If you want a big squat, you need strong hips to drive your legs out and back as you come up.
This external rotation drive comes from the gluteus medius and minimus muscles (the abductors of the hips) and one of the fastest ways to bring up your squat is to strengthen these muscles.
That's where THIS setup comes in...it's an assistance exercise for the squat that directly strengthens those muscles in the EXACT pattern that they are activated in the squat.
Even better, this exercise will actually help TEACH you to recruit those muscles when you squat, making it even more effective for improving squat strength!
How to Set Up Dip Belt Abductors-On-Fire Squats
First off, if you're interested in trying this one, I HIGHLY recommend you watch the video for proper setup and execution...it's not as easy to get it from still pictures and written description.
The name of this one is says it all...when done properly, it will set your abductors on fire (in a good way!).
To do it, you'll need a dip belt and a low pulley.
Now, you may have seen a similar type of abductor exercise done with a band around the knees (you might be familiar with Monster Walks). Those can be good.
Personally, I find this setup to be much more effective because you're getting lateral AND backwards resistance rather than just lateral resistance (from the cable pulling forward). I find it to be more directly applicable to the squat.
First, connect the dip belt to the low pulley. You may need a short length of cable to give yourself a little distance from the cable (not 100% necessary, though). Use a light weight on the stack the first time you try it.
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SIDE NOTE: My dip belt doesn't use a chain, so I had to using a single handle to loop the nylon strap through to connect the belt to the cable stack. If your dip belt has a chain, you don't need the handle...just clip the dip belt chain directly onto the cable stack chain (clip it onto the center link of your dip belt chain).
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Set the dip belt around the meat of your calves, NOT on the knees. You actually want it an inch or two below the knees.
Set your feet about 4-5 inches apart and squat down. Your knees should be bowing in.
Now straighten your legs. As you do so, push your knees directly out and back against the SIDES of the belt.
This out and back movement is small but it's the EXACT pattern you want the abductors to follow when you're doing a squat.
By using the dip belt, you get resistance in that pattern. It'll dig into those muscles like nothing else.
When doing this one, you'll notice that the resistance doesn't come from pulling backwards on the belt. It comes from EXPANDING the belt and making it wider.
This expansion pulls the cable stack towards you.
So in essence, by pushing out and back, you straighten the belt and pull the weight up. I show this in video and it's a bit more clear.
When you've done a set or two with light weight, bump the weight up.
I found that I really felt this one best when I went up to 80 lbs on the stack and did lower reps (5 or so), but you can absolutely use lighter weights and do more reps, if you like.
This range with heavier loads is going to help strengthen those muscles more effectively for heavy squatting, too.
I like this one as a finisher after doing squats or done on a completely different day so you can really push it to help strengthen your hips for squatting on a different day.
I also tested this one holding a pair of dumbbells to see if the added resistance would be more effective...it wasn't. In fact, I found it made the exercise LESS effective. Stick with just the cable resistance and no additional resistance.
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Want more unique and challenging exercises to work your entire body with simple equipment? All you need is just a barbell, dumbbells and a bench. Check out The Best Home Gym Exercises You've Never Heard Of!
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