Exercises for a better Squat

In my previous post, I discussed that squatting below parallel is generally not harmful to the knee joint and can have additional benefits. However, we discouraged clients from squatting lower if they had previous knee injury or could not correctly obtain a lower squat depth. I’ve put together some of my favorite strengthening and flexibility/mobility exercises that can be included into a training regime. You can include these into your warm-up to reinforce proper movement patterns or at the end of your workout to correct any imbalances you may have.

Hip Thruster
1. Begin seated on the ground with a bench directly behind you. Have a loaded barbell over your legs. Using a fat bar or having a pad on the bar can greatly reduce the discomfort caused by this exercise.
2. Roll the bar so that it is directly above your hips, and lean back against the bench so that your shoulder blades are near the top of it.
3. Begin the movement by driving through your feet, extending your hips vertically through the bar. Your shoulder blades and your feet should support your weight. Extend as far as possible; reverse the motion to return to the starting position.

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Single Leg Glute Bridge
1. Lay on the floor with your feet flat and knees bent.
2. Raise one leg off of the ground, pulling the knee to your chest. This will be your starting position.
3. Execute the movement by driving through the heel, extending your hip upward and raising your glutes off of the ground.
4. Extend as far as possible, pause and then return to the starting position.

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Walking Lunge with Overhead Reach
1. Stand tall with your arms hanging at both sides.
2. Step one foot forward while lowering your hips so the front knee bends and the back knee grazes the floor. At the same time, extend your hands to the ceiling and rotate your torso toward the front leg. Return to the starting position.

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Bodyweight squat hold with counterbalance
1. Find a railing, sturdy doorframe, squat rack, or other suitably stable object to hold onto. Set your feet slightly wider than shoulder width, brace your stomach and establish a neutral spine posture. Raise your chest up and look forward and slightly upwards.
2. Start the movement as if you were about to sit down, pushing your hips down and back. Descend as far as you can without rounding of the back and without the knees caving inwards. Use the support to ensure you hold proper posture throughout the entire movement. Attempt to spread the floor with your feet as you rise back up to the start position.

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Sumo toe squat with groin stretch
1. Stand tall with your feet outside your hips.
2. Bend at the waist, grabbing under your big toes. Keeping your arms straight and inside your knees, pull your hips down until they are between your ankles, and lift your chest up.
3. Try to straighten your legs, holding on to your toes as you straighten out your hips and knees. Maintain a neutral spine.

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Heels Elevated Overhead Squat
1. Start out by having a dowel (or broomstick) in your hands. Place your heels on top of a 25lb. weight plate. This will help increase your range of motion.
2. Press the dowel slightly behind your head and make sure your arms are fully extended. Keep your head up at all times and also maintain a straight back. Retract your shoulder blades. This is your starting position.
3. Slowly lower the weight by bending your knees until your hips are between your ankles.
4. Now use your feet and legs to help bring the weight back up to the starting position.

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Over-Unders
1. Stand directly to the side of a bar placed on a rack approximately 36” high.
2. Maintaining a neutral spine, take a lateral step/ squat under the bar, shifting your weight toward the other side of the bar.
3. Once on the other side of the bar, use your legs to stand up.
4. Repeat on the other side.

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Spiderman Stretch
1. While holding a pushup position, step one foot as forward as possible, landing outside of your arm. Keep your back leg tight and straight.
2. While leaning your weight on to your front leg, raise that arm and reach for the sky.
3. Lower your arm, step your leg back and repeat on the other side

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Lateral Lunge/Stretch
1. Stand tall with your feet placed wide apart with the foot of the lead leg angled out to the side. This will be your starting position.
2. Lower your body towards the side of your angled foot by bending the knee and hip of your lead leg and while keeping the opposite leg straight.
3. Return to the starting position by extending the hip and knee of the lead leg. Repeat on the other leg.

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Lateral Band Walks
1. Place a mini exercise band around each leg, just above the ankle. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, so the band is taught but not stretched. Bend your knees and hips slightly into a quarter-squat position. This is your starting position.
2. Maintaining the quarter-squat position, shift your weight over one leg and take a step laterally (sideways) with the other leg. Try not to bounce up and down or sway side to side.
3. Continue in the same direction for the prescribed amount of repetition. Repeat on the other side.

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Monster Walks
1. Place a mini exercise band around each leg, just above the ankle. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, so the band is taught but not stretched. Bend your knees and hips slightly into a quarter-squat position. This is your starting position.
2. Maintaining the quarter-squat position, shift your weight over one leg and take a step diagonally (forward and to the side) with the other leg. Try not to bounce up and down or sway side to side.
3. Step your rear leg forward to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Continue moving forward for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
4. Once finished moving forward. Repeat the movement by stepping diagonally in reverse (back and to the side).

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Keep in mind that I do not necessarily have my clients perform all of these exercises at one time. I will choose a few of the exercises listed above and have clients perform a small circuit at the beginning of each workout. However, some clients may need additional work. If this is the case, other exercises will be included towards the end of the training session. The following tables are samples of how I may include the aforementioned exercises into the beginning or end of the workout. Needless to say, depending on the particular needs of the client, exercise selection and order will change accordingly.

Sample 1: Pre-Workout
Exercise Sets x Reps
Spiderman Stretch 2×5 ea.
Single Leg Glute Bridge 2×10 ea.
Walking Lunge with Overhead Reach 2×10 ea.
Heels Elevated Overhead Squat 2×8

Sample 2: Post-Workout
Exercise Sets x Reps
Hip Thruster 2×10
Monster Walks 2×10 ea.
Lateral Band Walks 2×10 ea.

About the Author
Mark DiSanto received his Masters in Exercise Science and Nutrition from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT. He holds certifications through the NSCA and USAW. Mark is a competitive weightlifter and a strength & conditioning coach at Old Greenwich Sports and Wellness Center in Old Greenwich, CT.