The GREATEST Squat Tutorial (feat. 2019 World's Strongest Man Martins Licis)

[@SquatUniversity]

This is a #SquatUclub post! As soon as I upload a new video, "like" it and comment with the hashtag #SquatUclub ASAP. I'll pick amongst those who do so within 1 hour of the video going live and pick one winner to start working on whatever you need help with (squat technique, an achy hip, help with back pain during deadlifts, etc). You must be SUBSCRIBED to my KZbin channel for a chance to win. Turning on notifications by clicking the little bell next to the SUBSCRIBE button on my channel will make sure you can be first in line to win every time! I’ll reply under the winners comment - so make sure you keep up on your notifications!

[@Mazza95]

Can you address the comments about his butt-wink? I noticed this too and was hoping you would clarify this or say something about it in the video? In my opinion he is lacking some ankle mobility which is causing the buttwink at the bottom, Is this correct ?

[@michaelkulman7095]

Came to the comments just to see if others saw "butt wink"...

[@christianoliver361]

Wreck-it Ralph and Fix-It Felix

[@brettsnyder5858]

omg hahahaha too perfect

[@no.yankee.no.brim1]

Why

[@epicfighter7653]

Lol

[@andreagayle7510]

I’m trying to drink my coffee

[@DOKTORPUSZ]

Underrated comment

[@HarmanHundal01]

Cues: 1. Knees bend but don’t move until the hips have crossed halfway the distance between the hips and the knees. 2. When pushing up try to push the bar through the roof so that chest and glutes rise at the same rate. Start by imagining that you are in a leg press machine pressing the floor away. 3. Retract the shoulders and tighten the back. Create a shelf for the barbell. Brace your core. Core is not just the abdomen, it includes the sides of the abdomen, the chest and the back. 4. Initiate with your hips and try to reach the wall at the back 5. Try to rip the floor apart with your feet 6. Get stiff before you walk out with the barbell, don’t lose stiffness when you walk out 7. Barbell should always be over the mid foot and should move up and down in a straight line 8. You should drive your elbows downward instead of flaring them, especially up if you have issues with the barbell moving forward causing your chest to move forward. This helps keep the spine create and also keeps the lats packed and tight.

[@nobodyfour1686]

0:47

[@hudontraining9726]

How can you dislike this type of content that’s FREE. Keep it up

[@birdman9860]

What do you mean there are no dislikes!

[@JohnSmith-om6tf]

@@birdman9860 KZbin famously removed the dislike count in November 2021. It used to be visible, not anymore.

[@AurallWow]

The way Martins described trying to hold up a building with his back helped me greatly improve my form today, as well as the tip on how to tighten your stomach area. Managed to do much cleaner reps at a greater weight by the end of my training, compared to where I was stuck at. You two are the best, thank you for sharing your knowledge!

[@SquatUniversity]

You're so welcome!

[@Scottyhutch1]

Great to hear an American video talking metrics.

[@johnfrench4137]

Martins seems to have a really good grasp of the human body and biomechanics. Definitely the stand out personality in strength sports. Probably the only strongman who's training tips help every day lifters.

[@ryanrogers8211]

Nick Best has great tips for the common man as well.

[@timh9497]

I've learned so much over the last handful of years from Martins. When the world's strongest man gives you advice...listen up folks.

[@nachtwaandler]

You fit perfect together to create usefull content. Keep doing!

[@SquatUniversity]

I appreciate it! Glad you're enjoying the content we make!

[@PimoAn01]

A trick I learned from Elite FTS some years ago that helped me learn how to raise the back and hips evenly is to set up on your squat with an empty bar and squat with no hands balancing the barbell on your back without letting it move or roll off.

[@erich8456]

I have a bad anterior pelvic tilt (from sitting for work). I've been over-arching when I squat. I actually need to adjust my hips first, and put myself into a somewhat posterior pelvic tilt - just to obtain neutrality. I'm working with a performance physical therapist who helped me understand what's happening to my body when I try to squat.

[@owenattard3286]

Perfect duo - keep it going

[@fiffo416]

they live on the two opposite sides of a continent though :(

[@SquatUniversity]

Thanks for the support Owen!

