Body weight squats are the baseline I use to determine if I'm going to progress or regress the exercise. Body weight squats may seem easy to most but many people have a hard time doing them correctly. Lack of mobility in the hips and ankles are some reasons why you can't squat parallel or you end up leaning forward when you squat.
To perform a correct squat: place feet shoulder width apart, arms extended out in front, chest up and the upper and lower body should be slightly arched. You can widen your stance if you can't go down to full depth (parallel). Bring your hips down and back, go down until you hit parallel and then bring your hips up, driving through your heels.
IMPORTANT NOTE If you can't reach parallel another trick you can do is to place a10 pound plate under your heels to elevate your feet.
The goblet squat is a progression and regression exercise for the body squat. The only difference is the amount of weight you use.
I use this as a regression exercise to help train my athletes on how to sit back and keep their chest up during the squat. The key to this exercise is to keep the dumbbell touching the sternum and clavicle through the entire movement
Start in the squat stance, feet shoulder width apart. Pick up dumbbell, while keeping your chest out and the dumbbell touching your chest perform a squat.
Once you can perform the goblet squat correctly for 4 weeks progress to the body squats.
If you can't perform a goblet squat correctly the next regression is the kettlebell sumo deadlift. If you don't have a kettlebell you can use a dumbbell.
In a squat stance lower your body and grab the kettlebell/dumbbell, squeeze your lats and low traps and pick up the weight. Pretty easy exercise.
Do this exercise for 3 to 4 weeks and once you can perform this exercise with some substantial weight progress to the goblet squat.
This is the last of the regressions. This is for people that can't perform the goblet squat and who are injured or obese.
The deload squat is when you are using less than body weight to perform the exercise. For example, using TRX or rings to perform a squat. You aren't using your whole body weight to perform the movement. You can also use a pull down machine. With a pull down machine you can decrease the weight that is easier for you to maintain.
After you master the movement to some degree you can start adding load. This load can be kettlebells, weighted vest, bands or dumbbells.
It’s time for the progression exercise. The reason we are starting with Progression 2 is Progression 1 is the goblet squat. The only difference between the regression and progression is the weight used.
To perform this exercise you can either use 45 pound plates or something that is 16 inches off the ground. Stand on top of plate and grab the dumbbell. Squeeze your lats and lower traps, raise the weight up making sure to your back is straight.
The reason this exercise is harder is because you have to squat down lower to get the dumbbell from the ground. Do this exercise for 3 to 4 weeks and progress to the next progression
The third progression of the squat is the trap bar. This bar along with the goblet squat and kettlebell deadlift into a more advanced exercise.
With this exercise you get a deadlift action with a squat pattern. You are pulling with a bar now instead of a kettlebell.
Using this bar takes away the issue of deadlifting the bar around your knees. Also, if you have back pain from deadlifting or back squats this bar is safer on your back, if performed correctly.
To perform this exercise, step into the trap bar. squat down, grab the handles. squeeze your lats and lower traps and raise the bar up.
This exercise is a hybrid of the deadlift and squat. It’s a safer exercise for beginners and you can add more weight with less of a chance of hurting your back.
