I'm just glad we get Clarence in the age of TH-cam, dude should be a mythical creature, someone your gym buddy tells you he saw once and you're like "nah that's impossible if he existed he'd be in the Olympics bro".
@@yungturtz6234 My daughter goes to the same gym as Clarence. I've tried to explain to her how incredibly awesome and amazing this is, but she just refuses to get excited. Kids these days.
@@HkFinn83 You can perform exercises with perfect form and still be weak and have no carryover to any athletics or sports You can perform exercises with shit form and still be athletic and strong. Just look at the NFL if you want a good example. Some of the strongest and most dynamic athletes but not a lot lift with "ideal" or "aesthetic" form like Clarence.
Clarence makes squatting not only beautiful to watch but entertaining. I could watch him lifting all day long. It's a hell of an inspiration, not from a weight standpoint (cuz he's a freakin' monster) but from a mindset perspective. It feels like he's 100% in control.
Clarence took his mentality of a tricker to weightlifting. You could technically land a full, double cork, or snapu - but if it looks ugly you’ll get less “credit” for it. Same deal in parkour. Aesthetics are a massive part of the sport
Exactly this. I grew up in the martial arts and was huge into "free style" forms which you could maybe say is one of the father's of the tricking movement. Same mentality there. I definitely think this is part of what drew me to Clarence. I love that he's honest about it too and doesn't try to fool himself or us with some BS reasoning. Looking cool is a completely valid reason.
Glad to hear that he acknowledged that body composition/anatomy plays a significant role in squat depth. Good convo. Also love that he wants to be able to do it all unassisted. This is true strength in my opinion.
I sometimes find it more impressive to watch the warm-up sets than the top sets. Say someone is working up to an 800 lb squat, watching them squat 500 lbs like a broomstick is impressive AF. It's like it's more relatable because, I know what 500 lbs *feels* like, whereas an 800 lb squat is unfathomable.
Honestly a 500lb back squat is unfathomable to 99% of the population lol, even watching clarence doing like 300lbs faster than I can do a bodyweight squat is pretty nutty
@@artyshan5944 I saw only 1 dude in real life doing 500lbs squat. I think you are quite accurate. It might be even 99.9% for people who go to the gym, I cannot imagine for the regular dude...
I never knew I squatted as low as clarence till i started seeing his videos recently. Squatting this low has actually strengthened my knees from pain lol squatting parallel hurts alot.
Same, I totally reset my squat weight down to like 100lb and built back up from there because I wanted to get as deep of a squat as possible for reps. Clarence got me interested in that, but there are also legitimate reasons to squat low, including improving knee strength. I used to get sore knee joints but since I got deeper in my squat I have no knee pain, ironically.
yeah dude i have started to squat that low to strengthen my knees as well, the proof is in Clarence, squatting that low definitely helps the knees get strong
@@JamesChristopher93 absolutely lol once I tried squatting higher and my knees felt like they were about to explode from the pressure of stopping all the weight. ATG all the way
100%...my knees feel much better than doing 90° squats. No problems, no pain, more flexibility, no more soreness anywhere and my legs also feel stronger.
just got into Clarence Kennedy and his lifts do look beautiful. And I'm glad he gave an honest answer on why he lifts the way he does, and not just some BS fluffy answer.
@@based8223 he clarified that it was because full range of motion in his opinion is the correct way to lift, so the longest possible range of motion on the conventional lifts atg is the full movement, I think when a lot of us see a gear assisted lift that barely breaks parallels that doesn't look like a serious lift to us, he also explained that
Zack's mobility never fails to amaze me. The dude is a giant. if we gave him 2.5 times the muscle mass he could be a WSM contender and blend in perfectly with the great icelandics - yet the ability to move gracefully and be large and strong a f at the same time is absolutely mind boggling and I may repeat myself but I think that's just amazing.
Hooper is 6 ft 3 (190cm) I never can remember Zack's height but I believe it was 6 ft 4 (193cm)? but yes definitely imagine these would be the dimensions :p I like that comparison
I naturally squated since very young like Cloronce (of course not even near the weight he lifts) and everyone gym bro came to me and told me that I do not squat properly. These positions feel good to me and it is the way I can lift more weight. Why is everyone obssessed with the super upright squat and knees tracking outside etc? I am 188 cm with long fucking legs and I like to squat like this and I still feel it on my legs. I think watching Clarence through the years made me realise that everyone has his way and I continue with this style (of course adjusting where needed so I do not do a good morning) and I have great success.
Love watching him train!! Extremely impressive & inspiring! Mentioning Pyros it makes sense! I wish Clarence would have competed!! Thank You for the videos, ZT 🤝🤝🤝
He's absolutely right as far as his squats just looking impressive. I strive for the same, but don't have his mobility. When I get that low, my lower back/butt wink/pelvis all do the wrong things.
he's also built for it. zack has great mobility but won't have that effortless upright look to his squat strictly because of leverages and hip structure
@@monojhqmwhats your rationale of copying clarence? Did you listen that he said “it depends on the built” of the person yeh? So not everyone can hit depth like that due to anatomical structure and its ok. Theres no rule that you need that depth just for the squat to count.
Clarence has butt wink too. Thing is he's able to squat without pain, and consistently. If you're not getting pain, I wouldn't be scared of butt wink, there's no such thing as perfect form
Keep in min some buttwink is fine. Clarence has buttwin as well. Also in heavier kilos as well as the last 2 3 squats of 10s he "goodmornings" the bar a bit. And that is fine. You just put in the work and your body adapts to it as long as you do not put extreme stress in a very short amount of time. Gradual increase and you will get there 100%
Clarence's squat is unique. Notice that for such a low squatter, he has very little forward knee travel; it's all hip. His biomechanics let him stay upright, go super deep, AND keep his knees back. Most people who go super deep will have a lot of forward knee travel. I don't really understand how he does it, but I suspect it's not something that most of us could replicate.
