Double Rack Cossack Squat: Sideways Range With Two Bells
Two bells in the rack at your shoulders, sit deep into one hip while the other leg goes straight. The hardest step of the Cossack squat.
2 min read
Why it works: Chapter 13, Why stretching your hamstrings will not loosen them
How to do it
- 1
Two bells in the rack
Clean both bells to your shoulders, elbows tucked, and step your feet wide.
- 2
Brace
Tighten your trunk. Two bells in front pull you forward; your chest stays tall.
- 3
Sit into one hip
Shift over one foot and sit down on that side, knee following your toes, other leg straight.
- 4
Both heels down
The bent leg's heel stays flat, and so does the straight leg's heel.
- 5
Back to the middle
Drive through the bent leg to stand, then go the other way.
- 6
The test
Chest tall and heels down at every depth. When either goes, stop.
Watch for
- Folding forward under the bells.
- A heel lifting to get lower.
- Elbows flaring so the bells slide.
Questions
How do you make a Cossack squat harder?
Add load you have to hold upright: two bells in the rack make the sideways squat a strength test as well as a range test.
How heavy for a double rack Cossack?
Two light bells. Too heavy and you lose the depth, and the depth is the point.