Fantastic instructional video Chris, I was a "knees out" lifter for many years before I tried your "grab the floor" technique which has helped to highlight my weak glutes which probably led to my SI joint flare up. Week by week squat is feeling better and SI joint issue is subsiding ...Thanks mate. Cheers Steve
As a person that has experienced herniated disc before, this video might've saved my life. Woke up with horrible backpain this morning after squatting very intense two days back, immediately recognized it. Ended up with this video. I am going to drop back to light weights and practise this before going heavy again. Thanks Chris, hope I'll be safe hehe!
Hi Chris, I came across your videos just recently but I have seen you squat competitively a number of times. I think there was one/two things left out; ankle mobility and adductor flexibility. You covered adductor flexibility in the second portion of the video and I love your encouragement of the goblet squat. Everyone needs to be doing those. Beginners usually struggle big time with it due to a lack of adductor flexibility and the goblet squat is ideal to improve it. My argument for ankle mobility is simple. If you have more ankle flexion it will bring your knees further forward, thus bringing your hips forward, thus brining your shoulders back and improving your spinal alignment and reducing lumbar flexion. Basically why olympic weightlifting shoes were invented. It regularly gets overlooked. I also have to say you are the most anaerobic man I have even seen on youtube!!! Great stuff and more power to you! Looking forward to watching more of your videos. Colm
Chris Duffin, that was a great video. I'm 35 248lbs and have been lifting since 14. To encourage my 8 year old we have been doing Tae Kwon Do together, yeah my big ass trying to kick. lol I'll tell you what the hip stretching you taught me has helped with lifting and kicking height.
This is so informative and detailed, i honestly feel like you're almost personally training me lol. One of the best videos i've seen to explain everything so well. Great job chris, -NewSub (:
Thanks for the video! I have this problem, I used to squat too high and now I'm too low. I made a dumb decision to dive bomb my 3rd attempt and REALLY felt this. I've also noticed when Im about 1/2" to parallel my hips kinda roll in and under to get me below, so I think mobility and squeezing my arse should help. Stoked to see your stuff on EFTS, I've been a fan since I saw your articles on BreakingMuscle.
Your video's are putting some issues I was having with dull pains into perspective and I'm getting to understand why certain changes helped. Your doing the lifting community a service. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on ''the pain cycle''? Your a guy who gets into the mental aspect of this.
Absolutely correct !!!!! And that's one of the points that proves why half squat you lift more than ass to grass !! Although Olympic lifters do butt wink and still squat RAW (meaning without stupid aids like belt and knee wraps and of course suit) without back injury...............
***** They generally maintain lordosis during back and front squats without too much issue (not always, but often). It's during the lifts themselves that they often go into flexion. Not a gripe, just a note. Fucking love your channel man, unbelievable amount of info on here.
Chris, I subscribed to your channel. Thanks for the awesome vids. Your tips have really helped my squat and deadlift. I find it hilarious that there are actually shit talkers on the comments section. How do you argue with a world champion power lifter that squats 4X his body weight? Cracks me up...
If you have enough mobility, Atg can actually be really beneficial for Olympic lifting when it comes to the snatch and clean because it makes it easier to bounce out of the hole.
Unfortunately I learned this the hard way squating with butt wink and injuring my low back badly. Disc bulges, herniation, facet joint damage, spondy, end plate fracture... Chris is 100% right on this
@@Kickboxer7267 yes because I am very tall 6ft5 and I do not have the hips for deep squat and I let the weight bring me more in the hole than I could with bodyweight squat so I was moving my spine under load which is a big no no
Great video and also with that during the squat are 'we' to use the hamstring stretch reflex to 'bounce' out of the hole to return to the starting position ?
nice informational. Thanks I need some stretching to help my hip mobility/flexibility Not that it probably matters to much but do you do those stretches on your squat days or off days?
