Everyone squats. Even people who don’t lift weights SQUAT. It’s a basic human movement pattern. Think sitting in a chair, the toilet, or any other time/place you sit and then get up from those positions.
Today, we’re going to correct one of the most common squatting mistakes – leaning too far forward. As in, the torso angle is too forward, or too close to parallel to the ground. This is fine – IF YOU’RE DOING A GOOD MORNING. But we’re talking about squats.
This issue is caused by glutes that are not activated and engaged. (It could also be caused by using a load that is too heavy for one’s current level of abdominal and low back strength – but that is a topic for another day!)
Today, we’re going to solve the problem of lazy, sleepy, non-firing glutes. You see, when activated and firing properly, the glutes power you out of the hole and initiate the ascent. You should imagine a string pulling the top of your head straight up – not forward, then up.
[media url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=md33-dxUWGw&feature=plcp” width=”600″ height=”400″]Turn on your “side ass”
I can’t remember where I first heard the term “side ass” – so I apologize to whoever shared it with me. No “side ass” is not the scientific name for the muscles involved, but it will get you thinking about and feeling the muscles we are targeting.
Stand Up. Yep, seriously, stand up right now. Now put both hands on your side ass. Your fingers should point to the ground and your palms should be just behind your hip bones.
Now, try to spread the floor with your feet. I mean really try to stretch the carpet or floor between your feet. Notice anything happening under your palms? If you did this correctly, you should have felt your “side ass” activate and flex.
Relax and notice that when you stand idly you feel nothing in the side ass area. Spread the floor again and feel it turn on again. There you go! Now you now how to activate your side ass.
Using It
Now stand up again – or continue to stand – and do 5-10 bodyweight squats. Keep your hands on your side ass and think about spreading the floor with your feet throughout this set. Notice the new and different feeling. Also pay attention to how easily you can rise STRAIGHT UP from the bottom position of the squat. This is proper squatting form. Learn it, groove it, and watch your squat numbers go up!
If you struggle to maintain this tension during your squats, you can take a mini-band and place it around your ankles or knees and focus on spreading it throughout your squat movement. Like training wheels of sorts, this is a great learning tool to reinforce proper form.
If this post helped you, then I know 7 Squat Secrets will help take your squat to new records!
