Back Squats: Lose the Shoes for big Gains

Heavy back squats are not for the faint of heart. There must be something deeply disturbed about a person who can command their body to sit down and stand back up with hundreds of pounds on their back as many times as they can before collapsing. That’s exactly why I love them. Every set is its own test of mental toughness. Squats are one of the most physically and mentally demanding exercises in the gym. For some the challenge is too daunting and they move to more, lets say, comfortable exercises. However for those who want tree trunk legs, there is no substitute. Back squats are by far the most effective lower body compound exercise, but for many, the frustration of weekly battles in the squat rack without improvement can be simply too hard to take. For experienced lifters who have hit a plateau, I recommend trying one simple solution: lose the shoes. It might sound crazy to handle heavy weights nearly barefoot, but the science behind it can really boost your numbers. Squatting without shoes boosts spacial awareness. Simply put, spacial awareness is your brain's knowledge of your body's position in space. By eliminating the cushioning and compression from the soles of your shoes, your brain receives far more information from the nerves in your feet called mechanoreceptors. This feedback helps your brain to adjust your balance and posture to distribute the weight evenly and use the force produced by the muscles more efficiently. I admit when I first tried this technique I didn't fully understand the science and I was very skeptical. After the initial awkwardness I noticed a tremendous improvement. In fact my heaviest squat of 435lbs raw, was performed without shoes. I only encourage this technique to experienced lifters if they utilize a spotter in a 360-degree squat rack. Before ever attempting an exercise without shoes, be sure the lifting environment is clear of any weights that might fall off the rack and cause injury. There are some inherent risks associated with losing the shoes, but as long as you're smart these risks can be effectively reduced. Sometimes pushing past challenges in the weight room requires us to lift smarter, not harder. Next time you're grinding just to get that bar to move, try losing the shoes and wait for the gains to come.

#squats #legs