The Weighted Hip Thrust
is something you will see many girls doing in the gym for buns of steel.
However, for guys and
girls that want to increase their muscle mass and glute strength then this is
the missing exercise you are not doing on leg day!
Researchers
hypothesized that barbell hip thrusts would be better than squats for improving
horizontal force production, thereby enhancing performance in athletic
movements requiring a horizontal force vector, such as horizontal jumping and sprinting.
According to the
study’s first author, Bret Contreras, squats poorly activate the hamstrings and
do not maximally activate the glutes, which are critical muscle groups for
powerful sprinting. In a squat, the glutes are fired up during the concentric
action – when you explode out of the hole. Glute activation decreases near the
top when the athlete is in a more upright position, which is characteristic of
applying force into the ground while running.
The study was comprised
of male teenage athletes and consisted of 2 training sessions per week for 6
weeks in a periodized fashion. One group performed only front squats, and
another group performed only hip thrusts. Pre- and post-test performance
measures included:
10-meter acceleration
20-meter acceleration
vertical jump
maximum isometric mid-thigh pull
3-rep-max front squat
and 3-rep-max hip
thrust
Results showed that
among teenage male athletes, hip thrusts are more effective than front squats
at improving sprinting acceleration, max isometric mid-thigh pull force, and
max hip thrust strength. However, front squats are more effective than hip
thrusts at improving vertical jump max and front squat strength.
In addition, athletes
who performed the hip thrust gained half as much front squat strength as those
who only performed front squats, and vice versa. This is an important finding,
as it demonstrates that hip extension exercises transfer to other lifts and
points to the possibility that strength in one lift can be maintained during
times of injury by performing assistance lifts.
I find myself getting
more and more frustrated with people telling me, "I heard CrossFit is
really bad for you; you're just gonna end up getting injured."
Let me give you a first
hand account and a REAL perspective on my injuries and CrossFit training. I
first came to Hyperfit USA in the beginning of June, 2013. Upon entering, I
filled out an information sheet on my physical health, how many times per week
I currently worked out, and any pains, injuries, or concerns I had about my
body.
At that time, my right
knee was giving me problems and I expressed great concern for my right
shoulder. I feared what would happen if I pushed it much further. My shoulder
had gotten so bad over the years that reaching over to put on a seatbelt became
a daunting task; raising my arm, even half way up to wave to someone sent so
many shooting pains into my shoulder and back that I ALWAYS used my left, and
doing a simple push-up... well, that became more painful than it was worth.
To no surprise, doctors
said the wear and tear of playing sports and lifting over the years had finally
taken its toll, and it was time to think on and reconsider surgery. This was
the last thing that I wanted and resisted it with every fiber of my being. So
you may be asking... "And you decided to jump into CrossFit as a result?
Are you crazy?" Think what you will, but joining Hyperfit USA in Ann
Arbor, MI was the best decision I could have made in regard to my surgery
proned shoulder.
I spoke with Doug
Chapman, the owner of Hyperfit, and told him of my concerns. I expressed to him
that I wanted to avoid surgery at all costs, until there was absolutely no
other option. He said, "I get it. Let's see what we can do." Doug
personally began looking at my range of motion, what parts of my shoulder hurt,
and where the pain would go when I did various activities. Immediately, I was
given a variety of therapeutic techniques that aided in the healing and
strengthening of my shoulder muscles and tendons.
The next common
question that has been posed to me is, "Well, what about the workouts? How
did you get through those?" The answer is simple. It's called M O D I F I
C A T I O N. What the outside world does't know and most don't bother to
research is that not every person that walks into a CrossFit gym is an elite
athlete, nor are they expected to be. Every movement... and I mean EVERY
movement can be modified to fit that individual's needs and ability level.
"Oh, you can't do a strict pull-up yet, let's try using a band. Is that
still too painful? We'll bring you over to the rings, and teach you how to do a
proper ring row to build strength in that area. Are you not ready for that yet?
I understand; go grab a box; I'm going to show you how to do a jumping
pull-up."
It wasn't until I came
to a REPUTABLE gym, with skilled trainers that watched every movement I made,
that my injuries and range of motion became better than they have been in 10+
years. Additionally, my technique and skill in the Olympic lifts are better
than they've ever been.
