Squat and Deadlift Mobility

[ZiR RED]

I walked into the gym today and the staff member who swiped my card said "Squatting today?" To which I replied, "yes, how did you know?" He said "I saw the lifting belt" Then, after a moment of awkward deep thought he said "I feel bad for you". Politely I replied, "I feel bad you don't know the pleasure attained with deep heavy squats".

That brings us to our activation/mobility exercise of the session. Below is a video of deep squat extension rotations. These are a great way to increase hip and adductor mobility needed for deep squatting. You also get the deep core and t-spine extensors activated that are needed to maintain a rigid posture during the squat. Getting into the position, and the squat to stands at the end are very good prior to deadlifts for increasing mobility in the hips and training the flat back posture needed during heavy deads.

[Sean1332]

Thank you for that

[bmftisftw]

i will be trying this

[machorox123]

Did he have anything to say after that?


You should see if yu can get a section on the forum to get all these vids up

[ZiR RED]

I've been posting them along side training video's in my log as well. The title of the log is "Its about dominance" or something to that extent.

Br

[Sean1332]

Ive been following your videos recently and enjoy the information. I have an off topic question but relative to squat and deadlift if you don't mind answering...

What's your best method for recovery for heavy squats and deadlifts in terms of immediate post workout? I run through all your generic stretches and foam rolling but I didn't know if you had any new tricks. What are your thoughts on inversion therapy?

If you've already posted something on this I apologize; I haven't had the chance to watch all your videos yet.

[Torobestia]

What if you can't get into that position?

[ZiR RED]

Ive been following your videos recently and enjoy the information. I have an off topic question but relative to squat and deadlift if you don't mind answering...

What's your best method for recovery for heavy squats and deadlifts in terms of immediate post workout? I run through all your generic stretches and foam rolling but I didn't know if you had any new tricks. What are your thoughts on inversion therapy?

If you've already posted something on this I apologize; I haven't had the chance to watch all your videos yet.

Probably a good cool down would be most effective, with some foam rolling later on in the day, and depending on what your goals are maybe some ice and heat therapy. Lying with your legs up for a while will help with fluid retention and as well, although the cool down should take care of that as well.

[ZiR RED]

What if you can't get into that position?

What is the issue preventing you? And slowly just work your way down to it.

[bdcc]

What if you can't get into that position?

Gray Cook uses a deep squat movement progression you can check out.

One of the stages involves putting your hands on blocks rather than on the floor. I had success when I used this.

You can read the section in his book, 'Athletic Body in Balance' on Google Books. Search for deep squat progression within the text, pages 63 onwards.

[Torobestia]

Gray Cook uses a deep squat movement progression you can check out.

One of the stages involves putting your hands on blocks rather than on the floor. I had success when I used this.

You can read the section in his book, 'Athletic Body in Balance' on Google Books. Search for deep squat progression within the text, pages 63 onwards.

Thanks man. I'll check that out.

Zir, my issue is when I grab my feet and try to squat down, I stop really, really high. Whenever I've stretched my groin and abductors for squatting, I would normally grab onto the side of a power rack and then squat down like that. Doing this, I don't have issues.

[Rodja]

Ive been following your videos recently and enjoy the information. I have an off topic question but relative to squat and deadlift if you don't mind answering...

What's your best method for recovery for heavy squats and deadlifts in terms of immediate post workout? I run through all your generic stretches and foam rolling but I didn't know if you had any new tricks. What are your thoughts on inversion therapy?

If you've already posted something on this I apologize; I haven't had the chance to watch all your videos yet.

BW unilateral thigh (e.g. walking lunges, Bulgarian split squats) helps to loosen the hips up and gets some extra bloodflow to the quads. Just a set or two is plenty provided the ROM is done properly.

[ZiR RED]

Thanks man. I'll check that out.

Zir, my issue is when I grab my feet and try to squat down, I stop really, really high. Whenever I've stretched my groin and abductors for squatting, I would normally grab onto the side of a power rack and then squat down like that. Doing this, I don't have issues.

Tight hamstrings and overactive hip flexors would be my guess. Perhaps also some underactivation of the deep spinal extensors and intrinsic core muscles.

[Sean1332]

Thank you gents

[napalm]

Jason, I tried these yesterday. I can get to the bottom no problem and can hold my feet. I don't have the flexibility to get my arm behind my body when reaching back though. Tight pec and shoulders are the likely culprits. shoulders are whack after 5 surgeries, but i'm doing door stretches to try to loosen the pecs

any other ideas?

[ZiR RED]

Jason, I tried these yesterday. I can get to the bottom no problem and can hold my feet. I don't have the flexibility to get my arm behind my body when reaching back though. Tight pec and shoulders are the likely culprits. shoulders are whack after 5 surgeries, but i'm doing door stretches to try to loosen the pecs

any other ideas?

Door stretches, lat stretches, and form roll the lats, pecs and pec minor.

You might also be lacking some thoracic mobility and that's why its difficult to reach back (ie. rotate and extend the t-spine)

[rambo679]

I foam roll my lats, but when I try to foam roll my Pecs I feel like I'm doing it wrong.
I don't really feel anything, I tried using a lacrosse ball, and I can make it hurt, but I feel like I'm doing it with no pattern.

[ZiR RED]

Try it with a tennis or lacrosse ball on the wall. I copied these instructions for my SMR manual

Set-up
�� Stand next to a wall and place a tennis ball on the wall at chest height.
�� Push your pecs into the ball to hold it in place.
Performance
�� With the tennis ball pinned between your pecs and the wall, roll it back and forth. It may help to work in small sections as the tennis ball doesn’t have a large circumference.
�� Roll for 30–60 seconds, and then switch sides.
�� To increase the intensity, horizontally abduct and externally rotate the arm to place the pectoralis major on stretch.
Alternate Modalities
�� Use a harder ball to increase the pressure.

[ZiR RED]

You'll look silly doing these walks, but they are an excellent way to activate the three glutei muscles. Maintain the whole foot in contact with the floor and the feet facing forward at hip width apart.

[ZiR RED]

Use this exercise to activate and strengthen the gluteus maximus. Keep the core engaged and forcefully extend the hips.