Building the Squat for Strongman and Powerlifting: A Comprehensive Guide

THE FULL CONJUGATE STRONGMAN SYSTEM - 12 Months of Programming, Peaking,

Buy Now

Building the Squat for Strongman and Powerlifting: An Overview

The squat is often heralded as the king of lower body lifts, and for good reason. For strongman competitors and powerlifters alike, building a strong squat is essential for performance in competition and training longevity. However, the approach to squatting in strongman varies significantly from powerlifting. Understanding how to tailor your squat training to meet the specific demands of strongman events can be the key to unlocking new levels of performance.

This article will break down the essential components of building a squat for both powerlifting and strongman, drawing on over a decade of experience working with strength athletes, and sharing insights that world-class coaches and athletes have attested to. The aim is to provide a comprehensive guide on building your squat, improving lower body mobility, and identifying and attacking weaknesses to achieve peak performance.

Why the Squat is Essential for Strongman and Powerlifting

A strong squat carries over to nearly every event in strongman. While the sport may not feature a back squat in competition as frequently as powerlifting, the leg strength, posterior chain development, and core stability built through squatting are crucial for success in nearly all events:

• Moving Events: Yoke walks, farmer’s carries, and even frame carries rely heavily on leg strength to stabilise and move massive loads.

• Loading Events: Stone loading, sandbag carries, and keg tosses all demand strong leg drive and posterior chain strength.

• Pressing Events: A strong squat transfers to better leg drive in overhead pressing events like the log press and axle press.

• Deadlift Events: Squat training improves hip and leg drive, which are essential for a strong deadlift lockout.

For powerlifters, the back squat is one of the three competition lifts, meaning maximising squat strength is non-negotiable. Beyond its direct impact on competition, the squat builds the foundational strength required for both the bench press and deadlift.

Squat Variations for Strongman and Powerlifting Success

The squat isn’t a single lift but rather a movement pattern that can be trained through a variety of variations to develop different aspects of strength. For strongman athletes, it’s important to utilise a variety of squatting styles to ensure all-around leg development and specificity to the demands of competition.

Box Squats

The box squat is a cornerstone of many successful strength programmes, and for good reason. Box squats:

• Teach proper hip engagement and posterior chain activation.

• Improve explosive power out of the hole.

• Reduce stress on the knees while still building strength in the hips and glutes.

For strongman competitors, box squats can be performed with specialty bars like the safety squat bar (SSB) to further challenge core stability and mimic the demands of events like the yoke or log press.

As I have learned from working with strength athletes for more than a decade, box squats help athletes develop explosive strength and maintain proper mechanics under load. Squatting to a box also helps reduce the wear and tear on the knees, which is particularly important for longevity in the sport.

Front Squats

Front squats are invaluable for strongman competitors due to their direct carryover to events like the stone load and keg carry. Front squats prioritise quad strength, upper back stability, and core engagement.

For powerlifters, front squats are an excellent accessory lift to address weaknesses in the upper back and quads, which can improve overall squat performance.

Specialty Bars

Incorporating specialty bars like the safety squat bar (SSB), cambered bar, or buffalo bar can help address specific weaknesses and reduce joint stress:

• SSB Squats: Mimic the yoke carry, challenge core stability, and reduce shoulder strain.

• Cambered Bar Squats: Increase stability demands and improve posterior chain engagement.

• Buffalo Bar Squats: Reduce shoulder strain while allowing for a more natural grip position.

Building Squat Volume and Intensity

Many experienced coaches advocate for varying intensity and volume to build a resilient squat. Effective programming often includes:

• Max Effort Days: Heavy singles, doubles, or triples to build maximal strength.

• Dynamic Effort Days: Speed work with bands or chains to improve bar speed and explosiveness.

• Volume Work: Higher-rep sets to build muscle mass and work capacity.

For strongman athletes, integrating higher volume front squats or safety bar squats can help build the endurance needed for longer events like the yoke walk or stone series.

