Posted In: Strength & Conditioning
Instead of doing:
Back Squat
Bench Press
Chin ups
RDL
45 Back Raise
Military Press
Rows
Abs
and replacing the back squat with the bulgarian split squat would this help put more emphasis on glutes instead of the quads for the quad dominant ‘athlete’? Would this also open up for more speed work because there is less CNS stimulation or would it already be cancelled out because of the extra posterior chain work (RDL + 45 degree back raise)
I haven’t found split squats to more effectively target the hamstrings/glutes than back squats at all. Reverse lunges and TDL both seem to hit the glutes more than back squats, but I’ve found BSS and backsquats to be quite similar, if not identical, in how they target the quads/glutes. Dare I say BSS have a lot of quad emphasis in my experience?
It could work, I just don’t see the point. I personally think there are better exercises for what you say your goals are. I’m not against BSS by any means, but I think squats hit the glutes just as well and for single leg work I like reverse lunges, walking lunges, and other lunge variations much better than bSS.
I like split squat as well but deep back squats are my staple exercise. I have nothing against the Bulgarian split squats but there are quite a few other exercises I’d rather use.
Out of curiosity what makes you believe you’re quad dominant?
ELITETRACK Founder
The body can organize its patterns of muscular contraction, timing, and speed in an infinite number of ways to accomplish a particular task but if you sit back and get deep in a back squat your glutes are going to have to work pretty hard or you can’t extend your hip. Similar to Mike I would like to know how we know someone is quad dominant. Without testing, which would most likely be performed in an isolated fashion (knee flexion/knee extension), how wuld we know. Is “quad dominant” just a catchphrase / buzzword?
The body can organize its patterns of muscular contraction, timing, and speed in an infinite number of ways to accomplish a particular task but if you sit back and get deep in a back squat your glutes are going to have to work pretty hard or you can’t extend your hip. Similar to Mike I would like to know how we know someone is quad dominant. Without testing, which would most likely be performed in an isolated fashion (knee flexion/knee extension), how wuld we know. Is “quad dominant” just a catchphrase / buzzword?
Many different ways:
1: Some people are born quad dom.
2: People who do tons of squatting and not enough post chain can become quad dom.
3: Watching your athlete sprint can also give you an idea, quad runners (squatty, pushy).
4: Make sure to stretch does big stiff quads!!!
@Mike: I overstride when I sprint, max velocity is slower than acceleration. I almost corrected the problem last fall but after a couple injuries I’ve been on the bike a lot so it messed up my running form this season. I’m overstriding a lot again, etc. I have some before and after videos but not any current ones. my youtube channel is youtube.com/jesse110h
@Jason: My back rounds when I get deep into the squat. When the weight goes higher it gets even harder to sit back.
@utfootball Yes. I think I might have all of the above. I’m doing 2:1 now in hopes of being glute dominant. (RDL, 45 degree back raise: split squat)
@everyone I’m primarily trying to get my posture back before I start my hills in GPP in August. I think when I start the running back up, my posture would be better and it would be reasonable to replace the split squat with the deep back squat while keeping 2 posterior chain exercises. Sound good?
Don’t think over-striding is from quad dom. Why not make the deadlift or low box squat your primary lower body lifts.
Mon:
jump squats 4×10
Low Box squat (lower then parallel) 3×5
Glut ham 4×4
rev hypers 3×10-12
Thur:
jump squats pause 4x5x
Snatch deadlift 3×5
reactive gh 4×10
hypers 3×10-12
I would try and include some skips/bounds/throws on mon and thur.
@Mike: I overstride when I sprint, max velocity is slower than acceleration. I almost corrected the problem last fall but after a couple injuries I’ve been on the bike a lot so it messed up my running form this season. I’m overstriding a lot again, etc. I have some before and after videos but not any current ones. my youtube channel is youtube.com/jesse110h
@Jason: My back rounds when I get deep into the squat. When the weight goes higher it gets even harder to sit back.@utfootball Yes. I think I might have all of the above. I’m doing 2:1 now in hopes of being glute dominant. (RDL, 45 degree back raise: split squat)
@everyone I’m primarily trying to get my posture back before I start my hills in GPP in August. I think when I start the running back up, my posture would be better and it would be reasonable to replace the split squat with the deep back squat while keeping 2 posterior chain exercises. Sound good?
UTFB4,
Thanks for sharing your observations.
Jesse,
How long have you been back squatting? If you are new to it, don’t agressively load it. Where I work we start out with most of our new athletes loading single leg work (i.e. split squats) and stressing mobility, backside strength (RDL, Back Ext, Rev Hyper, Bent Knee Hip Ext, Leg Curl), and using bodyweight or low load squats until their squat technique improves. Squatting requires the mobility to get down into position and the strength on the backside to hold it. I hope that may be helpful.
thanks ut, great help as always. I will start doing that next program next week.
jason, I’ve been squatting on and off for 2 years. I think I might need more mobility work as well. I’ve been incorporating bulgarian split squats and single leg deadlifts (for the first time) and I think so far the results have been positive. I’m more sore in the glutes than squatting. Also, I tried bounding before I used single leg work and I was overstriding sort of…but now it seems to be more under my center of gravity.
Jesse,
I’d be curious to see what a typical weeks looks like. Use caution when just inserting a suggested strength training routine, particularly one the emphasizes posterior chain work. I agree with UT about Snatch Grip Deadlift being a great choice. You could also do it standing on a podium a la Charles Poliquin to get an even greater ROM. Being that it’s a priority, I would put SGD in the Monday workout. Personally, if I did SGD on Monday, I’d have a tough time getting a 5RM squat workout in 3 days later. I might look at the second leg workout of the week as a lighter intensity, more technically oriented workout. Could be a good opportunity to only goes as heavy as perfect technique allows.
Jesse,
I’d be curious to see what a typical weeks looks like. Use caution when just inserting a suggested strength training routine, particularly one the emphasizes posterior chain work. I agree with UT about Snatch Grip Deadlift being a great choice. You could also do it standing on a podium a la Charles Poliquin to get an even greater ROM. Being that it’s a priority, I would put SGD in the Monday workout. Personally, if I did SGD on Monday, I’d have a tough time getting a 5RM squat workout in 3 days later. I might look at the second leg workout of the week as a lighter intensity, more technically oriented workout. Could be a good opportunity to only goes as heavy as perfect technique allows.
LOL, who said anything about a 5rm?? All my sdl are from a 4in block.
Good point.
That’s what happens when you’re vague.
Good point.
That’s what happens when you’re vague.
Vague? 3×5 does not = 5rm.. 3×5 = lift whatever you can on that day. Sorry if I can’t be Ms. Cleo and predict the future.
I’m a proponent of letting the sets, reps, tempo, time under tension, etc.. determine the load so I understand where you’re coming from. I do like to use the percentages found in Poliquin’s optimal maximal ratios to determine starting points for a new cycle with different exercises.
I would expect an athlete to put forth an honest effort and try to lift as much as they can on that day. I’m not sure I would ask them to do that again 3 days later. When I reduced the frequency in my own training, the first thing I noticed was every day was a good day in the gym. The “see what I could” get mentality was gone. It also made it easier to not only gauge, but predict what was to come and that was progress.