[@RufusEatsCheese]

So useful, and great to see the elite getting their coaching. Thanks for your whole series 🙏🏻 I’m working on my squats and going right back to basics has made a huge difference.

[@thomasbitsch5488]

Oh my god, i have whatched Athlean-X for some time. But your videos are easier to understand. At least for me. Good job and thank you so much for your effort. I'm 15 and there is a lot to know about squatting so thank you!

[@marym6613]

Tips to tighten your abs and back were it for me!!! Once I learned this and kept it in mind throughout the squat, the butt wink went away and I felt so strong! Thank you so much!

[@viktoriakireeva5860]

But he seems to have a very pronounced butt wink.. or am I wrong?

[@wjhohn]

@@viktoriakireeva5860 I thought the same thing

[@vaffak]

@@viktoriakireeva5860 i was thinking the same thing

[@ryanrogers8211]

the butt wink certainly has not hindered his performance.

[@scorch_d62]

Not to necro, but I was thinking the exact same thing. I had a free "movement assessment" by a local guy, and I was 'diagnosed' with butt wink. Never caused me any problems before in training, but I ran it by my strength coach who basically came back with this. Martins won WSM and he has a pronounced butt wink, along with other high-level competitors. Coach's take was butt wink is "bad" in the context of an overall weak squat. Usually, other things are also going wrong in that case, like poor bar path, unequal weight distribution, etc. That supports my own anecdote at least. If the only symptom is the butt wink itself, I currently believe it may be anatomy...

[@Fammyy.]

SU are doing an amazing job with Martinez👏🏽 It’s good that he’s finally found someone/a team that can actually help with his injuries; this dude has so much potential still

[@aparsharma5571]

Is it just me or anyone else noticed,butt wink of Martin's?

[@Cryptocurrency1O1]

Great great great video 💪 Watch the video again and again there's so much great information in it

[@yeshayahbenisrael6068]

Great video. Martins seems like a really humble guy.

[@rob-boticscalisthenicshome6355]

Your content is so on point it's insane. Brilliant. Please do one on deadlifting.

[@SquatUniversity]

Thank you!

[@Harry_16710]

Your tips for combating valgus knees have been awesome. "It's a symphony!" 💪

[@ahleenlupo7421]

Thank you for mentioning the miss of the knees, not going past the toes. Perhaps it’s because I have the skeletal structure of a woman that that might be more of a possibility when I get to a deep squat, but I love how you say first your knees simply be do not move forward, but as you’re squatting down, they may drift over the toe

[@thetechnician832]

7:32 Great video. I notice that when I am coming up there is a tendency to lean forward. Will try with elbows pointing down. One of the best squat videos I have seen. Great channel.👌

[@ByteNinja-YT]

Doesn't he have a lot of butt wink? When i squat like that i get a lot of pain in my lower back

[@kadijaish]

Don't squat with butt wink, some people can get away with it, a lot will get herniated disc

[@taladiv3415]

I too think that I saw butt-wink.

[@skandalbanker]

Like Alan Thrall, imo. Buttwink, yes. Can't be healthy.

[@theFitProfessor]

Indeed. But as long as he feels confortable I think that is fine. I am just like you, butt wink is my enemy.

[@FieldBoy111]

Doesn't hamstring length/flexibility play a big role in this?

[@cerium58]

Pulling your elbows down, thats gold right there!

[@nickstorey7643]

The 32 people that disliked this are quarter squatters that refuse to address they’re mobility issues

[@ryanrogers8211]

Martins has one of the most beautiful squat forms.

[@dp4831]

Such an awesome presentation by both! The knowledge of these two in lifting and biomechanics shows through. PhDs for both!

[@johnmckeron3663]

Great information on squats’ which I like doing

[@bradyhicks5994]

This is great stuff. Felt much better just remembering the cue to stay tight even before taking the weight off the rack, looking forward to implementing the rest of the cues.

[@Pedrinho2.10]

#SquatUclub Thanks for the excellent content! The "How to Perform a PERFECT Squat" video came in due time: I smashed my PR one day later. I'm eager for the next leg day to put all these cues to work! At age 37, I'm only now learning how to squat correctly. Until last year, I couldn't even squat a single rep with my bodyweight only. My sports career took its toll on my knee health, and I thought I'd be limited for good. Thankfully, I came across great content creators like you that spread scientific knowledge! Now I'm performing exercises that I previously (thought I) couldn't. Best of all: pain-free. I'm 6'11" and weigh 253lbs. My squat PR is at 180lbs, and my deadlift is at 270lbs. I understand it's a learning curve, and I'm excited. I would appreciate your mentoring, Dr. Aaron Horschig!

