A simple air squat had been coined as one of the best exercises prescribed for athletes due to the full-body benefits achieved. Squatting to increase lower body strength alone can increase functional mobility, increase bone density, strengthen the core muscles (preventing back pain and injury), increase running speed both in sprinting and long distance, and show an overall increase in sport performance on the field. Studies have also shown that squatting at full range of motion (below parallel) has a much higher benefit than quarter squats. Full range increases vertical jump and increases performance, among other gains.
All these benefits are very important when training an athlete in a strength and conditioning gym, yet, as simple as the squat looks, the mechanics behind the squat are much more complex. As we have learned in our education, it is extremely hard to perform the perfect squat. Understanding the benefits of the movements taught within the gym is only half the battle. An athlete expects their coach to perform the movements well and will most likely use them as a muse when being coached. Within our group alone there were many common faults with the movement due to poor mobility with the hip or ankle and over extension seen in the lumbar.
Once these faults are targeted it is important for the strength coach to be able to correct the athlete with cues such as keeping feet shoulder width apart, sitting back, and weight in heels. If basics are not correcting the problem the next step would be to dig deeper to find the root of the issue. For example, one intern was unstable with his squat. Basic cues were not helping him correct the movement but just simply pushing on the back of his head aided him and he was able to sit back and fall lower into the squat. Each intern had their own input when it came to coaching. It is important to call in back up if the athlete is not responding to the information you are providing. Sometimes a fresh voice with a different coaching style is all the athlete needs to perfect the movement.
This exercise has given me more confidence in coaching the squat. I definitely have more knowledge in this area then I thought and I am very excited to use the new knowledge that I was able to learn. Something as simple as body squatting needs just as much coaching as a complex movement such as the snatch.
Resources:
“Running Performance Has a Structural Basis,” published in July 2005 in The Journal of Experimental Biology