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Imagine this: It’s peak hour at your gym and you’ve spent all day looking forward to attacking some front squats, but the wait for a squat rack is longer than the line at the smoothie bar on half-price day. Or maybe you’re trying to get a quality workout in a sparse hotel or still-growing home gym. Perhaps you just need a new squat variation for your program.

Consider the dumbbell front squat. It requires only a pair of dumbbells and minimal floor space. More importantly, it builds killer quadriceps, a strong upper back, and a solid core. This article teaches you how and why to perform and program the dumbbell front squat. 

Dumbbell Front Squat

• How to Do the Dumbbell Front Squat 
• Dumbbell Front Squat Mistakes to Avoid
• How to Progress the Dumbbell Front Squat
• Benefits of the Dumbbell Front Squat
• Muscles Worked by the Dumbbell Front Squat
• How to Program the Dumbbell Front Squat
• Dumbbell Front Squat Variations 
• Frequently Asked Questions

Complete Dumbbell Front Squat Tutorial

See the detailed dumbbell front squat video instructions from Dr. Merrick Lincoln, then check out the step-by-step breakdown below. 

How to Do the Dumbbell Front Squat Step By Step

The dumbbell front squat is a front squat alternative performed with a dumbbell racked on each shoulder. Follow these step-by-step instructions to ensure proper form. 

Step 1 — Clean the Dumbbells

Before you squat, you must “front rack” the dumbbells. In the front rack position, the ends of the dumbbells rest atop your shoulders and your elbows point straight ahead at shoulder-height.

To set up the front rack, perform a dumbbell clean — Start with the dumbbells at your sides. Drop into a mini-squat and rapidly extend your legs by driving your feet into the ground. Transfer the leg push into a powerful shrug. At the top of the shrug, draw your arms along your sides. Drop underneath the dumbbells by re-bending your legs and receive the weights atop your shoulders with your elbows high and bent. (1) 

Form Tip: When cleaning heavy dumbbells, it may be helpful to think about “jumping” up with the dumbbells to propel them into the front rack. Although you should barely leave the ground, “jumping” the dumbbells into position can improve output and fluidity of the clean. 

Step 2 — Set Your Stance and Brace

With dumbbells racked, place your feet at your preferred squat width and orientation. Typically, the front squat stance is shoulder-width or slightly wider. Your feet should point straight ahead or slightly outward. Brace your midsection by contracting your abdominals and back muscles at the same time. 

Form Tip: Set up a strong foundation by achieving pressure through your heel, the ball of your foot, your big toe, and the base of your fifth toe. Basically, keep weight on your entire foot throughout the exercise without overemphasizing either your heels or the ball of your foot.

Step 3 — Lower to the Bottom Position

While keeping a straight or slightly arched back position, lower yourself toward the floor by allowing your knees, hips, and ankles to bend. Descend with control. Resist bouncing out of the bottom of the squat. Also, avoid “cutting depth” (i.e. ending the descent before you’ve reached maximum comfortable knee bend with good control).

Form Tip: Achieve proper dumbbell front squat form by squatting “down” not “back.” This is not a powerlifting-style back squat that calls for a forward lean to improve leverage and move heavy weights. Your upper body should remain more upright. 

Step 4 — Stand Up to Lockout

Reverse the movement of your knees, hips, and ankles by standing tall. Keep the dumbbells balanced on your front delts throughout the movement. At the top, take a breath and re-brace your core before repeating another repetition. Don’t lower the weight from your shoulder until you’ve completed all reps.

Form Tip: As you push back to the standing position with forceful intent, think about driving the dumbbells toward the ceiling or sky but don’t actually lift them off your shoulders. This external cue can promote a strong front rack and improve power output. (2)

Dumbbell Front Squat Mistakes to Avoid

Steering clear of several common errors may help to maintain effectiveness and safety of the dumbbell front squat. 

Allowing Your Elbows or Chest to Drop 

The common barbell front squat cue applies just as well to the dumbbell front squat — “Chest up, elbows up.” Failure to maintain a high elbows position and a proud chest result in the dumbbells traveling forward. Too much forward movement of the dumbbells may result in compromised training stimulus for the quadriceps and even repetition failure with a loss of balance.

Avoid it: Most of the dumbbells’ weight should rest on your shoulders, not your hands. Keep the weight in contact with your shoulders throughout the exercise. Don’t try to support the weight “freely” by holding your hands in the top of a biceps curl. 

Low Back or Trunk Leaning Excessively Forward

Losing form at your hips or low back can cause all sorts of problems during the dumbbell front squat. These include, but are not limited to, loss of stability, your heels coming off the floor, and needlessly failed repetitions.

Avoid it: To correct or prevent this, reminding yourself to brace and squat down rather than back is a good start, but it might not be enough. Among lifters without orthopedic limitations (i.e. lifters without stiff joints or obvious weaknesses), a coordination deficit can be to blame for excessive forward motion of the trunk or low back. (3) Check out the “overhead squat RNT” exercise in the FAQs section for a potent corrective exercise. 

Insufficient Depth

Squats lacking depth? You can’t rely on your good looks and charm to fix this problem. If you are consistently cutting depth in the dumbbell front squat, your muscle development may suffer. Deep squatting has been shown to result in greater quadriceps muscle growth than shallow squatting. (4)

Furthermore, Kubo and colleagues reported full squat training resulted in more than twice the glute and adductor hypertrophy compared to half squatting. (5) 

Avoid it: Many lifters without orthopedic limitations can improve their squat depth by repetitive practice focused on achieving “hamstrings touching calves.” If ankle flexibility is limiting your squat depth, consider the heels-elevated variation discussed below. 

How to Progress the Dumbbell Front Squat

Lifters new the dumbbell front squat should begin with light weights to hone technique. Once this honeymoon phase is over, it’s time to go heavier and higher rep to promote strength and hypertrophy. 

Increase the Weight

Once the exercise form is familiar and consistent, load progression to a “working weight” is in order. Establishing your working weight does not necessarily require repetition maximum testing.

A simple progression method is to determine a repetition range target based on your goals (explained in the Programming section). Then, work up to a weight that results in a challenging set that allows you to complete a number of repetitions near the bottom end of your target range. For example, if your repetition target for hypertrophy training is 8 to 12 repetitions, identify a weight that allows less than 10 repetitions. 

Increase the Repetition Volume

As you get stronger with a particular pair of dumbbells, perform additional repetitions per set. Using the weight you identified above, you might be able to perform additional repetitions within a few weeks. Once you reach the upper end of your repetition target (e.g. 12 reps in the above example), it is time to increase weight again. 

Benefits of the Dumbbell Front Squat

The dumbbell front squat is a unique squat variation that biases the thigh muscles while requiring only light to moderately heavy loads, which are comfortably supported atop the shoulders.

Quadriceps Muscular Growth

The placement of the load in front of the body during the dumbbell front squat promotes a “knee dominant” squat by facilitating greater forward knee travel and a more upright trunk position. (6) (7) “Knee dominant” means this variation loads the quadriceps to a relatively greater extent than variations where the load is held on the back, such as traditional back squats.

Consistently performing a squat variation that biases the quadriceps will build the “quad sweep” many aesthetic-focused lifters are seeking. The dumbbell front squat may be a particularly effective quadriceps-builder, because it trains the quadriceps through a large range of motion. (4)(8)

Spares the Low Back

The dumbbell front squat might be a friendly option for those dealing with low back pain or local muscle fatigue. The upright trunk angle diverts load from the low back and hips to the knees. (7) Reduced overall load used during the dumbbell front squat is also likely to reduce mechanical demand on the low back compared to other common squat variations that use heavier loads.