[@louisarroyo5255]

Great stuff man hoping you have an awesome lifting career, it only goes up from here. Cheers mate

[@Pedrinho2.10]

@@louisarroyo5255 that's kind of you, mate: thank you.

[@Slumppy]

@@Pedrinho2.10 Nice done bro, keep going on!

[@Pedrinho2.10]

@@Slumppy thanks a ton for the support, pal!

[@SquatUniversity]

Nice work!

[@1avdwgn]

Thank you very much ... I love this stuff ....

[@nigelthomas8315]

I had elbow pain in Squat and I OHP with Olympic Bar before squatting it cleared up

[@patrickklepper3641]

Please do a video regarding knee movement/tracking during the squat to elaborate on things discussed around the 7:30 mark. i.e. do the shins stay vertical and knees no longer move once the hips are above parallel during concentric portion? My knees are usually always sore (above and to the outside of the kneecap. quad tendon area). I feel this is because I'm knee dominate and they take over once the hips are above parallel on the concentric portion.

[@theearchetype]

F****** nailed it in the first minute

[@Timberwolfe7]

#SquatUclub videos have fixed so many of my aches and pains from lifting and Crossfit. I had a number of “chronic” aches and pains that I thought would never go away. Our Crossfit coach mentioned #SquatUclub in class one day. I started watching his various videos on each issue I had. One by one they disappeared. This guy is awesome!!

[@charlesw9875]

This is terrific. Thanks a heap.

[@kevint4913]

This is a great episode. It is exceptionally helpful for my technique. Thanks!!

[@srdjanjovanovic3313]

Great video , valuable content , nice explanation ! You are making the best educational videos without a doubt !

[@wjhohn]

I know this is an old video. But I have to ask. Is there any issue with his lower back rounding at the bottom of his squat? That is what I struggle with the most, and usually walk away with slight low back pain from it. I was really surprised to see his low back rounds some too.

[@randallnefdt4963]

I was thinking the same and the also suffer from pain of butt wink, which seems to be present in his squat here too! I thought I was the only one noticing it

[@celticrain8170]

Exactly the video I wanted to see.

[@jelugo77]

Maybe he corrects as weights get heavier, but in the hole the bar is slightly in front of his midfoot and causes the bar path to have a slight curve as the weight shoots slightly forward out of the bottom and he adjusts by shifting his back angle in the 2nd half of the movement. He would need to either be slightly more upright or have the bar a bit lower on his back.

[@rockmusica5]

The tilt he has at the bottom, is that butt wink? I do a similar movement when I squat and I'm unsure if I should be concerned about it

[@Impulse_28]

I have the same question

[@andygeo7203]

After this video i feel like i need to get a bachelor's degree to squat

[@travisanderson8458]

Masters actually.

[@starpooper1681]

It's not far from truth.

[@Shahrukhsa]

Leg press cue is gold

[@EsteHogweed]

Love the video, its all so helpfull even after all this long body knowing Journey some uf us are, ty.

[@BoeserWolf1977]

Hmmm, from the side Martins is showing a significant buttwink. Also close to parallel he is tilting his hips significant (minute 9.50 and 17.19). I had a similar technique for a while and got major back issues at my lower back (L5 vertebrae) Now I had a coaching and got told to "fixate" the hip to lower back angle for the full range of motion. This correction gave me immediate pain release - on the cost of half of my 1RM. Is there a difference between a "healthy" and a "competition" squat?

[@krisztianvarga332]

Thats exectly what i was want to say, and theres no healthy and competition squat, just healthy and unhealthy, and i guess its very unhealthy...

