Squat Tip: Hips Back AND Chest Down

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 01/14/22)

Here’s a quick squat tip: When you initiate your squat by reaching back with your hips (i.e., your butt), you need to also point your chest at the floor (i.e., lean over). The converse is also true - when you point your chest at the floor, you need to reach back with your hips. 

Note that Tyler’s hips are traveling back while he points his chest at the floor.

These two movements - hips back and chest down - go hand-in-hand with each other, and if you briefly think about it, it will seem rather obvious why this is so. On one hand, if you reach back with your hips while trying to maintain an upright torso, you’ll fall over backward, which is rather unfortunate in any circumstance and especially when squatting with a barbell on your back. On the other hand, if you lean over (i.e., point your chest at the floor) without reaching back with your hips, you’ll fall over forward. Again - preposterous.

So remember, when you initiate your squat, if you’ve got a cue like one of the following running through your head . . .

• Hips back

• Butt back

• Reach backward

• Sit back

. . . it can be useful to also tell yourself one of the following cues . . .

• Chest down

• Lean over

• Point your chest at the floor 

This will help your balance, and it will also help you get into a position where you can effectively drive your hips out of the bottom of the squat.

We hope this helps you get stronger and live better!

-Phil

PS: Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

• Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

• Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

• Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

• Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

• Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?

Part 5: Your Squat Called. It Wants You to Stop Doing This.

This is part 5 in our series of common mistakes lifters make in the squat. Want to catch up with the previous articles? Check out the links below:

• Part 1

• Part 2

• Part 3

• Part 4

Are you breathing when you’re moving?

Don’t.

Throw your 80s fitness magazines in the trash and stop breathing in on the descent and breathing out on the ascent.

Instead, simply take a big breath before you start your first rep, tighten every muscle in your trunk (don’t say “core” . . . ever) hard as if you’re about to be punched, and hold that breath all the way down and all the way back up again.

As a side note, be sure to hold your breath in your throat – not in your mouth. This is known as a Valsalva maneuver, and if you’re not sure how to do it correctly, check out the video below.

At the top – when you’ve locked out your rep – release that breath. Take a new breath and repeat the process for the next rep.

Remember, if the bar is moving, you’re not breathing.

As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.

-Phil

PS: Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

• Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

• Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

• Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

• Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

• Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

(Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Testify earns from qualifying purchases.)

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?

BEST Strategy to Squat More Weight (2 Simple Actions)

Want to squat more weight? Of course you do. Here's how.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 08/26/23)

Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

• Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

• Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

• Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

• Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

• Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?

Part 4: Your Squat Called. It Wants You to Stop Doing This.

Is the bar rolling up your back or sliding down your back when you squat? 

If so, there’s a solid chance you’ve got the bar positioned in the wrong spot on your back.

In Part 1,  Part 2, and Part 3 of this series, we covered common mistakes lifters make with their stance, focal point, and setup, respectively. Today, we’re talking about the bar’s position on your back.

Figure 1: The bar is too high on the back.

In short, if the bar is rolling up your back (i.e., toward your neck), you probably have the bar sitting too high on your back (Figure 1), and if the bar is sliding down your back (and your wrists are probably hurting as you try to prevent this), you probably have the bar sitting too low on your back (Figure 2).

figure 2: the bar is too low on the back.

You want the barbell positioned just below the spine of your scapula so that it’s resting securely on your bunched up delts. You can most easily find the bony ridge that is the spine of your scapula by feeling for the very tip of it on the back of your shoulder (see Figure 3).

figure 3: My right thumb marks the lateral aspect of Becky’s scapular spine.

Remember, the bar sits below that point. Notice where I’m pressing my thumbs into Becky’s back in Figure 4 – that’s where the bar goes.

figure 4: my thumbs mark where the bar will sit on becky’s back.

Watch the included videos in this article, then record yourself when squatting and compare your bar position to what you see in those videos as well as the photos below. Doing so will help you dial in the correct position, which then allows you to achieve the correct back angle on the descent and effectively utilize your hips on the ascent.

As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.

-Phil

PS: Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

• Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

• Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

• Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

• Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

• Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

(Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Testify earns from qualifying purchases.)

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?

Part 3: Your Squat Called. It Wants You to Stop Doing This.

Are you sloppy with this aspect of your squat?

Don’t be. Let’s fix this fast.

In Part 1 and Part 2 of this series, we covered common mistakes lifters make with their stance and focal point, respectively. Today, we’re talking about setting up and unracking the squat.

Don’t be lackadaisical when you stand the bar up from the rack. 