For example, compared to back squats, barbell front squats resulted in reduced spinal compression forces when performed at the same relative intensity. (9) The difference may be partly attributed to differences in overall load, since participants in this research squatted more than 25% more weight during back squats than front squats. (9) Naturally, the heavier squat imposed more overall stress.

Dumbbell front squats undoubtedly have a lower loading capacity than barbell front squats, so the demand on the low back is likely even lower. Give this squat variation a try when you low back feels “fried.” 

A Forgiving Front Rack

Compared to the traditional front squat, the front rack position of the dumbbell front squat requires less shoulder, wrist, and elbow flexibility. Holding the barbell for the traditional front squat requires considerable shoulder external rotation, elbow flexion, and wrist extension.

Albeit barbell front squat variations such as gripless (i.e. “zombie”) front squats and cross-arm front squats avoid the challenging upper body positions of the barbell front squat. (10) But these gripless and cross-arm variations tend to place uncomfortable pressure on the deltoids or collarbones and may feel awkward. 

Muscles Worked by Dumbbell Front Squat

Like any squat, the primary lower body actions resisted by the dumbbell front squat are knee extension, hip extension, and ankle plantar flexion. However, the unique setup and execution of the dumbbell front squat may make this variation more “knee dominant,” biasing the quadriceps. (6) Trunk muscles deserve an honorable mention for their involvement in the dumbbell front squat, as these muscles facilitate proper form. 

Quadriceps

For aesthetics and function, the four muscles comprising the quadriceps are undoubtedly the most important muscles of the thigh. Although rectus femoris may experience little to no hypertrophy with squat training, squats promote substantial hypertrophy of the other three quad muscles: vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and vastus intermedius. (5)(11) Fortunately, these muscles form the “quad sweep” many aesthetics-focused lifters desire. 

Glutes and Other Hip Extensors

The “glutes” — gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus — are trained as hip extensors during the dumbbell front squat. The hamstrings are marginally active during the squat as hip extensors and also act to counteract shear forces at the knee. (8)(9) Research suggests the adductors, or inner thigh muscles, are also trained as hip extensors during the squat. (5) 

Postural Muscles and Core

The dumbbell front squat hits postural muscles such as the spinal erectors, trapezius, and soleus (a deep calf muscle). To maintain a “braced” midsection during the squat, co-contraction of the abdominal muscles is necessary, which promotes a strong core.

How to Program the Dumbbell Front Squat

While it’s true the setup and execution of the dumbbell front squat limits maximum loading relative to barbell-based squats, appropriate programming of this exercise can deliver results. Specifically, lifters can program the dumbbell front squat for muscle gain (“hypertrophy”), strength, or as part of a deload from heavier squat variations. 

Low to Moderate Weight, Moderate to High Repetitions

An exciting feature of training for muscular hypertrophy and muscular strength is that high effort sets, or those carried to- or close to- the point of muscular failure, are effective using practically any weight. (12)(13)(14) This is particularly relevant for an exercise like the dumbbell front squat.

Due to the constraints of setup (the initial dumbbell clean) and equipment (dumbbells), the dumbbell front squat cannot be loaded particularly heavy, at least not relative to the capacity of the leg muscles of experienced lifters. Whether you’re training for strength or size, select dumbbells that allow safe setup and proper form, and then take that set to within two or three repetitions of failure. Two to four sets of eight or more repetitions will promote strength and size, if each set is taken to close proximity to failure.

Moderate Weight, Moderate Repetitions

A deload refers to temporary reduction in training to promote recovery. The dumbbell front squat simply cannot be loaded as heavy as a barbell-based squats. This is due, in part, to the use of dumbbells which offer less stability and lower loading potential than a barbell. Note: the front-loaded nature of the exercise also limits loading potential relative to back squats. (9)

Therefore, even a somewhat challenging dumbbell front squat workout is likely to provide some degree of reprieve or recovery for intermediate and advanced lifters. Two or three sets of four to eight repetitions might serve as a nice deload week squat protocol. 

Dumbbell Front Squat Variations

The dumbbell front squat isn’t the only way to perform an anteriorly loaded squat with dumbbells. Depending on your goals, preferences, and equipment, you might choose one of the following: 

Heels-Elevated Dumbbell Front Squat

Performing squats on a wedge can be helpful to further bias the quadriceps or work around ankle dorsiflexion range of motion issues. (6)(7)(15) The wedge or heel lift projects your lower leg forward at the ankle’s resting position, reducing the need for additional dorsiflexion. (15)

When squatting with your heels elevated, your trunk tends to stay more upright and your knees travel further forward. Together, these features promote greater focus on the quadriceps (due to increased knee action). (6)(7) 

Dumbbell Goblet Squat

Goblet squat — not “goblin” (this isn’t Middle Earth). The traditional goblet squat uses a kettlebell to reinforce deep squatting mechanics with an upright torso. If you don’t train with kettlebells, a dumbbell works just as well.

Goblet squats are performed with the weight held under the chin, as if it were a large drinking glass (“Lord of the Rings” fans, think of a vessel Dwarves would drink from in the Mines of Moria). Keep your elbows tight to your ribcage and squat down between your legs. 

Dumbbell Zercher Squat

This unique variation was popularized by strength coach Nick Nilsson. The term “Zercher” refers to the carriage position of the dumbbell. It rests on your arms at, or just in front of, your elbows.

Hold the dumbbell vertically with your arms in front of your body. If you are unable to squat deep enough to retrieve the dumbbell from the floor during setup, simply place the dumbbell on a stable bench or box and retrieve it from there. Your arms must remain close to your trunk with your elbows flexed. Like the dumbbell front squat, keep your trunk upright as you squat with your feet flat on the floor.

Dumbbell Squat

The dumbbell squat uses two dumbbells held with your arms hanging alongside your body. (8) While this variation avoids cleaning or muscling dumbbells to the rack position, it may not promote as upright of a trunk position as other front-loaded variations.

The dumbbell squat feels a little like a trap bar squat, albeit with a lower loading potential. Altogether, the dumbbell squat may be a great option for those looking for a user-friendly variation that promotes hip-, thigh-, and grip development.

FAQs

Just Another Anteriorly Loaded Thigh-Thickener?

Like its barbell-based brother, the dumbbell front squat places weight in front of the body. But unlike the barbell front squat, it doesn’t require extreme positions of the shoulders or wrists. And it doesn’t even require waiting for a squat rack. User-friendly and convenient, the dumbbell front squat is in a class of its own. 