I really love your videos, but this is the first time I kind of disagree with one of your point. Why no forward knee travel and that upright posture. I understand from this video that you recommend a westside style squat (sit back, upright position and exclusively hip mvt). This is great for wrapped and suit federations (sit back in the suit gives you extra bounce) but not in regulated ones. Why no hip flexion (bent forward) to recruit more spinal erector with some forward knee travel to facilitate quads recruitment and also to keep the bar balanced over mid foot since you bent over. I get that squats are a hip dominant exercise, but why not try to recruit more muscles to lift more weight? Before some people asks me if I squat heavier than him, no I do not lol and yes I probably know less. But if that squat style is only to limit butt wink, you can do that by actively recruiting your psoas to limit lumbar flexion as soon as you go down. I dont think theres one version better than the other. If sit back, upright squat limits butt wink fine, but it also has its drawback: puts a lot of pressure on your adductor and hip joint which again, isnt bad on its own, but combined with some sumo deadlift and a high frequency/volume/intensity program, its a lot of pressure going to the same place... Thanks again for all the knowledge you share
Hey Chris is it normal to have some lower back fatigue (not pain but very very tight) after squatting. I am fortunate that my hip mobility is pretty good. I can do a shoulder width stance and wide but I get different fatigue levels. More lower back on wide stance and a little pelvis pain when medium.
Do you think it is important to have the abillity for ATG squads ? . I'am in struggle with translate the video so i did not completly understand your point . Greetings from Germany
What about butt wink during sumo deadlifts? I am having trouble finding perfect form with neutral spine. When I leg drive, I don't feel my glutes are activated, but my back stays firm and neutral and it's a very difficult movement. When I activate glutes my butt tucks under when I initiate the movement causing lower back rounding. How can I activate glutes while maintaining leg drive?
Ah I it's the loose goose knees out cue you mentioned. I had to watch the video several times before seeing how the tips carried over into what I was doing.
for the goblet squat i cant seem to activate them when doing it im not rounding either but i just dont feel them being activated is there something i may be missing like a cue that i am not doing
Chris, I seem to lose abdominal pressure at the bottom of my squat. What is a good way to prevent this? Just practice bracing more or are there any cues, etc? I seem to have this problem when I reach down and grab the bar for deadlift as well.
I think a good way to brace is this. Take a deep breath into your belly and then release the air quickly and allow your rib cage to pull down towards your pelvis. Now with core still tight now and your rib cage down, take a breath into this new tight belly. Your should feel pressure everywhere around your torso. Look up eric cressey breathing during deadlifts or squats. Forgot which one
Thanks bud. I will definitely look into that! I have been trying to do this since I watched Chris's video. I believe I just need more experience with bracing this way.
+Jordon Blackburn are your knees at all coming in contact with your body? if so, of course that would affect you. Or maybe you have to take in a little more air to create even more ab pressure. Practice with lighter weights first to make sure you're completely comfortable in handling extensive ab pressure through the valsava maneuver
Having your feet pointing out that far is just a compensation pattern. I believe for shouldnt point out more than 20 degrees with straight being optimal but some femors are different. Work on calf stretches and tfl/itband/vastus lateralis complex. Then work on femoral external rotators and tibial internal rotators. Although femoral external rotation is relative tibial internal rotation
Whenever I try twisting the floor it just feels like my entire leg twist and it feels like my feet stay planted him my hip rotates and twist everything outward including my knee which leads to pain near my vmo entering the knee. Is it a hip mobility issue?
Sheldon Adviento lie down, get your feet raised,turn your toes out to at least 45deg. Then push against your ankles and bridge your ass off the ground , where do you feel it.
Well it's no freaking wonder I'm having trouble. I had been compensating for my lack of hip flexibility my taking a narrower stance, compromising form and ability. Thanks for the exercises, basically without weight; a blow to the ego, but if I can't do that stuff how can I do the hard stuff. So it's practice, practice, practice. And a special thank you for refuting the stupid "Ass To Grass" philosophy.
