A conversation I’ve had countless times with clients, both young and old, centers around exercise selection. More specifically, exercises they have either been instructed “not to do” or are simply fearful of for lack of experience/education. I must preface what you are about to read with the understanding that I am not a medical professional; therefore, please consult your provider(s) before taking any advice you read on the internet, including mine.

What I am referring to are movements such as the squat and deadlift. Several individuals I train come to me bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, excited to begin their journey, but with the caveat that their doctor or chiropractor told them to avoid squats and deadlifts. While I don’t necessarily agree with this, I always try to hear the person out and get more information. From there, I start asking questions. Frequently, I’ll ask the potential trainee, “What type of squats/deadlifts did they say not to do?”. I often get the answer, “All of them, I guess?”. With that, we then get to have a long, fun conversation.

The truth of the matter is that I can respect a doctor telling somebody to avoid squats or deadlifts because they will likely go and try a barbell back squat or deadlift with too much weight and poor mechanics their first time in the gym anyway. It’s often easier to instruct somebody to avoid them all together, so there is no temptation to do something potentially harmful, but banning squatting and deadlifting for life is impossible. Squats and deadlifts are simply just movement patterns, like all exercises, that we happen to perform every day without even thinking about it. We squat to get in and out of chairs, get down and up from the ground, get in and out of car, etc. We deadlift or “hip hinge” to pick things up from the floor, bend over to wash our faces, pet our dogs, etc. We can certainly do these things with poor form, and while some people do occasionally hurt themselves with these tasks, it is not as frequent because there is little to no load attached to the movement.

If we apply this principle in the gym setting, then we can train most movements safely with the appropriate load. Not only “can we,” but WE MUST. Everybody should be able to squat, hip hinge, lunge, push, pull, and carry things for their entire life. The question is, how exactly do we do this safely? Below are some scalable progressions and regressions of the squat pattern to show how anybody can safely and effectively perform this movement.

Movement 1: Squat

– Advanced: Barbell Back Squat

o The barbell back squat is one of the most advanced squatting movements (only behind the overhead squat), which requires the individual to maintain a neutral spine, keep the feet in contact with the floor, and engage the proper core stabilizing muscles to execute effectively. This is, unfortunately, where too many people begin attempting to squat when in reality, they should be trying something far more simple.

– Moderately Advanced: Barbell Front Squat

o The barbell front squat is a fantastic movement, one that is a bit less challenging than the barbell back squat because it forces one to stay upright with the load being in front and incurs far less axial loading. One of the major complaints about this exercise for most people is the discomfort in the shoulders, elbows, and/or wrists from holding the bar up; however, most individuals can become proficient in this movement with enough practice.

– Moderate: Kettlebell or Dumbbell Goblet Squat

o The beautiful part about this exercise is that it is much like the front squat where the load is in front of you, forcing you to stay upright, but far less stress is placed on the elbow/wrist joints, and a very light amount of weight can be used. Focus on keeping the weight tight to your chest, bending the knees over the middle of the feet, and keeping the chest upright; I do this exercise myself still to this day as a stand-alone or warm-up for a barbell back squat. It is very easy to achieve competency in this movement, and most people can begin doing this within their first few training sessions.

– Easy: Assisted Wall Squats

o This exercise is a great way to begin learning the proper squat depth and body awareness while being safe. No load is required, and it can be done from nearly everywhere, including holding on to a squat rack, countertop, or railing. You want to be inside an arm’s length from the door and use the supporting apparatus as little as possible, but begin where you are comfortable. If this is still a bit too difficult, simply placing a chair or bench behind you while performing this movement as a target or safety net is a great option too.

Summary:

Executing movement patterns such as the squat and hip hinge are practical activities of daily living for most individuals, which is why it is essential to train them to some capacity. Everybody can find an option that works for their current state of fitness and should strive to improve themselves on a weekly basis. The progression/regression of a squat pattern displayed above is only one such example, with many other options in between. This can be done for nearly every basic movement, and with the proper exercise selection, everybody can train safely and effectively. My greatest piece of advice to you is to find a training professional who can help you by performing a movement screen and prescribing a plan that suits your needs which will ultimately propel you forward. Happy training!