Squats are one of my favourite exercises, and as Mark Rippetoe states,

 “You can quarter-squat or half-squat as much weight as you can load on the bar and growth will not occur at the same rate it does when you finally stop being a pussy and get below parallel with every rep, with a constantly increasing load on your back”.

Heavy back squats are one of the most difficult exercises to master technique wise. I’m a competitive powerlifter and I am still learning how to squat properly. They are also just plain difficult and scary too. Despite this, they produce some awesome gains and are one of the best exercises you can do.

As Rippetoe says, you NEED to be squatting below parallel and this should not be sacrificed for increasing the weight on the bar. A lot of people will start squatting higher and higher as the weight increases and if you do this, the effect you receive from squats will reduce.

Harry squatting in competition

Another thing worth mentioning is that programs don’t need to be complicated. Keep it simple stupid. I see tons of programs with lots of exercises and lots of sets and lots of reps and this and that blah blah……. Complicated is not necessarily better.

The following program is pretty simple with a few supplemental and accessory exercises to help improve squat strength. Easy. Well, not easy, unless you think brutal and easy mean the same thing. But simple nonetheless.

The program will contain two leg workouts a week, one heavier day and one dynamic day.

Weeks 1 – 4:

Day 1: Max Effort Lower Body

Exercise 1 – Max Effort Squat – Work up to a 5 rep max

Exercise 2 – Romanian Dead Lift – 3 Sets x 10 Reps

Exercise 3 – Reverse Step Dumbbell Lunge – 3 Sets x 10 Reps/Leg

Exercise 4 – Glute Bridge Raise – 3 Sets x 15 Reps

Exercise 5 – Ab Wheel/Fit Ball Role Out – 3 Sets x 10 Reps

Try and shoot for a new 5 Rep Max every week

Day 2: Dynamic Effort Lower Body

Exercise 1 – Dynamic/Speed Squat – 10 Sets x 2 Reps @ 60% 1 rep max

Exercise 2 – Barbell Front Step Lunges – 3 Sets x 10 Reps

Exercise 3 – 45 Degree Back Extension – 3 Sets x 10 Reps

Exercise 4 – Hanging Knee Raises – 3 Sets x 10 Reps

Week 5: De-load week

Weeks 6 – 9:

Day 1: Max Effort Lower Body

Exercise 1 – Max Effort Squat – Work up to a 3 rep max

Exercise 2 – Glute Ham Raise – 3 Sets x 10 Reps

Exercise 3 – Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat – 3 Sets x 10 Reps/Leg

Exercise 4 – Bench Hip Thrust – 3 Sets x 10 Reps

Exercise 5 – Ab Wheel/Fit Ball Role Out – 5 Sets x 10 Reps

Try and shoot for a new 3 Rep Max every week

Day 2: Dynamic Effort Upper

Exercise 1 – Parallel Box Squat – 10 Sets x 2 Reps @ 60% 1 rep max

Exercise 2 – Reverse Step Lunge off Step – 3 Sets x 10 Reps

Exercise 3 – Good Mornings – 3 Sets x 10 Reps

Exercise 4 – Hanging Knee Raises – 5 Sets x 10 Reps

Test your max squat prior to starting this cycle and then re test again after. Let us know how you get on. Exercises can be found in our free video section under ‘exercise library’.

Video below: Lower body compilation - spot the squats!