A misconception is that weight training and weightlifting (yes, these are two separate entities, more on that later) are dangerous activities and are to blame for several injuries that occur in the gym. 

From a young age, parents will often elect safer activities for their children to participate in over resistance training for fear of a traumatic injury occurring. Even worse, individual coaches and athletes well into their professional and collegiate careers opt-out of resistance training for fear of it, making them too slow or bulky. 

Unfortunately, abstaining from resistance training ultimately does the body more harm than good, and is not the culprit. There isn't any question that poor exercise technique can result in injury; however, the chances of that occurring are unlikely, particularly with proper instruction. 

Don't miss out on the extraordinary performance benefits that lifting provides because of the fear of a rare injury. Every day that you drive your car, you run the risk of getting into an accident, but that doesn't stop you from driving. It also applies to weight training and weightlifting.

Taking the proper steps to learn sound techniques will enhance athletic performance at low risk.     

Safety Rankings 

To be clear, weight-training is any resistance training that takes place with machines, implements, or weights, while weightlifting is the Olympic sport that includes the snatch and clean and jerk explicitly. 

Both modalities include a wide array of exercises, but together they cover resistance training.  

Regarding the safety of these two activities, they are some of the safest sports in which one can participate. Weightlifting, as previously mentioned, is a sport in itself, but weight training includes powerlifting, bodybuilding, or any other type of exercise to improve physical fitness. 

A 1994 research study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research¹ examined the relative safety of both weight training and weightlifting in comparison to many sporting activities, including:

• Rugby
• Football
• Tennis
• Cross country
• Soccer
• Volleyball

The results showed that per 100 participation training hours, weight training had the second-lowest injury rate and weightlifting had the lowest, an amazingly low 0.0035 and 0.0017 rate, respectively.¹ 

The aforementioned safer option most parents elect to place their children in, soccer, topped the list at 6.2 injuries per 100 training hours.

Unfortunately, individuals are so quick to write off any type of resistance training due to unjustified fear. 

While I still believe children should participate in a wide variety of sports, this evidence demonstrates that children and adults, for that matter, should by no means avoid any resistance training unless clearly stated by their physician. 

Do You Have Self-Imposed Limitations?

One of the most significant issues I am confronted with when training a new athlete or client is the limitations they bring to the table before our first meeting. 

• They may have heard that squatting is bad for their knees. 
• They refuse to lift anything heavy because they believe it will injure them despite the data demonstrating otherwise. 

My absolute favorite quote to that point is by Brett Contreras, who once said,

“If you think lifting weights is dangerous, try being weak. Being weak is dangerous.” -Brett Contreras

While I digress, he does make a fantastic point. Previous injury, health issues, and paranoia are no excuse to avoid resistance training altogether. 

Now I must preface this by saying that your doctors and medical health care providers always know the best way more than somebody like myself, so please listen to them first. 

The point I make is that if you have a fused spine and they tell you to never back squat again, that doesn't mean to never squat again in any capacity. (Unless explicitly stated by your doctor. Also, listen to them, not me). It merely means do so in a more intelligent way. 

Giant newsflash, you will have to squat to get up and down from a chair or toilet at some point in your life again, might as well learn how to do it right. Falling prey to the assumption that herniated discs and torn ligaments are imminent when undertaking lifting modalities is close-minded. 

Everybody should be able to:

They should be able to do each of these functions with some type of resistance at any age, especially if high-level athletic performance is the goal. 

Barbell Squats

Take the barbell squat as our example; it is undoubtedly the king of all exercises, but it is not always appropriate for everyone. It's important to remember that we are loading this movement pattern to facilitate a particular adaptation in an athlete to prepare for their sport. 

If one variation does not match up with what they are physically capable of, find another way.

Here are three significant variations.  

1. The Goblet Squat

Goblet Squat: Once an athlete can demonstrate the sound technique in the squat pattern with their body weight, they can quickly move on to the kettlebell or dumbbell goblet squat. 

Those who need to refrain from axial loading due to a previous injury or being relatively a novice can gain a lot from this movement as the anterior load forces one to maintain an upright posture. 

2. The Front Squat

Front Squat: If an athlete demonstrates the sound technique in the front squat and requires more significant loading than what the goblet squat provides, another great variation of the squat is the barbell front squat. Similar to the goblet squat, it forces an athlete to use proper core stability to ensure they are maintaining posture. 

3. The Zercher Squat

Zercher Squat: This squat variation is a significantly underused one. It serves as s great substitute or a workaround to the front/back squat variations when one may have a wrist injury or something similar. 