References

1. Hedrick, A. (2015). Dumbbell power clean, front squat, and power jerk. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 37(3), 84-88. 
2. Nadzalan, A. M., et al. (2020). The effects of focus attention Instructions on the movement kinetics, muscle activation and performance during resistance exercise. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1529(2), 022008.
3. Bishop, C., & Turner, A. (2017). Integrated approach to correcting the high-bar back squat from “excessive forward leaning”. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 39(6), 46-53.
4. Bloomquist, K., et al. (2013). Effect of range of motion in heavy load squatting on muscle and tendon adaptations. European journal of applied physiology, 113(8), 2133-2142.
5. Kubo, K., Ikebukuro, T., & Yata, H. (2019). Effects of squat training with different depths on lower limb muscle volumes. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 119(9), 1933-1942.
6. Barrack, A. J., et al. (2021). The relative orientation of the trunk and tibia can be used to estimate the demands on the hip and knee extensors during the barbell back squat. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 16(4), 1004-1010.
7. Fry, A. C., Smith, J. C., & Schilling, B. K. (2003). Effect of knee position on hip and knee torques during the barbell squat. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 17(4), 629-633.
8. Graham, J. F. (2011). Exercise Technique: Dumbbell Squat, Dumbbell Split Squat, and Barbell Box Step-up. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 33(5), 76-78.
9. Gullett, J. C., et al. (2009). A biomechanical comparison of back and front squats in healthy trained individuals. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 23(1), 284-292.
10. Ronai, P. (2022). The Front Squat Exercise. ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, 26(2), 44-50.
11. Schoenfeld, B. J. (2010). Squatting kinematics and kinetics and their application to exercise performance. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 24(12), 3497-3506.
12. Schoenfeld, B., Fisher, J., Grgic, J., et al. (2021). Resistance training recommendations to maximize muscle hypertrophy in an athletic population: Position stand of the IUSCA. International Journal of Strength and Conditioning, 1(1), 1-30.
13. Lasevicius, T., et al. (2018). Effects of different intensities of resistance training with equated volume load on muscle strength and hypertrophy. European journal of sport science, 18(6), 772-780.
14. Spiering, B. A., et al. (2022). Maximizing Strength: The Stimuli and Mediators of Strength Gains and Their Application to Training and Rehabilitation. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 10-1519.
15. Charlton, J. M., et al. (2017). The effects of a heel wedge on hip, pelvis and trunk biomechanics during squatting in resistance trained individuals. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 31(6), 1678-1687.
16. Wu, H. W., et al. (2020). Effect of loading devices on muscle activation in squat and lunge. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, 29(2), 200-205.
17. Guido Jr, J. A., & Stemm, J. (2007). Reactive neuromuscular training: a multi-level approach to rehabilitation of the unstable shoulder. North American Journal of Sports Physical Therapy: NAJSPT, 2(2), 97-103.

Featured Image: Merrick Lincoln, DPT, CSCS / YouTube

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Entering the 2022 Mr. Olympia, bodybuilder Hunter Labrada understandably set high expectations for himself. After he notched a fourth-place finish at the 2021 edition of the contest, Labrada aimed for the main throne in Las Vegas, NV, hoping to topple the mountain of a man in former two-time defending champion Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay. Instead, Labrada not only failed to beat Elssbiay (that successful task ultimately came to eventual first-time champion Hadi Choopan), he fell off to seventh place in a disappointing finish.

On Jan. 9, 2023, Labrada appeared in a video on Iron World’s YouTube channel to personally recap his 2022 Olympia journey. Amidst a performance he clearly wasn’t happy with, Labrada discussed the emotions behind it and alluded to what’s next as he looks to rebound in 2023.

Labrada’s seventh-place result at the 2022 Olympia bothered him so much that he maintained he was staying away from social media platforms to avoid getting caught up in any discussion about the contest. In addition, the athlete usually makes a point to regularly share some sort of training or nutritional video on his YouTube channel. At the time of this writing, he has not posted anything there since Dec. 23, 2022.

“I have been off social media,” Labrada said. “I haven’t been shooting YouTube videos. I have been seeing my family and friends and keeping to myself because it shouldn’t come as a surprise to any of y’all by now, but I did not do what I was planning on doing at the Olympia this year. This is going to be the first time I kind of unpack that.” 

Because he placed in seventh, and with the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness’s (IFBB) recent changes to its qualification system, Labrada no longer has an automatic berth in the 2023 Olympia. As a result, he shared that he expects to compete in at least two sanctioned IFBB Pro League contests before the next Olympia to try and earn his keep. He did not share which competitions he will aim to participate in before the 2023 Olympia occurs sometime in Nov. 2023 in Orlando, FL.

Perhaps more importantly, Labrada disclosed he’d use the new competitive opportunities to try and figure out where he stands physically after apparently messing something up in his final Olympia prep.

” … Regardless, if I win the first one [contests), which I am going to do,” Labrada said. “The fact of the matter is I need to figure my peak out. We have a very good idea of where we went wrong in those final five days.” 

Despite his most recent shortcoming, Labrada seemed optimistic about the future. As much as his 2022 Olympia performance bothered him, he has his eye on the prize in 2023.

“I’m really confident heading into this year,” Labrada said. I”n addition to that confidence heading into this year, I’m [expletive] pissed off, man. I put this timer up in my gym and worked every day for 342 days from last year’s Olympia [2021] to this Olympia. I came up short. Plain and simple. I came up short of what I wanted to do. At the end of the day, this is something I’ve always really preached throughout my preps, is to keep your peace of mind.”

Regardless of what happens next for Labrada, his positive mindset will likely serve him well. He might even channel his apparent shame over what happened at the 2022 Olympia into focused, quality energy as motivation.

“How you respond to adversity is what really makes you,” Labrada said. “I will never forget that [expletive] feeling of that first callout being called and me not being in it. It was in front of God knows how many people.” ” … I’m going to show you a much different Hunter at the two Pro shows I do and at the Olympia because I am going to qualify this year.”

Featured image: @hunterlabrada on Instagram

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Brian Shaw’s legacy is unquestionably secure in the pantheon of strongman greats. The 40-year-old living legend has been professionally carrying yokes and placing Atlas stones onto podiums for the better part of roughly 15 years. As he looks ahead to the next phase of his life that doesn’t involve lifting extremely large objects a few select times in the calendar, Shaw is ready to close an important chapter.

On Jan. 9, 2023, Shaw announced that the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) would be his last appearance in the famed international contest. When the latest edition rolls on Apr. 18-23, 2023, in Myrtle Beach, SC, Shaw will make “one more big push” for a historic fifth career WSM title.

When Shaw finally gets set to compete in the 2023 WSM, it will mark his 16th appearance in the illustrious contest. He has appeared in the WSM Finals, which comes after the heat stage cutoff, in 14 of his previous contests, only falling short of advancing in his WSM debut in 2008. To date, Shaw has never finished lower than sixth place (2019) in the WSM and can boast 10 podium results.

More impressively, when taking a historical context of wins, Shaw’s four WSM championships tie him for the second-most all-time with Žydrūnas Savickas, Magnús Ver Magnússon, and Jón Páll Sigmarsson. With five WSM titles, only Poland’s Mariusz Pudzianowski has more victories as he stands alone at the top of the sport. Shaw’s last WSM title happened in 2016 when he happened to overcome eventual 2017 WSM champion Eddie Hall (third place) and future 2018 WSM champion Hafthor Björnsson (second place).

When discussing what his last appearance will mean to him, Shaw was frank and seemingly optimistic about his prospects at the 2023 iteration of the competition.

“After taking some time to think about it, I want to give World’s Strongest Man one more big push.” Shaw said. “I feel like I’ve got it in me. My body feels great, and mentally, I think this year I can be in a much better spot. […] Now, there’s a lot of work to be done. I’m not going to skate around that fact. I don’t think this is going to be easy in any way, shape, or form. But the work can be put in and this can be awesome.”

To win his fifth career WSM title, Shaw faces a tall task in a stacked field of superstars. In addition to Shaw, the roster will likely include some form of reigning two-time champion Tom Stoltman, 2019 champion Martins Licis, and 2020 winner Oleksii Novikov.

One thing’s for sure: If Shaw can overcome this final gauntlet of talented peers, his status as a living strongman legend may only grow in scope in a WSM swan song.

Featured image: @shawstrength on Instagram

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I’m lucky to live in warm climates with year-round access to fresh produce, but not everyone can pop over to their local farmer’s market or co-op whenever they want and grab the ingredients for a big-ass salad. Farm-to-table cuisine is great, the Primal ideal even, but the reality is that cooking with fresh, local ingredients requires access and time to shop and prepare food that not everyone enjoys, not always. Many people rely on preserved food for much or all of the year to meet their meat and produce needs, “preserved” meaning frozen, canned, dried, or fermented.

