Name: Back Squat
Uploaded: 2023-04-26T00:59:12.000Z
Duration: 9 min 12 s

English captions

https://stream.mux.com/9JawkWYAcZXYeSk23k2NC4cXAClXQuj005PxEnnYynVY.m3u8

Learn how to properly perform the back squat in this comprehensive step-by-step instructional video from the Brookbush Institute. This evidence-based video provides expert coaching on squat mechanics, posture, and exercise modifications (including progressions and regressions) to safely build lower body strength and power. Improve glute, quadriceps, and core engagement while enhancing stability, mobility, and functional movement. Perfect for athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and rehabilitation clients seeking to optimize performance, prevent injury, and master proper squat technique.

Introduction to Back Loaded Squats

Proper Bar Placement and Setup for Safety

Optimal Squatting Form and Spotting Techniques

Range of Motion and Glute Activation

Identifying and Correcting Squat Errors

Common Squatting Mistakes and Long-Term Risks

Importance of Proper Movement Quality and Final Thoughts

Back Squat

This is Brent coming at you with a big strength training video, we're doing the back loaded squat by request. Now I haven't done this video in the past, I think part of it is just because in my thinking you guys already know how to do a squat. The squat is a squat, the kinetic chain checkpoints for all of our lower body exercise stay relatively the same. The back squat in particular has a very narrow scope right. So if we're doing a back loaded squat other than possibly introducing it in a stabilization phase, this is going to be a strength or max strength exercise in that 1 to 12 rep range. I'm going to have my friend Yvette come out, she's going to help me go through some of the finer points of a back squat. But I think once we get turned around you guys are going to see that this is an exercise you already have down, and you just needed to see it applied. So first things first, where does that bar go right. We hear a lot of questions about that, if you guys palpate you can feel a ridge just underneath your your upper traps here, this is the spine of your scapula. The bar should sit just above the spine of the scapula on the ridge that your upper traps create. You don't want to have the bar way up high where it's putting a lot of pressure on your your cervical thoracic junction, there's not a whole lot of muscles here to try to stabilize a posterior to anterior force on the cervical spine. We want that bar placed here so the friction of the skin, the ridge that the spine of the scapula creates, and these large scapular elevators can stabilize the amount of weights that it's going to be on Yvettes back. Now Yvettes going to go ahead and get in position. Let me also make the note here guys that's getting underneath the bar and stepping forward, this is not ideal. The only reason I set this up like this is so you guys can see the squat technique on camera. Ideally I would have Yvette take a step backwards, so that if she got into trouble she could lean forward into the safety rack. She's going to go ahead and get in the squat position, stand up, take a big step forward. Now another safety principle, I want you guys to be able to see what the squat looks like, if I was going to spot Yvette I would spot a Yvette from the back right. I want to be in good position to have my hands underneath the bar if that's where she's comfortable. I can also put my hands underneath her shoulders, and then I want to make sure that i can get my hip, thrust into her backside, so that if she starts falling forward or falling back I'm here to stabilize her. I have heard some nasty stories of personal trainers getting themselves into trouble with with clients falling over on this exercise, there really shouldn't be a reason for that providing that you can get in this position and spot them. Now I know Yvette is very very comfortable with this weight, she can actually do at least double this weight, so I'm going to spin around to point out her form here. So first thing I want you guys to notice, I've actually had to have Yvette bring her feet just a little closer. You knowing your kinetic chain checkpoints; feet parallel hip to shoulder width no wider, knees over feet, hips over knees, she has a neutral pelvis and her head when she's up is facing up, other than that she has a nice neutral spine. As she descends into a squat, go ahead descend into a squat here, notice that all of this stuff stays nice and aligned, her head actually starts facing down a few feet in front of her, as her spine comes down she wants to keep that cervical spine neutral. So let's see another one of those because it should all sound really familiar, it's the same kinetic chain checkpoints we keep going over. I think the popularity of the powerlifting squat has actually confounded what you guys already know. Now let's have Yvette go through another one and notice what her range of motion is. Her range of motion is as far down as she can control with optimal mechanics and no pain. I don't care how close your butt is to the floor, I don't care for femurs are perpendicular to the floor. None of that matters if it requires compensation for her to get down there. She's actually doing a wonderful job of maintaining perfect alignment, if I know that she has good alignment, I know that her like tension relationships are optimal, I know that I'm getting the most out of her muscular system, as well as putting the least amount of stress on her arthrokinematic system. Now the one big cue I would give you guys to help increase the strength of this exercise, which is a cue that i've found works really really well, so the prime mover of this exercise should be the glutes, right in order to get the glutes firing when Yvette gets to the bottom, i'm going to have her squeeze her glutes and thrust her hips forward in order to get herself up. So she's actually throughout thinking about thrusting her hips that way, which is more or less the direction of force that your glutes imply or glutes impose. How does that feel Yvette? Good. Now I'm going to have Yvette go ahead and rack this back up. I'm going to help into this position as this is awkward. All right give her a couple seconds breather. I'm going to have her turn around because there is one thing that I want you guys to watch for, if you see this i would say that a back-loaded squad is contraindicated, and so i'm going to have Yvette actually get underneath the bar on the back-up. Take a step back good, she's going to get into position. Now what I see in the gym a little bit which always gets me worried, is what's called an asymmetrical weight shift. I know some of you guys know what I'm talking about where somebody squats down, and I can't have a Yvette do this because just to have her do it would be dangerous, but have you guys ever seen where somebody does this thing towards the bottom, where they they get a little wink sometimes what we call it where they actually shipped laterally. If you guys see that that increases the load on the lumbar spine and lumbosacral joints a whole lot, that is setting somebody a promo back pain. If I saw that I would go back to my corrective exercise, take the back squat away from them. I know that that might cause a little bit of an argument with your patient, but I would take this this exercise away from home for a little while, while I had a chance to correct this. So just kind of reviewing guys I think you've always known how to do the back squat.The back squat is the same as the front squat video we did, it's even kind of the same as the lunge video we did, or the step up video. It's always the same kinetic chain checkpoints, we're looking for optimal alignment. I have to say I've been somewhat disappointed what I've seen especially on a fitness realm recently. We made so many strides towards improving the quality of human movement, this whole idea that it is as important to move better as it is to move more, and somehow through the popularity of certain programs, and the popularity of powerlifting which i'm not against, all of a sudden i'm starting to see that super super wide knee turned out squat, this is nothing more than a compensation pattern just as you would assess it during an overhead squat. Yes will this feel better to somebody who has lower leg dysfunction, absolutely but why not fix their lower leg dysfunction, stretch their calves, activate tibialis anterior. There is going to be a price to pay for this, I can guarantee that this will increase adductor Magnus tonicity, it's going to increase biceps femoris, it's going to increase the stresses that are placed on your hips and lower back; and over the course of time this is actually far more dangerous than this is while fixing compensation. Now you might not be able to feel it now, but over time these little things, these little form things start to add up. So guys this is me giving you my view of the squat. I think you guys will be great benefits from a squat, considering using it with inside of that small parameter of strength and max strength train. If you want to work on multi-planar movement, three dimensional movement as I've heard it's called, I don't know that I would use a back squat for that exercise, and always always always quality of movement first. It is not enough to have people move more if you can also make them move better. I hope you guys get great results, talk to you soon.