Yeah, his squat is awesome, really powerful, looks almost like cheating hehe, but if you get the lift, is valid. Most people will likely not get the same squat look, as the hip morfology, bone length and such things are unique to every person.
He is upright but up to a point. He sometimes goodmornings the squat if it is heavy or he is in the last 2 3 reps of 10 rep set. And that is fine. Conditioning over long periods of time and your body will adapt.
he just has an immense amount of hip mobility that allows him to do so. he’s able to sit in the bottom position with both his femurs and tibias relatively vertical and with very little rounding of his low back. combine that with his form which is much more similar to low bar rather than traditional high bar, and you get deep squats with very little forward knee travel. it should be possible for most people to replicate this, although depending on the structure of your hip sockets it could take more or less mobility training and you’d also have to find the perfect stance width and degree of toe flair
Nice stuff, Z! This whole trip is inspiring. I’ve started to practice Olympic weightlifting, too. Great that you’ve committed to squatting to full depth. 👊
Thats so crazy to think how he never cared to be a powerlifter yet he was able to deadlift and squat so much weight with no advantages for his technique. Truly one of a kind
I love the way Clarence gets his lats and shoulders set in between reps. He has the perfect leveraged body for this type of squat! His torso barely moves on the descent and he engages his posterior chain as one big lever! Oh to be young again! Great video and great squats.
Squatting lower was huge for me, I used to just squat down to 90 degrees and leave it at that but after watching Zack And Clarence’s videos I really started to concentrate on getting lower and my legs, core and back are so much stronger now because of it Unfortunately, I just don’t have the body structure to go quite as low as Clarence but I’ll take what I can get
Great video! Clarence is stating that all the criteria for which he gauges squats look more athletic, more difficult and aesthetically pleasing. He’s being humble with his conversation. Reality is they are my athletic, more difficult a aesthetically pleasing!! Any debating otherwise needs to meet the same criteria before making any argument!
If you have the mobility you have the potential to get a full stretch in the glutes quads calves and perhaps the top part of the hamstrings. This means more potential in the muscles and a stronger stretch reflex. When you can do this properly the squat almost completes itself; it's a great and unique feeling. That's not to say a stretch reflex does not happen with other kinds of squats, it's just that end range usually occurs at the hip and the ankle. This means more of a braking and reversal manoeuvre. On top of this the quads are often not fully stretched, which means lower compression on the kneecap, and subsequent protection (or lack thereof) for the joint.
He is the reason i started completely over on how i do squats. I wish i was half as strong as him. But damn hes our generations icon of full, functional and explosive strength
Clarence is such an anomaly in the strength world I remember the video years back when clarence tried sumo deadlifting for the first time with no training and sat down for 30+ minutes and managed to pull 300kg like it was nothing
If you have a 300kg conventional you almost automatically have a 300kg sumo. It's an easier lift for most. Maximising it is a different story because it's more technical than the conventional.
@@syed2694Keep in mind he probably never trained deadlifts for several months at that point. He rested for like 30minutes so he was completely cold and did 2 warm up sets starting at maybe 250kg. With running shoes on.
@@syed2694 Bud you don’t pull close to 90% of your max at RPE7-8 with a technique you’ve only done two to three sets of in your entire life, at 300kg nonetheless. Clean pulls are nothing like conventional or sumo deadlifts, theres a reason why most weightlifters have shitty deadlifts compared to their squat.
Clarence is my ideal fitness coach, I love the look of his lifts im glad he mentioned it , it's impressive I work with Calestenics and stone training because it gives me a lumber jack physique
Watching Clarence got me into squatting. I often rewatch the 265 for 10 before a session to remind me that there is almost always more in the tank. More times than not it really pushes me.
New lifter here. Whenever i do squats, i often get "advice" from others on how to squat only to parallel not anything below. I go as down as my mobility allows while pausing at the bottom to not move like a spring. I don't know what to do lol
Everyone has their own style. Do what you like, like Clarence said he aimed for the most aesthetic squat. Figure out what you like, how you want to train and just do that. Clarence on the previous video also said his take on pause squat as well about it allowing him to control the movement so he dabble in both.
Do what is best for you and your goals. Personally, squatting with full rom allowing to hit a rebound is absolutely the best way to approach squatting. Cutting depth or rom in any movement is considered shortcutting imo and should be the last worry on a lifters mind.
I squat deep for over 5 years now. Of course, I understand that there is a logical fallacy in insinuating that deep squats are fine just because I never injured myself, however, there is absolutely nothing inherently wrong with deep squats, specially if you can do it without the infamous "butt wink."
Deffo do What feels right - I been squatting for a long time now and started heals elevated to help with mobility and depth….just find what works for you toes out or straight ahead both fine. Everyone’s hip mobility and skeleton is different what works for me might not work for you…the only thing I would advise if you want to get strong legs go as deep as your mobility allows..if the weight is getting to heavy to hit you depth then back it off increase the volume and the heavier weights will come 🙌👍🏋️♀️
I agree with what he said about the aesthetics of the lift rather than simply going for heavy numbers, which is why my favorite power lifter is John Haack. His forms on the big three is just aesthetically pleasing to look at: decent grip width, feet shoulder width apart and nice depth, and no sumo haha
Clarence totally achieved his goal of the most aesthetic , powerful-looking back squat. Last time I actually had a guy come to me at the gym and say my squat is a pleasure to watch compared to the majority of people. And I'm freaking weak... But yeah ATG looks better than a shit ton of weight with poor ROM.
