Squatting above parallel?
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whmscll
Posts: 2,254 Member
Okay, so I posed this question in the Fitness and Exercise forum, but wanted opinions from women experienced with 5x5. EVERYTHING I have studied so far insists you must squat below parallel. Not parallel, you must go below to get any benefit. However, I think some of the back strain I suffered recently was due to the fact that my body mechanics make it difficult for me to squat that low. Can I benefit from squat if I don't go below parallel? All I want is to gain strength, build some moderate muscle and lose some body fat.
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I think you can look at Bret contreras' site he's got a post about finding your ideal squat depth based on your biomechanics - it's different high vs low bar long vs short femurs etc.0
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From what I have read, not hitting just a bit deeper than parallel can cause it to be very quad dominant. This means that all those PC muscles are not being used as much as they should be. The end result of that is muscle imbalance and greater strain on the knees.
The first thing I would look into is form issues and mobility. Buttwink when hitting depth is a form issue that can cause back strain. Also hip and ankle mobility can cause issues as well.
Also, how sub parallel are you shooting for? It really doesn't take much to sink below parallel to activate the PC. And like andyllll mentioned it is different for the type of squat you are doing.0 -
Curious if you've tried high bar squats? They change your center of gravity and put less strain on the posterior (including back) so I've heard. I think I do a mid height bar squat lol. My arms aren't flexible enough to reach the bar if it's too low.0
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http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10114688/interesting-video-on-mechanics-of-squatting#latest
I found this video very interesting and would address body mechanics. I had also read if you don't hit parallel or below you will develop an imbalance in muscles.0 -
The main issue I've found over all the stuff I read on squat depth is that squatting at or above parallel is what is going to put the most shear force on your knees. So if you have any issued with tendons/ligaments at the knees, or even if you don't, it is not ideal. It's got to do with the fact that 1. as someone else said, your quads end up doing more work and 2. you "stop" yourself at that height and thus put pressure on the knees instead of the glutes at the bottom of the rep to spring back up.
If you can't squat to "depth" (I'm not talking ATG here but really just hip crease below knees), there are a number of tweaks you can do to your form to make it. Wider or narrower stance, going high bar, wearing heel-lifting shoes (I would not recommend using plates under your heels, as that can be dangerous. Unless you really must. But if *that* helps you get to depth, you might have some ankle mobility issue). Also, you can try front or goblet squats and see if you can go deeper.
Baring any previous injuries, there is no reason why you can't work up to having the mobility required to get "below parallel". Not everyone can squat ATG, but I'm pretty sure everyone can sink deeper than 90 degrees.
If you have had lower back issues from going lower, you might have a butt wink problem, which is another issue that might be from lack of thorzcic mobility/stability (you fold over under load). Usually the butt wink won't be as present when doing a front loaded squat.
I'm no trained professional so this is just from personal learning experience, but I hope it points you in the rigth direction!0 -
personally i'd rather bork up my knees than my back. personal mileage may vary but i've felt like i was edging into danger turf for both of them at different times. knees way back in my first three or four months of lifting, and then my lower back/si zone for about the past year. in both cases though, i backed off as soon as i realised where things were heading, and started again. so i can't speak for what an actual injury to either of them would feel like.
even though i understand the theoretical principles of 'you need parallel to bring your pc into it', i'm not even sure i buy into that . i'm not saying you DON'T need to do it . . . but i'm also not sure anymore that it really is the be-all-and-end-all or the only way. i can deadlift from my hamstrings and glutes without needing to do it from a deep starting squat. and i can definitely sit 'down' into my posterior chain when i'm starting an actual squat. i don't need to wait until i cross the equator to feel them kick in.
so idk, basically. for me, below parallel is not worth it if it brings buttwink back into my life. period. i think it partly depends like so many other things on what your focus is.0 -
That video was really helpful with the mechanics of it, thanks alasin1derland.
I was really nervous about starting out with frees weights, as I am older and didn't want to get hurt. So I read everything I could. One of the best things I read was Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe (I also started lifting with New Rules for Lifting for Women, which was very helpful, but wasn't as instructional as I found the Starting Strength to be.
The SS book goes into great detail, as there is a general overview that everyone should be lifting the same way. Everyone can't lift the same way as everyone's body is different and has different mechanics. As shown in the video above was great to explain.
I squat very low, I guess you would call it a@@ to grass. My legs are very short (28' inseam), and my torso is very long, I'm 5'8 (yes, I know I look slightly odd). I have a fairly wide stance, just a bit wider than shoulder width apart and point my toes out probably at 20 degree angle or so.
Read the books, and do what is best for your body type. If you can, film yourself with the squats for critique, I remember seeing a place for that on here where you can get some feedback on it.0 -
I don't quite get ATG but do think I'm at least breaking parallel. Also do high bar more than low bar. However, I often hear on youtube when they discuss squat shoes, one of the reasons to get them is to help those with mobility issues or other reasons for struggles to hit depth better. Something to consider maybe.0
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Supposedly doing GobletSquats ATG and using your elbows to push your knees outward will improve squat form and lift amounts.0
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I previously thought I was not flexible enough to squat below parallel. I found it to be impossible with weights. (Not sure why, I have long legs, but I'm not sure this was relevant.) I also couldn't sit comfortably in 'natural pose' in yoga, (ie. where you sit tall, basically on your heels) even after years of practicing yoga.
Krokador in an old thread suggested squatting with just body weight against a wall, and holding it for several minutes a day. I can't tell you how much this helped me. After about a week I started doing goblet squats with light weights. I now do regular squats with the barbell, below parallel. I can sit 'natural pose' in yoga, and can squat and wipe those dusty crown moldings at floor level, or play with puppies
without sitting down on the floor. 0 -
annaskiski - do you mean squatting low against a wall? I have this issue too.0
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Yes, squat low against a wall. Try and 'sit' against the wall for a few minutes (or as long as you can). Keep your knees out wide. While you are at your low point, adjust your feet so that there is no pressure on your ankles or knees. I actually always do a warmup "adjust" body weight squat (i.e. adjust my feet position) every time I squat, so that I remember the correct position before I load up.0
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Cool, thanks! I'll have to try it, I always feel like if I squat that low I'll just fall over. 0
