Executing a Powerful Squat

The squat seems simple enough – get under a heavy bar, squat down and stand back up. There are, however, many nuances to the lift that affect your ability to generate great power. The approach described here emphasizes lifting for maximum strength and power and it starts the moment you grip the bar and step under. To execute a powerful squat you must be methodical in your execution. Perform every movement precisely whether it is a light warmup or a heavy competition lift.

• Set up for every set deliberately and with precision.
• Treat every rep from your lightest warmup to your heaviest working set with the same rigor.
• Lift every rep with maximum speed and explosiveness. It doesn’t matter how fast the rep actually is, try to make the next one faster.

That all sounds good, but what are the actual things you need to do, what do these power movements look like?