Pay homage to the king of strength exercises!
Secrets of the Squat - You might be thinking, "What more is there to know about the squat?"
We could all benefit from being able to move heavier loads in the Front Squat, Back Squat, and/or Overhead Squat. The truth is that no matter how tough and fit you are, it won't allow you to move a load that you aren't strong enough to lift.
Being able to move heavier loads gives you the opportunity to express your conditioning and tenacity.
Have you ever noticed that the first thing that comes to mind to improve your squat strength is to simply squat heavy? That’s not always the answer and I can’t wait to show you why.
I remember reaching a point where my squat numbers were going up, but I was grinding out those reps in a way that wasn’t the best. The numbers were ego-stroking. But I knew something was wrong. I wasn’t feeling as stable and in control as I wanted.
I felt like one side was working harder than the other. I was starting to develop discomfort in my hips and knees. But hey, that's part of the game, right?
This is false.
If I had been sidelined with a minor injury at any point, not being able to squat would have meant that all my efforts had been counterproductive. That's when I realized I needed to explore avenues outside of the movements we're used to for squatting.
Squat Secret #1: Squat Every Day
This is a very controversial topic. In fact, I had a discussion with Travis Mash where I wanted to bust the myths regarding the misconceptions about "Squat Everyday" programs.
The idea is to do a variation of the squat every day. Even if that means using an empty bar or 30% of your Back Squat every now and then, just to explore and enjoy the range of motion being used. By doing this, you can also improve mobility in your hips and ankles.
You run into trouble when you let ego get in the way. So if you decide to squat to the MAXIMUM every day, you're bound to run into trouble. Knowing how to self-regulate is a skill that is honed over time. Knowing when to push and when to pull back.
Make a point of getting down into your squat every day to see how you feel that day.

Squat Secret #2: Barefoot Squat
Running shoes are good. Regular shoes are necessary for everyday life.
But get out of your shoes as soon as possible. If you're still wearing weight lifting shoes, your performance may be great, but it's at the expense of your overall ankle health. Chances are, you're living in your shoes for at least 8 hours a day.
After talking with Dr. Aaron Horschig of Squat University, I realized how important it is to take your shoes off completely. The upside is that you'll also understand what it's like to grip the ground with your feet, which is a critical skill for movement in general.
Challenge yourself by accumulating 10 minutes in the bottom of a bodyweight squat throughout your day. Do it one minute at a time throughout the day or do it all at once.
Just do it. Try it for 30 days and let me know how your flexibility, mobility, and overall awareness improve. You'll notice that instead of taking 30 minutes to warm up, you can reduce it to 10-15 minutes with consistency.
Squat Secret #3: Raw AND Assisted Squat
Are you addicted to using belts, knee pads, and lifts? I don't blame you, I've been there. It's a very easy trap to fall into.
The problem is that these are tools with great intentions that are often used as band-aids. If you find yourself covering up knee, back, or other pain with a piece of equipment, you need to step back and reevaluate the situation.
The benefit of taking a break from using the above tools is that you will develop raw strength. There is something to be said for feeling confident, strong, and stable while squatting without equipment.
You feel ready for anything.
Now, think about putting on a belt when it comes to going for a record. You'll feel like you have superpowers. Take notes on both of your numbers. What weights can you squat raw? What weights can you squat with assistance?
Squat Secrets #4: Squat fluently through all rep ranges.
You have to think about being able to cope with whatever rep range is thrown at you.
Sets of 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 10, 15, and even 20. The dosage of how often you perform these sets of repetitions depends heavily on your goals, the timing of your cycle, and a host of other variables.
The key is to not lose sight of the goal, but not lose sight of these other ranges. If you can have a coach structure this for you in a thoughtful and focused way, that would be ideal.
Otherwise, just start by adding one or two days a week where you challenge yourself with a rep range that's out of your comfort zone. Deep down, you know what that's all about.

Squat Secrets #4: Squat with Tempo
This is one of the most important secrets I can give you today.
Tempo training allows you to reinforce the concept of “time under tension.” This is crucial to allowing you to build the structures needed to continue developing strength, speed, power, and explosiveness.