Would you like to know
why CrossFit gyms get such a bad name?? It's because there are a lot of bad
ones out there. Just like there are a lot of olympic lifting coaches that you
may find that encourage getting your new one rep max over adhering to safety and
good technique. The key is to know what's good and what isn't. Let me give you
a hint... If you walk into a CrossFit gym, without having gone through any
introductory sessions, but you tell them that you work out all the time and
have been lifting at gyms for years, and they say, "Alright, we have a WOD
starting in 10 minutes; just fill out this waiver and you can give it a
try," RUN! Run for the hills!
Although I have power
lifting friends, some that do CrossFit also, much of the bad press that
CrossFit gets, comes from them. A former trainer at Hyperfit USA and I had a
conversation about this some time back. He said, in explanation of why many
power lifters feel this way is, "Power lifters focus on doing a lift one
time, with max weight, and doing it with perfect movement. That's not what we
do here." Obviously, there is nothing wrong this. "What a lot of
power lifters don't want to admit is that Power Lifting was a dying sport.
CrossFit has helped bring it back to life. It is what it is."
Here is where power
lifters are correct. In CrossFit, we don't do an olympic lift just one time in
workout. We do that movement in reps and sets, along with other conditioning
movements, like burpees, ring dips, and box jumps. CrossFit is designed to
enhance one's overall fitness and athletic ability, not put the focus solely on
one movement. BUT here is the key--doing olympic lifts in reps DOES NOT mean
you sacrifice good technique and core stabilization.
So back to the original
point, injuries and CrossFit. The only time these two go hand in hand is when
one doesn't work with quality trainers and doesn't belong to a gym that puts
the individual first: keeping safety, technique, and humility right where it
belongs... as a primary functions of the athlete.
Learn the proper form
and technique of any athletic endeavor and reap the rewards of all it has to
offer.
If I had to choose just one weight
training exercise that builds overall lean muscle mass and increases strength,
it would have to be squats.
But it's important to learn how to
squat correctly.
Having good form and technique is
crucial to get the maximum benefit and to avoid injury. It's not a difficult
exercise to perform, and I recommend it to anybody.
Originally, I had planned to make a
list of "10 reasons why you should squat", but I ended up expanding
the list as I went on.
Some of these I have researched and
some are from my experience of squatting over the years.
People still have a misconception
about squatting and think they are meant only for pro athletes and
bodybuilders.
That's not true; squatting is suitable
for anybody, both male and female, who are interested in building lean muscle
and burning fat as well as improving their health.
Why Every Woman Should Squat
It is especially great for the ladies
that want a great set of legs and a sexy butt. Think Jen Selter, Instagram
Sensation.
Jen Selter has inspired thousands of
women around the world to get a bigger butt.
If you don't know who Jen Selter is,
you can do a Google search to get more information about her.
If you are on Instagram, you may have
seen her photos.
It's quite possible that Jen Selter
had a huge influence on a lot of girls wanting to follow in her footsteps to
getting the body of their dreams. Who knows... ?
Okay, back to what I was saying
before...
When you think about it, everybody,
whether they realize it or not, we all have to sit down, stand up and pick
something up off the floor.
We never think about making these
movements. Our bodies have been programmed to do these things ever since we
were kids.
It just feels natural.
Squats, when done properly, is the
best compound exercise for building mass as well as increasing size and
strength in the body.
Before I get into the 20 reasons why
you should squat, I'd like to share my squatting story...
I remember when I first took up
squatting in the gym. I used to squat with bad form for months without
realizing what I was doing wrong.
And one day, while I was holding a 100
kg bar cross my shoulder, I lost my balance, and the weight came down on top of
me.
Lucky enough, two guys rushed over and
were able to grab the bar in time. This was all a result of bad form and not
setting myself up to do them properly.
Not only did I have bad form, when I
squatted, I didn't go all the way down, afterall, it's the deep squat that
activates your glutes and hamstring muscles to it's full potential.
I still see guys at the gym, with bad
form and usually point out the mistakes they make and the correct way to do
them. Usually appreciate my guidance.
So guys, save yourself the time of
causing an injury. Trying to impress your gym buddy, isn't worth it, unless you
both know what you're doing.
For extra safety, you can even do your
squats on a smith machine. So if you are a beginner, then I suggest squatting
on a smith machine until you get used to doing them properly.
Squatting on A Smith Machine
Most good gyms have a smith machine,
where the bar is connected within steel rails, for added safety.
This will prepare you for when you're
ready to do them on a squat rack.
I think one of the main reasons why
some people avoid doing squats is because they are afraid of risking the chance
of getting injured.
But if you know how to do them
correctly, not only will it increase muscle mass in your lower body, but it
will do them same for your upper body.
