Over the past few decades we have witnessed the evolution of the sport of powerlifting, from meager beginnings as a series of circus “odd lifts” — where lifters’ idea of gear was a leather belt and an uni-tard — to the superhuman level that it has evolved into today. But what has changed over the past 70 years?

Humans haven’t evolved to be faster or stronger. It is true that we have learned more about the mechanics and physiology of the human body, thanks to the research done in labs and universities. We have revolutionized powerlifting training programs and technique, thanks in part to Louie Simmons, the late Rick Hussey and countless others. But what has pushed the sport to where it is today is the advancement of the equipment that we use. Theoretically, powerlifting equipment has the potential to double an athlete’s best raw lift. There is no argument as to the effectiveness of the equipment; this has been proven in countless meets with thousands of different lifters. However, no scientific data exists to substantiate these claims. Until now.

The research
The study is entitled, “Kinetic and kinematic analysis of the squat with and without supportive equipment.” What the #&%@ does that mean? In layman’s terms, the study examines how athletes’ performance variables and movements changed with and without the squat suit. So before we get to breaking down the study, let’s make sure we cover the basics.

The performance variables examined in the study were force, velocity and power during the eccentric (descending) and concentric (ascending) phase. The term “force” is defined as a push or pull action of a particular body; in this investigation we are concerned about the amount of force our body exerts on the barbell. “Velocity” is defined as the rate at which an object changes its position; in other words, the speed at which we are able to move the barbell. Lastly, “power” is described as the rate at which energy is used or created from other forms, or the amount of force it takes to move the barbell a particular distance over time. The study also focused around bar path and was analyzed during the squats.

There are currently no investigations that have reported on the biomechanical implications of using the squat suit, examining the differences in peak force, velocity, power and bar path. It is theorized that this is due to the suit’s ability to store elastic energy during the eccentric phase of the squat and the release of it in the concentric phase. The same effects are observed with squats that utilize the stretch shortening cycle.

The testing protocol
The testing was divided into three sessions, each separated by at least one week. Participants were asked not to perform any lower body activity for the 72 hours pre- and post-testing to ensure minimal fatigue and adequate recovery between the multiple sessions. Eight elite or professional-level male powerlifters who displayed competent technique in utilizing a squat suit and had a minimum of four years of resistance training and powerlifting experience were utilized for this investigation. All subjects utilized custom-fitted Inzer Leviathans for the study.

Day 1: A squat one repetition maximum (1RM) was assessed after an appropriate warm-up protocol. The warm-up protocol consisted of multiple repetitions at loads equal to 30 percent (8-10 repetitions), 50 percent (4-6 repetitions), 70 percent (2-4 repetitions) and 90 percent (1 repetition) of the subject’s estimated 1RM. During all attempts, subjects were required to lower the bar to a point where the knee angle was 70 degrees. Subjects’ foot placement, bar position and rack height were recorded and used for the remaining testing sessions until the subject completed the study. It is important to note that the subjects were instructed to perform the 1RM testing in the same style of foot placement and bar position as if they were squatting with or without a squat suit.

Day 2 and 3: Session two and three involved, in a randomized order, squatting either with or without a squat suit. Two repetitions with five minutes of rest between each repetition were recorded for trials utilizing 80, 90 and 100 percent of 1RM, also in a randomized fashion. Each participant used a suit that was tailored to fit the subject based on the subjects’ height and measurement of the waist, hip, chest and upper thigh.

Results: Results indicate that peak concentric forces are similar between the squats with and without supportive equipment at all intensities. However, during the 100-percent trial, eccentric force was significantly higher with the suit. Concentric velocity was significantly higher during squats at all intensities with the suit, when compared to those without. However, concentric power was significantly higher with the suit during the 80- and 90-percent trials. Bar path analysis determined there was not a significant difference in horizontal displacement, but there was a significant difference in vertical displacement at all intensities.

So what does it all mean?
Dynamic vs. max effort. Previous research has shown that vertical velocity in squats has a direct relationship on the amount of muscle force exerted on the bar. Vertical bar velocity was indicative of subject technique and was therefore considered the most meaningful parameter regarding performance. The results of this study indicate the squat suit allowed for a higher velocity at all intensities compared to the “raw” condition. These results coincide with past research as well as the initial hypothesis, that the suit would enhance these variables. The squat suit allows an athlete to maintain a higher power output when compared to the squats without the suit. Although there was a slight difference in peak concentric force within the two conditions, there was no significance between the two conditions. This is surprising given the fact that most competitive powerlifters are able to increase their 1RM with the squat suit. From this investigation one can assume that the ability to lift a heavier load is more dependent on increasing velocity rather than mass. Newton’s second law states that force = mass x acceleration. Taking this into consideration, it may be more beneficial to train acceleration and velocity in the squat suit with a lighter load rather than increasing the mass. Both methods will increase force output but the suit may be able to accentuate the acceleration component even more and allow lifters to produce a greater force.

One of the best ways to utilize velocity or acceleration training in the squat exercise is utilizing bands, reverse bands, chains, etc. This is also known as variable or accommodating resistance, allowing for a greater resistance at the top of the squat and lower resistance at the bottom of the squat. Previous research has suggested than utilizing bands will elicit higher force, power and velocity during the squat exercise. This is a common practice among many powerlifters, especially those who utilize the Westside method and with the success of their lifters it is hard to argue with the results.

Example workout (utilizing velocity training):
Exercise: Squat w/ band(s)
Bar weight: 40 to 50% of 1 RM
Bands: 20 to 30% added
Reps: 3
Sets: 5-6
Rest: 1 to 2 minutes

It is important to perform all squats explosively as possible during the concentric phase. This will allow you to maximize your velocity during the squat and may ultimately lead to greater force production and a PR.

A more efficient squat
Another finding in the investigation indicates that there was no significant difference in horizontal displacement of the bar. However, vertical displacement of the bar was significantly different between the two conditions. There was a greater vertical displacement in bar path during the raw trials compared to the squat suit trial. One explanation as to why there was significantly more displacement in the raw group was the fact the suit allowed the lifters to remain more upright during the squat relative to their hip position. A posterior shift in the hips at the bottom of the squat would cause excess vertical displacement and a decrease in performance. Although both groups both had a forward inclination in bar path in the eccentric phase, it is speculated that knees during the raw condition moved inward and was a determining factor in the squat.

Other research has shown similar results when examining highly trained powerlifters. Trunk, hip and knee horizontal displacements were greater in the less skilled group and could elicit a decrease in performance. This suggests that the squat suit helps to minimize these variables and help increase squatting performance. These results may not be typical when using novice lifters or powerlifters that compete without the use of the squat suit in training and competition.

The future
The fact is; there is little to no research on the effects and function of powerlifting equipment. After during a search I found fewer than 50 scientific articles that dealt with powerlifting even in general. Of those, only five dealt with equipment. Most of what we know about equipment comes from manufactures, talking to other powerlifters and watching hours of YouTube videos. This being the first investigation comparing the different variables of the squat exercise with and without the use of the squat suit, future research will help to best delineate how to use the squat suit during the course of an athlete’s training program and competition in order to maximize performance. PM