Depending who you talk to this week I am a genius or just an idiot. In case you have been under a rock Pat Beith, my partner in Functional Strength Coach 3.0, posted a video clip he called The Death of Squatting. The clip is the talk of the internet forums. I just want to take a moment to clarify. As I said last week, I did not make this decision on a whim. I have been thinking about this concept for years. Look at the definition of the word transducer below:
Transducer- An element or device which receives information in the form of one quantity and converts it to information in the form of the same or another quantity
The conclusion I arrived at is that the back is a poor transducer. The back actually prevents the legs from being fully worked in the vast majority of the population. The act of squatting terminates when the lumbar spine can no longer effectively bear or transfer load. I have watched thousands ( maybe millions) of squats and rarely have I seen the legs fail. It is always the back. As a result, single leg work just makes sense. Take a minute and read the article if you haven’t already done so.
PS- We haven’t stopped doing bilateral exercises or, lifting heavy weights. We still Trap Bar Deadlift and Olympic lift. I also think that bilateral exercise is crucial for beginners. However, if you have experienced athletes and you want to keep them healthy and get them strong consider the Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat.
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