At Athlete Training and Health, our mission is to make every body better. That means improving mobility, strength and flexibility so that your body can move optimally no matter what it is you do on a daily basis. In fact, one of the most effective exercises to help improve your body in each of these areas is the squat.
Prior to entering any of the programs at ATH, you will likely be asked to perform a squat variation during your initial evaluation and assessment. Believe it or not, the way you squat can say a lot about your functional movement. For example, it can reveal:
- Muscular imbalances
- Range of motion limitations
- Flexibility issues you may have
By improving your squat position, you create a more solid foundation for building strength. As ATH senior performance coach Chris Slocum explains in this video below, the squat is an essential tool that can not only help optimize movement for both athletes and adults, but is also key to improving speed and power for athletic performance. But in order to gain the biggest benefits from the squat, you have to first master the basics of the movement before progressing to more advanced levels.
Although it may sound simple, the squat is a very complex and technical exercise. A bodyweight squat must first be performed well before progressing to any loaded variations such as the goblet squat, front squat or barbell back squat. This is especially true for young athletes and inexperienced lifters. What’s important for the athlete or client to understand is that the ability to perform unloaded squats with good technique must be done before adding any progressions in order to create an optimal position that is better able to handle heavier loads safely.
At the root of strength and athletic performance is the ability to move well. By executing a technically sound movement pattern in the squat, we can improve mobility and strength, which translates to reduced pain, stiffness and injury risk in sports and in our everyday lives.
Let Athlete Training and Health be part of your path to excellence. We have world-class training centers equipped with pro-style equipment and lead by a team of expert performance coaches. Put yourself in the best position to succeed. We offer free performance evaluations for all of our new athletes. Or you can always swing by for a tour of our training centers.