[@gabrieldeabreu624]

Interesting question, I have a similar one, because chinese weightlifters do knee valgus commonly when they go the heaviest (But not when it's "just" heavy), however, it's only to get off the "hole" of the bottom position (But the rotation starts a little higher than the lowest part) and then they proceed to externally rotate again, is it fine or just "ok" (like they won't get hurt, but it's still not good to do it all the time) due to performance purposes? Buttwink is another interesting subject, you do need some to open space in the hip for the bottom position, and this makes the amount of "wink" personal because of your hip genetics, although you sure have to minimalize this at max, how can you know when you're on your limit or if you still have to improve it? That confuses me a bit.

[@matthewstevenson2799]

I was thinking exactly the same. I get lower back pain if I squat to a depth below parallel, which is the point at which I get buttwink. If I squat only to parallel, no buttwink and no back pain.

[@I_Might_B_Wrong]

Butt wink is misunderstood. If you have butt wink that starts before you drop below parallel, it's a loss of tightness and can be risky. Some people, including myself, simply can't avoid some butt wink in the bottom with a full range of motion. I've had coaching, and obviously so has he. If you aren't feeling any loss of tightness and the butt wink is only below parallel, it's not a real issue. Candito has a good video on it as well that points out that literally everyone has butt wink to some extent, and trying to actively force yourself not to have a butt wink at the bottom is actually worse than just working with what you have.

[@BoeserWolf1977]

@@I_Might_B_Wrong agree. It depends on the degree of the butwink. I was more concerned about the tilting of the hips anyway. Let's see if there will be an explanation in one of the next episodes.

[@vinuzo9548]

He literally has the perfect bone structure for squatting.

[@namechange4103]

how do u know do u have xray vision

[@alexisruiz9272]

Working on my squat form and I have a question, is he not rounding his back at the bottom of his squat and doing a so called butt wink, I’m having a hard time telling the difference and wondering if I should not be rounding like that at the bottom…

[@hmedtraktourdedieu480]

Did Martin have a butwink or it's my eyes?!?

[@aavila1206]

A little bit with correct form does not negatively effect your body during the lift

[@dagan8659]

perfectly normal, everyone or almost get butt wink under parallel.

[@franciscocamarillo7518]

Great job

[@skullboy1967]

what is the brand of the shoes he is wearing?

[@mackanneb1591]

I think the people that disslike us jealous . This is gold.

[@tuliomgui]

Great lessons! Thank you guys!

[@sigmatronX]

So perfect squat.

[@Z06GT1]

Thank you for this very informative video!

[@lauramarulanda9109]

Thank you very much guys!!!!

[@Vapor.Steve77]

That elbow trick saved my gainz

[@stewste4316]

great one

[@davidadams2395]

You're right. It's always better to get stiff first. Puerile joke notwithstanding, I glean much valuable information within these videos.

[@stanblackburn700]

Martins = legend

[@jonathanwarrand5562]

9:48 the bar path comes forward out the hole. This isnt a straight bar path. Can someone explain if this is ok?

[@starpooper1681]

He goes too deep, so it messes up the mechanics. He goes ass to grass, actually. You don't need to do that. But you can if you want.

[@jok2177]

Thank you guys for your knowledge 😉😉

[@DavidLee-cw6ci]

I see weightlifters squeeze knees inwards towards the end of the squat. I think the technique is glute dominance at the bottom of the squat, adductors as you're standing up. Biomechanically it seems to make sense.

[@92edd]

Very good tutorial!

[@bbr00tal96]

10:40 Internal thoughts "Oh fuck, thats actually really good" has me rolling haha preciate the video guys

[@jordanyoung3073]

😂😂😂

[@wilbertflores8486]

Hi @squatuniversity dr. Aaron your material is so helpful to the community. I’d love to attend a clinic session with you, unfortunately I am in California. Would it be possible for you to recommend someone here in California who would be able to help or assist with the kind of services you provide? Thanks for such helpful videos.

[@str89z]

One of the perfect ways to squat

[@bobak5126]

09:51 isn’t this bad for lower back? The lower back bends towards his toes which I thought was a big no-no

[@mikaosola8009]

Life saver

[@fatlazypig]

Thanks for this advice.

[@user-dl6iy5ui8v]

Really good video...thank you! Im confused as it look like he was winking?? Am i wrong and if he is then why this was not spoken about? 🤔

[@loosegoose2466]

Great work

[@LukeFaulkner]

Wasn't a car in a Licis-accident earlier this year? Is this after? The guy's a unit.

