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ATG: Volleyball Winning With Full Squats With Knees Over Toes — Key Takeaways

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ATG: Volleyball Winning With Full Squats With Knees Over Toes

Ben PatrickSep 7, 2026

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Full squats with knees over toes build a "missing zone" of leg support below the jump position, directly improving vertical leap — Natalia Newsome's result would have ranked top 5 in the NBA Draft.

Key takeaways

Progress full squats via plate → kettlebell → barbell to build depth before load

Progress full squats via plate → kettlebell → barbell to build depth before load

  • Alan Bishop at U of Houston starts large basketball players with a 25lb plate, then kettlebell, then barbell — prioritizing pattern before weight.
  • Houston reached 7 straight Sweet 16s using this approach with lower-ranked recruits than peers.

Use a 25lb bar instead of 45lb for front-rack squats to eliminate elbow pain in women

Use a 25lb bar instead of 45lb for front-rack squats to eliminate elbow pain in women

  • SMU strength coach Anthony Cockrill uses a thicker 25lb bar; a wrapped towel on a standard bar is an alternative fix.
  • Elbow discomfort from the standard 45lb bar is a common barrier that kills front squat adoption in female athletes.

Full squat depth trains a range of motion absent from jumping — supporting knee and leg health

Full squat depth trains a range of motion absent from jumping — supporting knee and leg health

  • A max jump dip is shallower than a full squat; the below-jump range is an untrained 'missing zone' of knee support.
  • Full squat does not replace jump training — it supplements it by building capacity in the deeper range.

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In this piece

  1. Newsome's Vertical and the Case for Full Squats
  2. Practical Equipment Adaptations for Deep Squats
  3. Progressive Loading System from Plate to Barbell
  4. The Knees-Over-Toes Myth and Its Persistence

“Load difficulty is not just how much, but also how CLOSE and high it is.”

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