This article provides essential guidelines for athletes beginning a strength and conditioning program that ensures safety and productivity of the training sessions.

This video demonstrates coaching cues that can help an athlete to utilize optimal squat technique. It specifically addresses stance width, heel position, head position, and squat depth

Renowned powerlifter, Matt Wenning demonstrates proper form, volume, and muscles required to squat optimally in this session from the 2016 NSCA National Conference. The video includes coaching cues to help you teach squat technique to your athletes.

The squat is one of the most essential movements in life and performance. In this Bridge video, Mandy Nice goes over the proper progressions for individuals to successfully and safely perform the squat.

Exercise Technique: High Bar Back Squat

Is the squat or hip thrust a better exercise for increasing jump and sprint performance? The results of this study support the force vector theory.

Nick Clayton, Personal Training Manager at the NSCA, shows key coaching points and progressions for single-leg squat and lunge movements.

Accentuated eccentric loading (AEL) can be combined with lower-body power-based movements to acutely enhance them; however, currently, there are limited recommendations for this training method. AEL can enhance force and power metrics during its utilization with lower-body power based exercises. When using AEL, exercises should consist of jump squats and countermovement jumps with loading methods consisting of weight releasors or dumbbell hand release. Elastic bands can be used; however, more research is needed in this area. External loads ranging from 10–30% of body mass can be used. Future research needs to investigate increased eccentric and concentric loads when using AEL with power based movements.

This infographic describes the type of muscle activation three exercises elicited and their relationship to maximal sprinting performance.