I have always squatted by pretty much sitting down like this. It feels comfortable AND you don’t have to question the depth. Sooo many people want to hit exactly 90 degrees and often are not.
Lol expected some answer from Clarence about the benefits of full ROM or how it works certain muscles differently or that it’s more functional. But he basically said, it just looks cool
A squat ordinarily means using the stretch reflex of quadriceps, adductors, calves and hamstring muscles to "bounce" out of a at/just below parallel position driving the hips upwards. Clarence somehow uses this stretch reflex in the extreme by effectively divebombing (in a controlled way but relatively fast) his hams on his calves, while pushing the knees forward as far as possible, getting out of the hole. Imho it takes extreme genetics, ACL and perseverance to pull this off at these weights, which by themselves are already remarkable for his body weight. It's really cool to see someone do something by himself that shouldn't have worked or shouldn't work, and yet it does. This is how we learn new things.
I used to squat like everyone else. But Clarence taught me that I can look cool and still be strong with ass to grass squat. Its far more exciting and its also very fun to do.
I started weightlifting at 29 and i told myself i was going to squat as deep as clarence now im 33 and i squat as deep as clarence. Thanks to zack sika clarence and untamed strength, i was able to reach this goal.
Clarence’s take on Deadlifts is so on point. A conventional Deadlift is an amazing display of strength. People arguing about sumo deadlifts and saying it’s the same as conventional always grinds my fucking gears.
Your squat looks good Zack, but it looks like when you come out of the hole your elbows are jerking backwards. This looks like an indication that you could keep your upper back at lot more tight and could probably move the weight quicker and with more ease. Something to consider.
@@snoopertrooper4468 stfu scrub. all you weak men love pointing fingers towards "genetics" rather than working it out for yourself to find the best body positioning and posture to find your groove and then develop from there. all i hear are excuses, nobody said you had to squat the exact same way clarence kennedy does... in that case yes its genetics, if you dont have his specific body structure you can't squat the way he does, but that doesn't stop you from finding your own feet positioning and angle to squat from, look at Zack, he got long legs and he still found a way to squat deep... like have you even made the attempt in your own life to even try to find your perfect squat form? i bet you haven't, because its easy to shift the blame to genetics
Stand with a decent width, your feet has to point outwards a bit, when u squat down, try not to move ur overbody forward, your knees should squat to the side where ur feet sre placed, it works so well for me - Mike israetel i spired me to do it!
As someone who’s committed to the minimal equipment and full ROM lifting life, it is far more impressive watching someone squat 405lbs ATG without equipment versus a 600lbs squat to questionable depth and tons of equipment on. When you begin strictly lifting extra raw, you realize HOW much belts and sleeves actually help you move more weight versus your own body’s ability to on it’s own.
Sleeves help maybe 20lbs. For me it’s more that I don’t get tendonitis when I wear them. Wraps on the other hand can give you 100lb extra at higher weights
Sleeves add nothing, just give you more confidence. Belt adds like 20kg. I can squat 600 low bar with sleeves/belt but only 500ish with no equipment atg. All comes down to limb lengths though, if you have long femurs or long shin bone you will never really have a good looking squat, it will just look awkward.
It’s really not though, You just need to look at how many average people can squat 405 and how few can do 600 with all the gear You speak of… clueless🤡
@@mac5917 It's only because the vast majority of people have nothing to do with the clown show that is equipped powerlifting. I've never seen it in person, and rarely see it online because I watch weightlifting and the two algorithms don't cross.
@@AfferbeckBeats not saying it’s better in any way but to disrepect someone who gets under 600lbs with any equipment by comparing the to an everyday 405lb raw squater is Madness. Coming from a raw lifter myself btw
I would suggest avoiding that and getting the knee checked, I had that for a few years on my right knee, eventually lesioned my meniscus, just got surgery.
@@pessumpowerI just got meniscus repair too. Can’t wait til I can lift decent weights again, but Everytime I think I can, or I feel strong, I end up fucking my self up haha
I find myself really agreein with Clarence. Performing a "harder" variant of a lift feels like a better display of strenght. And also, if you start with narrow grip bench, atg squat building mobility, and stuff like that, you will have healthy joints and better hypertrophy (more stretch and time under tension) and if you add up from there you can get impressive gains in terms of hypertrophy, strenght, mobility (training full rom enhances the resting length of the muscle), tendons stiffness
Of course there are other variables but training full rom according to your capabilities (like you femur length) is a great way to be healthy and strong
I think the most important point here is that not enough people prioritize athleticism. Power lifters will do everything possible to shorten their ROM because "big number gets bigger" and bodybuilders can't even bend over without breathing like they ran 5k. Somewhere along the line the majority of people in this "industry" became so obsessed with results that they forgot that it's supposed to be about health.
That clicking on his knees sounds really familiar, unfortunately for me that took my squatting away. Ass to the grass, baby! I still believe that’s the way to lift and I agree 100% about aesthetics being as important.
I used to squat deep but I notice I could not do much higher reps for some reason. Always was from 3 to 5 reps . For strength but then alternate to high rep range on non deep squats.
a lot of weightlifters go down the as low as possible in the squat. the reason why clarence is deeper is mostly because he does not push his knees that far forward. if knees go forward further, your hips will just not be as low relative to your knees in the bottom position, even if in both cases your sitting on your calves. that’s just a geometric thing
@@Anon.G no. If your knees go further forward your hips will be less deep relative to your knees. Not absolutely in terms of distance to the ground, but relative to your knees. That's what I mean. This is the reason, why clarence hips are so fucking flexed in the bottom position which is not the case for someone with more excessive knee forward travel in the squat. and this makes it look deeper even.
