Prepping for a Heavy Squat

Someone posted a question the other day: How do you prepare for a heavy lift (squat)

I figured I’d share a few of my thoughts…

1. Heavy walkouts are a good tool to prep you for the heavier weights
2. Sometimes I’ll do a ‘feeler set’. If supposed to do 500×5, I may do 500×1 to prime the body and CNS for that weight. If doing singles at progressive weights, I may do the first weight twice.
It helps me dial in the technique.
3. Technique. ‘It doesn’t matter how heavy it feels’ applies to squats more than any other lift, IMHBCO. Whether it feels heavy or not, keeping your technique dialed in makes the difference when the weight starts getting heavy
It takes confidence to attack a heavy lift
You have to attack it to complete it without your technique going all to hell…
All that being said, lifting heavy is a skill. You have to practice and get good at it. In competition, you’re not going to warm up to your opener, and you need the confidence to attack your attempts even when they feel heavy as shit.