I hope this is the most detailed deep squat thread you’ve ever read.

Step 1: 25 pound plate or less is ideal for full reach.

(Once COUNTERBALANCE clicks, you can be among the world’s most effective knee coaches, regardless of background. I only know from living it!)

Onward… Step 2: 45lb plate is ideal for slightly closer, still reaching but only in front of knees rather than fully extended - not to mention this is an increased load! Two subtle progressions from Step 1.

Yesterday’s thread covered the most underrated long-term lower back exercise, in my opinion, and today’s thread covers my favorite piece of lower back equipment to add, with the full, unusual progression I use...

https://twitter.com/kneesovertoesg/status/1915168857918144637

When my dad had back problems, I got him one of these for his living room and told him to do 1 rep, ASSISTED, then 2, and so on.

But actually squeeze that top position.

Don’t just rush up and drop back, and don’t arch back, which would cheat the tension.

The Seated Deadlift is the most underrated long-term lower back exercise in my opinion, and in this thread I’ll explain my main theory on the lower back pain epidemic, concluded from 15 years of observation as a coach, and helping people to hundreds of low back success stories… My theory is that, in youth, we are actually way STRONGER, proportionately, through our FLEXIBILITY.

As life, injuries, modern chairs, “no knees over toes” etc., stiffen and WEAKEN us through our flexibility, we deviate from natural and ask for trouble…

The Balanced Mile

In this thread I will show you my personal track routine - but even if you don’t have a track, I hope you get valuable skill from this.

Step 1 is 100 yards backward. Walk back (or walk the curve). Repeat.

WHY?… Backward walking has shown to be an effective screening process for elderly not to fall down the stairs!

How? Because it improves your ABILITY in balance to the DEMAND!

Backward SLED got me off painkillers for my knees.

Walk, jog, run, sled… BACKWARD is a skill for life!

The Language of Lifting

I’ve always taught students how to read and write tempo, because they have time.

Now I realize it may save adults time in the long run.

I’ll use squat and pull up as examples, then show progressions after.

Let’s start with a 51X1 squat… 51X1 means:

5 seconds down
1 second pause
UP! (the X means there’s no set time to go up)
1 second reset

Female ACL Tears: 3 Significant Yet SIMPLE Solutions

1/3: Studies show this ability ⬇️ can significantly reduce your chances of ACL tear.

But SCALABILITY is key, because females are weaker and have way more chance of ACL tear than men! I came up with the idea of lifting the front of Nordic benches because I was such a terrible natural athlete.

Now it’s one of my mom’s favorite exercises! She’ll be 71 next week.

Slowly and steadily: Bodyweight skills CAN be improved!

The sled got my knees off painkillers 10+ years ago.

Now I’m using it to help a school I’m volunteering at.

In this thread I’ll show you exactly how I’m using it, and options if you don’t have one! I’m using a metal sled with carpet glued to the bottom.

I have 3 more @atgexercise sleds on the way so I can have 4 going on this indoor track at the same time…

The Common Denominator of Martin St Louis’ Exercise Regimen

This isn’t complicated or hypothetical.

He went from undrafted to NHL champ & MVP, and he was the OLDEST player to lead the league in scoring, at 37.

After 10 years of copying him, I’ll do my best to explain it… Let’s start with his sled routine.

He would go 50 yards forward, then immediately 50 yards BACKWARD, then 50 yards SIDEWAYS, then take a 90 second break. 3 rounds…

How to Jump Higher While Reducing Knee Pain

Despite reaching my 20s having never dunked, with major knee problems, I now dunk easily at 33, with no knee problems in many years, and confidence I will jump even higher by age 40.

Here is exactly how… 1. What is this act of dunking?

It’s running, it’s jumping, and then it’s landing.

It’s forward, it’s high, and it’s fast.

My recipe is the OPPOSITES…

Knee Ability Series 5 of 10

I’ll try to make this thread as simple as I can:

10 years ago, I could barely slow myself down.

Now, my hamstrings can more easily handle my body’s weight.

There are a variety of ways to accomplish this purpose… Gyms usually have hamstring curl machines.

🧵 DEEP SQUAT EDUCATION

Up-to-date research, gradient scales, and context were all missing from this subject when I was taking health classes in college.