Let me give you an example of how to read a tempo prescription. Let's say you are told to perform:
Back Squats - 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3 at 32X1 Tempo:
3 - This is the eccentric or negative part of the movement. So as you descend to the bottom of your squat, count "1 thousand, 2 thousand, 3 thousand".
2 - This is the isometric part at the bottom of the squat. So count "1 mile, 2 mile, 3 mile".
X - This symbol represents the concentric part, which comes out of the bottom of the squat. X means to be as explosive as possible.
1 - This is the isometric portion that comes out of the top of the life. So when you are fully upright, count "1 thousand" before starting the next repetition.
In general, you won't be able to go as heavy as your true 1RM if you follow the tempo prescription correctly. But it's one of the fastest ways to develop real strength and control in your lifts.
Especially since much of what we do during conditioning workouts and even other lifts consists solely of explosive (concentric) contractions, ignoring isometric and eccentric contractions.
Squat Secrets #5: Squat with Variance
When you think of squats, what exercises come to mind?
- Back Squat
- The front squat
- Overhead Squat
This is a very limited toolbox. You want to take advantage of the squat PATTERN by including variations such as:
- KB Front Squats
- Box Squats
- Front Squats with DB
- Goblet Squats
- Lunges
- Box Step Up
- And other one-sided variations
One-sided variations deserve their own section later, so bear with me.
Squat Secrets #6: Balanced Squat
What I mean by "Squat with balance" is that you need to assess whether you need more squat or not.
It comes down to understanding your “why.” If you squat every day without worrying about the frequency of your joints throughout the week, you are bound to develop structural imbalances.
For example, if your Deadlift and Sumo Deadlift aren't around 110% of your Back Squat, you might want to focus on that before you decide to continue increasing your Back Squat.
It's a little different if you're a powerlifter.
These ratios are not set in stone. You have some wiggle room with them, but this is to give you a rough idea of where you stand.
Ask yourself why you're looking to improve your squat? Is it mobility? Strength? What for? Whatever your answer, it's something you'll want to track as you progress.
Squat Secrets #7: Weighted Squat Hold
With the use of tempo training highlighted in Squat Secret #4, you will spend time at the bottom of your loaded squat. But squat holds are something you will want to do in order to improve your ankle and hip mobility.
I got this gem from the gentleman at ActiveLifeRx and have been using it as a tool ever since.
So if you can do 1 minute non-stop, but then take 30 seconds rest.
Now you are already at 1:30. Take your rest wisely, and if you go over 3 minutes, that is not how long it took you. Once you can do this exercise in under 3:00, you will increase the weight by about 5-10lbs each week until you are at 50% of your 1RM Front Squat.
Do this exercise 2-3 times a week and commit to the process. It will pay off.
Squat Secrets #8: One Leg Squat
I can't stress this enough, which is why I left it for last. The single leg squat is vital for balancing the strength in your right and left legs, while moving in a different plane of motion.
I felt like one side was working harder than the other. And the bar was even slightly bent. This turned out to be true. Here's a simple test you can use to see where you stand:
Back Loaded Bulgarian Split Squat – Perform 10RM/leg at 50% of your Back Squat/leg.
Or
Front Loaded Bulgarian Split Squat – Perform 10RM/leg at 85% of what the back loaded variation should be.
Squat Secrets - Simply start including single leg squat patterns such as:
- DB Box Step Ups
- RNT Reverse Lunges
- Lateral Step-Ups
Every human being should be able to perform a pistol squat. This may be another test for you. And the tools I just mentioned can be used to develop strength and stability for the pistol squat.
Start spending more time on one leg, and you'll likely notice that the sharp pains start to ease over time.
Secrets of Squatting - Go For It!
Look, we all want to get strong. Whether it’s for personal development, to improve our performance, or to show off to our rivals at the gym. The sooner you get away from the idea that you have to do heavy squats all the time, the better off you’ll be.
Think outside the box of movements you're used to performing and implement some of these squat secrets into your training. You certainly don't need to tackle all of these movements at once. It helps to have a coach or a structured program to follow that involves several of these concepts for your development.
In the meantime, let's go.