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| How to Squat | Before squatting for broke, get yourself under the bar and get the bar in the proper position on your back. Remember, your mid-foot is your center of gravity, so you want the weight to be over your mid-foot. Take a deep breath in. Squeeze your glutes forward to get the bar off the rack.
Now that you've unracked the weight, it's time for the walk-out. I like the three-step approach because it's efficient, simple, and repeatable. Once you unrack the weight, let it settle. Don't immediately start walking back. When you're ready, take a small step back with one foot. When that foot settles, take a step back with the other foot. Then, move that first foot to line it up with the second foot.
Once your feet are in position, you can adjust your feet a little to make sure they're even. I don't recommend a super narrow or a super wide stance. Position your feet as if you were going to do a standing jump.
| Breathing | Most people don't take in nearly enough air when they lift heavy. Before you squat, pretend like you're taking your last breath before the whole room fills with water. Breathing in deeply will help brace your abdominal wall and activate those deep ab muscles. Holding your breath will also help you maintain spine neutrality.
Once you've taken a deep breath, push your abs out without breathing out. Don't think about flexing your abs, but rather think about pushing with your abdominal wall. How would you prepare for a punch? You would brace. Do the same when you squat. Your abdominal wall is what stabilizes your lower back. So make sure you're bracing.
| Hip Drive | The squat isn't only an up and down movement; it's also a back and forth movement. Once you have your air in, your core braced, and your glutes engaged, start by driving your hips back. Sit down between your legs.
By using your hips, glutes, hamstrings, and lower back, you're recruiting the biggest, strongest muscle groups on your body. Once you hit depth, if you're braced correctly, you should start to come back up naturally.
As you start coming up, don't just think driving up. Think about squeezing your glutes and bringing your hips forward. Even if you're halfway up in a squat, you can lock it out by just thinking about driving your hips forward instead of standing up. When you finish the squat, squeeze your glutes so your spine and your hips are aligned perfectly under the bar.
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