Whenever you’re on the point of carry out a barbell squat, you wish to be locked in. Something much less means sloppy reps, or worse but, an harm. Having a easy, repeatable system you need to use when the strain is on will prevent vitality and quite a lot of heartache.
That’s exactly what this Pre-Raise Guidelines is for: to offer you a bulletproof, repeatable setup that primes you for efficiency—not chaos. Sure, working via the guidelines under will take additional time at first. However that point isn’t wasted—it’s investing in consistency. With sufficient time below the bar, the method turns into computerized.
You may suppose the raise begins whenever you begin the rep, however you’re mistaken. It begins the second you strategy the bar. Right here is your barbell squat pre-lift guidelines with assist from Greg Nuckols, a three-time world champion powerlifter and the pinnacle at Stronger By Science.
Physique Cues You Ought to Pay Consideration To
You’ll discover that lots of the physique cues under are inside.
They ask you to really feel your physique: breathe into your stomach, brace your core, root your ft. Inside cues will help increase physique consciousness, particularly as you construct that “mind-muscle” connection. Nonetheless, analysis reveals that exterior cues—those who direct consideration outward, equivalent to “push the bottom away” or “break the bar over your again” outperform inside cues in selling environment friendly, efficient motor efficiency and studying.
However for these with out the good thing about a coach or lifting accomplice, the secret’s to make use of the best cue on the proper second. Inside cues assist stabilize you throughout setup, however offering an exterior cue — one thing you’ll be able to see or really feel outdoors your physique—can increase your efficiency. Each are nice, and each offers you a major increase.
Squat Pre-Raise Guidelines
Earlier than we get into the squat guidelines, right here’s the principle level: don’t rush it. Organising for a heavy raise isn’t about velocity; it’s about security. At first, strolling via every step will really feel sluggish, however that’s the objective. Over time, these cues change into computerized, serving to you identify a constant setup that locks you in each single rep. Let’s get to it.
Step 1: The Unracking and Stroll Again
Earlier than you’ll be able to even consider squatting, you must lock in on getting the bar off the rack and into place. Improper setup is the place a lack of stress can occur, after which every part downstream falls aside.
- Method the bar with confidence.
- Grip the bar evenly, set your fingers the place you’ll squat, and pull your self below it.
- Squeeze your higher again tight, interact your lats, and set your traps firmly below the bar.
- Inhale deeply and brace earlier than you unrack. Analysis signifies that pre-tensioning the lats and higher again throughout setup enhances bar stability and reduces spinal motion below load.
As soon as the bar is racked securely in your again:
- Take a small step straight again with one foot.
- Carry the opposite foot again to satisfy it.
- Regulate each ft outward into your squat stance.
That’s it: No pacing, no wandering, no wasted movement. The shorter the walkout, the quicker you lock into place and preserve vitality for the raise itself.
Greg’s Tip: When you’re nonetheless shuffling your ft after the third step, you haven’t set your stance accurately. Reset or rerack earlier than squatting.
Step 2: Set up Your Base
Your squat begins from the bottom up. Earlier than you even take into consideration transferring, lock in your basis. Plant your ft in your most well-liked squat along with your toes barely out, then “screw” your ft into the ground by externally rotating via your hips. It’s best to really feel your arches rise and your glutes interact earlier than the bar even strikes. A steady base improves steadiness, optimizes pressure switch, and helps your knees monitor correctly, defending your hips and decrease again.
Inside cue: “Really feel your arches grip the ground.” Exterior cue: “Push the bottom away from you.”
Step 3: Grip and Bar Place
Your grip and bar placement set the tone, and dashing via these, and also you’ll spend the remainder of the raise combating instability as an alternative of squatting effectively. Get them proper, and every part out of your upper-back stress to bar path improves.
Set Your Palms
- Select a high-bar (bar sits on the traps) or low-bar (rests throughout the rear delts) relying in your mobility, limb size, and coaching fashion.
- When you set your fingers, squeeze the bar such as you imply it—this fires up the forearms and lats, locking the higher physique into place.
Inside cue: “Crush the bar in your fingers.” Exterior cue: “Break the bar over your again.”
Greg’s Tip: Your fingers needs to be as shut as you’ll be able to comfortably get them. If you may get them nearer with out ache in your wrists, shoulders, or elbows, or simply feeling tremendous uncomfortable, then it’s simpler to create higher again stress.
Interact Your Lats and Higher Again
A powerful higher again acts like a shelf for the bar. Pull your shoulder blades collectively and barely down, creating stress throughout your traps and lat muscle tissues. This motion prevents the bar from rolling, prevents extreme ahead lean, and maintains impartial backbone below load.
Inside cue: “Shoulder blades into again pockets.” Exterior cue: “Pin the bar into your traps.”
Set Elbow and Wrist Place
- Attempt to maintain wrists impartial to keep away from pointless pressure.
- Drop elbows barely down and towards your ribs to interact the lats.
- Keep away from flaring elbows excessively, which might pull you ahead.
Greg’s Tip: In case you have hassle getting your wrist right into a impartial place, widening your grip makes it simpler to externally rotate your shoulders sufficient to get your fingers behind the bar along with your wrists straight. I like to make use of the cue, “scratch your rib cage along with your elbows.” This cue will assist create lat stress to assist in torso rigidity and higher again tightness.
Step 4: Breath and Brace
Correct respiratory and bracing type the bottom of spinal stability, bar management, and pressure switch. Earlier than descending, take a deep stomach breath—not into your chest, however round your whole torso. Your diaphragm ought to press down, your ribs develop laterally, and your decrease again ought to fill with air. This intra-abdominal strain (IAP) acts like an inside weight belt, stabilizing the backbone and lowering shear forces on the decrease again.
Inside cue: “Fill your stomach with air.” Exterior cue: “Push your ribs into your belt.”
Taking a deep breath isn’t sufficient—it’s important to brace to lock your torso in place:
- Think about somebody’s about to punch you within the abdomen and tighten accordingly.
- Maintain your brace till you move the sticking level on the way in which up, then reset if wanted.
Inside cue: “Lock your ribs to your pelvis.” Exterior cue: “Push your abs into your belt.”
Greg’s Tip: The more durable your abs contract, the more durable it’s on your spinal erectors to maintain the backbone from flexing. Which is especially helpful when you’ve gotten a heavy barbell in your backbone.
Step 5: The Inexperienced Gentle Guidelines
This guidelines is the final cease earlier than you squat. Consider it as your last programs verify—a fast evaluate of your setup cues to verify every part’s dialed in. Take a breath, lock in, and scan these factors:
- Ft Rooted: Arches engaged, toes barely out, and full-foot contact.
- Bar Locked In with Higher Physique Pressure: Higher again tight, lats engaged, bar pulled into your traps.
- Breath and Brace: 360-degree growth with managed intra-abdominal strain.
- Eyes Set: Repair your gaze on a impartial level—don’t crank your neck up or stare on the ground.
This guidelines ought to solely take three to 4 seconds when you’ve practiced it sufficient. Nonetheless, take your time early on. Precision right here builds consistency, and consistency builds power.
Sufficient speak. Now get to squatting.