I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty utilitarian when it comes to my exercise selection.

When I hear someone talk about a “new exercise,” or “X new variations” of an exercise, I immediately start tuning them out.

It’s not that I don’t like “new” things, or that I’m locked in my ways. I’m always trying to learn new stuff, but I also realize that the best exercises are probably the ones that have been around for quite some time.

The goal, then, isn’t to learn new a hundred new exercise variations – it’s to learn how to do the old exercises better.

But every now and then, I find a new exercise that I really like, and this just so happens to be one of them.

The offset squat is an exercise I learned from IFAST coach Ty Terrell, and I love it for a handful of reasons:

• It builds the quads and glutes.
• It mimics the positions you’ll be in for acceleration mechanics.
• It allows your athletes to feel the whole foot and teaches them to push.

Here’s a short video that outlines the exercise, as well as how I coach it.

Here are a few quick thoughts on coaching and cuing the exercise:

• This isn’t a true squat, so don’t worry about staying upright. Allow the torso to lean forward.
• Focus on feeling the whole foot. Think about staying connected to the ground.
• Last but not least, as you’re feeling that whole foot think about pushing away from the ground.

Next time you’re in the gym, give the offset squat a shot. I think you’re really going to love it!

All the best,

MR