LEAVE A COMMENT! Ask me anything! Hope you guys are enjoying this series. A new series on exercise selection comes next! Unfortunately the SSB card I created didn’t transfer in the app I was using and I didn’t notice during recording. For those wondering, SSB I would rank C tier. I know I know… lol I just think it’s too back dominant and especially for low bar squatters has minimal carryover. For HB it’s B tier. By no means a bad exercise, just an average one! Let me know if you guys have any questions or videos requests here!
I started doing high bar squats again after spending almost two years only doing low bar... was tough to get back into them, but they did absolute wonders for my low bar/comp squat. They were also surprisingly fun to do once I got a feeling for them again. So I'm definitely sticking with them going forward, especially during volume phases.
Another great video as always. I'd put pause squat in S tier, not only are they great to improve the movement and the strength in the deep squat position, it's just fckng badass to stay like 2sec in a squat position with an insane amount of weight on the back, and then just stand up.
1 thing i liked about chains, is they taught me how to get through the sticking point. I learned really quickly that squatting with my chest up was the only way i was finishing the squat when the weight of those chains started coming off the floor.
18:56 Dan Green also recently said the Front Squat was a main driver of his back squat AND his sumo. Mirrors my thoughts on the lift We should judge lifts when done skillfully and not when they’re done terribly. Most powerlifters just don’t have the patience to properly learn them, which is fair, but that’s mostly user error to your point
Couldn’t agree more man. A lot of dan green’s stuff influenced me a ton. Training around him was wild lol he has some crazy ideas. He doesn’t believe in “rpe” and says you should just push hard every time minus when you’re retraining 😂 I think for Dan this works hahaha but then basically everything he says about exercise selection I’ve found to be so true. He’s the reason I do so many heavy variations from RDLs to front squats
I feel Zercher squats honestly carryover more to the deadlift than the squat. From a strongman perspective, I think they benefit quite a bit. From a powerlifting perspective, good to spice things up every now and then as a deadlift accessory and have a little fun
Bro, where u been? Have i just been missing your uploads? I can't wait to dig into this 1. But on another note, have u thought about opening another channel? I know you're probably hesitant to get too much into metaphysics on a PL channel. But i would love to hear how your philosophical leanings effect your views on other aspects of life.
Brendan, thanks for the quality content again. Sorry if I missed any of these - i already have guesses -, but would you mind give us/me 3 capital letters for the following variations: pause high bar, SSB, paused SSB?
Read my pinned comment for SSB! As far as paused HB it really isn’t that different from HB other than prolonged time under tension in the hole. This will increase quad demand even more and slightly limit upper back demand since load is reduced on the ascent. So same rating of S tier but different purpose. Same for SSB, just prolongs time in the hole however it’s still so back dominant I’d rate it C tier! There’s a reason you don’t see elite squatters using SSB often in all feds these days!
@BrendanTietz I mean, his teachings were geared towards geared and "geared" powerlifters. Not very useful for raw lifters, or natty guys. Have had some more modern Westside teachings use a volume day instead of dynamic, but that's really just DUP...
I like speed work! I’ve had good success with it on a secondary deadlift day (conventional) in the first 1-2 blocks of a 3 week meet prep. But…. Don’t need accommodating resistance to do it haha. Just do some sets of 3-5 with 65% ish percent. Obviously it’s all about intent and trying to move them as fast as possible.
1 arm assisted split squats are MONEY! JM blakely didnt like speed work, Train/practice for what you intend on accomplishing...An all-out 1 rep max attempt $. Great stuff Brendan.
I'm a front squats fan, mainly because if I do them once a week I don't have any neck pain at all. Strongman competitors use these to build their squat, OHP, deadlift, loading, front carries etc...etc... Etc.... The front squat has very broad carryover, it builds dummy strength. In powerlifting it's used in the specific case of a lifter tipping over during a squat as you said. So it's utility might be more limited in powerlifting. However, it makes you better at everything else in life. If we are being totally honest, most people don't like front squats because they are hard af. I see them as an exercise where it's easy to do something that's hard enough to be productive without burning in the sun from fatigue.
They're not true Platz squats, but I've been doing my high bar and front squat work with VersaLifts added into my already heeled Tyr shoes (insole doesn't come out so just on top, they don't move around), gives an extra 1/2" on top of 21mm heel rise of the shoe. Really wish I'd gotten them sooner, they're amazing. I got the strength version which are a denser material, don't notice any give on heavy lifts. Front squats especially feel amazing. Can drop into the hole so confidently and drive primarily through my quads. Never used to get a great mind muscle connection to the quads on front squats, always felt my upper back go first. My program has me doing them for sets of 10 right now, knees feel great. I would add they're also great for Hack squats. Right now doing only some strength maintenance work on the big 3 and the rest bodybuilding.
I think your argument for using machines in place of hatfields pretty much makes the case of when to use em - when the athlete doesn’t have access to machines or good machines.
Hi Brendan, have you any thoughts on programming around past acute injury? For example, for my case its one bad knee (ligament tear + sprain) and both with overuse before. Or is it really a case of continuous monitoring, trial and error? Thanks for the brain gains as always
Hey Brendan and other lifters. Couple of things, since moving to High bar I've found achieving progression extremely hard I'm running very basic programs linear SS and texas style workouts and for the life of me I never get stronger any advice? Back when I did PL training my low bar flew week to week. Am I missing something?
Those are bad programs imo. You were just younger and making easy noob progress regardless of program. Change the program, not the bar position. Also make sure you’re on top of a recovery. Huge red flag that you aren’t progressing at all, sounds like recovery mixed with program. They coalesce
Shit idk why that card didn’t download, I actually made a slide for it. SSB would be C tier for raw squats. Has minimal carryover to the raw squat imo as it’s so back dominant. For high bar squatters it’s B tier!
@@BrendanTietz My experience with the SSB is that it's definitely A-tier, even for raw squats. Saves the elbows a ton, and really strengthens the back and core during the squat -and the squat is a back/core limited lift. My son was doing a ton of them to deal with elbow issues. He then got a high level USAPL coach who didn't program them (probably thought of them the same way you did). My son's squat strength definitely went down a bit. Especially his ability to walk out heavier weight. It may be because he squats low bar, but has shorter legs and a longer torso, so he needs to keep a more vertical position to hit depth while not getting folded over. Heavy GMs have been good as well. He's a 750 raw squatter and just did 915 at a meet in single ply. He's a 23 yo super heavyweight.
