How to Squat like an Olympic Weightlifter

[lwst82]

What do you do if you lack the ankle flexibility to do an olympic squat? I cannot do a front squat either without leaning my torso forward. Unfortunately my crossfit coach, as good as he is, thinks I'm doing it right but I know I am not.

[dman519]

@lwst82 Just work on your flexibilty everyday. Stretch your hamstrings, hip flexors, and butt and get into deep squat position and lean onto each ankle to loosen them up. Olympic lifters do some sort of ankle flexibility exercises everyday. Its not like you're weird for not having good ankle flexibility. Everybody has to work on it and keep it up. While you're working on flexibility you can do your "work" squats with plates under your heels to reduce the amount of ankle bend required.

[NPFfumbi]

@lwst82 Get oly shoes.  Olmypic squats are great but you need a fair amount of mobility to do them, which most people lack these days

[vitalik1412]

shi za loh na



[jstrat]

this video is more or less describing good form vs bad. not olympic vs power

[dman519]

@jstrat haha, thats one way to look at it.

[lithdim]

Shit, I don't know if I'm doing OLY or power.

[SgtSlaughter28]

With full respect to OLY lifters and you:The worst thing you could do is masquerade Oly lifting as the 'right' way without reading Mehdi & Rippetoe's take on the low bar squat.In this vid, your group is performing the lowbar squat wrong and then saying it puts pressure on the back?NO KIDDING! Powerlifters know that one can't go A2G with lowbar; that said, breaking parallel is enough(both in terms of ROM and safety to knees etc).Sorry but I've read and experienced more abt the squat than you have

[Gardash111]

@SgtSlaughter28

It's general knowledge that the powerlifter squat puts more pressure on the lowerback. Why? Because that way P-lifters are able to carry more weight on their squat. The weight gets distributed from quads to lowerback. The oly-squat is a more functional and more difficult squat to perform, since quads get blasted. However, since it uses natural ROM (look at children playing in the sand, all Oly-squats!) it's also safer. I have yet to see a oly-lifter with knee-injuries.

[Gardash111]

@SgtSlaughter28

No disrespect to powerlifters, but it's just a whole different ball game.

[ELIASGTR]

wow

power squat definitely involves more back extension motion

im slowly transofrming from the power squat to the olympic squat

a big deficit ive noticed is olympic squat need way more flexibility

ive dropped down to the bar to do the olympic squat

its is alot more difficult to me but baby steps :)

[anonymous1542]

Voice is too boring

[fukidomev2]

best for athletes???

[Grumpus3]

To everybody who has read SS: please remember that there are multiple ways to squat with good form, and Rippetoe's method is not universally accepted.

[ELIASGTR]

@Grumpus3 i showed rippetoes method to a olympic weightlifter. he went apeshit lol

[Zlaterrr]

Where is the hip drive? The only thing you do is to lift your chest from the hole.

[DAVnKEV]

i find power squats get ur back more than ur glutes and legs tired

[Su7phin]

Do you still initiate the movement from your hips as in a low bar squat?

[SLITTHROAT13]

thanks man nice vid, but theres a weird buzzing sound i nthe vid kinda annoying. also you didn't mention the difference i nthe stance of those 2 types. power squat tends to have a wider than shouldwith stance while olympic shoulder with stance.

[CrossFitChesapeake]

@SLITTHROAT13 true we did leave that off

[4thaloveofgod]

would olympic lifts be any good to do with boxing? because i want to build explosiveness and power in my punches

[mikasd9]

olympic lifts are good for anything athletic

[CrossFitChesapeake]

@4thaloveofgod The lift would help with your punches. The lift give you more power in your core, hip and legs. Making your foundation a lot stronger. This would allow your lower body to be balanced and solid so the punches you do throw count. Sorry for the late reply.

[mikasd9]

@4thaloveofgod it would make you stronger, so yes.

[Steems2008]

What's ur opinion on low bar squats?

[CrossFitChesapeake]

@Steems2008 A low bar back squat is basically the same as the power squat. Having the bar lower on your back causes you body to support the weight differently. I don't have a problem with people doing a low bar squat at all. But if you are looking to Olympic weightlift the Snatch and the Clean are related to the high bar or Olympic Squat. The Olympic Squat gets the bar used to an upright torso and more flexibility in the hips and ankles.

[CrossFitChesapeake]

@CrossFitChesapeake The Olympic Squat gets YOU used to an upright torso and more flexibility in the hips and ankles.

[SuperVirk1]

i used to do power squats but i tried doing olympic squats and i prefer olympic squats more. My weight went down from power to olympic because i had to perfect the form but it was well worth it. i recommend doing olympic squats

[onkosse]

that "power squat" would not pass in the IPF.....

[Tekkenspook]

Thanks for this. Will try this variation at the gym next time.

[janthonyf1]

Thank you so much for this video! Very informative.

[vaj99]

can u go heavier with a power Squat then an olympic squat?

[CrossFitChesapeake]

Its all dependent your body style and comfort. When looking for just strength the majority of people go for the power squat. But there are some very good power lifters that have more of an Olympic style squat. The Olympic Squat can be just as strong as the power squat, with the right training (as with all things). But if your focus is Olympic lifting anybody should be sport specific, and go with the Olympic style.

[vaj99]

If i can do say 400pounds in a powersquat position, how much should i do olympic squat position.

[CrossFitChesapeake]

It depends on how well you can Olympic Squat. It is a different way of squatting, and takes practice. If you don't do it regularly you wont be close to your max. If you can do it correctly you will be right around your max. There is no way to tell how much you would Squat.