Strongman: Beyond Barebones Volume 1 (The Off-Season)

Buy Now

Force–Velocity Curve & Speed-Strength Context

When most lifters think of the squat, they imagine heaviness: one-rep maxes, grinding doubles, slow reps under load. That absolutely has its place. But understanding where the squat sits on the force–velocity curve adds another layer - one that separates lifters who merely get stronger from those who become more explosive, more responsive, and more durable under dynamic conditions.

What is the Force–Velocity Curve?

In simple terms, the force–velocity curve maps the relationship between how much load you push (force) and how fast you move it (velocity). Heavy loads = high force, low speed; light loads = high speed, low force. Somewhere in between lies speed-strength - loads fast enough to demand intent and rapid output, heavy enough to build strength.

Squats tend to bias the high-force end of the curve. They build raw strength, mechanical tension, joint and soft-tissue robustness. But when you run Dynamic Effort (DE) waves with squats - speed squats, accommodating resistance, submaximal reps moved with intent - you shift leftwards on the curve: more velocity, more speed-strength.

Why Speed Strength Matters for Strongman & Powerlifting

Strongman

For strongman, explosive squat strength shows up in many ways:

• Yoke walks & carries: The ability to get the load moving quickly off the frame, then stabilise under heavy, moving load. If your squat-based force is sluggish, you lose ground in carry segments.

• Stone pick / clean-and-load style events: Squat strength helps, but speed-strength helps the lifter burst from the ground or floor into the carry portion. The lighter load, but moved fast, transfers heavily into this type of work.

• Longer events & stamina: Splitting between high force and speed allows you to preserve energy and technique over repeated efforts, as well as in fatigue.

  
  

Powerlifting

In powerlifting, speed strength is just as relevant:

• “Exploding out of the hole”: A squat may feel good if you can grind up a heavy rep, but lots of losses happen in the bottom portion. DE speed work helps train the stretch reflex, neural readiness, and explosive drive from the hole.

• Sticking points: If you lag in the first part of the ascent, then strength in mid-range and lockout may not catch up. Squat DE waves help carry force into the bottom-quarter → half range with speed so that when load ramps up, you can push through more cleanly.

  
  

Louie Simmons & Raw Lifter Adaptations

Louie Simmons (Westside Barbell) is famous for his use of Dynamic Effort work in squatting: frequent speed sets, accommodating resistance (chains, bands), and a divide between heavy ME sessions and fast DE sessions. His philosophy was that strength without speed is a dead end, especially when competition demands moving heavy weights fast under fatigue.

Raw lifters often adapt this differently - fewer accommodating resistance options, less weekly ME volume (because of joint and recovery limits), and sometimes less technical coaching. What works is:

• Using lighter percentages in DE for raw lifters (so speed remains real, not “forced”).

• Emphasising execution (speed, posture, knee tracking) more than pushing band tension too hard.

• Rotating squat variations to reduce load on vulnerable joint angles but still get speed exposure.

  
  

How to Apply This Knowledge

• Insert DE Squat Waves: Once every few weeks, include a DE squat day (e.g. 8×2 or 10×2 @ ~50-65%, maybe with chains/bands if available).

• Monitor Velocity or Bar Speed Cues: Even without fancy gear, look for “pop” off the bottom, difference between first rep and last rep in a set. If it slows too much, you’ve drifted into volume-rather than DE-style work.

• Blend Force & Velocity in Blocks: Cycle periods of ME-heavy squat work with periods of velocity/emphasis, so you don’t lose speed while building strength.

For more on how the force-velocity curve works, and why it’s one of those “strength secrets” that gets talked around but not often explained well, check this out: The Force-Velocity Curve: The Strength Secret No One Really Explains Properly

Commercial Gym Conjugate for Dummies: How to Run Conjugate with Barbells, Dumbb

Buy Now

Technical Breakdown & Points of Failure

Squats rarely fail at random. More often, they break down at predictable points, and those sticking points tell you exactly what’s missing in your training. Learning to read a failed rep, or even a slowed rep, is one of the most powerful tools you can add to your coaching.

