How to Fix an UGLY Squat! (ONE MOVE)

Want to get a stronger squat with less low back or hip pain along the way? Try this simple squat tip. This is the single best squat tip I can give you if you want to increase your squat pain free, and the best part is, it’s quick and easy to implement.

The problem with most squat tutorials is that they provide tips that are difficult to integrate into your movement once you put weight on the bar. This is because they are asking you to focus on areas of the legs or feet that are hard to control or move with precision into proper position.

Here, I’m going to make it extremely easy for you.

Focus just on your chest and pelvis.

This is easy to do since these two areas of the body are large and very controllable.

When you descend into a squat you want to make sure that your chest and pelvis are moving down at the same time. The hips will naturally drop back to allow for hip flexion but the timing of their movement will be together with the chest or breast bone.

While this may seem rather easy to control during the descent, it does get much more challenging on the way up. In fact, not getting this right leads directly to the dreaded Squat Morning which is a bad mashup between the squat and good morning exercise that places far too much stress on your lower back.

Once in the bottom of the hole, your only thought should be to rise straight up out of there by moving your hips and chest up at the same time. Far too often, people lead with their hips. They move their pelvis first which often causes it to shoot backwards which throws your torso forward and places strain on the lumbar paraspinal muscles.

Instead, visualize your chest or sternum and your pelvis initiating the upward movement at the same exact time. This will lead to an explosive drive out of the bottom of the squat that should be simple to maintain throughout the rest of the range of motion since you would be past the sticking point already at the bottom. What makes this even easier is the fact, like I pointed out, that the hips and chest are easy places to control. You do not need a lot of proprioceptive control in order to be not only aware of the position of these in space but also to move them in synch with each other.

Not only does this prevent the de-segmentation that leads to the uglier versions of the squat but it also allows you to maintain a straight bar path. Having a straight up and down path of the bar during the squat is a critical requirement of perfect squat form. Any deviation forward or backward of the bar will lead to compensation in some of the joints (either the hips, ankles, knees or lower back) that can cause breakdown over time.

So next time you step under the barbell and prepare to squat, make sure you focus on the chest and pelvis moving together and I promise you will see an increase in your squat weight and an improvement in your form right away.

For more tips on how to squat with perfect form and to make sure you get the most out of every exercise you do, be sure to stay tuned to this channel and remember to subscribe so that you never miss another video from a physical therapist with a pro sports background as a PT and strength coach.

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Jeff Cavaliere MSPT, CSCS served as both the head physical therapist and assistant strength coach for the New York Mets. Jeff earned his Masters of Physical Therapy and Bachelor’s of Physioneurobiology from the College of Health Sciences University of Connecticut Storrs. He is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).