Athletes who cannot physically grip a bar will often fall behind in their training because they can't do any of the big three conventional movements: 

1. The back squat
2. The deadlift
3. The bench press 

Supplementing this issue with the Zercher squat can make a huge difference.

Age and Safety

I've worked with clients well into their 70s, 80s, and even 90s that can move more weight than they did when they were young because they put in the effort to improve themselves. 

Athletes who come to me as freshmen in high school and can't squat correctly with more than their body-weight often cap their senior year by squatting double their body weight. 

With the right programming and a little discipline, significant gains can occur.

The earlier one incorporates training into their life, the better off they'll be, mainly when they are young and can pick skills up quickly. 

Most people wish they would have learned a foreign language as a child when it quickly becomes second nature, but unfortunately, every year that goes by, it becomes increasingly difficult. 

The same applies to movement and training; learning to lift young and lift often ingrains healthy habits into your life that reach well beyond athletic performance. 

If an athlete hears that they could take a pill guaranteed to increase their athletic performance while reducing their relative risk for an injury, I can't imagine one that would not take it. 

When it comes to resistance training, that is what they are getting, yet some still refuse to engage. 

I believe that this comes from a severe lack of misinformation and a lack of guidance. 

If you are a coach reading this, help your athletes understand the massive benefits that a good training program can have, and if you are an athlete reading this, make sure you train, you'll thank your coaches later. 

Franco Columbu, who was Arnold Schwarzenegger's best friend, a champion bodybuilder in his own right, as well as a competitor in strongman and powerlifting events, had his own views about adding weight to bodyweight exercises, famously saying, "Never add weights to your pull-ups." The thinking went, if you can do multiple sets of 8-12 reps of a pull-up with varying grips and perfect form, that was what you needed to do, and adding weight was a distraction from the ultimate goal, and not necessarily helpful.

There is, however, research on the use of weighted vests (WV) in training, and the recommendations indicate that a certain degree of thought needs to go into incorporating WVs in training protocols but, in some cases, they do produce results. In Effects of Sprint Training With and Without Weighted Vest on Speed and Repeated Sprint Ability in Male Soccer Players the researchers didn't find any conlcusive evidence to support the efficacy of WV training but did recommend its consideration as a supplementary addition to normal training because of improvements in repeated sprint ability. However, in The Effect of Extra-Load Conditioning on Muscle Performance in Athletes, researchers determined that the WV experimental group improved their jumping heights in squat jumps with and without extra loads; their jumping heights in drop jumps and mechanical power output in 15 second of jumps.

On the other hand, in Weighted Vest Exercise Improves Indices of Fall Risk in Older Women, researchers found that postmenopausal women benefited from lower body resistance exercises where the resistance was increased through the use of a WV. So, I am not going to advocate or deny the value of a weighted vest. When it comes to athletic or sports performance there are so many reasons to shy away from making any definitive statements because the one percenters in physical fitness aren't like the rest of us so, it's pointless to try and compare yourself. And, based on research of older populations, there is certainly some value to be had from WV training so, there's probably a middle ground usage criteria that can be applied to most trainees.

The Zelus Beginner Weighted Vest

Which brings me nicely to the Zelus WV that I had a chance to review for Breaking Muscle. The product used here is the 12 lb version, what we have designated as a beginner, but seeing as how the vest is avaiable in lower weight configurations, that might not be the case for you. Judging by the research, you could be postmenopausal, start off with a 4 lb weight and that might be heavy enough to start you off. 12 lb may not sound like much but you do feel the weight, no matter how fit or strong you are. 

The picture at the top of the article is how this vest looks compared to a heavy duty, 80 lb WV. There's a world of difference, and not just the weight. Zelus's WV is comfortable and suited to rapid movement. It loops around your back and shoulder, fits nicely, and stays on firmly. It's definitely a good choice if you are going to be using it for a long stretch of activity. 

I would prefer to carry a set of dumbbells if I wanted to do a loaded carry over a long hike, or use a heavier vest, much heavier, for ruck, but if it was a sprint, or jog then, Zelus's WV is a no brainer. Again, it depends on whether you think a weighted vest is a help or hinderance in sprinting.

It kind of gets marketed as a CrossFit friendly product. There's certainly a lot of people who like to add WVs to traditional WODs like Murph. Although, you may also like to wear a weighted vest to do your grocery shopping, and if you do, this is a great solution for you and will probably go unnoticed as just a fashion statement.

