Why Is The Squat So Important?

In this edition of Mem’s Weightlifting Blog, we’re focusing on a movement that’s essential for the Olympic lifts – namely, the squat. 

But why is it so important? What type of squat should Olympic weightlifters focus on? And how often should athletes squat? We asked head coach Mem for his take.

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Why Is The Squat So Important in Olympic weightlifting?

“Squats are important for building strength in your legs. When we squat, we use our glutes (the biggest muscles in our bodies), quads, hamstrings and calves. The stronger these muscles are, the more weight we can snatch or clean and jerk, because we’re can drive heavier loads off the floor and catch them too. 

“Squats also strengthen your core, which includes the lower back, spinal muscles, mid-back, obliques and abs, as have to work hard to keep your body stable. 

“Finally, squatting is important for our general health. It supports good lower-body mechanics, which helps with fundamental movements such as walking, running and jumping. And because squats use a lot of muscles, they're good for burning fat.”

What Type Of Squats Should Olympic Weightlifters Do?

“My athletes mainly front squat, because it transfers to their clean and also boosts core strength. On days when we need to rest our chest and upper body or work the legs with heavier loads, we use the back squat (most people will be able to back squat more than they can front squat).

“We normally only use the overhead squat as an accessory movement. It can help with stability, but we usually find the snatch balance is a more transferable drill because it mimics the catch at the bottom of the snatch. 

“If someone is new to weightlifting, I might get them to work on their overhead squat to help with shoulder mobility and get used to controlling the bar.”

How Often Should Olympic Weightlifters Squat?

“Most athletes should squat every training session. That’s how important it is. You can’t improve your lifts without improving your squat, so you need to work on it constantly. 

“You don’t always need to max out – that’s normally only once or twice a week depending on your individual situation. But every session I programme will include snatch, clean and jerk and squats.”