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Squats rock for getting strong legs, improving core stability and burning more fat in less training time. But if your form is off, you can kiss these awesome benefits goodbye. Prepare yourself for injury.

Range of motion when squatting is a hotly debated topic. The traditionalist scholar argues “thighs parallel to the floor” while new age dude at C****F** shouts “ass to the grass”. Yeah, that means a full range of motion so your butt touches your heels – or the ground – or grass. Whatever.

Right or wrong, that’s not the topic today.

One thing both parties would agree is that a quarter range squat with a heavy load on your shoulders is a complete waste of time. And that’s where I see people making the most mistakes.

Just because you’ve been leg pressing heavy (which I don’t advise you to do either), doesn’t mean you can progress by stacking up weights and getting your barbell back squat on. Not only is this murder for your knees, but also it won’t help you improve your movement patterns, let alone burn belly fat.

How to Squat For Faster Fat Loss

Integrating your lower body with your core is essential for dominating the squat, and firing up your fat burning metabolism.

Rather than simply “doing more reps”, there are two different avenues for progressing the squat that will help you accelerate results and avoid hitting a plateau:

(a) Increase The Weight

Over a four week program, the most effective way to progress is to increase the resistance. Reduce your reps and make sure your form stays spot on.

Changing your exercises too often doesn’t give your body a chance to adapt and learn the movement, and therefore you won’t get optimal results.

(b) Make the exercise more difficult (progress it)

As I mentioned, instead of doing more reps of the same move, you need to make the exercise more challenging. Progress, and start with a lighter weight until you learn the movement. More on that in a moment.

Note: Of these two variables, do one or the other, ok? Increasing the weight and making the exercise more difficult at the same time is not cool kids. I don’t want you to get hurt or look silly.

You Must Earn Your Progression

That’s a cool line, right? It’s 110% true.

Take a step back and re-assess your squat. Bodyweight. Only.

Sit down and stand back up again. No dramas? Well phew, that’s a relief. That wasn’t supposed to be hard work. If you’re struggling to get up out of your chair, we have a whole different problem.

You might be surprised after many years of not paying attention to your body that your hips, knees and/or ankles have stiffened up and started doing their own thing. It’s just not like it used to be…

This usually indicates you might have a muscle imbalance that needs a few corrective moves. Not the end of the world. But left unattended, and mixed with high intensity workouts and heavy squats, it’s a ticking time bomb.

In any case, you can’t just pick up where you left off with your training program from ten years ago. Instead of stacking the weights and going all in with a barbell back squat, you need to go back to basics (but keep your clothes – we’re not going THAT basic.)

Correcting the bodyweight squat is your number one priority. If you can’t squat with perfect form using only your bodyweight, seriously, why would you want to add weight?

Progressions

To get you started, here’s a progression playlist I use with clients to maximize calorie burn and improve movement patterns.

Keep in mind, you can slightly progress or regress the exercise on any given day, depending on how your body feels.

Other factors like sleep, mobility and recovery can impact your movement and it’s important to consider this in every workout. The main thing is you train the movement pattern.

Golden Rule: Check your ego at the door (from experience, this will make the process much easier).

1. Bodyweight Squats

Having difficulty getting full range squats? Suspension trainer to the rescue. Use it to support your core and upper body, while re-training your body to move in a full range. 

The Next Level: Overhead Squats

Of course, with this exercise you want to start with bodyweight first. Even adding a broomstick can be challenging. This advanced version of the squat requires mobility and core stability, which most folks find most difficult. Progress using the TRX, as it will help total body integration, mobility and stability… BEFORE you try with a barbell. Trust me, it’s harder than it looks.

==> Lose Up to 9 lbs every 14 days with this NEW Bodyweight Cardio

2. DB Squats

This is the natural progression – holding the dumbbells at your side. The only limiting factor is your grip strength, meaning your hands will give out before your legs. And this is a problem.

When you feel your paws struggling to hang on to heavy weights, progress to the next stage.

3. Goblet & Front Squats

Start with the Goblet squat. While the weight will be reduced, you will get the feel of holding a weight above your center of gravity. It’s a whole new world…

Why do I recommend this?

- Your grip strength is not a limiting factor.

- Increased activation of stabilizing muscles in your core.

So try it.

Dominate the goblet before you try the front squat. The thing I love about the front squat is that it’s a self limiting exercise – you have no choice but to perform every rep with perfect form and keep your chest up, or you’ll fall flat on your face.

Don’t laugh, but I’ve seen this happen…

4. Offset DB Squats

This one sounds simple – hold a single weighted resistance by your side or at shoulder height and squat. But hang on. It’s harder than you think.

The uneven load forces your core and hips to work harder to stabilize throughout the range of motion. I love doing this movement with a sandbag, small child or puppy. If you’re hardcore, try holding all three at once.

5. Back Squats

See, you have to earn your progression to the back squat. Progressing through the varying levels will give you a solid foundation of movement and stability.

Yes, the back squat is an awesome exercise for rapid strength gains and muscle growth. But if you have any immediate or post-workout pain, give it a miss. Seriously, getting injured or using lousy form will never accelerate fat loss.

The Final Word

Squats rock for burning tons of calories in less workout time and getting strong legs. But if you progress to a point you can’t perform the exercise with correct technique or for desired number of reps, it’s a total waste of time and energy.

Think to train the big movement patterns, and don’t be afraid to take a step back. Your form and safety is number one, not the amount of weight on your shoulders.

All together now – safety first!

Have an awesome day,

KV

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