Whenever the topic of canned food comes up, I inevitably get questions about whether canned vegetables are nutritious, safe, or even Primal. (And I inevitably get comments about how we don’t need vegetables at all, which I discuss in my Definitive Guide to the carnivore diet.) Sure, Grok wouldn’t have eaten canned vegetables. But modern humans spend almost every minute of every day engaging with technology our ancestors couldn’t have imagined, from highly engineered mattresses topped with cooling pads to regulate our sleep temperature to air fryers to whatever device you’re reading this post on right now.

So I’m not too concerned about drawing some Primal line in the sand at food canning. The other questions are important, though. How does canned food stack up to fresh or frozen?

Are Canned Vegetables as Nutritious As Fresh or Frozen?

It depends on which vegetable and which nutrient you look at, but in general, canning tends to reduce nutrient content compared to fresh or frozen vegetables. But that’s not true across the board. Sometimes, specific nutrients are actually higher in canned offerings.^{1 2}

Furthermore—and this is a crucial point—nutrient losses due to canning often even out by the time the food makes it to your plate. Canning exposes food to high heat, so much of that nutrient loss is essentially due to the “cooking” that canned food undergoes. Most frozen vegetables only withstand a quick blanching before being flash frozen. Thus, if you compare fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables immediately after harvesting and processing, canned generally looks the worst, nutrient-wise. However, research shows that canned vegetables maintain their nutrient levels as they sit on the shelves, whereas the nutrients in frozen and fresh vegetables tend to degrade, bringing them more on par with canned. Once you factor in storing and then cooking fresh and frozen vegetables, you find that the initial disparities are much less pronounced as you’re forking it into your mouth.³

Clearly, the best choice is fresh vegetables consumed as close to harvesting as possible. The reality, though, is the produce at your supermarket may be many weeks out from when it was picked, making it less “fresh” than you might imagine. There’s also the whole issue of seasonal and regional availability to consider.

Overall, in terms of building a nutrient-dense diet, in most circumstances, canned vegetables are going to be just as good or nearly as good as grocery store or frozen vegetables.

BPA Concerns in Canned Foods

Nutrient content isn’t the only consideration when weighing canned versus fresh or frozen vegetables. There’s also the can itself. I have historically avoided canned vegetables in the store due to concerns over BPA in the can linings. (Home-canning in jars is different, of course. I’m all for home canning.) BPA is a known endocrine disruptor linked to immune system dysfunction, cancer, reproductive issues, and more. Since scientists and health watchdog groups have sounded the alarm about BPA in the past decade, industry reports suggest that almost all American manufacturers have moved away from BPA-lined cans.⁴

While that seems like a positive step, the BPA lining was there for a reason: to prevent corrosion and help preserve the food inside. Manufacturers replaced it, by necessity, with other types of materials that are supposed to be safer—“supposed to” being the operative words here. However, at this point, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what materials are being used by which manufacturers and, more importantly, how they are being tested for safety. Thus, I can’t say with any certainty that these new linings are better.

How Long Do Canned Foods Last?

Food waste is a massive global problem that is both economically and environmentally costly. One way we can reduce food waste is by learning what the expiration dates on our pantry items really mean. According to the USDA, “best by” dates aren’t about food safety but food quality.⁵ After those dates, the flavor and texture may start to take a hit, but canned foods are still perfectly edible.

There’s certainly no reason to throw canned food away simply because it is a week, a month, or even longer past its best by date. Canned foods stay good for up to five years in your cupboard, though you’ll want to use more acidic items like canned tomatoes within a year or so. Home-canned foods should be used within a year, ideally.

Just use common sense (and your nose). If a can looks damaged—rusted, bulging, or badly dented—it’s not worth taking a chance. Likewise if the food inside has a strange odor. Texture changes, slight discoloration, and crystallization are not signs that the food is spoiled.

Bottom Line

For the most part, I continue to opt for fresh, frozen, or shelved food in glass packaging when available. The notable exception is canned fish. The convenience of a canned sardine or anchovy, and the benefits of the omega-3s they deliver, means they still have a standing place in my cupboard.

Some items are hard to find outside a can, though. Cooked beans don’t come frozen (another argument for skipping legumes?), and while they’re easy and affordable to prepare from dried, that requires preplanning. If beans are a staple in your home, consider preparing big batches and freezing them in individual portions. Tetra Paks are becoming more common for things like stewed tomatoes and soups, but there are questions about their sustainability. They are technically recyclable, but many recycling facilities don’t have the proper machinery, so they end up in a landfill. And glass can be more expensive, which matters especially when the cost of groceries is on the rise.

If you’re going to choose canned foods for reasons of convenience or availability, still look for “BPA-free” on the label. Don’t leave canned tomatoes sitting on the shelf for months at a time. It gives the acidity more time to erode the lining. Buy them close to when you are ready to use them. Same goes for canned fruit. If you are laying up food for emergency preparedness, look at dehydrating as an option.

That about covers it. Anything I missed?

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Be honest…you have picked your nose and eaten a booger, right? I mean, even if you did it once, it counts. Some people are habitual pickers, some are pickers and eaters, and some are just pickers and flingers. But is eating boogers a good thing or a bad thing? Let’s dig to find out. Do […]

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Nick Walker entered the 2022 Mr. Olympia with legitimate aspirations of capturing bodybuilding’s most illustrious title. A top-five finisher in his debut in 2021, many presumed Walker would improve upon that result and push former two-time reigning champion Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay for the crown. As it turns out, Elssbiay would fall short of defending his title, but to Hadi Choopan instead. Walker would technically build upon his debut Olympia by finishing in third, but it still wasn’t exactly what he wanted.

On Jan. 1, 2023, Walker appeared in a YouTube podcast episode of The Mutant & The Mouth. The discussion saw him reflect on his 2022 Olympia performance and look ahead to potentially completing his ascent to the top of bodybuilding’s highest peak in 2023. (Note: There is NSFW language in the video.)

Walker doesn’t mince his words about his performance. In a frank assessment, the athlete admits he was pleased with his third-place result but thinks he probably should’ve and could’ve finished even higher in an ideal set-up. At the same time, he acknowledged that he, Derek Lunsford (second place), and Choopan might be duking it out at the top of the current Olympia pantheon for a little while. That is unless rising stars like Samson Dauda (sixth place) and Andrew Jacked (eighth place) break up the party.

“I’m very happy I took third [place],” Walker explained. “But I think, as an overall package, I think I could have been second. Derek [Lunsford], Hadi [Choopan], and I will probably be battling this out for years unless Samson [Dauda] comes out of the woodwork or if Andrew [Jacked] nails it one time. I do believe us three will be there for quite some time.”

It’s the latter two competitors in Dauda and Jacked that Walker seemed surprised by. The pair made enough of an impression on Walker for him to believe they could make some real noise with the proper refinements over the next approximate year.

“I arguably could have probably had Samson [Dauda] beating Ramy [Elssbiay] to be honest,” Walker said. “Samson’s a freak. I’m definitely excited to see what he can do at the Arnold [the Arnold Classic in March 2023], and what he can do at next year’s Olympia [in November 2023]. My personal opinion of Samson is I think he should sit out the Arnold and focus on making more improvements for the Olympia. He could cause a lot of havoc. His only downfall was he wasn’t conditioned enough. … Andrew [Jacked] made us look like amateurs. When this man was just chilling in his little Speedo, just relaxing, you’re just like, ‘What the [expletive] is that?’ He is one of the nicest guys.”

Walker himself will not be participating in the 2023 Arnold Classic. Much like the year 2022, he will center his efforts on training for the Olympia to optimize his best hopeful possible results.