Try this guys. Stretch your piriformis, adductor magnus, and bicep femoris and then do lateral hip distraction with a monster band and say goodbye to the butt wink. On top of that do what he says in this video and you should be set. Those muscles will limit hit flexion which is why the butt wink will occur. Try it out and let me know what you think
You can't twist the floor out with your feet open and far apart. Gon create no torque. If someone places their feet closer and straight, they'd get that ass to the grass fully braced and powerful
+SwingThis Kettlebell and Fundamental Strength You have literally no idea what you are talking about. A lot of the strongest o-lifters are both fat and muscular. You're really going to try and tell me that Hossein Rezazadeh doesn't have "muscle mass or fat mass in the way of the hip complex"? Please. Mobility is more important for o-lifters than powerlifters. O-lifters also usually squat high bar.
If you think that most o-lifters are ultra lean and in weight classes below 160 pounds then you have been doing too much crossfit. Fat lifters with good mobility are not an oddity.
I respect your training and experience, but I don't think your solution for butt wink is biomechanically correct. Contracting the glutes and contracting the abdominals both posteriorly tilt the pelvis, which would cause butt wink.
1) Again, you can't increase intra abdominal pressure without contracting your abs. 2) The glutes extend the hip. Hip extension causes posterior pelvic rotation (butt wink), not anterior rotation. It is IMPOSSIBLE for the glutes to anteriorly rotate the hips, based on where the muscles attach.
You can, but an isometric contraction still would not have the effect of eliminating butt wink. You need to use muscles that will anteriorly tilt the pelvis.
He's a powerlifter. Their squat more times than not will vary in mechanics. He knows where he has to squat to (slightly below or at parallel). Also you're gay.
Squatting never felt so good now that I try to avoid butt wink and now that I twist the floor as hard as possible. Thanks a lot Chris!
Chris is the G.O.A.T
never found anyone as good as explaining lifting.
I'm assuming you're speaking to a group of people and not trying to stare down a fly? Haha, just playing good shit Chris!
Nah, He's called the mad scientist for a reason
Fantastic instructional video Chris, I was a "knees out" lifter for many years before I tried your "grab the floor" technique which has helped to highlight my weak glutes which probably led to my SI joint flare up. Week by week squat is feeling better and SI joint issue is subsiding ...Thanks mate.
Cheers
Steve
13.37min long, Elite gym. Illuminati confirmed
As a person that has experienced herniated disc before, this video might've saved my life. Woke up with horrible backpain this morning after squatting very intense two days back, immediately recognized it.
Ended up with this video. I am going to drop back to light weights and practise this before going heavy again.
Thanks Chris, hope I'll be safe hehe!
Hands down the best 'how to squat' I've found.
Subbed
Hi Chris, I came across your videos just recently but I have seen you squat competitively a number of times.
I think there was one/two things left out; ankle mobility and adductor flexibility. You covered adductor flexibility in the second portion of the video and I love your encouragement of the goblet squat. Everyone needs to be doing those. Beginners usually struggle big time with it due to a lack of adductor flexibility and the goblet squat is ideal to improve it.
My argument for ankle mobility is simple. If you have more ankle flexion it will bring your knees further forward, thus bringing your hips forward, thus brining your shoulders back and improving your spinal alignment and reducing lumbar flexion. Basically why olympic weightlifting shoes were invented. It regularly gets overlooked.
I also have to say you are the most anaerobic man I have even seen on youtube!!! Great stuff and more power to you! Looking forward to watching more of your videos.
Colm
Awesome video, really helps tie a lot of principles in together. Can't wait to get out there for the Stu McGill seminar!
I am very glad i found this channel. I'll be watching loads of videos of you from now on.
lots of good stuff. Share and get the word out.
"*This* is bad shit." Rofl. So funny! Thanks for the science, Chris. Great stuff.
This guy is crazy strong and knows his stuff!
Great cues, immediately made a difference in my squatting technique
Awesome vids man. Could have used some of these a long time ago.