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Leg strength exercise variations, progressions, regressions, and leg exercise myths: squats, step-ups, lunges, and more.

Leg Exercise Progressions

Have the client or patient approach a bar set to slightly lower than shoulder height.

Ask the client or patient to set the bar on the upper trapezius muscle, just superior to the spine of the scapula, with hands firmly gripping the bar in a comfortable position wider than shoulder width.

Note: The load should be supported by the upper trapezius and scapula and not the cervicothoracic junction of the spine.

Have the client or patient lift the bar from the rack into a standing position, and step back from the J-hooks.

Ensure the client or patient is starting with good standing form/posture:

2nd toe pointing forward and under the ASIS

Pelvis neutral (absence of anterior or posterior pelvic tilt)

Torso, scapula, and head in neutral alignment

Once a good standing posture has been established, have the client or patient descend by “sitting straight down” while attempting to maintain the angle of the tibia and torso close to parallel.

Once your client or patient has achieved the bottom position, have them perform the drawing-in maneuver, “squeeze” their glutes, and attempt to thrust their hips forward to attain the original standing posture.

Cue your client or patient to achieve full hip and terminal knee extension (just short of locking the knees).

At the top of the squat, have your client perform a “form/posture check” and make any necessary adjustments.

 Add unstable loads (wobble squat) or unstable surfaces

 Assisted squats, ball wall squats, leg press machine

Back Squat

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