Building anything needs to start with a firm foundation. If the foundation is off, everything else above it will undoubtably be off. There are examples over of structures collapsing due to a poor foundation. This same principle applies to our squat.
Air squat, wall balls, squat cleans, back squats; they are all the same and must start with a firm foundation. The foundation of our squat is our feet; the connection of our body to the floor. If we watch the feet as we move, they will tell us a lot about our squat. In my classes, i reference this frequently. Watch your shoes! I wouldn’t recommend this with load but it is something we can practise with air squats, an empty barbell or watching back a video.
First, stand with your feet in squat stance. You know, feet underneath your shoulders, slightly turned out, pressure in the heel, ball of big toe and ball of little toe, arches active, engage your glutes. All that good stuff. Now look down at your shoes. That is what your shoes need to look like through the entire range of motion of your squat. If your shoes moves or changes shape, something is wrong with your squat.
If your heel lifts, the weight is shifting forward and most likely your chest is dropping. If your toes lift, the weight is too far back and we are off balance. If the arches of your shoes collapse in, your knees are likely caving in and your glutes are disengaged. By simply watching the shoes, we can get a whole lot of information about our squat.
The next time you are squatting, whatever the movement might be, challenge yourself yo keep your shoes looking and positioned the exact same at the top of your squat as they are at the bottom as well as through entire range of motion.
Happy squatting.