By Travis Owen, MS, CSCS, PN1
This article is Part 2 of a two-part series covering The Squat pattern and its significance when it comes to handball training. For Part 1 covering the importance of the Squat for any handball program, and how “low you should go,” see here.
As covered in Part 1, the Squat is an important movement to perform for any type of handball program, but due to some common issues that often arise in handball players, back squats can often pose a crankiness to the shoulder due to a higher amount of external shoulder rotation while gripping the bar. Fortunately however, there are lots of alternatives when it comes to still getting the most out of the squat pattern, which includes enhanced hip mobility, increased bone strength, and simply overall athletic performance and lower risk of injury.
Types of Squats
Counter to the back squat, there is of course the front squat. I’m a big fan of the front squat- not just for handball or baseball/softball players who may benefit from alleviating the shoulder capsule by holding the bar in front, but also for the general population. First, because the load is sitting on the front of the shoulder girdle, one has to engage their core differently and in a more challenging way to hold the torso upright than on a back squat. If not, and you lean over, the weight/bar will fall off your shoulder girdle (so make sure you’re using a rack or platform in the case that this happens).
Whereas in a back squat, people can often get away with a forward torso (not what we want for a good squat pattern) due to the weight being on their back. This can lead to additional & unnecessary stress on the lower back.
Additionally, the front squat grip does require some decent T-Spine mobility, which is another benefit of this movement. So make sure you’re not neglecting that in your weight training program, and work on driving the elbows up as you push up out of the bottom of your squat pattern.
Barbell Front Squat
The front squat is typically done with one of two grips: the Clean Grip or the Crossover Grip. In either case, make sure it’s as far as possible on the shoulder- as close to the body as possible (it should be touching your neck).
Clean Grip
Crossover Grip
Goblet Squat
The goblet squat can a good alternative to the front squat if you’re doing lighter weight, or just starting to try squatting. This is basically a front squat, but with a dumbbell or kettlebell instead of the bar. It is of course tougher to do higher amounts of weight since you’re holding the dumbbell in your hands (you still want it right up against your body). It’s tempting to think “50 lbs.” is heavy for a goblet squat, however that equivalent on a barbell front squat would simply be the bar plus a 2.5 lb. weight on each side. So it’s important to challenge yourself with heavier dumbbells on a goblet squat. As you get heavier though, it can get cranky on the elbows as the weight is pushing down into them, thus eventually it’s better to “graduate” to the barbell front squat as you get heavier, where your shoulder girdle can now hold the weight.
DB Goblet Squats to a Box
Single Leg Variations
I am a big fan of Single-Leg Variations as they encompass balance as well. The tradeoff here of course is that we’re not able to do as much weight as a regular, bilateral squat, thus we do miss some of the axial loading benefits as well as overall body/core strength that comes with handling heavier loads. However, these variations can be a great complement to those heavier lifts in a program, or if someone has injury impediments, etc. these can be main staples if needed. You can also add dumbbells for a goblet squat grip to make these exercises more challenging.
Single-Leg Squat to Box
Split Squats and lunges are also very similar to a single-leg squat pattern, so again, can be a good complement in a program or even a main staple depending on the individual or what they have access to. For example, if you only have access up to, let’s say 30 lb. dumbbells, and you’re a relatively strong/healthy individual, doing lunges/split squats or other single-leg work can be a good way to make this challenging, versus just doing a 30 lb. dumbbell goblet squat (which would be 33% less weight than just doing the bar alone (at 45 lbs.), say for a front squat).
DB Split Squats
All in all, there are no “one size fits all best exercises” for everyone. There are benefits and tradeoffs to anything. Most importantly, focus on keeping a strong/stable torso & core avoiding the “tuck under” and driving the hips back so that the knees don’t drift well past the toes, which would be too far forward.
If you notice your heels coming off the ground when performing the squat, this could be due to insufficient hip mobility, or often more likely, insufficient ankle mobility. You can temporarily solve this by placing weight plates (e.g. 5-10 lbs.) under your heels while performing the squatting movement. But in the long run, it would be best to work on hip and ankle mobility so that you can achieve the pattern while keeping your entire foot stationed on the ground, and getting the hips back far enough to avoid too much stress on the knee from drifting forward.
Travis Owen is the founder of his training service Travis Owen Performance (T.O. Performance) and has been involved with handball since picking it up in college in 2005. CSCS Certified through the National Strength & Conditioning Association and having earned his Master’s degree in 2011, Travis has been training individuals of all types for over 10 years. With an initial focus on softball & baseball athletes, Travis is starting to expand his reach to handball players and would like to elevate the game by providing articles and videos, as well as program design or training for anyone interested.
If you are looking for exercise programs or have any questions, contact Travis by email at owenperformanceTO@gmail.com, or visit travisowenperformance.com