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