@@AndiGraz no, you're wrong. Try to go to depth with vertical shins, ie no knee forward travel. You'll just do a Goodmorning at 90 degrees. This is why people elevate the heel in weightlifting shoes, it allows forward knee travel which makes hitting depth easier.
I hear at minute 7 clicking/popping sound at the end of the down motion. When lifting 180. I hope it is not the knees. I will start from now on to do like this. I considered my squat technique was good, but this squat looks even more aesthetical
I really like hitting deep depth on my squats. I feel like I have more bounce back. In fairness though, I have had good hip mobility for a long time through martial arts
@@ericrenner4411Damn, my toilet makes sit lower than 90 degrees? Should I switch it before I need to pay Dr Levy Goldman Rabinowitz for total both knee reconstruction? You know what…. My cat also has more than 90 degree bend when he sits. Should I do preventative knee replacement on his knees as well?
Always wanted to see Clarence squat with equipment, low bar and 90 degrees just to see what he’s capable of there. Be funny to see him just mog 99 percent of everyone who squats that way.
I'm just glad we get Clarence in the age of TH-cam, dude should be a mythical creature, someone your gym buddy tells you he saw once and you're like "nah that's impossible if he existed he'd be in the Olympics bro".
I have seen Clarence around Nottingham and it's just so crazy 😂
@@yungturtz6234 My daughter goes to the same gym as Clarence. I've tried to explain to her how incredibly awesome and amazing this is, but she just refuses to get excited. Kids these days.
"If he didn't have his ethics he'd be in the olympics bro".
@@jimxvx332 Your kid has her own mind instead of being an exact copy/ having the same interests as you? Yeah, kids these days
@@jimxvx332 yet she loves her bleck boyfriend cause he raps well... kids these days ma doode
It’s fascinating to hear Clarence focuses so much on aesthetics and STILL manages to lift monster weights.
Aesthetics and athleticism are different things
@@prestan152explain?
@@HkFinn83 You can perform exercises with perfect form and still be weak and have no carryover to any athletics or sports
You can perform exercises with shit form and still be athletic and strong. Just look at the NFL if you want a good example. Some of the strongest and most dynamic athletes but not a lot lift with "ideal" or "aesthetic" form like Clarence.
it's much easier on steroids
@@early20s18 He warms up with your total when he was still natty
Clarence makes squatting not only beautiful to watch but entertaining. I could watch him lifting all day long. It's a hell of an inspiration, not from a weight standpoint (cuz he's a freakin' monster) but from a mindset perspective. It feels like he's 100% in control.
Don't forget the hydraulic sound and those hydraulic legs.
Right knee is popping. Lots of wear and tear. Guys amazing
Clarence took his mentality of a tricker to weightlifting.
You could technically land a full, double cork, or snapu - but if it looks ugly you’ll get less “credit” for it. Same deal in parkour. Aesthetics are a massive part of the sport
As my coach used to say: "A monkey can do a backflip, but only human can do a salto."
Exactly this. I grew up in the martial arts and was huge into "free style" forms which you could maybe say is one of the father's of the tricking movement. Same mentality there. I definitely think this is part of what drew me to Clarence. I love that he's honest about it too and doesn't try to fool himself or us with some BS reasoning. Looking cool is a completely valid reason.
@@Reriiru That's a good one haha
I was thinking about how it applies to skateboarding too. Can’t just land a trick, has to be clean and with style.
same with gymnastics
A big bonus of going low on a squat is the additional groin/glute strength you develop from it versus a 90 squat
What about people who are gluten free though?
@@ShaunRL They cant have cake
Or bread....
@@sneeuwballa damn, that was good.
@@sneeuwballathe smartest thing you'll ever say and hardly anyone will ever see it
Glad to hear that he acknowledged that body composition/anatomy plays a significant role in squat depth. Good convo. Also love that he wants to be able to do it all unassisted. This is true strength in my opinion.
I'm a huge fan of your content. It's informative and engaging. Please keep doing what you've been doing
I sometimes find it more impressive to watch the warm-up sets than the top sets.
Say someone is working up to an 800 lb squat, watching them squat 500 lbs like a broomstick is impressive AF.
It's like it's more relatable because, I know what 500 lbs *feels* like, whereas an 800 lb squat is unfathomable.
Honestly a 500lb back squat is unfathomable to 99% of the population lol, even watching clarence doing like 300lbs faster than I can do a bodyweight squat is pretty nutty
@@EvanWSH I'd say 99.9%
@@artyshan5944 I saw only 1 dude in real life doing 500lbs squat. I think you are quite accurate. It might be even 99.9% for people who go to the gym, I cannot imagine for the regular dude...
@@Oyamanosolo there's a freshman at my highschool that squatted 500lbs a couple days ago 😂
@@nathanvenable6734your bf
I never knew I squatted as low as clarence till i started seeing his videos recently. Squatting this low has actually strengthened my knees from pain lol squatting parallel hurts alot.
Same, I totally reset my squat weight down to like 100lb and built back up from there because I wanted to get as deep of a squat as possible for reps.
Clarence got me interested in that, but there are also legitimate reasons to squat low, including improving knee strength. I used to get sore knee joints but since I got deeper in my squat I have no knee pain, ironically.
yeah dude i have started to squat that low to strengthen my knees as well, the proof is in Clarence, squatting that low definitely helps the knees get strong
@@JamesChristopher93 absolutely lol once I tried squatting higher and my knees felt like they were about to explode from the pressure of stopping all the weight. ATG all the way
100%...my knees feel much better than doing 90° squats. No problems, no pain, more flexibility, no more soreness anywhere and my legs also feel stronger.
