Squats – From Sublime to Ridiculous

Someone send me this last
week: “Mike Boyle's RFESS (rear foot
elevated split squat) has made some serious waves in the strength and
conditioning community. I think that is important that he dares say no to back
squat or front squat any more.” I think this is a sad commentary on the
strength and conditioning community. What will it be next, I am not interested
in creating controversy or getting in a pissing contest, but at least be consistent?
Ten years ago it was the front squat that was it nothing but the front squat,
now it is this. For me it is not about selling the latest DVD (I don’t have any
– nor will I anytime soon) it is about educating. Regardless of the exercise
there is no one way. A comprehensive strength training program includes
squatting movements, pulling movements, pushing movements and bracing
movements. Squatting is a fundamental human movement. Gait is fundamental to
human movement. Gait occurs of off one foot onto to another foot that is my simple
rationale for including single leg (Single leg squats) and reciprocal leg
exercises (lunges and step-ups) in a good sound strength training program. This
has been my rationale for years; it dictates the selection of lower extremity
and total body exercise on my exercise menu. Resistance should progress from
bodyweight to appropriate external load based on the chronological and training
age of the athlete and the sport. This is not Strength Coach Version 4.159, it
is just sound training methodology that I learned at UCSB in Dr. Button’s Foundations of Conditioning class in
1969. By the way one of the textbooks in that class was Pat O’Shea’s book  Scientific Methods and Principles of
Strength Fitness, a classic work everyone should read. Once again I
implore all of you to get beyond the hype, marketing, bravado and THINK! Sound
training methodology and best practice dictates that your exercise selection
fit the demands of the sport and above all does no harm.