Theshortstopsquat:Adrillforsettingupbigpulls

ProfessorStuartMcGill Iamoftenaskedformyopinionaboutthebestwaytosquat,ortopullaloadedbar.My answeralwaysis,Itdependsontheperson. Weallhaveadifferentinjuryhistoryinfluencingwhichtissuesmayneedsparing,differentbody segmentlengthratiosaffectingleverageadvantages,differenthipsocketdepthsthat determinethedepthofthesquatbeforethepelvistucksstressingthelumbardiscs,etc.What isbestforonepersonwillnotbebestfortheirtrainingpartner. HereisadrillIusethatwillhelpalllifterssetuptheirpulls,despitetheirindividualdifferences. Wecallittheshortstopsquat.IfyouknowAmericanBaseballyouwillcatchonveryquickly. Beginwiththefeetapart.Tryafewkneebendsandadjusttheinternal/externalrotationofthe hip,togetperfectkneeandanklehingetracking.Nowlookattheturnoutofyourfeet. Rememberthisangleandstartinthisposition. Nowtostartthedrill,standtallandplacethehandsonthetopofthefrontofthethighs.Make aVbetweenthethumbsandthefinger.Keepingthearmsstraight,pushthehandsdownthe thighs,onlyhingingaboutthehipsdonotallowthespinetobend.Stopasthehandsreach justabovethekneecapandrobustlygrabaroundtheknee.Thisistheshortstopposture. Checkthepositionoftheknee.Ifyoudrewaverticallinedownfromthekneeitwillfall betweentheballsofthefeetandtheheels.Thisensuresthatthehipsarewellbehind.Play withyourbalancesoyoufeelthecentreofpressurefromthegroundinthemiddleofyourfeet. Enjoycarryingtheweightofyourupperbodydownthearmsandontothethighs.Focusonthe curvesinyourtorsoaretheythesameaswhenyouwerestanding?Iftheyareyouhavegood form.Iftheyarenot,adjustthembacktothenaturalcurves. Toliftfromthisposition,manywillshrug.Youwillnot.Youwillperformtheantishrugby compressingtheshouldersdownintoyourtorsowithcocontractionofthepectoraland latissimusdorsimuscles.Thisstiffensyourtorsowiththenormalcurvesintact. Nowtostandupyoumustthinkdifferently.Donotthinkaboutliftingwithyourback.Instead thinkaboutstiffeningyourbackandtorsoandtherisingmotionhappensbysimplypullingyour hipsforwardasyouslideyourhandsupyourthighs.Practicethisstiffeningandmovement sequence.

Nowitistimetopull.Adopttheshortstoppositionwithyourhandsonyourthighs.Gripthe groundwithyourtoesandheels.Begintheantishrug.Nowgrabthebarwithadouble overhandgrip.Tryandbendthebarwithexternalshoulderrotation.Imagegatheringyour backaddingtothestiffness.Squeezethebarharderthinkingaboutforceinallfingersjustnot thefirstandsecond.Addsomemoreefforttospreadthefloorthroughthehips.Nowyou havetorsostiffnessapproachingoptimalitistimetopullthehipsforward.Theloadwillrise fromthefloor,andyouhaveperfectedaformthatenablesheavypullswithaninjuryresilient body.