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Larry “Wheels” Williams has been very forthcoming about his decision to stop using steroids and transition to Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT). The powerlifter/strongman/influencer has officially been training with TRT for almost half a year now. In the process, he’s documented several steps of this strength journey —perhaps most notably sharing a massive squat from November 2022 and his recent heaviest-ever deadlift while on the treatment to start 2023.

Wheels’ latest update from his foray into TRT and new strength life featured the athlete running through a full mock powerlifting meet. The idea was to test where his current one-rep maxes stand on the powerlifting staples of the squat, deadlift, and bench press. On Jan. 7, 2022, the athlete shared a video on his YouTube channel detailing said performance and his overall thought process.

Wheels performed his bench press and deadlift completely raw, save for a lifting belt, and used knee wraps for his squat. Here’s an overview of Wheels’ mock powerlifting performance:

Larry Wheels | Jan. 2023 Mock Powerlifting Meet Results

• Squat (W/Wraps) — 330 kilograms (727.5 pounds)
• Bench Press (Raw) — 230 kilograms (507.1 pounds)
• Deadlift (Raw) — 350 kilograms (771.6 pounds)
• Total (Raw W/Wraps) — 910 kilograms (2,006.2 pounds)

One of the other main reasons Wheels decided to conduct this meet was to compare his top TRT lifts with when he was on steroids and at a similar body weight. The athlete does possess higher personal records (PRs) for each of these lifts, but those were at a heavier body weight.

When it comes to Wheels’ TRT squat while using knee wraps, he actually lifted 1.1 kilograms (2.5 pounds) more than his previous squat with wraps PR from January 2014, per Open Powerlifting. According to Wheels in the video, in regard to his bench press, his lift of 230 kilograms (507.1 pounds) was 30 kilograms (66.1 pounds) less than his top bench press at a similar body weight while on steroids. Finally, Wheels didn’t hide his displeasure with his deadlift of 350 kilograms (771.6 pounds), but comparatively, it held up well to his previous steroid-assisted PR of 374.7 kilograms (826 pounds) (again at relatively the same body weight).

To close the meet (and the video), Wheels reflected on how far he’s come with TRT, this meet, and after stopping his extended steroid use. It seems as if one of the biggest names in strength sports is enjoying how his new personal endeavor is unfolding.

“This prep has been very enlightening, seeing what I’m capable of on TRT … I’m enjoying the process. I feel great. I think I look better than ever. Skin, sleep, mood, everything is stable.”

Featured image: Larry Wheels on YouTube

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The front squat is a staple movement for Olympic weightlifters, CrossFit athletes, and countless other strength-focused lifters. However, some find the unique bar position to be a limiting factor because it requires ample shoulder and wrist mobility.

Other lifters shy away from the front squat because they can move relatively more weight with other squat variations. Regardless of the reason, while the front squat has plenty of benefits to offer, there are some equally effective alternatives to consider which let you work around any restrictions and find comparable results.

Bruce Lee once talked about “the art of fighting without fighting,” so consider these exercises “how to front squat without front squatting.”

Best Front Squat Alternatives

• Front Squat with Straps
• Front Squat to Box
• Safety Bar Squat
• Zercher Squat
• High-Bar Back Squat
• Trap Bar Squat
• Front Rack Lunge
• Goblet Squat
• Dumbbell Front Squat
• Single-Arm Kettlebell Front Squat
• Front Squat Hold

Front Squat with Straps

One of the biggest limiting factors for many lifters, when it comes to performing the front squat, is holding the bar in the “rack position” — held across the fronts of your shoulders with your arms flexed and your fingertips under the bar.

This position requires flexibility and mobility throughout your wrists, elbows, and shoulders. While those attributes can be improved over time with dedicated work, you can reduce the mobility requirements without compromising results by attaching a pair of lifting straps to the bar. These serve as makeshift handles to offer a slightly adjusted hand and arm position.

When to Use It

The front squat with straps can be used identically to the classic front squat, or any time you need to support the bar in the rack position (across the front of your shoulders). The strapped movement can be programmed with the same sets and reps, and often with the same weights. This exercise is particularly useful for any lifters with pre-existing upper-body joint issues which may restrict their mobility.

How to Do It

Set a barbell in a rack at roughly upper chest-level. Secure a pair of lifting straps to the bar just outside shoulder-width. Grab one strap in each hand with your palms facing each other.

Step to the bar, bending your arms as you unrack the weight with your thumbs near the front of your shoulders. Keep tension on the straps without lifting the bar off your shoulders. Take a small step back and squat, keeping your elbows aimed forward and your torso upright.

Front Squat to Box

While the front squat with straps addresses upper body mobility restrictions, the front squat to box can be used to address lower body mobility restrictions. By using a box to limit your range of motion, you change the muscle recruitment and alter the stress on muscles and joints. (1)

When to Use It

Program the front squat to box if you have hip or ankle mobility issues which prevent you from achieving a deep front squat position. A box can also be used by beginners as a target to ingrain consistent squat depths and technique.

How to Do It

Set up a stable box or series of aerobic steps at a comfortable height, generally above knee-level, a few feet behind a barbell set in a rack. Setup for a standard front squat and carefully step back to position yourself above the box.

Descend under control, lowering your glutes to the box. Don’t rest your full weight on the box — pretend it’s a deck of cards that you don’t want to knock down. Pause very briefly without losing tension. Explode upwards to a powerful lockout.

Safety Bar Squat

If your gym has a safety bar, easily spotted with its thick pads and jutting handles, it can be a key player in building your lower body without straining your joints. (2) The safety bar squat allows a more upright torso and increased upper back engagement, which can reduce lower back stress. The forward-facing handles allow a more natural arm position which reduces stress on your shoulder and elbow joints.

When to Use It

The safety bar squat is an ideal alternative if you cannot maintain the elevated arm position required for front squats. This exercise is also an efficient way to increase upper back training because the thick pads offset the center of gravity and increase trapezius and upper back activation.

How to Do It

Set a safety bar in a rack at roughly shoulder-height. Duck under the bar and position the padded cradle around your trapezius, upper back, and shoulders. Grab the handles and pull your elbows toward your ribs.

Brace your core and pinch your shoulder blades together before unracking the weight. Step back and squat down. Don’t allow the weight to tip your upper body forward. Squeeze the handles and keep you elbows near your ribs as you drive upward to lockout.

Zercher Squat

The unconventional bar position of the Zercher squat, named after American weightlifter Ed Zercher, almost looks like a very poorly attempted front squat. By cradling the barbell in the crook of your arms, you can hold it very close to your body, which  improves your leverage and power output. While the Zercher squat requires little-to-no shoulder or elbow mobility, the strain of the bar on your forearms and elbows can be uncomfortable for some lifters.

When to Use It

Perform the Zercher squat in place of the front squat if you have significant upper body mobility restrictions. The Zercher squat can also be used toward the end of a workout, after first fatiguing your legs with other movements. This will let you get an efficient training stimulus with relatively lighter (and likely more comfortable) weights.

How to Do It

Set the bar in a rack near your belly button or lower chest-level. Step up to the bar and place your elbows on it, curling your arms around the barbell, with your palms up. Brace your core and stand up before taking a step back.

Squat down until either the bar or your elbows gently touch your thighs. Pause briefly before standing upright. Keep your elbows tight to your body and don’t allow the weight to pull you forward.

High-Bar Back Squat

Strangely, sometimes the best front squat alternative is a back squat variation. The high-bar back squat is a useful choice for competitive powerlifters, who must perform the back squat at meets. This exercise allows increased quadriceps recruitment and relatively less lower back strain while maintaining a sport-specific movement.(3)

When to Use It

The high-bar back squat can be used at any point in a training program to emphasize the quadriceps muscles, which can benefit leg size as well as carry over to improved squat and deadlift strength.