[@aavila1206]

Dr. Horschig please address the stigma behind a buttwink during a heavy squat

[@SquatUniversity]

I've got a video coming soon on buttwink!

[@arijean4132]

Mucha gracias por la información ❤️💪

[@everythingsperfectlyfine5181]

World Class form.

[@qsanchez95]

something he did that i noticed that i need to fix was that he controls the weight the ENTIRE time. even on the way down with 185lbs he is going slow and not just bouncing up and down. i tended to nosedive straight to the bottom position and my knees would buckle because I was not controlling the weight

[@kmellen17]

Martins!

[@Mana-en8jf]

Around the 8:50 mark , you two were discussing the importance of cueing the hips before the knees. For me, I found that I would be sometimes leaning forwards too much, causing the bar path to be too forwards. When I focused on bending the knees slightly before my hips, it helped a lot! Is this okay or damaging? As you said, it’s about the balance for your body type and current mobility, and that’s what I find gives me a good squat. However, I do not want to cue knees first if it will be bad for joint health long term! Would appreciate advice

[@stylezofom]

Do what works for you. Squat University sucks.

[@caramelshorty4154]

is this walgus thing what clearance kennedy does?

[@lvg777]

I'm a bit confused. I just watched one of Aaron's videos on butt wink, how it can cause back injuries, and how to fix it, but he doesn't even mention Martins's butt wink which is very obvious. Does this mean that butt wink is OK for some people and not for others?

[@randallnefdt4963]

Hope he sees this and comments as I saw the same!

[@cool_piglet]

no. he was just too afraid to correct someone who lifts 10 times more than he's. hypocrite.

[@byronnavarro5310]

Grate stuff

[@cre8ivelife554]

The advice of not letting your knees go over your toes held up my squat for a ridiculous amount of time...

[@carlosacarter]

Nice SVR platform.

[@jaholden4]

this is so good thank you thank you

[@gunnerpruitt9302]

They should bring Ray Williams out sometime if you want to see some crazy squats.

[@XyukonR]

When I squat my elbows tend to flare back a bit. I've tried to make them parallel to my body but I can't keep the barbell on my back when I do this. It wants to slide off my upper back because I feel like I can't press it against my back to help keep it in place. Something I need to keep working on I guess.

[@hossskul544]

2:52 huge amount of big but wink !

[@DanyPell]

MARTINSSSS!

[@neerajshokeen8769]

As you were talking about the "wink" while doing squat. I found its with him too. So what about him? Now the point is is he is doing it correct?

[@EliasOwnage95]

If it bothers him he would fix it. Doesn't seem like it.

[@blackrhino44]

@Titus Stanley 100%. I came searching for this comment, glad someone said it.

[@ctcentralinfo]

It's all about the hip drive.

[@iambill900]

i love this man

[@dustinlee8760]

What’s the difference between his squat and the squat making knees move much forward?

[@Maya008001]

Hi Dr. Horchig. Quick question. Are you attending the 2020 World's Strongest Man? (either as a spectator or collaborator?). Since you have been doing collaborations with Martins and leading his rehabilitation training, some of us are wondering if you will get more involved in the sport of Strongman as a key figure for sport-specific rehabilitation sessions, specialized training for squats (as well as other lifts), and potential collaborations with other athletes in the sport. We know that sports events and training activities have been greatly impacted by the pandemic, but just wondering. P.S.--Thank you for your amazing content. It has helped many of us improving our squat technique and the quality of our training.

[@SquatUniversity]

I won't be at this years due to my caseload of patients I see here in St. Louis. I will however possibly be at the 2021 Arnold to support Martins and some of my other athletes who will be competing. And yes I am always here to help as many strength athletes as possible!

[@stephaniesolorio5806]

What kind of shoes is martins wearing and where did he get them from? Also, are those shoes recommended for everyday activities?

[@jurgeysamuel]

A young woman asked me if it hurt my back to squat as low as I did. I owe it all to Martins that it doesn't.

[@nickeyg1]

Does anybody know what kind of shoes theyre wearing? Very adorable with thier matching shoes.

[@paulhoppe4596]

Awesome video! Also, what shoes are you all wearing? I have been minimalist shoes only since 2010 and I have not seen those before.

[@russdenshuick7622]

MARTINS!!!👊