What I am really trying to say is that this is a pretty nice addition to the WV firmanent. It's a good design. It fits nicely. I haven't had a chance to use it over a year of activity so, I can't tell you how reliable it is going to be but I can't see anything that would indicate that it is not well-made. I didn't really care much for the detachable zipper pocket that came with it, a way to store your phone and keys and stuff. But, to be honest, it's irrelevant to the product. If I am going to take my wallet and $700 phone into the gym or on a sweaty run, no one has invented a pocket that hits the mark, at least not in my experience. On a positive note, I do keep the vest near me at my desk, and every time I can get off the computer, I can hit a few sets of push-ups with it on. Right now, I am at home, but I could keep one in my desk drawer at work, which is kind of cool. 

We all know we shouldn’t look like we’re bowing to worship the gym floor when we do a barbell back squat. That’s a lot of what you see at gyms, though.

So, we do corrective exercises that focus on building strength and stability for the muscles and patterns that would supposedly keep this from happening.

These are usually simple and single-joint exercises that work on only one side of the body at a time. But sometimes, and more often than not, we can develop what we need by just spending more time in the positions we want to improve.

If you want to learn all about the principles behind this, check out my online course starting in a couple of weeks.

Addressing Posture and Position in the Squat

Moving through positions is what the 1.25 squat does best.

It keeps you moving through the positions that are frequently harder to maintain.

More time practicing the bottom positions of the squat means we have more opportunity for sensory learning - feeling the muscles that contribute to a movement where and when they should.

The continuous controlled movement from the bottom of your squat to a quarter standing, back down to the base causes you to maintain the type of balance and posture that creates a great squat.

It’s better than just doing more straight reps because of how challenging it is to lower into that second squat without resetting at the top like you usually would. It helps you feel any shift in the pressure of your feet and the tilt of your torso.

The Benefits of the 1.25 Squat

Some exercises are just variations for advanced lifters who need some new kick to get stronger.

It does that, but it’s also great for inexperienced squatters.

It can be a focused movement practice for anyone trying to make their squat pattern fluid and strong. And, it can be a way for someone who already has an ingrained good squat to strengthen their quads and glutes while they work on the skill of keeping ample tension at a depth of their squat.

The 1.25 squat doesn’t just strengthen and train the coordination of the muscles that do the moving.

It provides a condition that naturally trains the stabilizing musculature of the trunk. Muscles like the abs, obliques, the transverse abdominis, and the erectors stiffen the spine.

Posture breaks down, and squats fall apart because of a lack of control over these muscles during the most challenging part of the movement (reversing from the bottom to standing back up).

With this exercise, you train this capacity for tension better because you spend most of your time in that part of the movement. 

How To Brace, Lower, and Hit Your Squat

Set up under the barbell and walk out just as you’d do for a standard squat, Take your breath, and make sure to focus on creating a proper brace. You’ll need it to stay rigid for this extended rep.  

Lower into your squat and once you hit your depth, come up a quarter of the way to completely standing. Think of coming up 3-5 inches above parallel.

Immediately go back to the depth of your squat and then stand up entirely from there. That’s one rep.

Make sure not to pause at any point.

• As soon as you reach depth, come up. 
• Once you feel like you’re 3-5 inches above parallel, immediately go back down.
• When you reach the bottom of your squat for the second time, stand up completely without hesitation.

Don’t do more than five reps on this exercise, and be aware of how much weight you use.

The focus is on the quality of the movement, posture, tension, and feeling the muscles working well in one coordinated effort.

Don’t worry if you’re coming too high or not high enough on the quarter rep. If you’re going in-and-out of the bottom of your squat twice, you’re doing the exercise correctly.

Change It Up

The point of this exercise is to make sure the right muscles are working where they should and to increase stability in the movement where you’d often lose it.

The muscles of the upper-back aid in creating a structure and posture that you need for a solid squat, so a 1.25 front squat can be a significant variation to this end.

Front squats require that you keep tension in your upper back and keep the chest from falling forward because if you don’t, you’re dumping the bar on the floor in front of you.

Rotating 1.25 front squats with back squats will improve the posture and muscular coordination for a strong squat. 

Challenge Your Squat Technique With Pauses

This exercise can be pretty tricky, even if you have a lot of experience.

But if you’ve been training with them, try adding pauses.

Pauses force even more control to keep tension in these positions because you’re spending even more time at the bottom.

Using a one count pause at the bottom of the squat, again after you rise a quarter of the way up, and then also the second time at the bottom is plenty to challenge and advance you for some time.