How to Do It

Place a bar at upper chest-level in a rack. Position the bar across your trapezius and upper back. Unrack the back and take a roughly shoulder-width stance. Brace your core, pull your shoulder blades together, and squat as low as possible.

Keep your upper body mostly vertical as you descend. Aim to reach a depth with your hips nearly in line with your knees (thighs roughly parallel to the ground) before returning upright.

Trap Bar Squat

A trap bar can be a versatile piece of equipment, but is commonly used to perform the trap bar deadlift. The neutral hand position (palms facing your body) keeps the weight in line with your body’s center, which helps to reduce joint strain in your back and shoulders. Shifting your body position to keep a more upright torso when performing a trap bar squat will further emphasize the front of your thighs (quadriceps).

When to Use It

Use the trap bar for any type of squat or deadlift variation to decrease joint strain without reducing muscular stress. The trap bar squat can be particularly beneficial for sneaking extra upper body recruitment into your leg training, because your grip, arms, shoulders, and back help support the load during the exercise.

How to Do It

If your trap bar has two sets of handles, one “high” and one “low,” begin using the high handles and save the low handles for a more challenging progression. Stand in the center of the bar with your feet roughly shoulder-width. Squat down to grab the handles.

Be sure to bend at your knees and dip your hips down, to put your legs in an optimal pulling position. Puff your chest up and pull your shoulders back. Think about keeping your head over your tailbone as you drive upward to lockout.

Front Rack Lunge

To reap the core stability and upper back strengthening benefits of a front squat, with increased focus on each individual leg, performing a front rack lunge can be an extremely useful movement. You can build upper and lower body strength with less total load, because the movement is primarily performed unilaterally (with one leg at a time).

When to Use It

Unilateral movements like the lunge help to address strength and developmental discrepancies that can occur from exclusively bilateral (two-leg) exercises. Lunges can also build more complete athleticism and power than over-focusing on two-legged squat movements.(4)

How to Do It

Set up a barbell in a rack at shoulder-height. Grab the bar in the rack position and take a two or three steps backward. Stabilize the weight and brace your core.

Take one longer than normal step forward and plant your foot flat. Squat down until your rear knee lightly touches the floor. Keep your shoulders back and your upper body close to vertical. Drive up through your front foot with maximum force and return both feet together in a standing position. Perform all reps with one foot before switching legs. Re-rack the bar after performing the exercise with each leg.

Goblet Squat

While the front squat supports the bar across your shoulders, the goblet squat is as close as you can get to an identical movement using a single dumbbell. By supporting the weight in front of your chest, you train the same type of front-loaded squat movement which builds core strength and overall mobility.

However, the goblet squat doesn’t require a large degree of shoulder mobility because your upper arms remain pointed mostly downward instead of forward.

When to Use It

The goblet squat is a much more convenient and practical exercise for many lifters, requiring only a single dumbbell instead of a barbell and power rack. It can be performed as part of a general warm-up prior to heavy front squats or it can be trained heavily on its own to deliver a shoulder-sparing squat workout.

How to Do It

Place a dumbbell vertically on its end atop a flat bench. Squat down and place your palms on the bottom side of the top weight plate, getting your chest as close to the dumbbell as possible. Brace your core and pull your shoulder blades back.

Stand upright, supporting the weight with bent arms. The dumbbell should be near your collarbones or neck. Squat as deep as possible while keeping your torso vertical. Don’t allow the weight to pull your arms down or forward during the movement.

Dumbbell Front Squat

The dumbbell front squat could be seen as the next-step progression from the goblet squat. Instead of holding a single dumbbell as your chest, you’re supporting a weight in each hand. This more closely mimics a barbell from squat.

In fact, it puts you in nearly an identical hand and arm position as the front squat with straps, because your hands are in a neutral position (palms facing each other). This reduces the mobility requirements needed to perform the exercise,

When to Use It

Choose the dumbbell front squat if you’re training with limited equipment (such in a hotel gym or limited home gym) because you don’t need a barbell and rack. The dumbbell front squat is also an effective choice for lifters training around wrist or shoulder issues, since the joints are less stressed during the movement.

How to Do It

Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, resting at your sides. Bring the dumbbells up to the front of each shoulder in a hammer curl-type motion. Using some body English to control the swing of the weights is acceptable as long as it’s done with leg drive (as a quick jump), not bending at the waist or heaving with your lower back.

Hold the weights in the shoulder-supported position throughout the exercise. In a wider than shoulder-width stance, squat as deeply as possible. Aim your elbows forward and lean back to keep your upper body vertical. Don’t allow the weights to fall forward or sideways off your shoulders. 

Single-Arm Kettlebell Front Squat

A classic kettlebell exercise, the single-arm kettlebell front squat emphasizes core strength just as much as (possibly more than) leg strength. The “imbalanced,” single-sided load forces your abs and lower back to fire constantly to resist the sideways pull. This builds serious core stability which can play a key role in reducing the risk of lower back injuries. (5)

When to Use It

Because your core strength will likely be the limiting factor for most lifters, it may be more beneficial to treat the single-arm kettlebell front squat primarily as a core-building exercise that delivers leg size and strength as an added benefit, rather than primarily as “a leg exercise.” Improved core strength and stability can carry over to stronger lifts.

How to Do It

Bring a kettlebell to shoulder-height, either by performing a kettlebell clean or using your free hand to get the weight into position. Your thumb should be nearly resting on the front of your shoulder with the ball of the kettlebell resting on your forearm.

Stand upright, without leaning sideways into the weight or excessively counterbalancing to the opposite side. Take a relatively wide stance, beyond shoulder-width, and descend into a deep squat. Hold the kettlebell close to your body and don’t allow it to shift your torso. Perform all reps on one side before switching hands.

Front Squat Hold

This front squat alternative doesn’t actually involve any squatting at all. By reinforcing the locked out position, you create significant tension in your core stabilizers, as well as actively stretching the muscles directly involved in holding the rack position. This cumulative effect can lead to a stronger and more stable front squat.

Because static holds put you in the strongest mechanical position, you can also “overload” your system with heavier than normal weights, which can stimulate strength gains.

When to Use It

The front squat hold should be the first exercise performed on a lifting day, after a general warm-up. Not only will it help to recruit more muscle units in the training to follow, but performing the hold with any muscle fatigue can drastically increase the risk and decrease the benefits.

How to Do It

Set up for a standard front squat, with the bar in a rack near shoulder-level. Unrack the bar and take one or two small steps back. Instead of commencing a squat, hold the top position with maximum focus.

Concentrate on fully engaging your core and upper back. Flex your glutes and legs to further reinforce the lockout position. This exercise is typically performed “for time” (often three to five seconds, up to 10 seconds) rather than for multiple repetitions.

Benefits of Front Squat Alternatives

While the front squat is an essential movement for certain strength athletes like Olympic weightlifters and CrossFit athletes, front squat alternatives can be used by many lifters to deliver key benefits when the primary movement is no longer an option.

Reduced Mobility Requirements

Some lifters have crossed the front squat off their list of potential exercises because they cannot get their arms into the rack position needed to support the weight or because their hips or knees don’t allow the type of deep front squat commonly associated with the exercise.

Several front squat alternatives allow lifters of any mobility level to benefit from the squat squat movement by reducing the mobility and flexibility requirements. These alternatives can also address and improve restrictions over time, which can progress to a full front squat.

