Squat Oscillations???

[PShabi]

Hey Guys,

Great forum here. Hopefully, an expert can give me a little help with a question I have. First, I am a basketball coach and am working my players through a great off-season workout program right now. It's basketball specific and concentrates on explosive power and quickness, and strength with basketball specific movement in mind. We just started a new phase and there is an exercise called "squat oscillations" included in one of our leg workouts. The program I have does a great job explaining the unique lifts, but I'm still having trouble understanding this one. I've searched and searched the internet but I can't find any videos or anything demonstrating it. Can someone provide something for me? Here's the description given by my program manual:

Squat Oscillations:

You will need a partner and a squat rack for this exercise. Your partner will essentially be standing on your thighs as you perform this exercise. The partner uses the squat rack to hold on to the bar or top of it and uses the sides to stand on before starting. To perform, stand in the squat rack with partner in position. Your partner will place feet flat on each uppper thigh, hanging on the bar or top of rack. Lower yourself until knees and hips are fully bent, upper leg parallel to floor. While partner is 'standing' on your thighs, raise yourself up no more than halfway to full extension. Continue this up and down motion in a controlled but quick fashion for desired number of reps.

Anybody have any advice or video of this being done? It's an auxillary exercise obviously. Is there anyway to achieve the same thing w/o a partner? The reason I ask sounds stupid, but I work with HS kids and I'm starting to think like them. It seems like the "partner" is going to have their nuts right in your face and my guys are going to be more worried about that than concentrating on the exercise. Stupid and funny, but realistic. They're also not gonna want someone's dirty shoes standing on their pricey shorts. I know, I know, but trust me.

Any tips here would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Coach

[manowar669]

Sounds like a squat with a weight of about 50-75% of the working weight and only moving through the lower half of the range of motion (just going halfway up). I'm guessing higher rep counts for these sets (or do it continuously for a specified time period, and then increase the time, or the reps/time period {i.e. do it faster}), and a continuous motion would be desired here (no pauses between reps). You won't get a rest at the top of the rep, because the lifter won't be standing all the way up. Perhaps pins at the top of the range of motion in the rack would prevent the lifter from going up too far (cheating by getting a rest).

You don't need your guys teabagging each other.

[PShabi]

They're performed in a superset of 3

Fireman's Squat- 3x12
Squat Oscillations- 3x12
Reverse Calf Raises- 3x15

[Sensei]

Just like manofwar described. It's from 90 degrees to a quarter squat position with continuous movement. I really don't understand the point of having a person standing on you unless it's some 'team building' bullcrap... You could certainly achieve the same thing with bands, or chains, or just plain weight.

[schmitty199]

Sounds to complicated. Normal back squats should be enough, if not add in front squats or single leg squats.

[PShabi]

Sounds to complicated. Normal back squats should be enough, if not add in front squats or single leg squats.

It does seem complicated, but I want to stick to the program. Back, front, and single leg squats are all incorporated in this full-year program. It's my first year using it and I'm commited to following it to the letter as best as my facilities allow me. It's well developed by a strength trainer/basketball coach.

Part of the "appeal" of the program is the wide variety of lifts that eliminate repetitiveness, boredom, and routine.

[manowar669]

Part of the "appeal" of the program is the wide variety of lifts that eliminate repetitiveness, boredom, and routine.

Hmmm.....sounds like...............CROSSFIT!

[Sensei]

Well, it sounds like a really bad exercise variation to me, but if you're bound and determined to follow the program to the letter...

[Hephaestus]

That seems dangerous to me. One person might stand too low and kill the others knees or something. Or given give him a swift kick that he will remember. I know your trying to eliminate boredom in the workouts but this seems just strange to put it bluntly. And being a student still and being involved in 2 seasons of sports, and my coaches asked us to do this, it wouldn't work. Your players will just use to waste time and screw around.