Squat is a hard exercise to complete correctly. When we around the age of 1, are standing up from the floor for the first time, it’s an symmetrical exercise, it is often a deep overhead squad where the hands are stretched above the head, for optimal stability from the shoulders and downwards. Some exercises like squats among others, are some that can have decreased move ability/mobility and stability, which are the two most important factors for a healthy squat. And that is the healthy movement of which you build from the correctly completed squat shall regain.

With squats and other exercises, our moveability, mobility and stability can worsen as we age. These are factors for healthy squat. This healthy movement is what you’re building with the correct way of doing squats. primarily so you once again can lift heavy items from the floor. Secondarily because it’s the perfect exercise to improve your sports performance.

To complete a squat correctly and thereby build one of the fundamentals for optimal movement, make sure that you’re deadlift is on point. The reason behind this is because your symmetrical pattern (mobility and stability) are decisive for getting down deep in a squat, without the knees or hips failing. We recommend that you start building the correct deadlift, before starting this squat program.

The programs underneath are for building the correct squat. The levels are divided into 1-3 levels, so that you complete level 1 first and move on to level 2. If you experience differentials between right and left side while working your way through, make sure your focus is towards correcting the imbalance rather than bettering the exercise. And remember – Rome wasn’t built in a day!

Level 1

The programs exercises work towards bettering the mobility in your ankle, hip, sacrum, back and shoulder. Therefore the exercises should be done back to back.  The criteria for moving on from level 1 are as follows:

  • While doing the exercise 3 sacrum and shoulder mobilization can complete it without the arms, back and sacrum losing contact with the wall
  • While doing exercise 4, sacrum and shoulder mobilization don’t experience a differential between right and left side in how far you can reach in the outer position.
  • While doing exercise 1, kneeling lunge ankle mobilization, don’t feel a difference between right and left side, in accordance to good ankle mobility. if you do feel it, aim towards reaching your knee 4 inches(10cm) out in front of your big toe. If that can’t be done, exercise 1,2 and 5 should be included throughout the entire program, until the day you have good ankle mobility. The reasoning behind this is because it’s determining whether you can do a deep squat without compensating. So if you have limited ankle mobility, do all deep squat exercises, with a minimum of heel lift. Så that you compensate for the lack of mobility. But at the same time make sure to register if your mobility has changed, so that you can minimize your heel lift and completely remove it.

Lunges kneeling ankle mobilization – Complete 15-30 repetitions to each side, get the feel all the way out in the outerposition of the ankle in the forward position all the while the heel stays in the training mat.

Standing ankle mobilization – Complete 15-30 repetitions to each side, get the feel all the way out in the outerposition of the ankle in the forward position all the while the heel stays in the training mat.

Sacrum  and shoulder mobilization – complete 15-30 repetitions. The back and sacrum has to keep contact with the wall, all the while the arms also are drawn up in contact with the wall.

Shoulder, back and hip mobilization – Complete 15-30 repetitions to each side, in the outerposition you have to draw up one hand and bend the other slanted outwards While reaching your knee should keep in contact with the ball and there has to be a clear muscle activity between the shoulders.

Deep squat mobilization – Complete 15-30 repetitions. The exercise is a global squat mobility and stability exercise, which works your weak sides in the squat. In the exercise try to get as deep into the squat as you can, while stretching the shoulders backwards as far as you can, before standing up in the squat.

Level 2

The programs exercises work towards bettering the mobility in your ankle, hip, sacrum, back and shoulder. Therefore the exercises should be done back to back.  The criteria for moving on from level 2 are as follows:

  • That you can complete 6 repetitions of exercise 1 squat technique, with the criteria of the exercise. To complete a knee and hip bending, so that the back and lower legs angle in the lower position are kept similar. Or that the back is kept in a more erect position, while the knee and hip are kept stable up and down in a vertical line.
  • That you in 6 repetitions of exercise 2 deep squat technique, can get down and up in a back and lower leg angle which is kept similar. Or that the back is in a more erect position. That you might make use of a minimal heel lift, and the knees and heels are drawn up in a vertical line.

Half squat with back control – Complete 5-20 repetitions each time The knees and hips should  bending so the back and lower legs are held in an angle, the lower positions are held the same. The stick has contact as you know from deadlift, on the sacrum, chest and head, a contact kept throughout the entire exercise. Including keeping the knees and hip stable up and down in a vertical line. The stick has contact as you know from deadlift, on the sacrum chest and head, a contact kept throughout the entire exercise.

Deep squat with back control – Complete 5-20 repetitions each time. Focus is towards completing a knee and hip bend, so that the back and lower legs have a more erect position. The stick has contact as you know from deadlift, on the sacrum, chest and head, a contact kept throughout the entire exercise. As shown in the video, it’s allowed to have a necessary heel lift, to compensate for lack of ankle mobility.

Level 3

The programs exercises work towards increasing your stability in a squat. All the while making your nerve system activate the correct work pattern. Therefore the exercises should be done back to back. The success criteria for completing level 3 are as follows:

  • That you can complete 6 repetitions of exercise 1 squat technique, with the criteria of the exercise. To complete a knee and hip bending, so that the back and lower legs angle in the lower position are kept similar. Or that the back is kept in a more erect position, while the knee and hip are kept stable up and down in a vertical line.
  • That you in 6 repetitions of exercise 2 deep squat technique, can get down and up in a back and lower leg angle which is kept similar. Or that the back is in a more erect position. That you might make use of a minimal heel lift, and the knees and heels are drawn up in a vertical line.

Squat technique – Complete 5-20 repetitions each time. Focus on making a knee and hip bend so that the back and lower legs angle, in the lower position are kept similar. Or that the back as a more erect position. You have to hold your back straight as if you had to stick to help you, like in level 2.

Deep squat technique with necessary heel lift – Complete 5-20 repetitions each time. Focus is to complete a knee and hip bend so that the back and lower leg angle in the lower position are kept similar. If you have trouble getting down in a deep squat with this focus, add the necessary heel lift, to get down correctly. And of course also work on your ankle mobility.

Now you’ve reached your goal in making a correct and stable squat through the correct deadlift, including the 3 squat levels, have received the knowledge that there aren’t any meaningful imbalances in the right and left side. Imbalance which can impact your correct squat. Now it’s your strength which determines how much weight you can handle in the different squat variations. A good progression in your squat exercises could look something like this:

1. Squat with kettlebells or hand weights.

2. Squat with barbell

3. Deep squat with barbell

4. Widespread deep squat

5. Front squat with barbell

6. Deep front squat with barbell

7. Deep overhead squat with shoulder pull

8. Deep overhead squat with barbell