Common Sticking Points

• Hips shooting up too fast The classic “good morning squat.” The hips rise before the chest, leaving the bar pitched forward. This usually signals weak quads relative to the posterior chain, or a breakdown in bracing.

• Chest collapsing The lifter tips forward in the hole or mid-range. Upper back tightness is lost, and the torso can’t support the bar. This is often seen in front squats or with safety bar variations, but it carries into comp squats as well.

• Knees caving in (valgus collapse) The knees buckle toward each other on the ascent. Sometimes this is a technical cueing issue, but chronic collapse points to weak abductors and glutes.

• Losing tightness in the hole Bottom position feels unstable, with the lifter “sinking” rather than staying braced. This can stem from poor bracing, lack of mobility, or weak hips/core at deep angles.

  
  

Diagnostic Checklist

A simple way to assess:

• Bar slows immediately out of the hole → Quad weakness or poor bracing.

• Chest folds mid-range → Upper back/lats not strong enough to hold posture.

• Hips outrun the bar → Posterior chain dominance with underdeveloped quads, or fatigue in the mid-section.

• Knees collapsing → Weak glutes/abductors, need more lateral hip work.

• Bar path drifts forward → Core and brace failing, or weak erectors.

  
  

Solutions & Corrective Focus

Each failure pattern has a direct fix - and usually it’s already in the accessory menus of a well-designed Conjugate program:

• Weak Quads / Out of the Hole → Front squats, high-bar squats, pause squats, split squats, belt squats.

• Weak Upper Back / Chest Collapse → Safety bar squats, front squats, rows, good mornings, shrugs.

• Glute / Abductor Weakness (Knee Valgus) → Banded squats, split squats, hip thrusts, clamshells, lateral band walks.

• Brace / Core Issues → Zercher squats, ab rollouts, weighted planks, carries.

• General Posterior Weakness → Box squats, Romanian deadlifts, reverse hypers, glute-ham raises.

A missed squat is feedback, not failure. When you learn to diagnose the breakdown - hips, chest, knees, or brace - you can tie it directly to the right accessory work. This turns every rep, successful or not, into data that feeds the next training wave.

From the Depths: Pulling to Win 1.5

Buy Now

Breathing, Bracing, and Setup

Strength in the squat doesn’t start when the bar leaves the rack. It starts with how you set up - your breath, your brace, and your position under the bar. These fundamentals determine whether you can express your strength or leak it before the lift even begins.

Diaphragmatic Breath vs. Rib Flare

A proper brace begins with a diaphragmatic breath. This means drawing air deep into the belly, expanding the abdomen 360 degrees - forward, sideways, and into the lower back - rather than lifting the chest and flaring the ribs. Rib flare shortens the torso, pushes the bar path forward, and makes it nearly impossible to hold a strong bottom position. A diaphragmatic breath, by contrast, creates a pressurised cylinder from pelvis to diaphragm, protecting the spine and keeping the torso rigid.

Bracing Against a Belt vs. Raw Torso Bracing

A lifting belt doesn’t replace bracing - it amplifies it. When using a belt, the goal is to push the abdomen out into the belt in all directions, creating maximal intra-abdominal pressure. This turns the belt into a feedback tool and a wall to brace against, not a crutch.

Raw bracing requires the same expansion but with more intent on pushing into the obliques and lower back. Without the tactile feedback of a belt, many lifters need to exaggerate the sensation of “spreading the torso” to stay tight. Strongman athletes in particular should be comfortable bracing both ways - since not every event allows for or benefits from a belt.

Rack Height, Bar Placement, and Foot Angle

The way you set the rack, bar, and stance influences the mechanics of the entire lift:

• Rack Height → Too high, and you’re forced onto your toes to unrack; too low, and you waste energy on a half-squat before even starting. Set the hooks so the bar comes out with a small knee bend and minimal disruption.