It doesn't matter whether you want to
lose weight, build muscle or increase strength, squatting will help you achieve
each of these goals as long as you stay consistent and aim to lift heavy often.
I wouldn't recommend doing squats more
than twice a week. Like any weight lifting exercise you do, your muscles need
time to grow. So recover is essential.
If you keep exercising the same
muscles every day, you're not giving them time to recover and could do some
damage if your not careful.
If you're a skinny guy and you want to
build muscle, a good start would be to do five sets of five, at your body
weight. Once you can get to a stage where you can lift your own body weight,
you can gradually increase the weight as you get comfortable lifting heavier.
It's a big achievement when you know
you can lift more than your own body weight. That's how you know you are getting
stronger each week.
When you can lift heavier weight each
week, you will feel inspired so that you look forward to your next squat
session.
Here are the 20 reason's you should
squat
1. Increase Size And Strength In Your
Entire Body
When you squat, you will also build
muscle in your hamstrings, quads and calves. Due to the high amount of HGH
released, you will also build size and strength in the rest of your body.
The reason this happens is because
when you perform a squat the correct way, your body is forced to naturally
increase its own anabolic hormones that will cause other muscle groups to get
bigger quicker the next time you train them.
2. Improves Circulation In The Body
Squat exercises get the blood pumping
in your entire body and improves your health all round.
3. Increase Testosterone & Growth
Hormones
Exercises such as squats and
dead-lifts release essential growth hormones that contribute to muscle growth
and strength gain in the entire body.
4. Increase Core Strength
Squats hit your entire core muscles
from every angle, so it gives you every reason to do them if you want killer
abs.
5. Improve Flexibility
Because the deeper you squat, the more
flexible you become. Squatting will also increase hip flexibility. A lot of
people carry a lot of stress in their hips because they have bad posture so
they feel the need to sit down more often.
6. Great For Burning Fat
Most of the muscle you gain from
squatting heavy will come from your lower body, and the more muscle that you
gain the more fat you will burn.
7. Squats Strengthen Joints
Once you know how to perform squats
correctly, not only will it prevent injury, but it will also strengthen your
joints too. When you squat down, with all that weight on the bar, you are engaging
your ankle, knee and hip joints at the same time.
8. It's Functional For Completing
Daily Tasks
What I mean by this is that It makes
your daily tasks easier, like if you are carrying groceries' home or lifting or
moving furniture in your house. So it makes your body safer during real world
activities.
9. Reduce The Risk Of Getting Injured
Squatting is a safe exercise; once
they are done correctly it will reduce the risk of injury. Because as you
expand the depth of each squat, you will increase strength in your quad muscles
that will also enable you do perform other compound exercises with ease.
10. Become A Better Athlete
It doesn't matter what sport you do;
you need to be squatting. It's essential to have a strong lower body, whether
you're doing swimming, playing tennis or basketball. You should squatting.
11. Increase Vertical Jump
Squats are great for increasing your
rate of force development that is important if you want to be able to jump
high. I found barbell jump squats a great way to increase vertical jump.
12. Improved Workout Efficiency
I'm a strong believer that squats improve
strength, stability and efficiency when it comes to doing other weighted
exercises such as bench press, deadlifts and even pull-ups. I find that it
gives you that extra edge over that's crucial when you're trying to squeeze out
one last repetition, when you've reached failure.
13. Develop A Great Set Of Legs And
Butt
It makes no difference whether you are
male or female. Squats will give you a great set of legs and butt. So ladies,
If you want to activate those butt muscles, do deep squats with a wide stance
so that it gives your butt a better workout. Your friends will want to do what
exercise you did, while the lads will be drooling over you.
14. Get Killer Calves
For those of you who are ashamed of
having skinny legs, like I once had. When you squat heavy, it will gradually
build muscle in your calves. No more chicken legs.
15. Squats Are Cheap
All it takes is a barbell or a set
pair of dumbbells. You don't have to buy them brand new either.
16. Increase Sprint Times
According to research, studies show
that sprinters can increase their sprint times by a significant degree as a
result of squatting.
17. Improve Athletic Performance
Not only will you gain size and
strength in your legs, squats will also increase your performance capacity to
run faster and jump higher.
18. There Are More Than One Variation
Of Squats
Not just the traditional bodybuilders
squats where you place a barbell over your shoulders. You can do dumbbell
squats, kettlebell squats, wall squats, plie squat and barbell front squats.
There are lots more ways to squat.
19. You Can Squat Just About Anywhere
You Like
You don't have to be in the gym to
squat, and you don't even need gym equipment. You can do them at home, at work
or the beach.
