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400 Pound Bottom Position Squat

Here's a video taken tonight of me doing a 405 pound bottom-position squat.  The BP squat is one of the best exercises you can ever do for building massive strength.  The problem is that most lifters do them incorrectly.  Because they lack either proper form or flexibility (or both), they end up doing partial squats.

This is how the exercise should be done.  Notice foot placement and bar placement.  It's tough to get low on a BP squat if the bar is too high and/or the stance is too narrow.


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  1. John P.January 4, 2013 at 6:04 PM

    Now that was impressive! You made it look like it was easy.

    Not only do I not have the strength to squat that much weight, I don't even think I could squeeze myself under the bar that low.

    ReplyDelete
  2. MikeJune 24, 2016 at 6:19 AM

    What kind of weight-rep scheme do you recommend for the bottom position squat with (almost) daily training? Started with 3x3 today using my SSB.

    ReplyDelete
  3. C.S. SloanJune 28, 2016 at 4:39 PM

    Anything similar to one of my "high-frequency" training schemes would work fine, as would the "30-Rep Workout" or, possibly, something along the lines of Big Jim Williams's "21-rep workout."

    ReplyDelete
  4. C.S. SloanJune 28, 2016 at 4:41 PM

    One other thing, Mike, don't JUST do BPS alone when training them high-frequency. Most lifters, myself included, will find them harder on the lower back—when starting really deep—than traditional squats. On the flip side, they ARE easier on your CNS.

    ReplyDelete
  5. MikeJuly 5, 2016 at 10:36 AM

    Thanks for the feedback.

    I found doing singles suits me better, so I've started doing the Justa singles routine. Having to set up fresh for each single is easier than to do reps with the BPS. When doing reps it was easy to get out of the groove.

    I am doing Kb C&P Russian Ladders beforehand and DLs afterwards depending on how my back feels.

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