A few questions regarding squat technique

[Chris Kurisko]

I knew I liked you Manveer when I met you at the Fall Classic last month. You hit on a few very important points that many people miss.

Training to get stronger and competition powerlifting are not that same thing. Advanced powerlifting methods are not very effective for novices.

[Robert Santana]

I think your time would be better served reading the book. Everything you asked is addressed in it. You are literate right?

[Sean Herbison]

Have you tried to open your taint during squats?

What were the results?

I actually kind of like that cue. It's not one I use regularly, since I then tend to over-exaggerate my lumbar arch, but it definitely helped someone I lift with.

There were circumstances due to which I was unable to lift for a long time, so you shouldn't be expecting a 5 year wisdom out of me.

We're not.

Also in the book I haven't seen much talk about the importance of the valsalva maneuver and how important it is to keep your lower back healthy (maybe I've missed it? or maybe it was just written in a small chapter and didn't seem too important at the time).

It's most definitely in the book. Look at the one-star reviews on Amazon. There are five of them: two say it was a great book, two say the cover is wrong and the head should be up. The remaining monolithic rant is all about how the Valsalva maneuver is going to kill us all, and Rip's a genocidal maniac for suggesting it. I may be exaggerating slightly, but probably not as much as you'd think.

Open my taint? I'm sorry I'm not following you.

It's a cue Ed Coan gives Silent Mike.

1. I don't really know the difference between raw and equipped technique. I thought it was pretty much the same.

The difference is mostly "Back! Back! Back! Back! Back!" (You probably won't get that, but others will.)

[CJ Gotcher]

The fact that you see people squatting with different knee angles as a violation of the SS model indicates you don't really understand the model, and you have to know the why behind the what before you throw out comparisons.

Are they accepting increased injury risk or sacrificing ROM for the purpose of lifting more weight that day?
What gear are they using, and how does that impact the mechanics of the lift?
Are they simply strong/experienced enough that they get away with a little inefficiency?

The eye gaze is an example. Why do we prescribe a heads-down eye gaze? Because almost all new lifters, if they look forward or (even worse) up, will become too vertical in the squat, killing hip drive. If an advanced lifter looks forward but demonstrates otherwise excellent squat mechanics, they're either an exception, trained themselves out of lifting the chest up too early over time, or they're just stupid strong and muscle their way through it.

Actually read the book with an eye to detail. Go to a seminar or find an SSC to coach you. Learn more about the model, then evaluate these lifts again. I promise you'll see them in a different light after you've put in the work.

[Les Hahn]

I knew I liked you Manveer when I met you at the Fall Classic last month. You hit on a few very important points that many people miss.

Training to get stronger and competition powerlifting are not that same thing. Advanced powerlifting methods are not very effective for novices.

I want to be clear that I am not the TS on this one, especially on point 3 which seems like trolling. However I do think that someone trying to move the greatest weight over the longest ROM (as defined by the book) is still valid in raw powerlifting, especially the IPF. Here is a good example. If someone can get their back set tighter by using a closer (thumbs around the bar grip), or they can put the bar a little lower to use more weight, this would be an example of using a different technique to accomplish both goals.

Most raw powerlifters use a medium stance and squat low bar. That is pretty close to the SS model right there. You will see differences in head/hand position, but I think that comes down to personal preference which the lifter gets with experience.

[George Christiansen]

Have you tried to open your taint during squats?

What were the results?

Ed talked in another video on STTV about how he shat his pants squatting once.

Now I'm not blaming taint opening on this, but I'm also not taking any chances.

[Brian Jones]