• Bar Placement → High-bar squats (bar across the traps) load the quads more and demand a more upright torso. Low-bar squats (bar across the rear delts) recruit more posterior chain and shorten the lever arm, but require strong hip drive and shoulder mobility. Both have a place depending on your goals and sport.

• Foot Angle → A wider stance with toes angled out opens the hips and shortens depth demands, but requires strong glutes and adductors. A narrower, straighter stance prioritises quads and depth but increases knee travel. The right stance is the one that balances mobility, leverages, and competitive specificity.

  
  

Bracing for Strongman vs. Powerlifting

For powerlifters, the squat setup is singular: bar on the back, belt tight, brace locked, everything directed at hitting depth and standing up with maximal load. Consistency is king - every rep should feel like competition.

Strongman athletes, however, need a broader bracing skillset. The yoke walk, for example, is essentially an overloaded squat walkout carried for distance. Bracing here isn’t about a single rep but sustaining pressure and posture under load for time. The lap phase of a stone load or sandbag pick also demands rapid bracing and re-bracing as you move through positions. Learning to cycle breaths - full brace for the pick, partial release to reset, then full brace for the load - can make the difference between smooth execution and technical collapse.

Bracing is a skill, not a reflex. Practise it with and without a belt, under different bar placements, and in contexts beyond the comp squat. Whether you’re under a barbell, a yoke, or a stone, the ability to generate and maintain intra-abdominal pressure is what makes strength transferable.

Becoming the Conjugate Colossus 2.0

Buy Now

Squat Typologies Across Sports

The squat isn’t one universal lift performed the same way everywhere. How it’s trained - and why it matters - depends heavily on the sport. Powerlifters, strongman athletes, and weightlifters all use squatting differently, and understanding these distinctions helps you borrow the best of each world while avoiding dogma.

Powerlifting

For powerlifters, the squat is a judged competition lift. Every technical decision is shaped by that reality:

• Stance width: Some lifters squat narrow and upright, relying heavily on quad strength and depth confidence. Others adopt a wide stance with more hip hinge, reducing range of motion but demanding immense hip and adductor strength.

• Depth judging: The rulebook dictates that the crease of the hip must pass below the top of the knee. This forces consistency and mobility - even the strongest squat doesn’t count if depth isn’t there.

• Bar placement: Most competitive powerlifters favour a low-bar squat to shorten the lever arm and move more weight. High-bar is still used in training to target weaknesses or build quad and torso strength.

For this sport, squatting is non-negotiable: it’s one of the three lifts that define success.

Strongman

Strongman rarely tests the squat directly in competition. But dismissing its value is a mistake. Squat strength underpins nearly every event:

• Moving events: Yoke walks and frame carries require the same posture and leg drive you build in the squat. The unrack and stabilisation phases are effectively overloaded squats in motion.

• Loading events: Picking and loading stones, sandbags, and kegs demand a strong squat pattern through the hips and quads. A weak squat shows up immediately when a stone won’t budge from the floor.

• Pressing events: Leg drive in the log or axle press comes from squat-built power in the quads and glutes.

Strongman athletes benefit from a wider menu of squat styles: front squats for stone carryover, safety bar squats to mimic yoke posture, and higher-rep sets to build event stamina. The squat is less about passing depth and more about building a base for chaotic, awkward tasks.

Weightlifting

Olympic weightlifters squat differently again. For them, the front squat is king:

• Front squats: Heavy, frequent front squatting builds the upright posture and quad strength required to recover cleanly from deep positions.

• High-bar back squats: Used as a secondary builder, with emphasis on depth, speed, and an upright torso.

• Volume and frequency: Weightlifters often squat multiple times per week, treating squats as both strength work and skill reinforcement for the snatch and clean & jerk.

The Olympic style shows why squatting isn’t only about moving the most load possible. It’s also about mobility, speed, and technical precision.

Recognising squat typologies across sports prevents narrow thinking. A powerlifter who borrows front squat frequency from weightlifting, or a strongman who learns consistent depth from powerlifting, becomes a more complete athlete. The squat isn’t one thing - it’s a family of patterns that can be adapted depending on what you’re training for.

