Developing Your Squat Setup

1. Place hands on the bar, make sure they are symmetrical
2. Line yourself up with the centre of the bar
3. Get under the bar and position it securely on your back
4. Take a big breath, brace hard and drive up to unrack
5. Let the bar steady, then walk out from the rack
6. Let the bar steady again then take a big breath, brace hard and commence your reps
7. Upon finishing your reps, let the bar steady before you walk it back into the rack
8. Lower the bar into the rack and get out from under the bar

1. Apply chalk to my hands
2. Do up my lever belt
3. Do up my wrist wraps, left then right
4. Position myself behind the barbell
5. Place left hand on the bar, then right hand
6. Roll bar back in the rack and make it’s secure
7. Make sure grip is set and the bar feels good in my hands
8. Align head and feet with the centre of the bar
9. Chest bump the bar a few times to make sure I’m centre
10. Get under the bar and position it lower on my back than is required
11. Wriggle bar up my back into position
12. Shake my head around a few times and make sure bar feels secure
13. Adjust feet as required so they’re under the bar
14. Big breath, brace into belt
15. Unrack, make sure steady and balanced
16. Take three steps back, left foot first
17. Lock knees and hips, make sure I’m steady and balanced
18. Big breath, brace hard
19. Initiate the rep by breaking at hips
20. Descend under control and with weight on heels
21. Hit depth
22. Drive up fast, chest high, elbows forward
23. Lockout rep and repeat
24. Finish set
25. Walk back into rack starting with left foot first
26. Hit rack, lower bar, drop right foot back and get out from under the bar

Dave Napper

Dave Napper is a world record breaking personal trainer, nutritionist, powerlifter and business owner.

He is the owner-operator of Brisbane North Barbell, helping to train the next generation of powerlifters and strongmen.