Squat Smarter: Coaching Cues, Variations & Progressions That Actually Stick

If you coach people through squats, you need this. We go way beyond “knees out” and “chest up” in this session. This is a real-time breakdown of how we teach, adjust, and troubleshoot all things squat—whether someone’s fresh out of PT or just never felt a good squat in their life.

This isn’t some over-polished tutorial. It’s raw, conversational coaching straight from the floor with real cues, real strategy, and all the little things we say that actually help clients connect the dots.

Here’s what we cover (and how you can apply it tomorrow):

1. Footwork First
We talk about why we always start from the ground up. You’ll hear how we teach tripod foot position (heel, big toe, pinky toe), how we get that arch locked in, and why going barefoot makes such a huge difference for proprioception and control. We even get into how to ask clients to ditch the shoes in a way that doesn’t feel awkward.

2. Coaching Tools That Work
From TRX to bands to wall sits and physio balls, you’ll see how we mix up the squat setup depending on what someone needs. We explain when to use each one, why some clients need vertical shins, and how to cue things like “don’t pull with your arms” or “drive through the floor.” We also talk about sneaky cheats like pulling up too much on TRX or leaning too far back on the wall sit.

3. Real Progressions That Make Sense
You’ll hear how we layer progressions so they build confidence without overwhelming clients. We move through box squats, bodyweight to load, depth adjustments, rack-assisted, and even matrix squats. And we talk about how to know when to regress too—like when someone loses form dropping the box height too fast.

4. Coaching to the Person
We talk through modifications for knee replacements, meniscus injuries, and hypermobility. There’s a whole section on female biomechanics too—especially around the pelvis and how to correct anterior tilt and the tendency to sit in the low back. You’ll hear how we coach stance based on someone’s unique hip structure, and how to explain “this is your medium, here’s how we adjust for narrow or sumo.”

5. Barbell Work: Cues That Stick
When it comes to loading, we show you how we teach everything from goblet squats to Zerchers to zombie squats to front squats. You'll learn why we love zombie squats for beginners, how to cue “shelf” for the bar on a back squat, and how to avoid common pitfalls like elbows dropping, ribs flaring, or pelvic tilt. Plus, how to coach setups that keep people safe—especially clients with a history of falling or fragility.

6. Tempo, Tension, and Teaching the ‘Why’
We dive into tempo training, how to cue concentric vs eccentric focus, and when to use pauses for more control and intensity. You’ll also hear how we use language to make people feel what we’re asking for, like “pretend you’re holding a volleyball between your elbows” or “make that bar feel light by snapping it in half with your lats.”

7. Keeping It Real and Fun
You’ll hear stories, laughs, coaching wins, and things that didn’t go as planned. It’s everything you’d pick up shadowing a seasoned coach who’s in the trenches every day. This is the stuff that doesn’t get written in programs but makes all the difference.

Perfect for:

New coaches looking to learn how to actually cue movement
Experienced trainers wanting new ways to teach the squat
Gym owners building systems and training staff
Anyone who wants to get better at coaching people, not just exercises
If you train people in real life, this will make you a better coach. Period.

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Follow us from Saint Petersburg, Florida as our experienced Personal Trainers take you through and teach you how to have a proper workout with specific exercises that deal with mobility, flexibility, strength, endurance, warm up, and cool down! Specializing in senior fitness, rehabilitation, special needs fitness, fat loss / weight loss and sports performance.

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