Performance Reads of the Week - 10/23

This week we are featuring: Squats

 


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Considerations for Programming the Squat

By: Steve Olson

The only people that NEED to train the squat to improve are powerlifters: athletes use it as a basis for the physiological benefit it provides to their specific sport. Learn how differences in variations in the squat can provide different physiological responses to the athlete!


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Squat

By: Chris Beardsley

A very long but VERY comprehensive breakdown of squat technique, kinematics, EMG research, speed and more. If nothing else, reading the bulletpoints will provide you with great ideas you can use in programming for your athletes!


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A Biomechanical Comparison of Back and Front Squats in Healthy Trained Individuals

By: Jonathan C. Gullet, et. al.

Did you know this?

"The front squat was shown to be just as effective as the back squat in terms of overall muscle recruitment, with significantly less compressive forces on the knee."

Read more here!


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Squatting Kinematics and Kinetics and Their Application to Exercise Performance

By: Brad Schoenfeld

Another very comprehensive article discussing squats from a more biomechanical and kinematic perspective. As much as his work does, this has a lot of information on variations and their changes on muscle activation.


Head Position in the Squat

By: Steve Goggins

Steve Goggins talks about the head position in the squat. Should you look up, stay neutral, look down?  Everyone has an opinion: Steve Goggins will tell you his!