Barbell Back Squat
Set Up:
a. Height of the Barbell: The J-hooks should be set around shoulder height for you.
i. Tip: If you are squatting with a partner and you are at different heights, always set up the barbell for the shorter person. It is much safer for the shorter person because they will not need to go up on their tip toes to rerack the bar. For the taller person, it is much easier and very safe to simply get under the bar, stand tall, take 3 steps back, and get ready to squat.
b. Barbell Positioning: High Bar or Low Bar. It is personal preference, use whichever feels more comfortable for you.
i. High Bar – The barbell rests on your traps. This is the most common positioning and works well for most people. If you are shorter and/or have a shorter torso, high bar may feel more comfortable because of the balance of the barbell in proportion to your body structure.
ii. Low Bar – The barbell rests on the top of your shoulder blades, just a few inches lower than the high bar position. If you are taller and/or have a longer torso, low bar may feel more comfortable because of the balance of the barbell in proportion to your body structure.
Stance:
a. Foot Distance: The most common stance that works well for most people is having your heels about shoulder-width apart with your toes pointed out at roughly a 45-degree angle.
i. If you have longer legs in proportion to your torso, it may feel more comfortable to go slightly wider than shoulder width. This can help keep your upper body in a more upright position and improve the balance of the barbell so it does not feel like you are going to fall forward.
Form:
a. Engage Your Core: Imagine you are trying to stack your hips. It may feel like you are lightly squeezing your butt cheeks together. Engaging your core helps protect your lower back and creates a stronger, more stable squat.
b. Breathing: Your breathing can help tremendously, especially when lifting heavy.
i. Breathe in through your mouth before the squat.
ii. Hold that breath as you lower into the bottom of your squat.
iii. Exhale through your mouth as you begin standing back up from the bottom of your squat.
c. Depth: Aim to hit at least a 90-degree angle at the bottom of your squat, or lower if your mobility allows. Otherwise… it doesn’t count as a rep. Sorry, not sorry. I don’t make the rules.
d. Move Like an Elevator: What I mean by this is making sure your whole body moves down together and comes up together. A common mistake in squatting is letting the hips/booty rise first, which turns the movement into more of a good morning or RDL pattern.
Tools:
a. Weight Belt: A weight belt helps support your core and lower back. I recommend putting a belt on around 80–85% of your 1-rep max. If you don’t know where that is, ask yourself:
“Do I think I could have done 2 more reps with good form?”
If the answer is “no” or “I’m not sure,” put the belt on. If the answer is “yes,” you can probably continue increasing weight without it for now.
Another good indicator is when you feel your lower back starting to arch in an attempt to help get the barbell back up. We do not want that.
i. The belt should sit around your belly button area. Tighten it as much as humanly possible. It will feel uncomfortabley tight, but that pressure around your core is what helps create stability and protection during heavy lifts.
b. Flat Shoes: You want your feet as close to the ground as possible. Thick running shoes are not ideal for squatting because they create instability.
I encourage you to kick off your runners and squat barefoot. You can also squat in flat shoes like Converse or Vans, or training shoes like Nike Metcons, NOBULLs, etc. Anything flat works great.
i. Weightlifting Shoes (Lifters): For more advanced lifters, or anyone with ankle mobility limitations. These shoes have a raised heel, which can help improve squat posture, ankle mobility, squat depth, and overall stability in your lifts.
c. Heel Wedges: Heel wedges are a great tool for someone with poor ankle mobility. If your heels come off the ground at the bottom of your squat, if you have pain in the front of your ankle, or if you have long legs and struggle to stay upright, heel wedges may help tremendously.
d. Knee Sleeves: Knee sleeves are compression sleeves that go around your knees to provide extra support, warm up the joint, improve blood flow, and even give a slight rebound out of the bottom of your squat.
i. They are a great tool if you experience knee pain while squatting or if you are lifting HEAVY.
ii. A good indicator to put knee sleeves on is when you reach around 80–85% of your 1-rep max.
Overall:
When it comes to tools for your barbell back squat, my biggest NON-NEGOTIABLES would be:
Do not squat in running shoes.
Use heel wedges only if you truly need them.
Use a weight belt for heavier lifts. Not only does it help performance, but it is also an important safety tool.
We definitely do not want any thrown-out backs!
-Coach Bailey :)