Decreased Lower Back Strain

One key benefit of the front squat is its reduced lower back strain compared to the back squat. Each front squat alternative preserves that back-sparing advantage, making each movement a potential exercise choice for lifters prone to lower back issues.

Quadriceps Size and Strength

Front squat alternatives continue to emphasize the quadriceps, on the front of the thighs, relatively more than the glutes or hamstrings. (6) This is a key reason why many physique-focused lifters prioritize the front squat over the back squat. These alternatives are equally effective in emphasizing the quads, while back squats and deadlift variations are more commonly used to focus on the hamstrings and glutes.

Get Back to Front Squatting

The front squat can be beneficial for strength athletes, physique-conscious lifters, and any gym-goer looking to build lower body strength and muscle, a stable core, and a stronger lower back. If you’re not yet ready to tackle the Olympic-level movement, choose the variation that best suits your individual needs and start racking up the results.

References

1. Kubo, K., Ikebukuro, T., & Yata, H. (2019). Effects of squat training with different depths on lower limb muscle volumes. European journal of applied physiology, 119(9), 1933–1942. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-019-04181-y
2. Hecker, Kara & Carlson, Lara & Lawrence, Michael. (2018). Effects of the Safety Squat Bar on Trunk and Lower-Body Mechanics During a Back Squat. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 33 Suppl 1. 1. 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002912. 
3. Glassbrook, D. J., Brown, S. R., Helms, E. R., Duncan, S., & Storey, A. G. (2019). The High-Bar and Low-Bar Back-Squats: A Biomechanical Analysis. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 33 Suppl 1, S1–S18. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001836
4. Speirs, Derrick E.1,2; Bennett, Mark A.3; Finn, Charlotte V.4; Turner, Anthony P.2. Unilateral vs. Bilateral Squat Training for Strength, Sprints, and Agility in Academy Rugby Players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 30(2):p 386-392, February 2016. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001096
5. Huxel Bliven, K. C., & Anderson, B. E. (2013). Core stability training for injury prevention. Sports health, 5(6), 514–522. https://doi.org/10.1177/1941738113481200
6. Coratella, G., Tornatore, G., Caccavale, F., Longo, S., Esposito, F., & Cè, E. (2021). The Activation of Gluteal, Thigh, and Lower Back Muscles in Different Squat Variations Performed by Competitive Bodybuilders: Implications for Resistance Training. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(2), 772. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020772

Featured Image: Berkomaster / Shutterstock

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To be blunt, deadlifting is awesome. Once you get hooked, you are hooked for life. It is arguably the best test of full-body strength, and the deadlift will never lie to you. You can either grip it and rip it from the floor… or not.

Getting better and stronger at the deadlift is a lifelong pursuit for many lifters who dive down the rabbit hole trying to lift more weight.

However, mistakes can happen when you push the boundaries to improve your deadlifting strength, which is perfectly okay. The trick here is to recognize these mistakes and fix them ASAP, so you can improve safely and, hopefully, not end up on the physical therapist’s table.

Here are 12 of the most common deadlifting mistakes to watch out for, so you can continue being strong and safe.

Common Deadlifting Mistakes

• Stance Mistakes
• Hip Mistakes
• Grip Mistake
• Performance Mistakes
• Programming Mistakes
• How to Deadlift

Common Stance Mistakes

Your feet act as your support base, and ensuring correct foot placement goes a long way in shoring up your pull.

Too Much Heel Emphasis

The heart of the deadlift is the hip hinge movement, but some lifters overemphasize rocking back on the heels to attempt a better hinge. You should feel your heel solidly, but feeling your whole foot on the ground is more efficient. Driving too much through your heels may result in a loss of balance during the pull.

The Fix: Feel your whole foot on the floor before you begin lifting the weight. When hinging down, first make sure you feel your weight shifting back onto your heels. Next, feel your big toe by pressing it into the floor. Doing so ensures you will use your whole foot when you pull.

Too Much Toe Emphasis

Similar to putting too much emphasis on your heels, sometimes you may feel like you are being pulled onto your toes when deadlifting. This goes hand in hand with excessive knee flexion (squatting too much) in your setup. This mistake may stop you in your tracks and prevent you from lifting any serious weight off the ground.

The Fix: Similar to the solution for the heel issue, you need to feel your heel and your big toe before you pull, and you need to ensure you feel them throughout the entire set. Start with the barbell over the middle of your feet during your initial setup, which will put your body in a better overall position.

Your Feet Rotating While Pulling

When and if your feet turn outward during your pull, you can often correct this error during your setup. This rotating can happen when your body tries to “find space” while putting force into the ground. It can increase strain on your ankle and knee joints while decreasing power output.

The Fix: Spend time finding the best stance for you whether that’s conventional (feet roughly shoulder-width), sumo (feet well-beyond shoulder-width), or somewhere in between. Setting your feet slightly outward, instead of having them pointed straight ahead, can give your knees somewhere to go during your pull and works well for most lifters.

Common Hip Mistakes

The hip position is critical for a safer pull. If your hips are not correctly placed, say hello to eventual lower back issues. The deadlift is a hip hinge, after all. Getting your hips in the right position is crucial.

Your Hips Are Set Up Too Low

When trying to get into a good hinge position, you may find yourself setting your hips too low at the start of the deadlift. It may help you brace, but sitting down too much doesn’t allow you to “wedge” yourself into position or pull the slack out of the bar — two important technique tips for a more efficient deadlift.

When your hip hinge is compromised from low hips, your shoulders end up behind the barbell which is a weak position to pull from.

The Fix: Start with a soft bend in your knees before hinging down to grip the barbell. Pay attention to feeling your hip position. Ensure that your shoulders are slightly higher than your hips when setting up. If you’re not feeling your hamstrings engage, something is probably off and you should restart your positioning.

Your Hips Are Set Up Too High

Almost the opposite of the previous mistake, but equally as disruptive, a high hip position turns the deadlift into a pure hinge — like a stiff-legged deadlift. Although the deadlift is a hinge movement, the bend in your knees brings your quadriceps into the equation, which helps the initial pull off the floor.

The Fix: Make sure your shoulders are only slightly higher than your hips, not significantly higher. Use some knee bend to get into the starting position. Before lifting the weight, run a quick spot-check in the mirror or ask your lifting buddy to tell you what’s what.

Common Grip Mistake

If you cannot grip it, you cannot rip it. Grip strength is a common weak point and it pays to strengthen your grip by any means possible. Your grip is mostly a personal preference, but it’s best to have a shoulder-width grip for most deadlift variations. Whether you go with overhand, mixed (one overhand and one underhand), or hook grip (grabbing your thumb alongside the bar) is ultimately up to you.

Helicopter Deadlift

If you do use a mixed grip but your hands are set in a poor position, the barbell may twist and rotate while reaching lockout. This could be potentially torque your spine and end your deadlift quickly. It’s vital to have your hands and shoulders in the correct position before pulling, especially when using a mixed or “over/under” grip.

The Fix: Ensure your shoulder mobility allows you to perform a mixed grip properly. Your “underhand” arm will need to maintain external shoulder rotation — the palm-up position — throughout the entire set. For safety and top performance, go through a few shoulder mobility drills before deadlifting with a mixed grip.

Common Performance Mistakes

Here are a few of the most common actual technique and performance mistakes that can be holding you back and putting you at risk of injury.

Hips Coming Up Too Early

This is sometimes referred to as the “stripper deadlift” and is usually a result of weaker quads or a lack of upper back engagement. If your hips come up before the bar moves, what began as a standard deadlift immediately turns into an awkward and overloaded stiff-leg deadlift. It is only a matter of time before your lower back will tell you that enough is enough.

