I’ve wanted to write this article for a while, but knew I’d ruffle more than a few feathers with this one.
Squats and deadlifts have been a staple in performance training for decades.
They’re some of the most studied and practiced exercises in the world.
And the truth is, they’re excellent for gaining absolute strength, building muscle, and improving bone density.
They’re also a secondary human movement, meaning we are designed to perform them.
But they’re not the answer to all of your performance and dysfunction needs like many coaches make them out to be.
You can still get the performance, resilience, and longevity enhancing qualities you’re looking for from other alternatives.
Let’s see why and how.
Are You In Pain?
I come from a traditional strength coaching background, certified with the CSCS and a student of StrongFirst, the school of strength.
The emphasis on barbell squatting and deadlifting throughout my education was obvious.
It was engrained into me that strength solves everything.
And the best way to get strong was to squat and deadlift heavy barbells.
So I did that for years.
But this chase for heavy lifts was usually derailed by some kind of strain or injury.
Regardless of how many times I got hurt on my quest for more, however, I always kept my compass unwavering toward a bigger squat and deadlift.
When I finally accepted that barbell lifting was hurting much more than helping me, I let it go.
At that point, I opted for spine-friendlier versions like kettlebell and dumbbell variations.
But the pain remained…
It got to a point where every 6 weeks or so, I was dealing with a tweak or pain that was the result of practicing squats or deads.
Eventually, I stopped doing both completely….and I’ve never felt better.
The point is, if something is hurting you more than helping, regardless if it’s the squat or not, find something else.
Just because most people train these exercises, doesn’t mean you have to.
Dysfunction and Compression
Conventional strength wisdom told me to get as tight as possible on each rep, bracing the core to prevent rotation, and to drive through the heels.
So I did.
For years.
When I hit age 35 I was riddled with pain.
What I discovered was that all of the bracing left my body compressed and restricted.
I had etched anti-rotation and heel pressure into my system neurologically. But this is the exact opposite of what athletic movement is – freedom of movement in all directions and staying on the “balls of your feet.”
I also came to find that I had a rotated pelvis and lateral hip shift. Who knows what caused these, (I theorize compensations to manage my center of gravity), but I didn’t give them the attention they deserved for years.
The outcome was a herniated disc and two knee surgeries.
When you load dysfunction with something like the squat or deadlift, you increase the chances of mismanaging the load and for force to travel the wrong pathways, which may cause injury.
Im not saying to seek out dysfunctions in your system, but if they present themselves, take action to correct them.
I could have saved myself years of pain and thousands in doctor’s bills if I dropped the belief that I needed to squat and deadlift to get strong and improve performance.
What Are You Training For?
Next, it’s important to understand, what are your goals?
If your goal is to get as strong as humanly possible and put up big numbers, then yes, you probably need to practice the barbell lifts.
But if your goal is to train jiu-jitsu, or live a long, functional life, then you don’t need them.
Strength is important, but I argue it’s not the most important quality in a combat sport.
Strength endurance, metabolic conditioning, and full access to your joints’ range of motion all rank above in the BJJ hierarchy of needs.
If strength, or your ability to produce force, is that important, there are other, more forgiving alternatives to heavy squatting and deadlifting.
Alternatives and Variations
You don’t need to give up squatting and deadlifting entirely to reduce your pain or risk of injury. In fact, you don’t need to give them up at all.
If you handle these movements well, aren’t in pain, or can manage the neurological demand in combination with BJJ training, then by all means, continue using them.
However, if you don’t, or just don’t want to rely on them mainly for your strength training, try these variations.
Single Leg Options
Humans are bipedal and meant to move primarily on one foot at a time.
You can put on serious strength with step ups, lunges, elevated split squats, and single leg hinges, which promote a more natural movement of your hips and pelvis.
I program more single leg work than bilateral (two feet) for myself and all of my clients.
Landmine Training
Training traditional lifts like squats and hinges with the Landmine is a game changer.
By putting the load in front of the body, you remove the compressive effects of axial loading of the barbell on your structure.
You can also maintain more aggressive shin angles, like those you would experience in actual sports, and train on the balls of your feet.
You can also use heavy loads to produce those same tissue and bone strengthening effects you’re striving for from barbell training.
Calisthenics and Isometrics
Calisthenics training, isometric training, and thoughtful bodyweight training are excellent ways to practice the ability to generate muscular tension.
In fact, they may even be superior at improving the mind-muscle connection, aka neurological connection, for developing force.
Many seasoned powerlifters would crumble in the act of performing a human flag or strict bar muscle up.
Isometric training is one of the most overlooked methods for grapplers, yet grappling involves more of this type of contraction than any other.
Plus, it’s joint friendly and a haven for beat up, old BJJ bodies.
Our friends at Fortify Training put together this awesome free ebook on Grind Style Calisthenics, if you’re interested in getting started.
Final Thoughts
Squats and deadlifts are not the enemy.
But they’re also not the panacea that most coaches and trainers make them out to be.
They’re another tool in the toolbox.
If you like them, do them.
If they bother you, don’t.
Just realize, you don’t need to squat or deadlift to be a high-performing, brutally strong grappler or human.
You’ve got options.
