What Is The BEST Squat To Build Strength & Stability?

I think what people often want to believe is that when they are performing a certain exercise or workout program is that what they are doing is the best exercise absolutely possible. Who WANTS to do something second best or worse? 

That leads to a whole lot of interest debates trying to answer these questions, such as “what is the best type of squat?” 

Of course to even begin to entertain this question we have to ask the question, “best for whom and for what goal?”

Even when we do answer this question we have to realize that it doesn’t stay static. For example, the best answer for a beginner will differ as the lifter gains qualities that allows them to squat with greater proficiency. In 6 months, the answer of “what is the best squat” for that individual can change quite dramatically based on a host of factors. 

Instead of ultimately trying to answer such an impossible question, it probably is better to understand how to find the RIGHT squat for YOU!!! This is why DVRT has always focused on our system and not trying to promote the “magical” powers of a handful of exercises. While teaching a system is more work, if you put in a little effort, the reward will come back to 100 times over!

What Do We Need To Do First?

The first thing I always want to see from a client is how they squat. Can they squat with their feet on the floor to a bit below parallel while keeping their trunk rather upright? What does this all mean? 

Having a good squat requires good ankle mobility and most specifically good ankle dorsiflexion. Lacking good ankle mobility in this manner has lots of links to future issues with knees (PMID: 26117159). If ankle mobility is limited, instead of wedging one’s heels to create an artificial environment and disrupt the kinetic chain of the ankle, knee, and hip, we just simply reduce the range of motion in which they can squat well. Here, progressively increasing the depth of the squat is a way to not just build mobility, but also strength. 

It may not just be the ankle, hip and core function can greatly alter our squat. There is a lot of evidence that the hips and core (they could be thought of as one) have a big impact upon the knee (PMID: 20118526). Teaching how to use the hips correctly and getting better core stability will greatly enhance how one can squat. That is why our Press Out Squat, isn’t just “another” squat, but an important way to teach the foundations of squatting building mobility and strength at the same time. 

Our Path Of Choosing Better Squats

Where I think DVRT really is different than many other programs is we keep telling you where to go and not just show you a cool new exercise to use. The Press Out squat is great, but we can’t and don’t want to live there. As we build proficiency in the squat movement and increase our mobility, we can look to progress. I can tell you what magical point that is, this is a bit where the art of coaching comes into play and looking at people as individuals. 

 

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However, when we want to try, we can look to bring the weight closer to our body so we can handle more load while keeping some of those key concepts we established in the Press Out. This is where we would look at going to a kettlebell Goblet squat. The Goblet is a great next step after the Press Out because of the combination of the load being helpful in continuing to build strength, but also as a feedback tool to increase our mobility and stability. 

The Bear Hug squat is another level to go with our squats as due to how we can use the load, we can handle more weight in the Bear Hug than the Goblet and we can also ensure we are build better movement the whole time. 

There are over 10 different ways we can hold different tools very deliberately to train different qualities, expanding what we can achieve with the squat. For example, a Shoulder squat really amplifies not just a strong lower body, but the ability of the core to stabilize in all 3 planes of motion to a high level. That means legs that can demonstrate their strength in more conditions. 

So, we have the ability to change the position of load, but then we have the stance we could change as well.

Changing Body Position

The reason that unstable surface training didn’t prove to be the solution of core and overall strength/stability that we originally thought was largely due to the fact it wasn’t progressive. It became SOOOO unstable that the body couldn’t produce any force and get stronger in the process. Good stability training does incorporate strength training at the same time, if the force produced drops so low, we don’t really get the benefits we think and are often just doing a balancing act. 

Changing body position as we show in DVRT is a more progressive way of combining stability and strength. We have to start small, that is where our Sprinter Squat progressions come into play. This small alteration in body position starts to challenge the body in higher levels of stability and strength. 

We can also change planes of motion and work from a lateral squat position. This is a great way to build to more single leg type movements while not having to be completely single leg. The wider base gives us more stability, but we get to expose more mobility, stability, and strength demands. This is much easier to progress to than lateral lunges. 

Then ultimately, we can get to more and more single leg work by getting to rear foot elevated split squats (Bulgarian splits squats). This is after A LOT of progressions and explains why so many struggle to really benefit from rear foot elevated split squats, but done right, they open a big door of opportunity too. As you can see, they can produce the same level of strength and muscle as back squats while sparring the low back and increasing our mobility and stability. 

Want to learn MORE on how to select the RIGHT exercise for your programs and goals? Don’t miss our FREE Exercise Prescription webinar June 3rd! Bookmark this page and join us HERE

 

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