5 reasons the deep squat is one of the basics in my physical education system… Reason 1 of 5: The deep squat is a good exercise for lower body strength and injury prevention.



🚨 BUT… pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23821469/

Knee Ability Series 3 of 10

I had never seen someone intentionally slowing down and working in the BOTTOM half of a squat, yet over the last 10+ years of changing my knees and jumping, this may be the single most important thing I did.

🧵 Progressions…
Both the ATG split squat and ATG squat are gradient scales from assisted to bodyweight to loaded, with the ATG split squat additionally scaling from higher to lower front foot.

My theory on why it works so well is that this is usually the most missing tension in modern exercise.

I once coached a high school basketball team.

I did something unusual which I’ve never seen done before or since.

It led to numerous players going from completely unrecruited to D1 full-rides.

Here’s the full context… 🧵 To put it quickly:

We were only on the court 3 days per week.

Not 5 like everyone else.

The days in between, we did ATG strength training.

Now let’s fully break down why this transformed players unlike any other system I’ve seen…

I believe 80+% of low back surgeries and drugs are not needed for someone who truly understands how to exercise it.

But there’s a MASSIVE misunderstanding:

The ability to resist rounding AND the abilities to round and unround are ALL valuable!

🧵 ATG Mobility Series 3 of 10 The seated goodmorning allows you to improve your inner thigh flexibility while strengthening your lower back’s ability to RESIST rounding.

It scales from assisted to bodyweight to loaded.

🧵 4-Way Flexibility Routine

I’ll show/explain progression for each one, then explain context.

1/4. Outside: 1-3 sets of 20 pulses

Progression:
-from back leg bent to straight
-from more to less assistance from hands

(Wife showing progressed, me showing regressed) 2/4. Inside: 1-3 sets of 20 pulses

Progression:
-from higher to lower
-from more to less assistance from hands

(Me showing progressed, wife showing regressed)

In my opinion, Mother Nature’s fundamental knee exercise:

Walking Backward

-why it works

-methods with or without equipment or space

🧵 Knee Ability Series 2 of 10 ⬇️
Walking backward was passed down from generation to generation in Asia, as a means of preventing arthritis.

How?

Well, when the knee is over the toes, there is more pressure on the knee, and with each step backward, it’s over the toes…

The #1 thing I’m teaching my kids in regards to exercise is:

STRENGTHEN the mobility you NATURALLY have, BEFORE you lose it.

I lost a ton of mobility due to knee pain and avoidance, so I’ll also show you 2 ways around this… 1. By elevating your heels and using weight as counterbalance, you may be able to get more range of motion while getting a great workout!

🧵 Youth-to-Longevity Series 1

My wife and I are making a small school for our kids, and I believe exercise progressions for LIFE are an important part of the curriculum.

Let’s start with the pull-up.

Here are the 4 simple steps I use for my kids, my wife, and my own parents! 1. Just hanging!

I believe it’s important to VALIDATE this, and educate on its value for shoulder and back health as well as grip.

Maybe You Don’t Have a “Bad” Back

Maybe you just need a well-rounded regimen of ABILITY.

Here’s my basic 8-point checklist which has helped many find out they DIDN’T have to live with a bad back! 1/8. Let’s take the ability to pick things up, but let’s add inner hip FLEXIBILITY.

I see a bad back as neither stiff “or” weak, but more commonly as a combination of stiffness AND weakness.

This is my bedrock as it addresses strength and flexibility in harmony!

🧵 Foot pain sufferers, this thread is for you:

5 Things I’ve Seen Handle Foot Pain

1/5. Don’t be so hard on yourself, because modern SURFACES are so hard.

Before my program was online, I had my in-person clients here in FL go to the beach and walk in thick sand… 2/5. Shoes tends to jam in the big toes for style, somewhat deforming the foot from its natural shape.

That doesn’t sound like it helps!

Not surprisingly, foot-shaped shoes are a common source of handling foot pain.

(I wear @UncivilizedSnkr but there are many great brands!)

My wife ran into lower back pain after having our 1st kid.

“Rest and avoid” no longer worked because raising kids is a strain.

Strength training wound up being her solution.

Here are the 7 exercises she has done most over the past 4 years: 1/7. Deep Split Squat 2 x 5 reps with a 5 second stretch on each rep

Hip mobility and leg strength