The Fix: If your quad strength is an issue, focus on maintaining your setup position and gradually strengthen your quads with split squat variations to improve leg drive. Pulling the slack out of the bar while keeping your chest up and shoulders down will also create the tension necessary to fix this problem.

Rounding of Your Lower and Upper Back

There is a small number of elite competitive deadlifters who are the exception to the rule here, but you are probably not one of them. Rounding your upper or lower back increases the distance you have to pull the barbell to lockout, which makes the exercise harder than it needs to be. It also puts you at greater risk of injury by exposing your spine to more direct stress. It’s more efficient, more safe, and more stable to keep a neutral spine.

The Fix: Strong lats and a strong upper back are the keys here. When those muscles are adequately engaged — by squeezing your armpits together and putting your shoulder blades in your back pocket — it decreases the distance you have to pull the bar and keeps your spine neutral, which protects you from shearing and compressive forces.

Too Slow Off The Floor

Being slow off the floor and allowing your hips to rise too fast is a deadlift catch-22. You don’t want to come up too quickly, but you also don’t what to come up to slowly. When you’re slow off the floor, you spend too much energy during your initial pull, which saps your overall strength and makes a successful lockout less likely. Plus, it puts your lower back at greater risk of injury because that’s one of the more vulnerable positions of the lift.

The Fix: Build strength and power from the bottom position to blast past this sticking point. One way to do this is to program a period focused on deficit deadlifts (standing on an elevated platform) to improve your speed in the bottom position. Another surprisingly obvious issue could be that the weight is too heavy, so you may simply need to take some weight off the bar and build overall strength.

Overarching Your Lower Back at Lockout

Locking out your deadlift when you are fatigued is difficult, and some lifters finish the movement by using their lower back, not their glutes. Some lifters may care how they end their lift as long as they reach lockout, but their lower back certainly does. Over time, crushing your lower spine will catch up with any lifter.

The Fix: This is summed up in three words: Squeeze your glutes. When locking out, bring your hips forward, engage your glutes, and resist any temptation to lean your shoulder far back behind your hips. Your lower back will thank you.

Common Programming Mistakes

Programming is subjective because goals differ from person to person. The deadlift is a full-body lift that requires all of your energy and attention, and avoiding these common programming mistakes will keep you safe and strong.

It’s Not an Accessory Lift

Standing over a barbell and pulling it from the floor is a full-body experience. The barbell deadlift requires a ton of energy from your nervous system, as well as your muscles, and it’s always best trained early in your workout. If you squat and deadlift on the same day, perform the deadlift first.

The Fix: It is a fairly easy one. Without question, perform the deadlift after your warm-up, core work, or lightweight power training. Don’t approach the deadlift after you’ve fatigued your body with significant weight training for any other body parts.

Higher Rep Sets

Pulling from the floor is excellent for building strength and resilience, but it’s not the best deadlift variation for building muscle because it doesn’t focus tension on any one emphasized muscle — that belongs to the Romanian deadlift because you’re building eccentric and concentric strength.

Performing higher rep sets, 10 or more reps per set, with the barbell deadlift for building muscle or strength is not the best idea because once your muscles get tired, your chance for injury jumps higher.

The Fix: If you want to build strength and perform with a heavier weight for “higher reps,” achieve that training volume using every minute on the minute sets. With 85 to 90% of your one-rep max, perform one or two reps, rest the remainder of the minute, and do it again at the start of the next minute. Start with 10 minutes total and build up to 20 minutes. You’ll never look at “high-rep” deadlifts the same way again.

How to Deadlift

Time for a quick refresher on how to achieve a powerful and crisp conventional deadlift.

Step 1 — Lock In Your Stance

Approach the barbell with a hip-to-shoulder-width stance, with the barbell above your midfoot. Angle your feet out slightly.

Step 2 — Set Your Grip

With a soft bend in your knees, hinge down at your hips to grip the bar with your grip of choice (overhand, over/under, or hook grip). Keep your hands close to your body without getting in the way of your knees.

Step 3 — Think About Your Hips

Pull your chest up. Squeeze your armpits together and drive your shoulder blades down to get a neutral spine. This allows your hips to be slightly below your shoulders, where they should be for a safe and efficient pulling position.

Step 4 — Breathe and Brace

Engage your abs, upper back, and lats. Squeeze the bar and feel tension throughout your whole body while feeling a slight stretch in your hamstrings. Take a deep breath in and get ready to rip.

Step 5 — Pull

Imagine performing a leg press, driving the barbell away from the floor while extending your hips and knees, and raising your upper body. Think about standing tall and finishing with your glutes at lockout.

Grip it and Rip It

Mistakes are bound to happen when you push your deadlift boundaries. There is no such thing as a “perfect form,” but there is such thing as safe, efficient, and effective form. It pays to dot your I’s and cross your T’s whenever you’re standing over the bar ready to pull. Now that you know some common errors, you know what to watch for while getting stronger more safely. Time to grip it and rip it, baby.

Featured Image: PeopleImages.com – Yuri A / Shutterstock

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To close the 2022 calendar year, the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) revealed the standards for the 2023 Olympia qualification process. The contest’s next iteration will occur sometime in November 2023 in Orlando, FL. Before that competitive moment arrives, a former Mr. Olympia (1983) champion, Samir Bannout, recently discussed what he feels are issues concerning bodybuilding’s main event.

During a Jan. 3, 2023, episode of The Muscle Maturity Podcast, Bannout broke down his current thoughts on bodybuilding as a sport and where he feels the flagship Mr. Olympia must evolve. Among the more notable bullet points was the former fitness titan stressing that the qualification process for the contest should be more rigid.

Perhaps the most significant change to the IFBB’s Olympia qualification system in 2023 was that there would no longer be a points system. Only the top-five finishers in the 2022 Mr. Olympia, the top three athletes in every other 2022 Olympia division, and the respective contest winners of every IFBB Pro League competition in 2023 will qualify for November’s festivities in Florida.

In a spanning discussion, this is a change that Bannout welcomed and said doesn’t go far enough. The 2022 Mr. Olympia stage held a field of 30 competitors vying for the title, which was too vast a field in Bannout’s experienced opinion.

“The Olympia should never be more than 20 contestants. Never. That should be the limit. The cream of the crop should get on that stage,” Bannout said. “If you don’t make the top ten, it’s over. I think the top five should qualify again.”

Regarding prize money, the Men’s Open category, with champion Hadi Choopan, eclipsed every other participating Olympia division by far in the 2022 edition of the Olympia. This is a discrepancy Bannout doesn’t appreciate. Like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bannout believes the Classic Physique division deserves more respect.

“A guy like Chris Bumstead, honestly, he was the most conditioned and the most professional at the Olympia weekend, and his check was $50,000.” Bannout started. “And the third-place winner (in the Men’s Open) took home $100,000. How [expletive] do you explain that?”

As for improving the Olympia’s general presentation, Bannout noted he thinks the contest’s organizers should be making more of an earnest effort to highlight past victors. To this former Olympia champion, his suggested plan is to continue building the sport’s mystique while catering to loyal spectators by honoring Olympia winners from previous years.

“It [would be] really cool every decade, at least or every 5-6 years, bring all the Mr. Olympias on stage for just two minutes,” Bannout proposed. “And that’s gonna bring a more happy atmosphere and celebration. Like Arnold does [at the Arnold Classic contest], he brings all the former Arnold Classic champions.”

Whether the IFBB and the Olympia’s organizers will take Bannout’s suggestions and apply them in the future remains to be seen. For now, he’s just the latest legend of the sport who seems to want better for those athletes that have come after him.

Featured image: @officialsamirbannout on Instagram

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