Outsider Strength VOLUME 1: Everything They Didn’t Want You to Learn About

Buy Now

Identifying and Attacking Weaknesses

One of the most important aspects of improving your squat is identifying and addressing weaknesses. Whether it’s a technical flaw or a muscular imbalance, weaknesses can limit your squat potential and increase the risk of injury.

Common Squat Weaknesses and Solutions

1. Weak Posterior Chain:

   • Solution: Incorporate more box squats, good mornings, and Romanian deadlifts to strengthen the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.

2. Poor Upper Back Stability:

   • Solution: Add front squats, SSB squats, and bent-over rows to improve upper back strength and stability under load.

3. Knee Valgus (Knees Caving In):

   • Solution: Strengthen the glutes and abductors with exercises like clamshells, banded squats, and Bulgarian split squats.

4. Lack of Mobility:

   • Solution: Implement a thorough mobility routine focusing on hip flexor stretches, ankle dorsiflexion work, and adductor mobilisation.

     
     

Understanding where your weaknesses lie is critical to making targeted improvements. As world-class coaches will tell you, addressing these weaknesses consistently will lead to long-term gains in your squat.

Lower Body Mobilisation for Squat Performance

One of the biggest barriers to a successful squat is poor mobility. Lower body mobilisation can dramatically improve squat mechanics and reduce the risk of injury.

Key Mobility Drills:

1. Hip Flexor Stretch: To improve hip mobility and reduce anterior pelvic tilt.

2. Ankle Dorsiflexion Work: To ensure proper squat depth and reduce knee stress.

3. Adductor Mobilisation: To improve squat stance width and hip engagement.

Incorporating these drills into your warm-up routine can improve range of motion and help prevent common injuries like hip impingement and knee pain.

The Complete JHEPC Conjugate System for Powerlifting 3.0 - Progress, Peaking,

Buy Now

Programming the Squat for Strongman

A successful squat programme for strongman should include:

1. A Main Squat Day: Focused on building absolute strength (e.g., back squat, box squat).

2. An Accessory Squat Day: Focused on addressing weaknesses (e.g., front squats, SSB squats).

3. Event-Specific Work: Incorporating yoke carries, stone loads, and sled drags to ensure carryover to competition.

   
   

Sample Weekly Squat Programme for Strongman:

Day	Main Lift	Accessory Work	Mobility Focus
Squat Day 1	Box Squat	Hamstring Curls, GHR, SSB	Hip Flexor Stretch
Squat Day 2	Front Squat	Bulgarian Split Squats	Ankle Dorsiflexion
Event Day	Yoke Walk	Stone Loads	Adductor Mobilisation

Programming the Squat Within a Conjugate Method Framework

The conjugate method, popularised by Westside Barbell, is a proven system for building strength across multiple lifts, including the squat. At its core, the conjugate method rotates exercises to continuously address weaknesses, prevent accommodation, and build all-around strength.

Main Components of Conjugate Squat Training:

1. Max Effort (ME) Days:

   • Once a week, perform a heavy squat variation to build absolute strength.

   • Rotate squat variations weekly to avoid accommodation (e.g., box squats, front squats, cambered bar squats).

   • Focus on hitting a true max for a single or double rep.

2. Dynamic Effort (DE) Days:

   • Focus on speed work using moderate loads (50-70% of max) with accommodating resistance (bands or chains).

   • Perform 8-12 sets of 2-3 reps, focusing on bar speed and technique.

3. Accessory Work:

   • Address weaknesses identified in the ME and DE sessions.

   • Include exercises like reverse hypers, glute-ham raises, good mornings, and Bulgarian split squats.

4. Event-Specific Work:

   • Incorporate strongman-specific movements like yoke walks, stone loads, and sled drags on your DE or accessory days to ensure carryover to competition.