@@haddenindustries2922 we are living proof my guy 💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾
just got into Clarence Kennedy and his lifts do look beautiful. And I'm glad he gave an honest answer on why he lifts the way he does, and not just some BS fluffy answer.
He lifts the way he does because of how he looks on video. He's an actual narcissist
@@based8223 he clarified that it was because full range of motion in his opinion is the correct way to lift, so the longest possible range of motion on the conventional lifts
atg is the full movement, I think when a lot of us see a gear assisted lift that barely breaks parallels that doesn't look like a serious lift to us, he also explained that
Zack's mobility never fails to amaze me. The dude is a giant. if we gave him 2.5 times the muscle mass he could be a WSM contender and blend in perfectly with the great icelandics - yet the ability to move gracefully and be large and strong a f at the same time is absolutely mind boggling and I may repeat myself but I think that's just amazing.
Mitch Hooper
I'm curious to know how fast Zack could row a 2k on a rowing machine. He has the perfect rowers frame. Please make a video about that !
Hooper is 6 ft 3 (190cm) I never can remember Zack's height but I believe it was 6 ft 4 (193cm)? but yes definitely imagine these would be the dimensions :p I like that comparison
@@selbmaman I gotta think Zack would absolutely demolish a 500m piece on the erg
I read WSM as Weber Smokey Mountain 😂
this just in: Clarence is turned on by the sight of Pyrros Dimas wearing nothing but weightlifting shoes
Hope this gets more likes😂😂😂
I naturally squated since very young like Cloronce (of course not even near the weight he lifts) and everyone gym bro came to me and told me that I do not squat properly. These positions feel good to me and it is the way I can lift more weight. Why is everyone obssessed with the super upright squat and knees tracking outside etc? I am 188 cm with long fucking legs and I like to squat like this and I still feel it on my legs.
I think watching Clarence through the years made me realise that everyone has his way and I continue with this style (of course adjusting where needed so I do not do a good morning) and I have great success.
Mission accomplished. His lifts are a pleasure to watch.
Zack that was one of the nicest most aesthetic squats ive seen you do brother. loved that 160. thank you guys for your content nan inspiration.
i started squatting because of him
Absolute blessing to be around and getting to watch someone like Clarence
Love watching him train!! Extremely impressive & inspiring! Mentioning Pyros it makes sense! I wish Clarence would have competed!! Thank You for the videos, ZT 🤝🤝🤝
He's absolutely right as far as his squats just looking impressive. I strive for the same, but don't have his mobility. When I get that low, my lower back/butt wink/pelvis all do the wrong things.
work on sitting in the squat hole with 25kg on each side for 30 seconds 3-5 sets do these 3 times a week. I can squat a lot deeper now.
he's also built for it. zack has great mobility but won't have that effortless upright look to his squat strictly because of leverages and hip structure
@@monojhqmwhats your rationale of copying clarence? Did you listen that he said “it depends on the built” of the person yeh? So not everyone can hit depth like that due to anatomical structure and its ok. Theres no rule that you need that depth just for the squat to count.
Clarence has butt wink too. Thing is he's able to squat without pain, and consistently. If you're not getting pain, I wouldn't be scared of butt wink, there's no such thing as perfect form
Keep in min some buttwink is fine. Clarence has buttwin as well. Also in heavier kilos as well as the last 2 3 squats of 10s he "goodmornings" the bar a bit. And that is fine. You just put in the work and your body adapts to it as long as you do not put extreme stress in a very short amount of time. Gradual increase and you will get there 100%
Clarence's squat is unique. Notice that for such a low squatter, he has very little forward knee travel; it's all hip. His biomechanics let him stay upright, go super deep, AND keep his knees back. Most people who go super deep will have a lot of forward knee travel. I don't really understand how he does it, but I suspect it's not something that most of us could replicate.
Yeah, his squat is awesome, really powerful, looks almost like cheating hehe, but if you get the lift, is valid. Most people will likely not get the same squat look, as the hip morfology, bone length and such things are unique to every person.
He is upright but up to a point. He sometimes goodmornings the squat if it is heavy or he is in the last 2 3 reps of 10 rep set. And that is fine. Conditioning over long periods of time and your body will adapt.
He's upright at the bottom but when he's at 90 deg his back is leaning over , he has the strength to lift huge weights like that
It’s not something most of us should aim to replicate because it’s not good form. He got stronger in spite of it, not because of it.
he just has an immense amount of hip mobility that allows him to do so. he’s able to sit in the bottom position with both his femurs and tibias relatively vertical and with very little rounding of his low back. combine that with his form which is much more similar to low bar rather than traditional high bar, and you get deep squats with very little forward knee travel. it should be possible for most people to replicate this, although depending on the structure of your hip sockets it could take more or less mobility training and you’d also have to find the perfect stance width and degree of toe flair
Nice stuff, Z! This whole trip is inspiring. I’ve started to practice Olympic weightlifting, too.
Great that you’ve committed to squatting to full depth. 👊
Clarence is seriously a once-in-a-lifetime athlete. Huge inspiration for us plant-based lifters.
Pound for pound the strongest vegan on the planet AINEC.
Is he vegan? Cool. Do you know if he has any nutrition videos on getting the protein in?
Yeah vegan diet will destroy your health long term be careful.
@@colmwhateveryoulike3240yes he does
It ain’t just the plants friend
Thats so crazy to think how he never cared to be a powerlifter yet he was able to deadlift and squat so much weight with no advantages for his technique. Truly one of a kind
I love the way Clarence gets his lats and shoulders set in between reps. He has the perfect leveraged body for this type of squat! His torso barely moves on the descent and he engages his posterior chain as one big lever! Oh to be young again! Great video and great squats.
