SQUAT PROGRAM

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HOW DOES THE PROGRAM WORK?

This program has three phases

Hypertrophy
Here you start preparing the muscles,
ligaments and tendons for the more heavy
lifting ahead. This is the time to improve your
squat technique.

Strength development
You will rotate between a light, medium and
heavy day. Here you have to train hard
enough to allow adaptations but rest enough
to avoid over training.

Peak phase
This is where you learn how to handle heavy
load/1rep maxes. It is important to reduce
fatigue because otherwise you can not lift at
your max limit.
 Reps and load

Repetitions and load

In exercises that are single leg I always
program for one leg. Example 3x8 means 3
sets of 8 repetitions EACH leg.

If the exercise has extra or less sets/reps

from the week before, it will be shown like
this:
Belt squat 4x12 (+1set) or (-1reps)

This is done so it is easier for you to know if

you should higher the weights or keep them
the same from week to week.

Extra set = You can keep the same weight

but you can also increase the weight (ONLY if
you are feeling good).
Less reps = You should increase weight.
 Resting between sets.

Sometimes people forget the purpose of

resting and neglect it.

When training for strength you should rest

until you are READY for the next set, it might
take 3 min, it might take 5 min. Do not start
the next set still out of breath or fatigued.

Big compound lifts (your squats):

- Minimum of 3 minutes, always. Add in extra
time if needed to lift at the same intensity as
the set before. You should not feel like you
are doing a high intensity circuit.

Accessories (smaller lifts):

- 1 to 2 minutes. Single leg exercises 30sec
to 1 minute.
Don't know your one rep max?

If you are a beginner and you do not know

your one rep max, the % in this program
does not have much meaning to you.

That is okay.

What you need to do is to find your correct

weight the first day. Warm up (according to
the warm up guide below) and find a weight
that is heavy enough to be considered hard
but easy enough that you feel like you could
do 2 reps more.

That is your starting weight.

From there your goal is to higher the weight

slowly through out the program. If the % in
the program is going up, your weight should
be going up.
 BEFORE YOU START
The most important point is that you find the
squat stance that is the most optimal for
YOUR body.
You want to find a squat stance that feels
natural and permits a full range of motion
while keeping a neutral spine.

Foot position
The stance that allows you to go the deepest
without butt winking, is your right stance. Try
different stances.

Butt winking - Excessive rounding Neutral spine in bottom

of the lower back position
 Toe angle
Most people squat with their toes out 10 to
30 degrees. This can depend on your hip
structure. Play around and find a toe angle
that feels natural. HOWEVER, please stay
away from extreme outward toe angles. This
could make your knees more likely to cave in
and cause injuries.

Toes pointed out 10-30° Toes forward

Make sure that your knees track over the toes at

all times.
 High bar and low bar squats
One is not better than the other. I recommend
you work towards being able to do both. But to
make it simple, choose one for the next 9
weeks. The one that comes most natural.

Bar on traps Bar below traps

High bar squat: Low bar squat:

Usually more narrow stance Usually more wider stance

Knee dominant movement Hip dominant movement

with less stress on the spine with less stress on the knee
due to more upright but slightly more stress on
position the spine.

Needs a good mobility in Needs good hip mobility to

ankles, so knees can travel avoid aggressive forward
past toes lean
 Warming-up
Do your mobility first (see below) and then do
whatever makes you ready for the session,
some extra activation or start your warm up
sets directly.

Warm up sets are very important. The

program will only tell the total working sets.

You need to decide the warm up sets and

work your way up to the 60% the program is
asking you to start with.
Let's say your max is 100kg so 60% is 60kg.
You might want to warm up like this:
1x8 empty bar (20kg)
1x6 40kg
1x4 50kg
1x4 55kg
Then start the program with 60kg

Here are 3 of my go to activation exercises:

Heel tap work (keep your knee stable)
Good morning (light weight)
Side plank crunches
 Things to have in mind
On the photo below you can see what the
squats have in common..
1. The barbell is above mid foot in the bottom
position. This is important to avoid aggressive
forward lean that could end in lower back injuries.
2. The spine is in neutral position with no butt
winking.
3. The feet are flat agains the ground with the big toe,
little toe and the heel sharing the distribution of
the weight. Also called "the tripod foot".
 THE PROGRAM

Mobility routines

Phase 1 Phase 2
Banded ankle Calf foam roll
Mid back twist Bench ankle push
Mid back foam roll Pigeon stretch
Banded hip opener Sitting inner thigh
Plate hip opener Plate hip opener
Kneeling hip flexor Prayer stretch

Phase 3
The best mobility
Calf foam roll
routine is to move
Quad foam roll
through full range of
Bench ankle push
motion under the
Push back frog
barbell. SO! focus on
Sitting mid back
form and controlled
Kneeling hip flexor
movements.
Banded hip opener
 Phase 1
WEEK 1
Day 1
1. Squat 4x10 @ 60%
2. Belt squat 3x12
3. Back raises 3x15
4. Single leg RDL 3x8
5a. Banded dead-bug 4x10
5b. Copenhagen plank w dips 4x6
5c. Swiss ball roll out 4x6

Day 2
1. Banded squat 4x8 @60%
2.a Boxed deadlift 4x8
2.b. Spanish squat 4x10-15
3.a Banded clam shells 3x12
3.b Banded lying hip flexor 3x12
4. Lunges 3x8
5.a Swiss ball stir the pot 3x8
5.b Swiss ball dead-bug 3x8
 Phase 1
WEEK 2
Day 1

