Lower Body Push Movements
Squat Movements
Air Squat technical points
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Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart
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Turn your feet out slightly
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Brace your abs
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Push your bum back slightly and then bend your knees (as thought you are sitting down)
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Whilst ensuring your chest stays up, achieve the appropriate depth (this will depend on your mobility and stability
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You may use your arms as a counter-balance or a way to keep your chest up
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Make sure your weight is distributed though the mid-foot to heel
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Stand back up
High Bar Back Squat technical points
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Set up your squat stands or squat rack so the bar rests on the pins below your shoulder line
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Place your hands symmetrically on the bar
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Bring your head under the bar and place the bar on your traps (below C7)
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Squat the bar out of the rack and take 2 steps backward
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Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart
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Turn your feet out slightly
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Tighten your upper back and bring your elbows into your side
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Brace your abs
-
Push your bum back slightly and then bend your knees (as thought you are sitting down)
-
Whilst ensuring your chest stays up, achieve the appropriate depth (this will depend on your mobility and stability
-
Make sure your weight is distributed though the mid-foot to heel
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Stand back up
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When your set has finished, ensure your walk into the pins/squat rack and place the bar safely onto them.
Front Squat technical points
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Set up your squat stands or squat rack so the bar rests on the pins below your shoulder line
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Place your hands symmetrically on the bar just wider that shoulder width apart
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Bring your shoulders to the bar so that the bar is touching your collar bones
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Bring your elbows around the bar so that your upper arm is parallel to the floor and the bar is resting on your shoulders
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Squat the bar out of the rack and take 2 steps backward
-
Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart
-
Turn your feet out slightly
-
Brace your abs
-
Push your bum back slightly and then bend your knees (as thought you are sitting down)
-
Whilst ensuring your chest stays up, achieve the appropriate depth (this will depend on your mobility and stability
-
Make sure your weight is distributed though the mid-foot to heel
-
Stand back up
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When your set has finished, ensure your walk into the pins/squat rack and place the bar safely onto them.
Safety Bar Squat technical points
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Set up your squat stands or squat rack so the bar rests on the pins below your shoulder line
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Place your hands symmetrically on the bar
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Bring your head under the bar and in between the pads, so the back pad sits just below C7
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Grab the handles
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Squat the bar out of the rack and take 2 steps backward
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Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart
-
Turn your feet out slightly
-
Tighten your upper back and bring your elbows into your side
-
Brace your abs
-
Push your bum back slightly and then bend your knees (as thought you are sitting down)
-
Whilst ensuring your chest stays up, achieve the appropriate depth (this will depend on your mobility and stability
-
Make sure your weight is distributed though the mid-foot to heel
-
Stand back up
-
When your set has finished, ensure your walk into the pins/squat rack and place the bar safely onto them.
Belt Squat technical points
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Place the belt around your waist and connect it to the machine
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Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart
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Stand up and un-rack the safety pins
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Ensure that the movement will pull you straight down (so adjust the machine if needed)
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Turn your feet out slightly
-
Brace your abs
-
Push your bum back slightly and then bend your knees (as thought you are sitting down)
-
Whilst ensuring your chest stays up, achieve the appropriate depth (this will depend on your mobility and stability
-
Make sure your weight is distributed though the mid-foot to heel
-
Stand back up
Air Box Squat technical points
If you are doing a weighted Box Squat - Combine these points with the Back Squat points above
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Set up a box behind you that is high enough for you to achieve 90 degree knee flexion
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Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart
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Turn your feet out slightly
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Brace your abs
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Push your bum back slightly and then bend your knees (as thought you are sitting down)
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Make sure your weight is distributed though the mid-foot to heel
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Whilst ensuring your chest stays up, carefully sit on the box and stay tight (do not drop onto the box)
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Once you have settled on the box, drive out without using any momentum (do not lean back then lean forward)
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Stand back up
Air Cyclist Squat technical points
If you are doing a weighted Box Squat - Combine these points with the Back Squat points above
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Set up a platform that raises your heels by approximately 1.5 inches
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Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart
