1. The Squat

2. About me:
●
REPs Level 3 personal trainer
●
BSc (Hons) Strength + conditioning, sports-
rehabilitation and massage
●
SMA Accredited Sports massage practitioner
My main interests:
●
physical performance enhancement
●
strength development

3. Overview:
● Definition
● Purpose + benefits
● Myths and misconceptions
● Factors affecting squat performance + solutions
● How squatting can help me
● Definitin

4. Definition:
● To crouch of sit with one's knees bent and one's heels
close to touching one's buttocks of back of the
thighs.
● (Oxford dictionary)
The squat:

6. Purpose:
● To develop pushing strength and power in the
quadriceps, hips and the back
●
Benefits:
● Greater mobility and strength
● Improved bone density
● Improved running speed (Athletic)
● Improved physical performance
(Charles Poliquin, 2014)

7. Myths and misconceptions :

8. Full depth squatting is bad for the
knees:
●
Power lifters who squat >2xBW to 130 degrees of
knee flexion have more stable knees than lifters
who don't squat at all
●
Squatting deeper places less stress on the knee
ligaments
●
Squatting deeper increases Glute activation
●
If a baby can do it, so should we!!

9. Squats are bad for the back:
●
Incorrect technique can lead to injury, just like any
exercise!!!!
●
Keep the neutral spine
●
Chest lifted
●
Strengthen your Glutes!!!!

10. Knees should never go past the
toes:
●
Lack of ankle flexibility, heels up
●
Unbalanced distribution, a hinge movement
●
Can increase risk of knee injury
●
Knee travels over the toe in virtually all knee flexion
exercises. (Climbing stairs, sitting down, standing
up, running)

11. Squatting will slow me down:
●
Studies have shown that squatting improves physical
performance
●
Squatting improves vertical lower body force
development
●
Higher force production= greater propulsion
●
However squatting heavy by itself will not make you
faster, appropriate speed specific training must also
be applied

12. Factors affecting squat
performance:

14. Ankle mobility:
●
Inability to Dorsiflex the
foot can lead to over
compensation of the
hips + knees
●
Poor movement
Patterns
●
Inabilty to maintain
neutral spine
●
Knee injury!!!
Causes:
● Previous injury
● Poor footwear (high
heels)
● Poor posture (tight hips,
Hunched shoulders)
● Tight Soleus muscles

15. Solution:
●
Stretching of the Soleus muscles
●
Squat with heels on step and progressively reduce the
height of step
●
Forefoot bounding
●
Practising dorsiflexsion of the ankle

16. Hip mobility:
●
Inability to maintain a neutral spine
●
Lower back injury

17. Causes:
●
Poor Posture -Too much sitting down
(Gorilla posture)
●
Muscle imbalance (Quad dominance)
●
Poor ankle mobility

18. Solution:
● Stretching of the hip flexor muscles
● Improve ankle mobility
● Improve external hip rotation mobility
● Strengthening of the posterior chain
● Improve Core strength
● Improve upper back mobility

19. Weak Glutes:
●
Inability to keep knees in line with the big toe
●
Inability to maintain an upright torso throughout
(Bum up technique)
●
Increased risk of ACL injury

20. Causes:
●
Poor recruitment
patterns
●
Deactivation (too much
sitting down)
●
Natural weakness in
Glute Medius
(Females)
Solution:
● Improve hip extension
(Glute bridges, kick-
throughs, hip thrusts)
● Improve ability to resist
internal rotation of the knee
(Monster walks, step ups,
lunges)

21. How can squatting help me?:
● Correct movement patterns can lead to improved efficiency and
performance
● Improved mobility and strength in the lower body as well as the
core stabilisers and upper back
● Increase in growth hormone production and therefore increase
muscular development and strength all over the body
● Injury prevention

22. Thanks for listening

23. References
●
http://www.biomechfit.com/2012/02/09/3-squatting-myt
●
http://www.strengthsensei.com/squats-the-facts/