Oh the beloved squats. We all know them, do them and are told constantly how crucial they are within a workout routine. OK WE GET IT.
But where is the right place to start? How often should we be squatting (Pinterest says 100 a day will get you a big booty, so that has to be the answer)? And are we even doing them correctly???
This conversation could take a ton of different approaches, but I am going to focus on keeping things simple and offer 4 things:
Part 1
Warm up movements to build strong squats
Squat progressions and how often we should be “leveling up”.
Part 2 ( Subscribe to get notified when this goes live)
Weighted squat variations.
A variation for those of us who’s knees aren’t about the squat life. (Spoiler: there are movements that won’t hurt your knees and overall you shouldn’t be doing any exercises that hurt…but that topic is for another day)
Warm up Movements to Build Strong Squats
There are a variety of ways to warm up for squats, but I personally prefer doing some band work before I get into lifting “heavy” weights. Depending on where you are in your fitness journey, this may be the extent of your workout and that is ok. I promise.
These 3 movements include using a resistance band, and placing it right above the knee. This placement provokes us to build up strength around the knees and adds a little extra resistance to wake those leg muscles up!
Resistance Band “RB” Lateral Walk
In this movement we are focusing on engaging the core, tucking the booty and keeping the body tall and straight as we move in a lateral plane. Make sure to find a space you can walk at least 8-10 steps in each direction. If this feels difficult and strenuous, just start here. Once you feel comfortable and strong in this movement you can drop into a squat while lateral walking.
RB Lateral Walk in a Squat
In this variation, we are focusing on staying in a squatting position and really pressing the knees out against the band. I always suggest doing these in front of a mirror (if possible), so you can watch your form.
RB Body Weight Squats
At this point, your legs should be nice and awake, but since were here, lets add in body weight squats. The band (again, pushing the knees out and against the band) will continue to add resistance, while our body will begin to warm up and mobility will increase. Don’t be afraid to take these slow and get deep into the squats.
Bonus
Add in these exercises for additional glute activation (let’s wake that booty up)!
Glute Bridge
Frog Pump
Squat Progressions
There are a few aspects we are going to look at as far as progressions, but first let’s focus on depth. IDEALLY squat depth will come naturally and with strong form, but I highly doubt this is the case.
box squats
I LOVE box squats. I personally do these once a week, either to warm up or when I am ready to level up my weight. What is great about box squats, is that it is lower impact and cuts off momentum- forcing you to use strength & stability to power yourself back up. This variation also allows support to begin recruiting your glutes (da booty) for squats, making them less quad dominant.
First, start with a 20”-24” height to sit back on. Once this feels comfortable, add weight. Next, lower the box to 16”-18” and follow the same progression.
regular squats
Now that we are feeling strong, its time to add in regular squats. In this sequence, I am putting these in a linear progression line, but feel free to alternate between regular and box squats within your workouts if your form feels solid.
How Often Should we be Progressing?
There is not going to be one perfect answer for everyone, but to start, I would progress every 2 weeks, assuming you are including squats in your workouts 1-2 times a week. The best way to tell if you’re ready, is by actually listening to your body. Does the movement feel easy? Add weight, or increase depth.
Because the squat movement is included in most workout plans, we have to do our best to not get bored and just progress because we’re bored. Don’t skip stretching / mobility movements before a workout. Don’t skip the warm ups. Create a strong foundation, over time, and in the long run you will be stronger for it.
Are we squat pros yet??? BASICALLY.
At least at this point, you should feel confident enough to dive deeper into your squats and find what progressions you are ready to include in your workouts. I am sharing this information in hopes of aiding in your fitness goal success and am in full support of doing this in steps over time. If you still feel like there is more you would like to learn, don’t hesitate to email me! I am happy to answer questions, and do offer online and in person (Denver Based) training for anyone ready for one on one attention.
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