Not only did he squat 200+ kg for reps, He even teleported @ 9:48
Squatting lower was huge for me, I used to just squat down to 90 degrees and leave it at that but after watching Zack And Clarence’s videos I really started to concentrate on getting lower and my legs, core and back are so much stronger now because of it
Unfortunately, I just don’t have the body structure to go quite as low as Clarence but I’ll take what I can get
@@Zooom-s5f being thin has nothing to do with body structure dude...different torso and femur length can affect how deep one can squat
@@Zooom-s5fit has nothing to do with your height, but the ratio of leg length to torso length.
Hey man biggest thing you can do is elevate those heels. Getting them up will let you get your knees forward even more to let you get more depth
@@Zooom-s5f so what is your max squat? if it is anything less than 4 plates, please leave the convo now as you clearly have no clue
@@iielysiumx5811 lol you are a recreational lifter not a professional athlete, learn your place.
Hey Z - great video - today I dropped weight and squatted as deep as possible - CK (and you) are inspirations - thanks!!
I learned a new very interesting approach to squats listening to this man. Thank you.
Clarence hit depth deeper than OceanGate.
☠
His body handled the pressure better.
Great video! Clarence is stating that all the criteria for which he gauges squats look more athletic, more difficult and aesthetically pleasing. He’s being humble with his conversation. Reality is they are my athletic, more difficult a aesthetically pleasing!! Any debating otherwise needs to meet the same criteria before making any argument!
If you have the mobility you have the potential to get a full stretch in the glutes quads calves and perhaps the top part of the hamstrings. This means more potential in the muscles and a stronger stretch reflex. When you can do this properly the squat almost completes itself; it's a great and unique feeling. That's not to say a stretch reflex does not happen with other kinds of squats, it's just that end range usually occurs at the hip and the ankle. This means more of a braking and reversal manoeuvre. On top of this the quads are often not fully stretched, which means lower compression on the kneecap, and subsequent protection (or lack thereof) for the joint.
What's up with ''Svetski osmeh'' being the outro? haha, love it!
The video is great btw, thanks for making it!
OMG, the Boban Petrovic outro (Sketski Osmeh) took me off guard!!! Great taste 100% made my day lol
I was trying to figure out who that was....thanks for that!!
He is the reason i started completely over on how i do squats. I wish i was half as strong as him. But damn hes our generations icon of full, functional and explosive strength
Clarence is such an anomaly in the strength world I remember the video years back when clarence tried sumo deadlifting for the first time with no training and sat down for 30+ minutes and managed to pull 300kg like it was nothing
If you have a 300kg conventional you almost automatically have a 300kg sumo. It's an easier lift for most. Maximising it is a different story because it's more technical than the conventional.
@@syed2694Keep in mind he probably never trained deadlifts for several months at that point. He rested for like 30minutes so he was completely cold and did 2 warm up sets starting at maybe 250kg. With running shoes on.
@@digitalvii So? He was still pulling from the floor in some capacity in his training, it transfers. Both olympic lifts start from the ground.
@@syed2694 Bud you don’t pull close to 90% of your max at RPE7-8 with a technique you’ve only done two to three sets of in your entire life, at 300kg nonetheless. Clean pulls are nothing like conventional or sumo deadlifts, theres a reason why most weightlifters have shitty deadlifts compared to their squat.
@@syed2694what do you mean "so?" Have you ever pulled 300kg cold, whether sumo or conventional?
Clarence's strength never fails to amaze me
Clarence is my ideal fitness coach, I love the look of his lifts im glad he mentioned it , it's impressive
I work with Calestenics and stone training because it gives me a lumber jack physique
Watching Clarence got me into squatting. I often rewatch the 265 for 10 before a session to remind me that there is almost always more in the tank. More times than not it really pushes me.
this is great, most ppl do the partial 90 degree squat
584lb for 10 atg holy crap, that has to be one of the best sets of squats ever recorded. I enjoyed that as much as watching dan green or malanichev
New lifter here. Whenever i do squats, i often get "advice" from others on how to squat only to parallel not anything below. I go as down as my mobility allows while pausing at the bottom to not move like a spring. I don't know what to do lol
Everyone has their own style. Do what you like, like Clarence said he aimed for the most aesthetic squat. Figure out what you like, how you want to train and just do that. Clarence on the previous video also said his take on pause squat as well about it allowing him to control the movement so he dabble in both.
Do what is best for you and your goals. Personally, squatting with full rom allowing to hit a rebound is absolutely the best way to approach squatting. Cutting depth or rom in any movement is considered shortcutting imo and should be the last worry on a lifters mind.
ignore gymrats and their advice, really. unless they are doing what youre doing, eg weightliftinng
I squat deep for over 5 years now. Of course, I understand that there is a logical fallacy in insinuating that deep squats are fine just because I never injured myself, however, there is absolutely nothing inherently wrong with deep squats, specially if you can do it without the infamous "butt wink."
Deffo do What feels right - I been squatting for a long time now and started heals elevated to help with mobility and depth….just find what works for you toes out or straight ahead both fine. Everyone’s hip mobility and skeleton is different what works for me might not work for you…the only thing I would advise if you want to get strong legs go as deep as your mobility allows..if the weight is getting to heavy to hit you depth then back it off increase the volume and the heavier weights will come 🙌👍🏋️♀️
The power Clarence has is just carzy. I wish him all the best and especially to stay healthy.