Awesome! The Godfather of weights sharing knowledge with us yet again!
glad you liked!
New subscriber here after watching the video. Awesome information - thanks for your effort in posting this!
Chris Duffin, that was a great video. I'm 35 248lbs and have been lifting since 14. To encourage my 8 year old we have been doing Tae Kwon Do together, yeah my big ass trying to kick. lol I'll tell you what the hip stretching you taught me has helped with lifting and kicking height.
This is so informative and detailed, i honestly feel like you're almost personally training me lol. One of the best videos i've seen to explain everything so well. Great job chris, -NewSub (:
Thanks for the video! I have this problem, I used to squat too high and now I'm too low. I made a dumb decision to dive bomb my 3rd attempt and REALLY felt this. I've also noticed when Im about 1/2" to parallel my hips kinda roll in and under to get me below, so I think mobility and squeezing my arse should help. Stoked to see your stuff on EFTS, I've been a fan since I saw your articles on BreakingMuscle.
thanks sir. yep keep them glutes tight.
Sound concept and physics. I see some Dr Stuart McGill strategy in your coaching.
Your video's are putting some issues I was having with dull pains into perspective and I'm getting to understand why certain changes helped. Your doing the lifting community a service. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on ''the pain cycle''? Your a guy who gets into the mental aspect of this.
Dude's cool, subbed!
C.R.E.A.M. He’s awesome. He always seems like he’s on coke
Absolutely correct !!!!! And that's one of the points that proves why half squat you lift more than ass to grass !! Although Olympic lifters do butt wink and still squat RAW (meaning without stupid aids like belt and knee wraps and of course suit) without back injury...............
***** They generally maintain lordosis during back and front squats without too much issue (not always, but often). It's during the lifts themselves that they often go into flexion. Not a gripe, just a note. Fucking love your channel man, unbelievable amount of info on here.
Half = 90 degrees !!!!!!!!
90 dgrees = HALF !!!
Sorry.........
Chris, I subscribed to your channel. Thanks for the awesome vids. Your tips have really helped my squat and deadlift. I find it hilarious that there are actually shit talkers on the comments section. How do you argue with a world champion power lifter that squats 4X his body weight? Cracks me up...
Dude you're very inspiring! Nice beard as well!
I love the intesity of your speak/voice!
thanks sir. I am confident in my topic
great info and you explain everything perfect. good job mate!
If you have enough mobility, Atg can actually be really beneficial for Olympic lifting when it comes to the snatch and clean because it makes it easier to bounce out of the hole.
Unfortunately I learned this the hard way squating with butt wink and injuring my low back badly. Disc bulges, herniation, facet joint damage, spondy, end plate fracture...
Chris is 100% right on this
Wtf man are you sure that squats caused this?
@@Kickboxer7267 yes because I am very tall 6ft5 and I do not have the hips for deep squat and I let the weight bring me more in the hole than I could with bodyweight squat so I was moving my spine under load which is a big no no
Very informative..more people should see this
I hope they do. please feel free to share.
I thought I was the only weirdass dude doing these stretches! Thanks for awesome vids!
Great video and also with that during the squat are 'we' to use the hamstring stretch reflex to 'bounce' out of the hole to return to the starting position ?
nice informational. Thanks I need some stretching to help my hip mobility/flexibility
Not that it probably matters to much but do you do those stretches on your squat days or off days?
feels pretty comprehensive, can't thank you enough :D
how does it feel now?
thanks for the excellent info! subscribed immediately
Great stuff Chris! Thank you.
Great information! Thank you! earned a sub for sure!
great stuff chris!
Great tips, def going to use these, thank you!
excellent
how often (days per week) do you suggest doing the tactical frog and static squat. Thanks in advance I know you're extremely busy.
Your crazy eyes always get me! Haha, awesome video as usual, lay off the redline!
So you prefer "screwing into the floor" instead of "pushing the knees out" or "spreading the floor", or do you do those as well?