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Turn your feet out slightly
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Brace your abs
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Push your bum back slightly and then bend your knees (as thought you are sitting down)
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Make sure your weight is distributed though the heel
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Whilst ensuring your chest stays up, achieve greater amounts of knee flexion than you would in the other squat varients
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Once you have achieved a lower depth, drive back up to a standing position
Jump Squat technical points
If you are doing a weighted Box Squat - Combine these points with the Back Squat points above
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Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart
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Turn your feet out slightly
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Brace your abs
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Push your bum back slightly and then bend your knees (as thought you are sitting down)
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Whilst ensuring your chest stays up, achieve the appropriate depth (this will depend on your mobility and stability
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You may use your arms to drive down, as as you drive up, drive them up with you
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Make sure your weight is distributed though the mid-foot to heel
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Drive up as fast as you can and jump vertically into the air
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In the air, stay extended
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When you land, ensure that your land softly by pushing your bum back and absorbing the weight in your legs (rather than your joints)
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Take a few seconds to reset, then repeat
Goblet Squat technical points
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Bring a Kettlebell or Dumbbell up to your chin and hold it in place with your elbows beneath your wrists
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Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart
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Turn your feet out slightly
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Brace your abs
-
Push your bum back slightly and then bend your knees (as thought you are sitting down)
-
Whilst ensuring your chest stays up, achieve the appropriate depth (this will depend on your mobility and stability
-
Make sure your weight is distributed though the mid-foot to heel
-
Stand back up
Split Squat Movements
Split Squat technical points
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Bring your feet to be hip width apart
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Lunge forward so that your front shin and back thigh are perpendicular to the floor
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Your back foot should be on its toes, whilst you should push through the heel of the front foot
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Brace your abs and keep your chest up as you extend both knees, raising the torso from the floor directly upwards
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Squeeze your Glutes and Quads of the front leg
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Without moving your feet, bring your back knee back down to the floor (stop just before touching the floor)
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Repeat by extending both knees again
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Complete all reps on one leg, then do the same on the other leg
Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat technical points
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Elevate your back foot by approximately 2 inches
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Bring your feet to be hip width apart
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Lunge forward so that your front shin and back thigh are perpendicular to the floor
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Your back foot should be on its toes, whilst you should push through the heel of the front foot
-
Brace your abs and keep your chest up as you extend both knees, raising the torso from the floor directly upwards
-
Squeeze your Glutes and Quads of the front leg
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Without moving your feet, bring your back knee back down to the floor (stop just before touching the floor)
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With the elevated back foot you will be able to produce greater amounts of knee flexion
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Repeat by extending both knees again
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Complete all reps on one leg, then do the same on the other leg
Bulgarian Split Squat technical points
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Elevate your back foot by putting it on a bench or high platform (at least 1.5 feet tall)
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Bring your feet to be hip width apart
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Lunge forward so that your front shin and back thigh are perpendicular to the floor
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Your back foot should either be supported by the seat of the bench (as shown) or on its toes, whilst you should push through the heel of the front foot
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Brace your abs and keep your chest up as you extend both knees, raising the torso from the floor directly upwards
-
Squeeze your Glutes and Quads of the front leg
-
Without moving your feet, bring your back knee back down to the floor (stop just before touching the floor)
-
With the elevated back foot you will be able to produce greater amounts of knee flexion
-
Repeat by extending both knees again
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Complete all reps on one leg, then do the same on the other leg
Front Foot Elevated Split Squat technical points
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Elevate your front foot by approximately 2 inches
-
Bring your feet to be hip width apart
-
Lunge forward so that your front shin and back thigh are perpendicular to the floor
-
Your back foot should either be supported by the seat of the bench (as shown) or on its toes, whilst you should push through the heel of the front foot
-
Brace your abs and keep your chest up as you extend both knees, raising the torso from the floor directly upwards
-
Squeeze your Glutes and Quads of the front leg
-
Without moving your feet, bring your back knee back down to the floor (stop just before touching the floor)
-
With the elevated back foot you will be able to produce greater amounts of knee flexion
-
Repeat by extending both knees again
-
Complete all reps on one leg, then do the same on the other leg