I agree with what he said about the aesthetics of the lift rather than simply going for heavy numbers, which is why my favorite power lifter is John Haack. His forms on the big three is just aesthetically pleasing to look at: decent grip width, feet shoulder width apart and nice depth, and no sumo haha
Clarence totally achieved his goal of the most aesthetic , powerful-looking back squat.
Last time I actually had a guy come to me at the gym and say my squat is a pleasure to watch compared to the majority of people. And I'm freaking weak... But yeah ATG looks better than a shit ton of weight with poor ROM.
I have always squatted by pretty much sitting down like this. It feels comfortable AND you don’t have to question the depth. Sooo many people want to hit exactly 90 degrees and often are not.
Lol expected some answer from Clarence about the benefits of full ROM or how it works certain muscles differently or that it’s more functional.
But he basically said, it just looks cool
A squat ordinarily means using the stretch reflex of quadriceps, adductors, calves and hamstring muscles to "bounce" out of a at/just below parallel position driving the hips upwards. Clarence somehow uses this stretch reflex in the extreme by effectively divebombing (in a controlled way but relatively fast) his hams on his calves, while pushing the knees forward as far as possible, getting out of the hole. Imho it takes extreme genetics, ACL and perseverance to pull this off at these weights, which by themselves are already remarkable for his body weight.
It's really cool to see someone do something by himself that shouldn't have worked or shouldn't work, and yet it does. This is how we learn new things.
I used to squat like everyone else. But Clarence taught me that I can look cool and still be strong with ass to grass squat. Its far more exciting and its also very fun to do.
Forever my favorite lifter
Unfortunately due to my anatomy I can’t possibly squat like him without feeling some pain or using non targeted muscles more than my primary
I just wanna point out how in the top set part you can clearly hear Clarence's knees pop at the bottom
315 is my ATG max currently. I have been working on it big time lol
Squat max is 405 at 188 lbs
Meaning like a full depth high bar vs breaking parallel at low bar?
Wow. That's a huge difference
I love that squatting technique 👍
I started weightlifting at 29 and i told myself i was going to squat as deep as clarence now im 33 and i squat as deep as clarence. Thanks to zack sika clarence and untamed strength, i was able to reach this goal.
Unedited footage of us just watching Clarence squat sure is nostalgic
So impressed how quickly he always executes his lifts
What's that clicking sound every time Clarence goes down?
knee crack pop
Clarence and all those knee pops 🤣 I feel that
☝🏻 it sounds loud
I’m extremely impressed with this guy, this will be my goal at the gym!
Could someone tell me which shoes Clarence is wearing at 6:52 or thereabouts? The black Nikes. Might be Metcons but not sure.
If I knew I would tell you. Sorry sweetie💪👊👊👊
@@aShamelessHighThanks, babe, 😉 appreciate the reply!
His knees are so strong. He essentially gets and elastic bounce in and out them, not purely relying on muscles strength
It's tendon strength from doing this for a long time. The stretch reflex in the bottom also puts the weight to the glutes, hamstrings, and back
Clarence’s take on Deadlifts is so on point. A conventional Deadlift is an amazing display of strength.
People arguing about sumo deadlifts and saying it’s the same as conventional always grinds my fucking gears.
I haven’t understand yet if the clicks on the squat are from the knees or the floor
Your squat looks good Zack, but it looks like when you come out of the hole your elbows are jerking backwards. This looks like an indication that you could keep your upper back at lot more tight and could probably move the weight quicker and with more ease. Something to consider.
On this episode of Lift Companion, Clarence Kennedy mogs the entire globe of men on why he's #1
I think Clarence is the best weightlifter ever existed so far!
It's not only the load he manages It's by far the most impressive lifter of all time!
The question should be How not Why
be born with the right hips, knees, and ankles. Mobility work can get you far, but when there is bone on bone contact, thats the limit.
@@snoopertrooper4468 stfu scrub. all you weak men love pointing fingers towards "genetics" rather than working it out for yourself to find the best body positioning and posture to find your groove and then develop from there. all i hear are excuses, nobody said you had to squat the exact same way clarence kennedy does... in that case yes its genetics, if you dont have his specific body structure you can't squat the way he does, but that doesn't stop you from finding your own feet positioning and angle to squat from, look at
Zack, he got long legs and he still found a way to squat deep... like have you even made the attempt in your own life to even try to find your perfect squat form? i bet you haven't, because its easy to shift the blame to genetics
Stand with a decent width, your feet has to point outwards a bit, when u squat down, try not to move ur overbody forward, your knees should squat to the side where ur feet sre placed, it works so well for me - Mike israetel i spired me to do it!
Clarence is why i started squatting low before i started oly lifting. Inspiration
3:09 clarence squat 110kg
4:48 clarence squat 140kg
5:14 clarence squat 160kg
6:35 clarence squat 180kg
7:19 clarence squat 200kg
8:57 clarence squat 230kg 5reps
10:13 clarence squat 230kg 5reps
Great video! Only wished there were more shots of Clarence’s squat from the back… to get an all around view of that… technique.
As someone who’s committed to the minimal equipment and full ROM lifting life, it is far more impressive watching someone squat 405lbs ATG without equipment versus a 600lbs squat to questionable depth and tons of equipment on.
When you begin strictly lifting extra raw, you realize HOW much belts and sleeves actually help you move more weight versus your own body’s ability to on it’s own.
Sleeves help maybe 20lbs. For me it’s more that I don’t get tendonitis when I wear them. Wraps on the other hand can give you 100lb extra at higher weights
Sleeves add nothing, just give you more confidence. Belt adds like 20kg. I can squat 600 low bar with sleeves/belt but only 500ish with no equipment atg.
