Topic: Squat Proportions

[Shaun Le Conte]

I hardly train recently but since May 2010 I have almost done no squats (that aren't part of a clean) because my gym does not have squat racks even though I offered to pay. I did a bit of smith machine squats a year ago. Initially, I was very concerned about not being able to squat but now I am not sure that it matters much so long as I can still stand up from a clean without spending all my energy. I wish I could use a squat rack, but I'd rather be able to drop weights when doing snatch or clean (I can't do that either).

In the past I have found that simply getting the bar on my shoulders was the hard part, if I could do that then generally I am able to stand up with it. For those with arms that hang at their hips I believe "racking" the bar is less of an issue and would need additional training in the front squat.

The ratios that Matt quoted will describe the proportions for the majority of qualified lifters

[Mike Frost]

Wow, great articles! Thanks! I'm glad you showed me this because I never even really thought of the concept of 'reserve strength'.

Thanks for the advice guys. Really cleared that up!

Glad you found use for them, good luck man let us know how your progress goes. Funny cuz I just injured my hand and wrist, now all I can do is back squat for the next couple weeks 

[ViKtoricus]

Hi guys!

I would like to talk about training for brute strength (Ala Paul Anderson) as opposed to modern day weightlifting training.

There seems to be a ton of people who are obsessed with old school, drink-lots-of-milk-and-squat-heavy mentality. This type of training will not produce great weightlifters, only great squatters and powerlifters.

In order to have a huge squat, you MUST also focus on HYPERTROPHY. The squat is a slow lift that requires you to have a very strong lower-body, and the ones who have the strongest lower bodies are usually the ones who have the BIGGEST lower bodies. I'm sure Paul Anderson would never have squatted an excess of 1, 000 pounds if it weren't for his sheer girth.

Squatting IS necessary for weightlifting, but it should be used to improve our ability to recruit the most amount of motor-units in our legs.



Powerlifting = Maximal strength + Muscle Girth



Weightlifting = Maximal strength + Rate of Force Production.



Know the difference... What are your thoughts on this?

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

There is a well above .9 correlation between front squats and snatch, front squats and clean and jerk, back squats and snatch, and back squats and clean and jerk. ;)

[Arturo Gómez]

Different persons need different training.  A boy who makes 130 in squat must improve it significativaly to be a weightlifter. Is stupid, in this case, focus in snatch or clean and jerk. In the other hand, if he makes 400 in squat, must focus in technical exercises. We all are in some point among the extremes.
Modern is use the technology to research what is convenient.
Research must be done through correct experimental design, not through examples (especially extremal examples), trends ou opinions. This is only basis for conjectures.

[Matt Erdman]

Four important points to know about Anderson.

1. He lifted during a period that included 3 lifts. His snatch/c&j would likely have been higher without the press.
2. He lifted during a period when the bar could not contact the body during the pull. He had to use very inefficient technique.
3. He was forced out of the sport well before his prime because he made a little money on the side for charity.
4. He was on top of the world. It's pretty difficult to instill in your mind that you need to lift vastly more when you are already setting world records. (however he DID continue to improve, see above)

It is about squatting heavy. The Bulgarians you like so much were obsessed with squatting heavy.

[Ward Wright]

I remember reading somewhere a coach being quoted as saying "squats are the basis for life on earth as we know it".  My experience is that as my squats go up my lifts go up.  While my technique still requires massive amounts of improvement, I can say with confidence - I will always expect to squat more than I can snatch or clean and jerk.

[Arturo Gómez]

Problem 1:
You are a coach. Your work consist in lead your pupil to lift 200 kg in clean and yerk in one year.
You may choose only one pupil.
None of them has anatomical or neurological problem

pupil A: lifts 400 kgs squat and 100 kgs C+J
pupil B: lifts 200 kgs squat and 150 kgs C+J


Problem 2:
if you may choose both, do you give the same system for them?