Beyond the Back Squat: Three Ways to Load a Squat That Feel Better in Your Body

About this episode

This episode explores alternative squat techniques that may be more beneficial for different body types than the traditional back squat.

There’s a piece of squat history I find genuinely interesting, and it changes how you think about the whole exercise. The back squat — the version most people mean when they say “squats” — was essentially invented by a man who loaded the bar in the bottom position. He’d get under it from below, set himself, and stand up. The movement began from the floor. That’s very different from what we do now: stand under a racked bar, unrack it onto your back, and then descend into the squat. The setup has been reversed. And setup dictates everything — how you sense the load, what your body does with it, how the whole thing feels. This isn’t an argument against back squatting. It’s an argument for noticing that the back squat isn’t the only way to squat under load, and that for many bodies, it isn’t even the best one. Here are three alternatives I use regularly — two with a barbell, one with a sandbag — along with a detail about the feet that makes all of them work better. The Zercher Squat You take the bar in the crook of your elbows rather than across your back. I like to get into it from the bottom: squat down, rest the bar on your thighs, slide your elbows underneath, and stand up. Come…

People in this episode

Host: Jenn Pilotti

Topics covered

• squat variations
• exercise technique
• body mechanics
• fitness alternatives
• strength training

Keywords

• Zercher squat
• sandbag squat
• back squat
• exercise history
• body alignment
• fitness
• strength training

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