I really love your videos, but this is the first time I kind of disagree with one of your point. Why no forward knee travel and that upright posture. I understand from this video that you recommend a westside style squat (sit back, upright position and exclusively hip mvt). This is great for wrapped and suit federations (sit back in the suit gives you extra bounce) but not in regulated ones.
Why no hip flexion (bent forward) to recruit more spinal erector with some forward knee travel to facilitate quads recruitment and also to keep the bar balanced over mid foot since you bent over. I get that squats are a hip dominant exercise, but why not try to recruit more muscles to lift more weight? Before some people asks me if I squat heavier than him, no I do not lol and yes I probably know less.
But if that squat style is only to limit butt wink, you can do that by actively recruiting your psoas to limit lumbar flexion as soon as you go down.
I dont think theres one version better than the other. If sit back, upright squat limits butt wink fine, but it also has its drawback: puts a lot of pressure on your adductor and hip joint which again, isnt bad on its own, but combined with some sumo deadlift and a high frequency/volume/intensity program, its a lot of pressure going to the same place...
Thanks again for all the knowledge you share
Awesome, thanks for sharing!
I fucking love your videos Chris.
In the last exercise youre going into internal rotation at the hip ... is that a reciprocal inhibition thing for the external rotators?
Hey Chris is it normal to have some lower back fatigue (not pain but very very tight) after squatting. I am fortunate that my hip mobility is pretty good. I can do a shoulder width stance and wide but I get different fatigue levels. More lower back on wide stance and a little pelvis pain when medium.
+Chris Duffin agree. core shouldn't be taken to failure
Do you think it is important to have the abillity for ATG squads ? .
I'am in struggle with translate the video so i did not completly understand your point .
Greetings from Germany
hey Chris what do you think of olympic lifting shoes ?
So you suggest everyone squat wide stance? Or work into squatting wider?
subbed. awesome video!
Great vid! Cheers Chris
thank you sir
Easy sub. Great info!
Great video Chris! More! :)
thanks sir
Nice informative video thx
What about butt wink during sumo deadlifts? I am having trouble finding perfect form with neutral spine. When I leg drive, I don't feel my glutes are activated, but my back stays firm and neutral and it's a very difficult movement. When I activate glutes my butt tucks under when I initiate the movement causing lower back rounding. How can I activate glutes while maintaining leg drive?
watch my instructional vids on deadlifting
Ah I it's the loose goose knees out cue you mentioned. I had to watch the video several times before seeing how the tips carried over into what I was doing.
for the goblet squat i cant seem to activate them when doing it im not rounding either but i just dont feel them being activated is there something i may be missing like a cue that i am not doing
Chris, I seem to lose abdominal pressure at the bottom of my squat. What is a good way to prevent this? Just practice bracing more or are there any cues, etc? I seem to have this problem when I reach down and grab the bar for deadlift as well.
I think a good way to brace is this. Take a deep breath into your belly and then release the air quickly and allow your rib cage to pull down towards your pelvis. Now with core still tight now and your rib cage down, take a breath into this new tight belly. Your should feel pressure everywhere around your torso. Look up eric cressey breathing during deadlifts or squats. Forgot which one
Thanks bud. I will definitely look into that! I have been trying to do this since I watched Chris's video. I believe I just need more experience with bracing this way.
+Jordon Blackburn are your knees at all coming in contact with your body? if so, of course that would affect you.
Or maybe you have to take in a little more air to create even more ab pressure. Practice with lighter weights first to make sure you're completely comfortable in handling extensive ab pressure through the valsava maneuver
Thanks Chris!
4:00 bracing and twisting floor
Having your feet pointing out that far is just a compensation pattern. I believe for shouldnt point out more than 20 degrees with straight being optimal but some femors are different. Work on calf stretches and tfl/itband/vastus lateralis complex. Then work on femoral external rotators and tibial internal rotators. Although femoral external rotation is relative tibial internal rotation
Whenever I try twisting the floor it just feels like my entire leg twist and it feels like my feet stay planted him my hip rotates and twist everything outward including my knee which leads to pain near my vmo entering the knee. Is it a hip mobility issue?