Want to see this error (and its solution) in action? Check out the short video below.

If you need to adjust anything from your waist upward after you unrack the bar, I’m talking to you.

Standing the bar up from the hooks and then having to narrow your grip, squeeze your shoulders back, or lift your chest afterward means you didn’t take care of business when you should have (Figure 1).

figure 1: mike demonstrates a sloppy setup and unracking process.

Anything that can be tight, rigid, and fixed in place should be before you unrack the bar – not after.

The last thing you want to do is stand up from the hooks with a heavy barbell sitting on your back and then try to make adjustments (that shouldn’t need to be made) with that load resting on you.

Take as narrow of a grip as you can and squeeze yourself into the correct position under the bar with your shoulders pinned back and your chest up. Take a deep breath, brace hard with your Valsalva maneuver, and then stand the bar up from the hooks with control.

Treat the setup and unrack as if it's your first rep. Be deliberate with the process. You don’t want 400 lb sitting sloppily on your back as you’re getting ready to squat.

A deliberate, focused setup and unracking process makes for a more efficient – and therefore stronger – squat.

As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.

-Phil

PS: Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

• Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

• Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

• Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

• Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

• Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

(Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Testify earns from qualifying purchases.)

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?

The BEST Squat Accessory Ever?!

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 01/19/24)

What is the best squat accessory ever? Answer: The TUBOW. What is a TUBOW, you ask? Let’s quickly dive into that, as well as why and how you use one.

I also recommend watching the included video for a demonstration of how to use the TUBOW.

What is a TUBOW?
The TUBOW is a Terribly Useful Block Of Wood. It’s a 2-foot long block of 4” x 4” wood, and while you are welcome to use a section of 2” x 4” instead, I’d recommend sticking with 4” x 4” for stability. If you go to Lowe’s, Home Depot, or a similar big box home improvement store, you can often have them cut it to length for you, or you can cut it yourself. If you’d rather order one and not have to deal with any measuring or cutting, just click here, and you’ll be good to go.

Why Use a TUBOW?
Two common squat errors are 1) allowing the knees to continue traveling forward throughout the entire descent - thus ending up too far forward at the bottom of the squat - and 2) the lifter doesn’t allow the knees to move forward enough in the first half of the descent with the result being that the knees will eventually shoot forward at the bottom of the squat - resulting in problems with back angle and often balance as well.

The TUBOW solves these problems by giving the knees a target at which to aim. Using the TUBOW allows the lifter to set the knees’ correct position about one-third to one-half of the way into the descent. This makes sure that the knees go far enough forward at the right time while simultaneously ensuring that they don’t go too far forward.

How Do You Use a TUBOW? (hint: it’s not complicated)
First, position the TUBOW right at your toes - perhaps a half-inch or an inch in front of your toes depending on anthropometry (you’ll figure this out with practice). You can use one TUBOW or two.

Next (after unracking the bar and taking your squat stance), as you start your descent, cue your knee to touch the TUBOW lightly about one-third to one-half of the way into your descent. Again, touch it lightly - don’t knock it over.

After this, you simply keep your knee glued lightly to the TUBOW the rest of the way into your descent. Since the TUBOW won’t allow you to shove your knee any further forward, this will force you to reach back with your hips, and this, in turn, will force you to correctly lean over as you reach the bottom of the squat. The result is that, by fixing the knees’ position, we automatically fix the hips’ position and back angle as well. For this reason, we often refer to the TUBOW as the portable squat coach (especially useful for those who train without a coach).

Once you reach the bottom of the squat, drive your hips up out of the hole as normal.

A Second Benefit of the TUBOW
The TUBOW can also help fix the knees’ lateral position. You want your knees to travel in line with your toes, i.e., they shouldn’t be traveling inside of your toes (“valgus knees”), nor should they be traveling outside of your toes (“varus knees”). With the TUBOW in place, you now have a target for your knees, and this can help you fix any issues you might have with the lateral positioning of your knees.

Last Thing . . .
When needed, use the TUBOW during your warm-ups - don’t use it for your work sets (at heavy weights, the TUBOW will be a distraction). Also, don’t use the TUBOW forever - it’s a tool, not a crutch. Use it a few times to get the sense of where your knees should be, or use it if your suspect that your form has degraded over the past few sessions, but after that, use your brain to position your knees correctly. The TUBOW taught you how to control your knees - now it’s your turn to execute.

As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.

-Phil

PS: Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

• Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

• Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

• Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

• Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

• Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

(Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Testify earns from qualifying purchases.)

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?