If you do a Google search for
"Squat without equipment, I'm sure you will find lots of variations. Try
doing 100 bodyweight squats, and I'm sure you will feel the effects from it.
Even 50 is good enough.
20. Squats Are A Universal Compound
Exercise
Other than dead-lifts, squats are a
mainstream exercise that uses more muscles in the body.
Now It's Your Turn
Now that you have read all the reasons
why you should squat, it's time to add squats to your next workout. It doesn't
matter whether you're a pro bodybuilder or a beginner, you can start squatting
and will notice almost immediate results as long as you stick with it.
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So the challenge is to
sit in the deep squat position for a total of 30 minutes every day for a period
of 30 days. Obviously one should not just stop doing this after 30 days but by
successfully completing this challenge you can be guaranteed to have better
mobility, movement and posture.
The challenge can be
done by anyone and to join the official 30/30 Squat Challenge by Ido Portal
then you should go to the Facebook group and request to join. Once you have
been accepted you can then discuss progress and any other similar issues inside
the Facebook group.
The Rule of the 30/30
Squat Challenge
Rules of thumb:
1. No REST days during
the 30 days.
2. Relaxed spine – no
need to try to remain erect or with neutral spine. Its a RESTING position.
3. Width between the
feet – around shoulder width apart but should be individualized and
experimented with – aim for maximal depth and relaxation.
4. How much feet should
be turned out or should they be facing forward? Don’t let anyone sell you the
idea of ONE perfect position – this should be individualized and experimented
with – aim for maximal depth and relaxation.
5. Knee pain? Hip pain?
stand up and move around. Resume the squat and work in small short bursts of
squatting throughout the day.
6. Footwear? Best –
barefoot. Second best – minimal footwear.
7. Keep your heels on
the floor if possible. If impossible, try a small heel support until you gain
the proper mobility to squat flat foot on the ground.
8. True sign of good
squatting? When you get tired from STANDING – you squat and not vise versa!
True story!
9. How deep should you
squat? There is only one answer – DEEPER.
So if you have not
quite perfect the unassisted deep squat position then it is highly advisable
that you use the above tips in order to help you reach that natural deep squat
and it is very important that you achieve this before diving straight into the
30/30 Squat Challenge.
You will be surprised
how quickly your body will respond to your daily practice of the squat. In a
matter of weeks depending on what squat ability you are starting from you will
find that you will be able to naturally put yourself in the deep squat position
without losing balance and without considerable pain, however it is something
that you must commit yourself to do daily especially if you are intent on
conditioning yourself to take on the 30/30 Squat Challenge. Just remember
practice make perfect and I guarantee with practice your body will respond and
you will be able to perform an unassisted deep squat before long.
Once you have been able
to comfortably find yourself in the deep squat position you should then put
emphasis on holding the correct deep squat. You see when we are young children
we are born with the ability to hold a correct posture since our bodies have
not yet been tainted by the pitfalls of Western society. So what we should do
is take a leaf out of our children’s book by aiming to achieve the flexibility,
mobility and posture that they possess. Have a look at the video above to get
an idea of correct deep squat form.
Once you have
progressed your way to being able to comfortably sit in the deep squat position
you will want to then put your focus further and more advanced deep squat
training. Luckily for you the guru himself Ido Portal has put together a great
Squat Routine 2.0 video that you can follow in order to progress your deep
squat. I personally follow this training video every day and it can takes
around 10 to 15 minutes to complete properly – so what this mean for those of
you taking up the 30/30 Squat Challenge is that after completing this training
routine then you have completed half of your daily challenge. After this daily
squat training routine you will only need to find approximately 15 more minutes
in the day to sit in the deep squat and comfortable fill your daily 30 minute
squat quota.
Simply go along to
Facebook and do a groups search for “30/30 Squat Challenge” and request to the
join the group as a member. You should be added to the group within a day or so
and then you will be able to see all of the comments and discussions from all
of the existing members. At this point in time there are almost 15,000 members
in the group.
If you decide to take
on the 30/30 Squat Challenge then you should take the initiative to comment on
the Facebook group about your ongoing progress whilst undertaking the
challenge. Everyone is encouraged to share their experiences, challenges,
accomplishments and battles with other members in the group. It is also worth
keeping a close eye on what everyone else has to say on the Facebook group
because you will generally learn a lot from other people’s experiences.