Sheldon Adviento lie down, get your feet raised,turn your toes out to at least 45deg. Then push against your ankles and bridge your ass off the ground , where do you feel it.
what kind of shoes do you wear here? chuck taylors?
Crossfite lite TR
Well it's no freaking wonder I'm having trouble. I had been compensating for my lack of hip flexibility my taking a narrower stance, compromising form and ability. Thanks for the exercises, basically without weight; a blow to the ego, but if I can't do that stuff how can I do the hard stuff. So it's practice, practice, practice. And a special thank you for refuting the stupid "Ass To Grass" philosophy.
Bill Trudell no problem. thanks for feedback.
that mobility doh 12:30
where are you looking all the time :D
haha cokes
a hell of a drug
Deini Strength at the crowd he is talking to lol
Why the word Kabuki???
Try this guys. Stretch your piriformis, adductor magnus, and bicep femoris and then do lateral hip distraction with a monster band and say goodbye to the butt wink. On top of that do what he says in this video and you should be set. Those muscles will limit hit flexion which is why the butt wink will occur. Try it out and let me know what you think
Glad you aren't one of those guys that just say improve ham flexibility. end video.
Thanks,
You can't twist the floor out with your feet open and far apart. Gon
create no torque. If someone places their feet closer and straight,
they'd get that ass to the grass fully braced and powerful
Stfu yes you can
he pants while speaking
olympic weightlifters do ATG all the time!
exactly but usually don't have the muscle mass or fat mass in the way of the hip complex. altering skeletal movement that many powerlifters do.
+SwingThis Kettlebell and Fundamental Strength You have literally no idea what you are talking about. A lot of the strongest o-lifters are both fat and muscular. You're really going to try and tell me that Hossein Rezazadeh doesn't have "muscle mass or fat mass in the way of the hip complex"? Please.
Mobility is more important for o-lifters than powerlifters. O-lifters also usually squat high bar.
+MissLinore Of course he does and many do. But you're considering that the norm?
If you think that most o-lifters are ultra lean and in weight classes below 160 pounds then you have been doing too much crossfit. Fat lifters with good mobility are not an oddity.
+MissLinore Of course. and sorry, no crossfit here.
I respect your training and experience, but I don't think your solution for butt wink is biomechanically correct. Contracting the glutes and contracting the abdominals both posteriorly tilt the pelvis, which would cause butt wink.
+Irate People He is not talking about contracting your abdominals, he is talking about intra abdominal pressure
+Barack Obama You can't increase intra abdominal pressure without contracting your abs.
1) Again, you can't increase intra abdominal pressure without contracting your abs.
2) The glutes extend the hip. Hip extension causes posterior pelvic rotation (butt wink), not anterior rotation. It is IMPOSSIBLE for the glutes to anteriorly rotate the hips, based on where the muscles attach.
You can contract your abs without causing spinal flexion, just like you can contract your glutes without going into ppt.
You can, but an isometric contraction still would not have the effect of eliminating butt wink. You need to use muscles that will anteriorly tilt the pelvis.
competes at 220 walks around at 260
not quite but yeah I don't walk around anywhere close to 220.
Lol @ 10:40
Ever seen an Olympic weightlifter?
+Neuroscientistify I've never seen Chris squat below parallel, honestly
He's a powerlifter. Their squat more times than not will vary in mechanics. He knows where he has to squat to (slightly below or at parallel). Also you're gay.
YO i heard that leg stance is too wide and is cheating
Poor dany
1337
horse stance
Dude sounds like he’s about to stroke out. Out of breath the whole time he’s speaking. Has great info but delivery sucks
The real effects of PEDs.
Lol is he blind? He talks like hes blind
Awesome. This will save me from explaining it over and over