   
   

Sample Conjugate Squat Week:

Day	Main Lift	Accessory Work	Notes
ME Squat Day	Cambered Bar Box Squat	Reverse Hypers, GHR, SSB	Heavy, 1-2 rep max
DE Squat Day	Speed Squats with Chains	Bulgarian Split Squats, GMs	8-12 sets of 2 reps

From Training to the Podium: Conjugate Peaking for Strongman Competitions 3.0

Buy Now

Powerlifter-Specific Squat Training and the Importance of Small Muscle Strength

While there is significant overlap between the squat requirements for powerlifters and strongman competitors, powerlifter-specific squat training has some unique considerations. Powerlifters must optimise their squat for maximal load in competition, meaning their programming often prioritises back squat variations that improve strength in the specific competition stance.

One of the key differences is that powerlifters are less concerned with endurance or stability during moving events and more focused on executing a technically perfect squat for a one-rep max. This often means a greater emphasis on refining technique through repetition and reducing variability in squat stance and bar position.

However, powerlifters can benefit greatly from improving the strength and stability of the smaller muscles and joints of the lower body. Strong hips, knees, ankles, and stabiliser muscles reduce the risk of injury and improve the transfer of force during a max-effort squat attempt.

Exercises like single-leg work, banded hip work, and ankle mobility drills are essential components of a powerlifter’s training. Strengthening these areas ensures that the lifter has a stable foundation to build on, allowing for better bar path control, reduced knee valgus, and improved squat depth. Powerlifters who neglect these aspects may find themselves plateauing due to weak links in the kinetic chain.

Small muscles may not be flashy, but they play a crucial role in longevity and performance. Addressing these areas within a powerlifting programme can mean the difference between an injury-prone athlete and one who continues to improve year after year.

The Conjugate Method for Dummies 2.0: Practical Strength in the Real World

Buy Now

Historical & Coaching Perspectives

Squat programming has never been a single unified doctrine. Different coaching systems, countries, and eras developed their own approaches, each reflecting what they valued most - raw strength, technical precision, volume tolerance, or athletic carryover. Understanding these perspectives not only gives context but shows why blending them often produces the most complete lifter.

Westside Barbell

Louie Simmons and Westside Barbell popularised the box squat as the cornerstone of their system. Paired with bands and chains, the box squat allowed lifters to:

• Build explosive power out of the hole.

• Train hip and posterior chain dominance.

• Manipulate load across the range of motion with accommodating resistance.

Westside lifters rotated max effort variations weekly, ensuring no single pattern was overused. For multiply powerlifters, this system built massive squats with minimal overuse, but raw lifters often needed to adapt by keeping more direct quad work in the mix.

Sheiko & Dietmar Wolf

On the other side of the spectrum, Boris Sheiko (Russia) and Dietmar Wolf (Germany/Norway) became known for high-volume, competition-lift-centred programming. Their lifters squatted multiple times a week, with thousands of yearly reps in the competition stance. The philosophy: the best way to get better at squatting is to squat in the same way, over and over.

This built immense technical consistency and volume tolerance, but often at the expense of variety. For lifters without elite recovery capacity, the Sheiko/Dietmar approach can quickly lead to stagnation or overuse injuries.

RTS & Emerging Strategies

Reactive Training Systems (Mike Tuchscherer) pushed a modern evolution: hyper-specificity guided by autoregulation. Squats were tracked closely by RPE, velocity, and subjective fatigue markers. Emerging Strategies used long development cycles of very similar lifts, adjusting based on lifter feedback and bar speed.

This produced excellent results for athletes who thrive on technical repetition and measurable feedback, but it carried risks: lifters without access to velocity tools or without the ability to autoregulate honestly often fell into “grind culture” or misapplied load selection.

Olympic Weightlifting Systems

Olympic systems - from the Soviets to modern Chinese teams - leaned heavily on high-bar and front squats. The goal was clear: build quads, mobility, and upright posture to survive the recovery from cleans and snatches. Squatting wasn’t just about load - it was about technical transfer to the lifts. Front squats, often trained at very high intensities and frequencies, became a cornerstone of weightlifting strength culture.

