Tip Choose Your Own Squat Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Training Tip Choose Your Own Squat You have permission to do any type of squat that feels right to you no matter what the squat Nazis say Here' s why by Chris Shugart May 30, 2018September 7, 2022 Tags Squat, Tips, Training The Right Squat May Not Be Right For You We sometimes put artificial limits on ourselves because we're following artificial rules. Here's how it happens: You read an article or book by a respected coach about the best way to squat, and it's very compelling and science-based. You try to do that squat and it feels terrible, even after you spend months working on it, maybe even getting coached. You think, "Well, I guess I just can't squat." The artificial rule is: "There's a best way to squat." The artificial limit is: "Since I can't squat the best way, then I can't squat." But maybe that coach's "best way" is really just the best way to squat for 70% of people who have the same goal. You may not be in that 70%, or maybe that's not even your primary goal. The experts like to use the word anthropometry. That basically refers to things like height, arm length, leg length, torso length, hip width, and all the mathematical ratios between body parts. Humans come in all shapes and sizes, even athletic humans. And one person's "best way to squat" may not be another's. You should definitely read all those great coaches' books and articles. You should definitely attend their seminars. You should definitely test out their advice. Maybe it's perfect you, but maybe not. It doesn't mean that coach sucks, and it doesn't mean you suck. It just means you haven't found YOUR best squat yet. And you're free to shop around at Squat-Mart where you'll find everyday low prices on goblet squats, dumbbell squats, safety-bar squats, Smith machine squats, squat machines, front squats, bottoms-up squats, trap-bar squats... and the list is endless. Yes, the squat is a foundational movement pattern. Your body was made to do it. But there are a whole lot of ways to do it. There are also a lot of folks who mainly just want to build their legs. But they follow the "rules" of coaches who are focused on 1-rep maxes or athletic performance... none of which overlap much with the "I want big legs and defined quads" goal. So make sure your squat guru has the same goal as you. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training Tip The Key to Strong and Healthy Shoulders Follow these two steps and you'll not only build strong delts, you'll keep them healthy. Overhead Press, Powerlifting & Strength, Shoulders, Tips, Training Eric Cressey March 25 Training Tip Full-Contractile Range Tri-Sets No muscle fiber is safe with this training method. Here's how to use it to build wider shoulders. Bodybuilding, Shoulders, Tips, Training Tom MacCormick September 13 Training Deadstop Training Revisited If you're searching for a way to smash a strength plateau in a hurry, try deadstop training. Here’s how to do it. Powerlifting & Strength, Training Lee Boyce April 8 Training Ten Killer Splits Progress stalled? Then you might need a new training split. Here are ten effective ways to organize your training week. Bodybuilding, Training T Nation December 25