobility and to learn how to push the knees outward during the squat. The video below shows you how- use the wall squat as a warm-up drill or as a discrete practice drill.
4) Wall Squats:
If back squats are currently the most difficult drill you do with a bar, overhead squats might move them down to second place. No need to go heavy with these- a wooden dowel or a 25-pound aluminum bar will be plenty for most people at the beginning.
The ability to squat safely and effectively is an important arrow in the lifter's quiver- properly performed, squats dramatically improve your strength, power, mobility, lean body mass, and as my friend Father John Peck might add, a big squat also improves your "gym cred." The downside? Only one: if you're long of limb, they can be difficult to master. Here then, are 7 tips that have served me well in my 20+ years of teaching the squat:
Now Go Apply These Tips!
5) Front Squats:
Simply descend under full control, touch the box lightly
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6) The Wet Ice Cube:
If you watch any weightlifting meet at the National level or higher, you'll never see an athlete wearing any other type of shoe- ever. In my experience, about 7 out of 10 "problem squatters" find their cure through better shoe selection alone.
I'm not referring to the infamous Westside Barbell box squats here, but rather, using a box or a bench as a target that you touch with your glutes at the bottom of your squat. This not only helps beginners to link "the known to the unknown," it also helps to regulate consistent depth and offers feedback on bilateral symmetry.
3) Overhead Squats:
This causes a protective build-up of skin under our feet where the bone prominence lies, as well as on the tops of the toes that are contracted up against shoes. Softening corns and calluses with a daily moisturizer and using a pumice stone or file after showering will help smooth them out. Avoid medicated corn pads, as they can burn the surrounding healthy skin. More severe corns and calluses may require professional trimming and padding, or even surgery to correct the underlying bone prominence.Nails are also part of the skin. Over time, nails can become thickened, malformed, and discolored. This may be due to a nail fungus, which can also cause pain and nail lifting. Nail fungus is difficult to treat, and infected nails are difficult to trim by oneself. Options for treatment include a prescription pill, specially formulated topical oils, or toenail removal. The nails can also look abnormal due to bruising or other medical conditions which can mimic nail fungus.
If you never thought you could achieve a great squat position, I challenge you to apply all of these tips simultaneously. I promise you'll surprise yourself. And when that happens, I'd love you to click the "comments" link at the bottom of this page to share your experiences!
Your initial reps can/should be shallow- as you start warming up, start sinking the squats deeper and deeper. Try 3 sets of 10 reps using a progressively heavier ball with each set.
1) Weightlifting Shoes:
Try overheads as a secondary warm-up drill, done after wall-balls. If you've always had mobility issues on squats, you'd be stunned at the difference proper shoes, wall-balls, and overheads will make. And I've still got 4 more tips to go!