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Squat Bender

Alternates a squat with arms forward and a straight-back forward bend.

Preparation Drill, exercise 5 of 10

Demonstration

Official photo sequences from the Army's drill manual, read left to right, top to bottom.

Squat Bender: official ATP 7-22.02 photo sequence (figure 3-7, PD5 Squat Bender) showing the positions of the exercise in order.
Figure 3-7. PD5 Squat Bender · ATP 7-22.02, p. 3-5 (opens the official PDF)

Photos: U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training, ATP 7-22.02. Approved for public release.

How to perform it

Preparation Drill, exercise 5 of 10

Slow cadence (50 counts per minute)Perform 5–10 repetitions.

Starting position

Straddle Stance with hands on hips.

Straddle Stance: Stand with the feet pointing ahead and shoulder-width apart. ATP 7-22.02, para. 2-5, p. 2-3 (opens the official PDF)

Counts

  1. 1Count 1. Squat while leaning slightly forward from the waist, head up, arms in front of the body parallel to the ground with palms in.
  2. 2Count 2. Reverse the movement to the starting position.
  3. 3Count 3. With knees slightly bent, bend forward at the waist with the spine straight and head in line, reaching toward the ground until you feel a stretch in the back of the thighs.
  4. 4Count 4. Return to the starting position.

ATP 7-22.02, para. 3-8, p. 3-5, Figure 3-7 (opens the official PDF)

What it develops

Develops strength, endurance, and flexibility in the lower back and thighs, and prepares for proper lifting technique in training and testing events that require heavy lifts.

Focus: Lower back, Thighs, Lifting technique

Form

Drawn from the cited instructions.

Cues

  • Keep the head up in the squat.
  • In the forward bend, keep the spine straight and the head in line with it.