Finding Balance

Each of these systems reflects a bias:

• Westside = posterior chain and variation.

• Sheiko/Dietmar = volume and specificity.

• RTS/Emerging Strategies = autoregulation and tracking.

• Olympic WL = front squat dominance and mobility.

  
  

A modern lifter doesn’t have to pick one camp. The most effective approach is to blend them: use Westside’s rotation to attack weak points, Sheiko’s consistency when a competition lift needs refinement, RTS principles for load selection and fatigue management, and weightlifting squats for quad and posture strength.

This is where Conjugate and hybrid systems shine - not rejecting these histories, but synthesising them into something more complete.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Why is squat training different for strongman and powerlifting?

A: Powerlifters focus on maximal one-rep strength, while strongman athletes need endurance, stability, and carryover to event-specific movements like yoke walks and stone loads.

Q: How often should I squat if I compete in strongman?

A: Most strongman athletes squat 1-2 times per week, balancing heavy strength work with event practice, dynamic effort, and recovery.

Q: What are the best squat variations for strongman training?

A: Box squats, front squats, safety squat bar (SSB) squats, and zercher squats are highly effective for developing strongman-specific strength.

Q: How should powerlifters incorporate specialty bars into their squat training?

A: Specialty bars like the SSB, cambered bar, and buffalo bar can help target weaknesses, reduce joint stress, and improve squat positioning.

Q: What is the role of dynamic effort squatting in squat programming?

A: Dynamic effort (speed squats) improve rate of force development, reinforcing explosive strength and technique under lighter loads.

Q: What mobility drills should I do to improve my squat?

A: Focus on hip flexor stretches, ankle dorsiflexion work, adductor mobility, and thoracic spine mobility for better depth and positioning.

Q: Should strongman athletes train for high-rep squats?

A: Yes, endurance is key for strongman. Incorporating higher-rep sets (8-15 reps) on front squats and safety bar squats builds stamina for events.

Q: How can I identify my squat weaknesses?

A: Analyse where your lift slows down - if you struggle in the hole, improve posterior chain strength; if your knees cave in, strengthen your glutes and abductors.

Q: What’s the best way to balance max effort and dynamic effort squatting?

A: A conjugate-style approach alternates heavy max effort days with dynamic effort speed squats, ensuring both raw strength and explosiveness improve.

Q: How do I improve my squat for better yoke or stone loading performance?

A: Prioritize front squats for core and quad strength, and incorporate box squats with a safety squat bar to reinforce strongman-specific leg drive.

Q: Can powerlifters benefit from strongman squat variations?

A: Absolutely. Unstable loads like cambered bar squats or zercher squats build core and posterior chain strength, improving overall squat stability.

Q: What’s a common mistake lifters make with squat programming?

A: Overusing straight-bar back squats without variation, leading to stagnation, joint wear, and underdeveloped weak points. Rotate movements regularly.

Q: How can I make my squat programming more effective?

A: Use a mix of max effort, dynamic effort, and volume work, target weaknesses, rotate variations, and include mobility work for long-term progress.

The Squat for Dummies: Raw, Equipped, and Strongman

Buy Now

Building a strong squat is essential for both powerlifters and strongman competitors. By incorporating variations like box squats, front squats, and specialty bars, along with proper volume and intensity management, athletes can maximise their squat performance.

Drawing on years of experience working with strength athletes, and insights that world-class coaches and athletes can attest to, it’s clear that a multifaceted approach to squat training is necessary. Focus on building absolute strength, addressing weaknesses, and incorporating mobility work to ensure long-term success in competition and training.

If you’re looking to take your squat - and your overall strength - to the next level, I offer personalised online coaching tailored to your goals. With over a decade of experience coaching strength athletes, from beginners to world champions, my coaching programmes are built to deliver results. Get in touch today, and let’s start building your path to strength success!

* Online Coaching

Buy Now