If you want to go
straight to the Facebook group from here then please click on this link – 30/30
Squat Challenge – Facebook Group
If you want to find out
more about the movement lifestyle then check out the movement guru himself – Mr
Ido Portal.
So once you have been
able to accomplish the 30/30 Squat Challenge, which by the way will take quite
a bit of practice and progression, after this you will be able to move towards
a whole range of other exercises. Some of these other exercises and movements
that you may want to explore more and consider training for can include:
Correct form air squats
Correct form free
weight squats
Movement exercises
Box jumps
Floreio Art
Capoeira martial arts
The deep squat is such
an important basic movement that should be performed regardless of how light or
rigorous your training schedule is and this is because it is a fundamental
movement and position that the human body should be able to perform at it’s most
basic physical level.
Setting yourself
long-term goals is most likely the best and most sustainable way to improve
your level of performance and reaching your training peaks. Don't be hasty and
take the time needed to master the basics before building upon them. It's
logical, we all know it, and yet, a lot of CrossFit wod and powerlifting
movements are too often performed poorly... So don't undermine the importance
of using suitable weights that allow progress in technique and mobility. And
you'll see the corrective nature of the movements will unquestionably workout
to your advantage.
Strength and
powerlifting are really important in any CrossFit wod, and you can definitely
see it from the athletes performing at the CrossFit games. The movements are based
on essential movement from Powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting and specific
CrossFit movements that you need to know and perform with proper form. Some
people also want to work on them in bodybuilding because it is crucial to
increasing strength & performance (through efficiency) and improving
technique to remain injury-free. Even through hundreds of CrossFit wod or after
a lifetime of bodybuilding, one should remain injury free.
So we recommend working
on your powerlifting basics first: The Deadlift & Squat!
The Deadlift: As
rudimentary as can be, bending down and picking stuff up the ground is probably
the simplest and most used exercise in the world. Anyone training or weight
lifting will want to incorporate it in their gym routine to maximize strength,
and anyone who doesn't train still do it every time they lift something off the
floor. Nonetheless, going heavy should be done with a sound and appropriate
technique.
The Squat: The back
squat, front squat and overhead squat are all compound movements that are
essential to develop powerlifting strength as well as technique and stability.
These skills are also transferable to the other Main Olympic Lifts, making them
even more important in a typical CrossFit wod.
(Includes the Clean
& Jerk, Snatch, Press, Kettlebell work, etc.)
Set-up properly (good
mechanics):
Mobilize your core
before even looking at the bar. The spine always needs to be in good position
before you can transfer force. Simple, but most of us don't ever do it.
I'll admit this is
close to impossible while in a CrossFit wod because the weight lifting is
usually relatively light and the rep count really high, but in powerlifting,
bodybuilding or at the CrossFit games when the weights get really heavy, you'll
see the athletes set up a lot more.
TIP: Standing up,
squeeze your glutes to organize your core section and make sure you don't
overarch your back. Then tighten you abs, breath in just a bit, retighten you
abs a little more and only then reach the bar for the lift.
Visualize each rep:
Visualization helps to
prevent mistakes, increases focus and helps to build on good muscle memory. If
you set up properly and visualize staying tight throughout the movement, you
will definitely lift better while reducing the risk of injuries. This is done
in practice and prepares you for competition, so that when you are at your
training peaks, you get there with good technique, body mechanics, mobility and
posture.
Warm up, don't fatigue:
Wake up you muscles and
don't get exhausted with weight lifting volume that will limit your immediate
strength and make you fall off your training peaks. A good example would be to
do hip raises (or bridges) to make the glutes more responsive before performing
your deadlift. Box jumps before squats are also good practices.
Push the ground:
Keep in mind to push
the ground instead of lifting the bar. It improves stability and keeps your
whole body engaged, squeezing the abs and glutes to widen the gap. This is
especially true in powerlifting or bodybuilding when the weights get heavy.
Work on your
weaknesses:
This is why we do it!
Ideally, you'd want to maintain what you're already good at and work on your
weaknesses: Technique, strength/power, cardio/endurance, range of
motion/flexibility/mobility, etc.
Seek, Target and
Resolve!
We strongly recommend
concentrating on these three aspects in training, using sound and logical data
to do so: Technique * Power * Endurance
1. TECHNIQUE: Learning
appropriate training patterns and muscle memory:
2. POWER: Lifting
faster and heavier:
3. ENDURANCE: Owning
the physical and mental resilience to keep going.
Want to see more
quality articles and videos, visit us at: http://crosstrain.zone/ & keep
training to be the best you can be!