1. Squat 4x10 @ 62-65%

2. Belt squat 4x12 (+1set)
3. Back raises 4x15 (+1set)
4. Single leg RDL 4x8 (+1set)
5a. Banded dead-bug 4x12 (+2rep)
5b. Copenhagen plank w dips 4x6
5c. Swiss ball roll out 4x8 (+2rep)

Day 2

1. Banded squat 4x10 @60% (+2rep)

2.a Boxed deadlift 4x8
2.b. Spanish squat 4x10-15
3.a Banded clam shells 3x15 (+3rep)
3.b Banded lying hip flexor 3x12
4. Lunges 3x10 (+2rep)
5.a Swiss ball stir the pot 4x8 (+1set)
5.b Swiss ball dead-bug 4x8 (+1set)
 Phase 1
WEEK 3
Day 1

1. Squat 4x8 @ 65-70%

2. Belt squat 4x15 (+3rep)
3. Back raises 4x10 (-5rep)
4. Single leg RDL 4x8
5. Bulgarian split squat 3x8
6a. Banded dead-bug 4x12
6b. Copenhagen plank w dips 4x6
6c. Swiss ball roll out 4x8

Day 2

1. Banded squat 4x10 @60%

2.a Boxed deadlift 4x8
2.b. Spanish squat 4x10-15
3.a Banded clam shells 3x15
3.b Banded lying hip flexor 3x12
4. Lunges 3x10
5.a Swiss ball stir the pot 4x8
5.b Swiss ball dead-bug 4x8
 Phase 2
WEEK 1
Low day
1. Squat 4x6 @ 70-72.5%
2. Belt squat 4x8
3. One arm row 3x10
4. Pull down 3x10
5. Bulgarian split squat 4x8
6a. V-ups (scaled on video) 3x10
6b. Floor back raises 3x15
6c. Leg raises 3x10

Medium day
1. Squat 4x5 75-80%
2. Pause squat above parallel 3x5 @ 72%
3. Barbell RDL 3x8
4a. Calf raises 3x15
4b. Eccentric step downs 3x8 (can hold
weight)
5.a Copenhagen w leg move 3x6
5.b Face-pull 3x 12
5c. Lateral raises 3x12
 Phase 2
WEEK 2
High day
1. Squat 5x3 @ 80-85%
2. Pause squat at bottom 3x4 @ 70%
3. Dead-bug pullover 3x10
4. Bird-dog row 3x8
5. Hip thrust 4x6
6. Banded crab walk 4x10

Low day
1. Squat 4x6 @ 70-72.5%
2. Belt squat 4x8
3. One arm row 3x10
4. Pull down 3x10
5. Bulgarian split squat 4x8
6a. V-ups (scaled on video) 3x10
6b. Floor back raises 3x15
6c. Leg raises 3x10
 Phase 2
WEEK 3
Medium day
1. Squat 4x5 75-80%
2. Pause squat above parallel 3x5 @ 72%
3. Barbell RDL 3x8
4a. Calf raises 3x15
4b. Eccentric step downs 3x8 (can hold
weight)
5.a Copenhagen w leg move 3x6
5.b Face-pull 3x 12
5c. Lateral raises 3x12

High day
1. Squat 5x3 @ 80-85%
2. Pause squat at bottom 3x4 @ 70%
3. Dead-bug pullover 3x10
4. Bird-dog row 3x8
5. Hip thrust 4x6
6. Banded crab walk 4x10
 Phase 2
WEEK 4
Low day
1. Squat 4x6 @ 70-72.5%
2. Belt squat 4x8
3. One arm row 3x10
4. Pull down 3x10
5. Barbell RDL 4x8
6a. V-ups (scaled on video) 3x10
6b. Floor back raises 3x15
6c. Leg raises 3x10

High day
1. Squat 5x3 @ 80-85%
2. Pause squat at bottom 3x4 @ 70%
3. Dead-bug pullover 3x10
4. Bird-dog row 3x8
5. Hip thrust 4x6
6. Banded crab walk 4x10
 Phase 3
WEEK 1
The goal is to reduce fatigue in order to
properly load the bar and lift heavy.
Beginners can benefit from extra accessory
work as their 90% is not as heavy as someone
that is considered "advanced". Feel free to add
in your upper body or cardio but have in mind
that lifting this heavy is very tiring for the body,
even though you might not feel it directly in
the muscles.

Day 1
Deadlift 4x6 (You can go heavy here)
Good morning 3x12 (light work)
Squat (technique work) 4x4 @ 50-60%

Day 2
Squat 2x2 @ 90@ - then 3x1 @ 90+%
Back raises 3x12
 Phase 3
WEEK 2

Day 1
Deadlift 4x6 (You can go heavy here)
Good morning 3x12 (light work)
Squat (technique work) 4x4 @ 50-60%

Day 2
Squat 2x2 @ 90@ - then 3x1 @ 90+%
Back raises 3x12
 WELL DONE!

I really hope you saw progress in:

Strength
Technique
Your ability to handle heavy weight
Knowledge

What now?

Take a rest from this program and enjoy the

extra strength you have gained in other
aspect of training. You will be surprised how
much strength helps you in everything else.

When you think it is time to focus on squats

again you can grab this program. Just adjust
your numbers according to your new one
rep max.