Gavin Asks: I’m having big problems progressing any of my squats. I have a weight shift when under heavy load and am finding it really hard to correct it. Would appreciate any ideas as to correct this movement pattern. I have added BOSU ball squats, anti rotation and single leg exercises, squat pauses as well as a lot of back off sets with strict form to try and fix the problem. Also, should I continue trying to get stronger in the exercise whilst trying to correct it. I have really hit a plateau with squat strength and am very weak at the exercise.

Greg Says: It sounds like you’re trying just about everything that has directly to do with position and the maintenance of it. Without seeing your actual training program, it’s tough to know what advice to offer, because that’s the obvious next question. Keep in mind first that all lifters will experience a divergence from optimal position and movement under maximal loading—that’s a given. So it’s possible you’re being overly critical, but without seeing the actual lift, I can’t say that with certainty.

Generally speaking, I would say that pause squats and 1 ¼ squats should be the most helpful for correcting any kind of incorrect balance and positioning in the bottom of the squat. Obviously these can only be effective if performed correctly, i.e. without allowing the weight shift you mention to occur. Overall, you will also need to accumulate a large volume of “correct” squatting reps to re-establish the movement pattern before it really takes over the former, incorrect one, especially at heavy weights, where your body will return to what it’s most accustomed to.

If you can perform the squat properly with lighter weights, you know it’s not an issue of limited mobility or any other problem with performing the motion per se. The body will move in the way that it believes will accomplish the task most easily, so there must be some reason it’s shifting forward in the squat. If you can diagnose that, it will give you some guidance on correction. Unfortunately, I’m in the dark on that without seeing a lift, your program, other lift performance metrics, etc.

Greg D. Asks: I am my wife's training partner and coach. My wife Kelli is a 50-54 masters CrossFit competitor. She's qualified for the games 3 years in a row, and was finally able to compete this year taking a very close 3rd. We are taking August off to "play" and re-energize, and will start our training year 1 Sep. Of course Kelli wants to improve her strength and lifts. We're largely self-taught oly lifters over the last 2 years using a variety of oft used complexes, etc. Question: Which of your training programs would you recommend? We will simultaneously be doing weekly gymnastics training using Jeff Tucker's site. I appreciate any info you're able to provide. Thank you for an incredibly helpful web site.

Greg Says: I would use the template I put up on the site a few years ago called The Simplest Olympic Weightlifting Program in the World. This is a very basic template with 3 training days/week that can be adjusted to meet pretty much any needs in any circumstances. The framework is:

Day 1
Snatch
Snatch Pull
Front Squat

Day 2
Jerk
Push Press
Overhead Squat

Day 3
Clean & Jerk
Clean Pull
Back Squat

This can even be compressed to 2 days if needed—for example, ditch the jerks from Day 2, put the overhead squat with Day 1 and the push press with Day 3.

The listed exercises can be thought of more as categories rather than specific lifts. As an example, snatches can be any snatch variation appropriate for the time and need of the athlete: hang snatch, power snatch, 3-position snatch, snatch pull + snatch, or any other related lift or complex.

You can work in short blocks of 3-5 weeks in which you stick to a set collection of exercises and progress over the duration in weight. At the end of the block, you change exercises, reps, and continue pushing weights. You can keep the exercises the same block to block as well as long as you make a change in the rep scheme.

Another approach is a more day-to-day intuitive one. Using this as a framework, you can select the actual exercises each day based on what you “feel” like doing (hopefully this is informed by what you need to work on and how it fits in with the other training you’re doing). In this case, because you won’t be repeating the same exercises multiple weeks consecutively, you can use a max effort approach in which you work up to the heaviest set you can manage that day. If you need additional volume, you can then do back-off sets after this max, or even waves back up to it.