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Hi, David Weck here. Today, I'm going to be teaching you a bodyweight exercise using the WeckMethod 45 Squat. We're going to be building up progression based on this WeckMethod 45 Squat.
First, we're going to review the WeckMethod 45 Squat, then we'll add the progressions. So, the WeckMethod 45 Squat, the feet are turned out "45" degrees. That just means the angles that are most balanced and comfortable for you. You're going to be placing your weight, balancing yourself on the "green circles" on the diagram on the screen. You're going to be driving the knees wide, and you're going to be maintaining the angle of your spine equal to the angle of your shins. Back is nice and flat finding that balance on the "green circles," and concentrating all of the effort through the haunch. That's the "glutes" and the upper hamstrings. The spine and shins maintaining that equal balance (weight through the "green circles"), is going to give us tensional balance that let's us harness the full power of the posterior balanced through the balls of the feet. Those "green circles" are the initiation point for athletic movement. Whether it's sprinting, jumping, running distance, doesn't matter, the most efficient ground loading is initiated on the 4th and 5th metatarsals, in other words, those "green circles."
So, that's the 45 Squat. Here's the progression: We're going to bring that 45 Squat down to our "down" position. Remember, knees are wide, on the "green circles." Try not to grab with the toes. And when I come up, I'm going to lift one leg, and bring the foot to the knee. So, I'm going to come down, and I'm going to lift up, counter rotate with the upper body to 'this' position, set it, go down with 2, come up with 1. Come down with 2, come up with 1. Try and maintain the balance on the ball of the foot. You can let the heel just kiss and rest on the ground, that's ok. But you want to make it all the effort in the 1. I like to put a little hop into it. So, I'm 'here.' I want to think great balance. Nice pop from the haunch. And then obviously, you'll get the other side. Sometimes, I like to vary it 'here.' Notice how I setup the 45 Squat. I go as slow as I need to to really set that tensional balance. I'll do it from the side. So, I'm 'here.' Heels are floating. I don't want to make it a calf raise, so I'm not lifting up with the heel, I'm letting the heel go as low as it possibly can without putting weight through it. It creates this vertical displacement through the heel that is in a sense, leveraging my heel forward to those "green circles." Those bones are connected to the heel bone, which goes right up to the posterior. That vertical displacement lets me correct any imbalances. It lets me "float" my skeleton as I move down and up. So, it's 'here,' and then I'm popping it up. I'm 'here,' and I'm lifting it up. Here, "glute," upper hamstring. "Glute," upper hamstring. Really get that. And then I like to move with it afterwards, and really feel that connection of the haunch, down to the balls of the feet.
So, take your time. Really master the 45 Squat. Master that movement. Take all of the slack out of the ankles. Drop the heels as low as you possibly can, and (matching spine and shin angles) come on up on the 2, and then progress to come up on the 1. If you can, lift that foot off the ground before you even go up. There's no end to how challenging you can make that as you transfer the weight from 2 to 1.
So, practice that movement, feel the balance and the power, and then translate it into more powerful, faster, more agile ground based movement.