All comes down to limb lengths though, if you have long femurs or long shin bone you will never really have a good looking squat, it will just look awkward.
It’s really not though, You just need to look at how many average people can squat 405 and how few can do 600 with all the gear You speak of… clueless🤡
@@mac5917 It's only because the vast majority of people have nothing to do with the clown show that is equipped powerlifting. I've never seen it in person, and rarely see it online because I watch weightlifting and the two algorithms don't cross.
@@AfferbeckBeats not saying it’s better in any way but to disrepect someone who gets under 600lbs with any equipment by comparing the to an everyday 405lb raw squater is Madness. Coming from a raw lifter myself btw
I need to know who makes those barbell storage racks.
If I go max deep my left knee goes "clonk". How do I fix this? Or should I avoid going max down?
I would suggest avoiding that and getting the knee checked, I had that for a few years on my right knee, eventually lesioned my meniscus, just got surgery.
@@pessumpowerI just got meniscus repair too. Can’t wait til I can lift decent weights again, but Everytime I think I can, or I feel strong, I end up fucking my self up haha
He squats so deep because he's better than all of us. Thanks for reminding us.
I find myself really agreein with Clarence. Performing a "harder" variant of a lift feels like a better display of strenght. And also, if you start with narrow grip bench, atg squat building mobility, and stuff like that, you will have healthy joints and better hypertrophy (more stretch and time under tension) and if you add up from there you can get impressive gains in terms of hypertrophy, strenght, mobility (training full rom enhances the resting length of the muscle), tendons stiffness
Of course there are other variables but training full rom according to your capabilities (like you femur length) is a great way to be healthy and strong
Interesting Man this Clarence
The first video i saw of him was the 200 kg talinn 2013 squat
Very nice video
I wish they addressed the safety with deep squatting. I don't know the answer, which form is safer, the 90 degree or deep squat?
I think the most important point here is that not enough people prioritize athleticism. Power lifters will do everything possible to shorten their ROM because "big number gets bigger" and bodybuilders can't even bend over without breathing like they ran 5k. Somewhere along the line the majority of people in this "industry" became so obsessed with results that they forgot that it's supposed to be about health.
My aim when I squat is to look similar to or as close to Clarence's squat. No compromises.
That clicking on his knees sounds really familiar, unfortunately for me that took my squatting away.
Ass to the grass, baby! I still believe that’s the way to lift and I agree 100% about aesthetics being as important.
Are Clearance knees cracking every time he gets to bottom position??
I used to squat deep but I notice I could not do much higher reps for some reason. Always was from 3 to 5 reps . For strength but then alternate to high rep range on non deep squats.
most people don't know that but deep squats also target your adductor muscles (inner thigh muscles) which are not engaged much half squats
Anyone know what shorts Clarence is wearing in the video 2:51
i did this and i got quad tendonitis from doing it doc said 90 degree is okay is it true?
Damn glad I started weightlifting at 14. Didn’t realized it carried over so much
great video man!!
Getting these videos of Clarence is almost like getting continued, modern videos of Mike Mentzers weightlifting protocols.
Good to see Clarence doing squats like good old days
Also worth noting, he looks like he's doing those squats in flat soles with no real heel lift, his hip & ankle mobility is amazing.
a lot of weightlifters go down the as low as possible in the squat. the reason why clarence is deeper is mostly because he does not push his knees that far forward. if knees go forward further, your hips will just not be as low relative to your knees in the bottom position, even if in both cases your sitting on your calves. that’s just a geometric thing
You've got it backwards, you need knees further forward to get the depth
@@Anon.G no. If your knees go further forward your hips will be less deep relative to your knees. Not absolutely in terms of distance to the ground, but relative to your knees. That's what I mean. This is the reason, why clarence hips are so fucking flexed in the bottom position which is not the case for someone with more excessive knee forward travel in the squat. and this makes it look deeper even.
@@AndiGraz no, you're wrong. Try to go to depth with vertical shins, ie no knee forward travel. You'll just do a Goodmorning at 90 degrees. This is why people elevate the heel in weightlifting shoes, it allows forward knee travel which makes hitting depth easier.
You can also think of that as a “deficit squat.” Bet it could help with your strength out of the hole when going to normal powerlifting depth.
Amazing Dorsiflexion and plantar flexion with great weight distribution over feet?
I hear at minute 7 clicking/popping sound at the end of the down motion. When lifting 180. I hope it is not the knees.
I will start from now on to do like this. I considered my squat technique was good, but this squat looks even more aesthetical
I really like hitting deep depth on my squats. I feel like I have more bounce back. In fairness though, I have had good hip mobility for a long time through martial arts
The creaking that is heard in the video, is the platform or Clarence joints?
It’s the platform. In one of the sika or clerence videos they mention that everyone hates it, but clerence liked it.
It's his knees. He squats too deep. 90 degrees is it. Have you heard of Joel Seedman?
@@ericrenner4411 the hack?
@@ericrenner4411no such thing sir
@@ericrenner4411Damn, my toilet makes sit lower than 90 degrees?
Should I switch it before I need to pay Dr Levy Goldman Rabinowitz for total both knee reconstruction?
You know what…. My cat also has more than 90 degree bend when he sits. Should I do preventative knee replacement on his knees as well?
Lu Xiajoun did go deep on his back and fronts squat. Man was an Olympic champion for a reason.
9:50 that transition. smooooooth
do you hear the clicking sound @6:58?
i've always squatted at that depth because it just feels right
Always wanted to see Clarence squat with equipment, low bar and 90 degrees just to see what he’s capable of there. Be funny to see him just mog 99 percent of everyone who squats that way.