The Squat Pattern Myth [ep 72]

It is so much more than biomechanics…
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Not a pattern. Not a form. A strategy. This episode redefines everything you thought you knew about squatting — through the lens of the Unified Health & Performance Continuum (UHPC) Model.
We dive deep into the energetics of squatting, shape acquisition, center of gravity descent, and why movement patterns are a misleading lens. You’ll learn how strategic resistance influences squat mechanics, why some people “butt wink,” and how propulsion phases explain squatting better than any traditional model.
Whether you're a clinician, coach, or just squat-curious, this will challenge your assumptions and sharpen your practice.

⏱ Timestamps & Topics Covered:

00:00 – Intro: Squat ≠ Pattern
Chris opens with a challenge: what if the squat isn’t a “pattern” at all? We preview the episode’s theme — squatting as a strategy to manage center of gravity, not a fixed movement template.

01:38 – Strategic Resistance Explained
Bill explains how resistance is used as a constraint to shift center of gravity and unlock shape behaviors. Ramp elevated goblet squats and anterior load placement are examples of how we “promote expansion posteriorly” to access deeper shapes.

05:01 – Why Movement Patterns Fail
We reject the “movement pattern” framework in favor of shape behavior and energetic adaptation. Bill breaks down how elevation of the heels or reaching strategies are compensations to solve for shape — not flaws.

07:06 – No Ideal, Just Strategy
Chris and Bill dig into the idea that squatting isn’t something everyone should do the same way — it's something everyone does differently depending on structure, archetype, and current state. Proper form is idiosyncratic.

10:05 – Olympic Lifts & Deep Squat Variability
Olympic lifters show wide variability in stance, torsion, and strategy — all in the service of descending the center of gravity under the bar. Symmetry is an illusion created by better rotational solutions.

13:29 – Squatting Through the Lens of Propulsion
We clarify one of the most misunderstood ideas: a squat is not a top-down movement. It's bottom-up.
Initiation = Late Propulsion
Ascent = Middle Propulsion
Bottom = Early Propulsion
This reverses many coaching assumptions.

15:43 – Developmental Alignment: Babies & Broad Jumps
How our ability to squat parallels developmental movement. We walk through broad jumps and early childhood motor learning as coherent with propulsion phase behaviors.

17:14 – Forward Motion is the Only Motion
All movement is forward movement. Even in squatting or “reverse” lunges, your center of gravity still moves forward. Chris uses a “green dot” visual metaphor to explain why even yielding is forward.

20:17 – Containment vs. Reversal
Bill explains how compensatory strategies like butt wink or hyperextension are not “backward movement” but an attempt to control or contain forward momentum when relative movement is lost.

21:38 – Losing Early Propulsion = Rigid Squats
A powerlifter squat that “can’t get lower” reflects an abbreviated early propulsion. System compresses too fast and skips early IR yielding phase — we see ER shape dominance and middle propulsion bias.

22:48 – Wide Archetypes & Foot Position
Wide ISA individuals who can’t resolve late propulsion may default to extremely wide stances or elevated heels to delay IR. Chris and Bill explore how to spot and interpret these behaviors.

23:59 – Episode Wrap-Up: Not a Pattern
We summarize the major takeaways:
Squatting is not a pattern.

Movement is about solving for shape and pressure.
All motion is forward, and all behavior is strategic.
Structure and phase access matter more than any template.

24:13 – Bonus Question: What Are You Watching?
What are Bill and Chris streaming lately? Drop your sleeper picks in the comments 👇

🔔 Subscribe for more episodes that redefine movement through the UHPC Model.
#Squat #UHPCModel #BillHartman #StrategicResistance #ShapeChange #ForwardMotion #MovementIsBehavior #CoachingBetter

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Podcast audio:
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