My New Favourite Squat

I’ve executed the standard barbell squat my complete life. It’s an incredible train for general lower-body power. I’ve additionally experimented with different squat variations: the entrance squat, the goblet squat, the belt squat.

This 12 months I’ve been doing a squat that’s change into my favourite ever: the Hatfield squat.

I really like this train. I initially switched to it as a result of long-standing issues with cranky shoulders and knee ache had been making the standard barbell squat uncomfortable. The Hatfield squat has made squatting enjoyable and productive once more after years of frustration making an attempt to make the barbell squat work for me. What’s additionally nice concerning the Hatfield Squat is that it’s a superb motion for quad hypertrophy, which traces up properly with my new health purpose of getting extra ripped. It’s been a game-changer in my coaching.

In the event you’ve had hassle with barbell squatting or are on the lookout for a unique squat variation to combine into your programming, right here’s every little thing it’s essential know concerning the Hatfield squat.

What Is the Hatfield Squat and What Are Its Advantages?

The Hatfield squat, named after powerlifting legend Dr. Fred Hatfield, aka Dr. Squat, is a again squat variation that requires a security squat bar, which is a kind of barbell that appears type of like an ox yoke.

Whenever you do the Hatfield squat, you place the security squat bar in your again. Then, as an alternative of holding on to the security squat bar along with your palms, you relaxation your palms on a further barbell or a set of handles which have been positioned at navel stage on the barbell rack. As you descend into the squat, you retain your palms on the assist in entrance of you, utilizing it to take care of your steadiness and an upright torso.

This will increase the soundness of the train, permitting the Hatfield squat to supply some distinctive advantages:

Nice for quad hypertrophy. In the event you’re seeking to develop legs as huge as tree trunks, the Hatfield squat generally is a useful instrument. Its elevated stability permits you to overload your quads greater than a conventional squat. As an alternative of specializing in maintaining your steadiness in the course of the squat, you possibly can simply give attention to the motion, which suggests you generally is a bit extra aggressive in including reps or weight.

Nice for squatting round accidents. Essentially the most important profit that the Hatfield squat has given me is that it has allowed me to squat heavy once more regardless of the niggling bodily points I’ve had on and off for years.

As a result of I’ve shoulder tendonitis as a consequence of bench urgent and battle with shoulder flexibility (regardless of the period of time I’ve labored on creating this capability), the bar place on the standard low-bar squat simply exacerbated my shoulder ache. Since you use a security bar with the Hatfield squat, you don’t have to make use of your palms to carry the bar in your again. It utterly removes the stress in your shoulders.

The Hatfield squat has additionally allowed me to work round some ache I’ve had behind my knee since 2020. The ache solely occurs in the course of the descent a part of a conventional barbell squat. I nonetheless don’t know what the supply of the ache is regardless of speaking to an orthopedic surgeon and getting an MRI executed. I reckon it’s some type of overuse damage on a tendon again there. However at any fee, the elevated stability of the Hatfield squat permits me to squat heavy and beneath parallel with none ache behind my knee.

Individuals with decrease again points have additionally discovered the Hatfield squat useful for squatting with out exacerbating their damage.

Because of the Hatfield squat’s ache discount capability, I’ve additionally been calling them “Midlife Man Squats.”

It’s a nice accent raise for the barbell squat. You don’t have to exchange the standard barbell squat utterly with the Hatfield squat. As an alternative, you should use the Hatfield squat as an adjunct raise in your barbell programming. On deadlift day, you may do the Hatfield squat for 3 units of 8-12 reps for hypertrophy and elevated work capability.

Or you may use the Hatfield squat for overload coaching to construct power and confidence in hoisting heavier weights, doing 3 units of three reps with weight that’s heavier than you sometimes raise on the standard barbell squat.

Right here’s a hypothetical barbell program that might incorporate the Hatfield squat:

Decrease Physique Day A

• Squat 3 x 5 (squat is the primary decrease physique raise)
• Rack pulls 3 x 5 (rack pulls are the accent raise for the deadlift)
• Good mornings 3 x 10

Decrease Physique Day B

• Deadlift 1 x 5 (deadlift is the primary decrease physique raise)
• Hatfield squat 3 x 8-12 (Hatfield squat is the accent raise for the squat)
• Lunges 3 x 12

How you can Carry out the Hatfield Squat

The Hatfield squat is fairly dang simple to carry out. You simply have to get the suitable set-up.

Gear Wanted:

• Security squat bar (SSB)
• Barbell or handles

Place the handles or barbell on the squat rack at about stomach top.

Get underneath the security squat bar and unrack it.

Maintain your palms frivolously on the handles or bar in entrance of you. You’re not utilizing the handles/auxiliary barbell to help in pulling your self up. You’re simply utilizing them to take care of your stability all through the raise.

Squat with an upright torso. The Hatfield squat needs to be executed with an upright torso. You don’t have to bend over such as you do on a low-bar squat.

Decrease your self till barely beneath parallel after which rise again up. Keep in mind, simply use the handles for stability. Don’t use the handles to drag your self up.

Like I stated at first, the Hatfield squat has been a game-changer for me. It’s allowed me to maintain squatting with none ache. In the event you’ve struggled with incorporating the barbell squat into your exercise as a consequence of ache, attempt the Hatfield squat. I believe you’ll most likely prefer it as a lot as I do.

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