Begin with your feet positioned about shoulder width apart with straight ahead as much as possible (slight turn out is okay). Rotate outward from the hip while keeping your feet “superglued” to the floor with your big toe firmly pressing into the floor. This will create the tension and torque you need throughout your entire posterior chain, but especially the glutes, to begin your squat. Actively pull your shoulders down and back while keeping your eyes on the horizon.
Keep your torso as vertical as possible with your glutes engaged and knees tracking the toes all the way through. Ideally, full range of motion means getting your hip below your knee in the bottom of the squat. Aim to achieve this as long as your form is maintained. Weight should be evenly distributed across your entire foot.
Drive upward through the middle of your foot with your chest and shoulders leading. Fully straighten your legs and extend your hip so your body is in vertical alignment as your feet float off the floor an inch or two. Return to the floor on the ball of your foot, then lower your heel, making sure that even weight distribution across both feet has been achieved before lowering again into the bottom of the squat.
Points of Performance (POPs):
- Begin with feet set to about shoulder width apart
- Actively pull shoulders down and back
- Compress ribs toward your hips
- Eyes on the horizon
- Glutes engaged
- Knees track with your toes
- Weight should be evenly distributed across both feet
- Torso remains as vertical as possible
- Hip reaches below your knee in the bottom of the squat to hit full range of motion
- Drive upward through the middle of your foot
- Lead upward with your shoulders and chest
- Fully straighten your legs
- Extend your hip to bring your body into vertical alignment
- Feet should “float” off the floor an inch or two
- Return back to the floor on the ball of your foot then your heel
- Weight should be evenly distributed across both feet before beginning the next squat
Bonus Tip: Rotate outward from the hip while keeping feet “superglued” to the floor with your big toe firmly pressing into the floor. This will create the tension and torque you need throughout your entire posterior chain, but especially your glutes, to begin your squat. After driving upward off the floor, focus on returning back to the floor on the ball of your foot first, then lowering your heel, making sure even weight distribution across both feet has been achieved before lowering again into the bottom of the squat.”
