Screw This! Lift More!

A lot of

  things may run through your head when you're performing a squat: the number of remaining reps, the sweat trickling down your back, the girl on the treadmill. But you probably don't think about your feet. "That's a mistake," says Nick Murtha, a coach for Thrive Training Systems and CEO of Elevate Fitness in Miami Lakes, Florida. "You can instantly increase your gains by 'screwing' your feet into the floor."

Here's why it works: Poor stability in the hip joint reduces your strength in almost every lower-body lift. However, screwing your feet into the floor creates torque—or external rotational force—at the hips, and makes the joint stable. The more stable your joint, the better your base of support and the more weight you can lift, explains Murtha. Your primary muscles can now focus on the exercise, instead of overcompensating for your hips.

Creating torque reduces your chances of landing on the disabled list, too. When your hips aren't stable, your pelvis can tilt forward. This position not only makes us weaker, but it comprises the neutral alignment of our spine, says Murtha. "Before your next squat, think of your pelvis as a bowl of water," he says. "When you screw your feet into the ground, the bowl of water stays perfectly balanced. When you don't, the bowl slants forward, spilling the water." Try to keep that bowl of water full every rep. 

Ready to try creating torque? Stand with your feet facing forward or slightly turned out. (If your toes are flared out too much, you won't be able to create the same amount of torque.) Squeeze your glutes, flex your quads, and try to twist your feet away from each other. Your feet shouldn't leave the floor, but you should feel tension from your feet all the way up to your core.