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Squat depth

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  • Coachjr29
    Coachjr29 Posts: 81 Member
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    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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    [/quote]

    Only if they get knocked on their *kitten*. Probably because they had not been lifting heavy on squats in the weight room because they were so concerned to go ATG so they had something to brag about.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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    rainbowbow wrote: »
    I just had to try and find some examples. :)


    This is a poor depth squat. This is a "little dip".




    She is going parallel. This is a huge difference.

    tumblr_nd3jgxoc6w1qdjo2ho1_400.gif


    here's an example of dat butt winking

    249705_o.gif

    The parallel example collapses her knees though
  • Coachjr29
    Coachjr29 Posts: 81 Member
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    Again, the athletic position most athletes spend the vast majority of time in benefits more from heavy parallel squats rather than ATG. Three point stance in football, jump position in basketball, sprint and block starts, etc. I still think it's an ego thing. Especially from cross fitters.
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
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    My orthopedic surgeon thinks no one should be squatting past parallel. He tells the high school kids to stop going ATG. I didn't go into depth with him about this but have been reading that it may be hard on the joints. And those who are not trained to move properly (keeping muscles engaged throughout movement) may create damage to the joints and tendons.
  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
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    rileyes wrote: »
    My orthopedic surgeon thinks no one should be squatting past parallel. He tells the high school kids to stop going ATG. I didn't go into depth with him about this but have been reading that it may be hard on the joints. And those who are not trained to move properly (keeping muscles engaged throughout movement) may create damage to the joints and tendons.

    Anyone who claims, without evidence, that "squats are bad for the joints" has shown you their opinion can be totally ignored with regards to weight training because they have not the slightest idea what weight training does to a body.
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
    edited September 2016
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    CipherZero wrote: »
    rileyes wrote: »
    My orthopedic surgeon thinks no one should be squatting past parallel. He tells the high school kids to stop going ATG. I didn't go into depth with him about this but have been reading that it may be hard on the joints. And those who are not trained to move properly (keeping muscles engaged throughout movement) may create damage to the joints and tendons.

    Anyone who claims, without evidence, that "squats are bad for the joints" has shown you their opinion can be totally ignored with regards to weight training because they have not the slightest idea what weight training does to a body.

    Huh? I never said he said squats are bad for the joints. He said it was good to heavy squat to parallel. It's understood squats are good. It's the ATG heavy squats in question.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,692 Member
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    reedj64 wrote: »
    Only if they get knocked on their *kitten*. Probably because they had not been lifting heavy on squats in the weight room because they were so concerned to go ATG so they had something to brag about.
    Lol, football players at about EVERY position hit the ground (with maybe the exception of kickers) during a game and as fast as it is, springing back up to complete plays is desired. There is a difference in training just to train heavy and training to excel in sports. MMA, wrestling, rock climbing, etc. all require strength through the legs than just beyond parallel.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,692 Member
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    reedj64 wrote: »
    Again, the athletic position most athletes spend the vast majority of time in benefits more from heavy parallel squats rather than ATG. Three point stance in football, jump position in basketball, sprint and block starts, etc. I still think it's an ego thing. Especially from cross fitters.
    Actually they spend more time moving than just in a parallel position. It BENEFITS having strength at the lowest point of a squat for ANY ATHLETE. You'd be hard pressed to find any conditioning or sports athletic trainer who doesn't believe this.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,692 Member
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    rileyes wrote: »
    My orthopedic surgeon thinks no one should be squatting past parallel. He tells the high school kids to stop going ATG. I didn't go into depth with him about this but have been reading that it may be hard on the joints. And those who are not trained to move properly (keeping muscles engaged throughout movement) may create damage to the joints and tendons.
    There's nothing wrong with going to ATG IF it's executed properly and one isn't using resistance that's beyond their strength level.
    I would say that many orthos may say this due to surgeries that they are performing on people with knee issues and correlating it with how they may squat. Personally know 3 Crossfitters that have had knee surgeries.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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  • Coachjr29
    Coachjr29 Posts: 81 Member
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    I have no problem with athletes squatting below parallel. In fact, when we do box squats I make them put the box below the parallel point and use lower percentages and have them move faster through the lift. My issue is with the ATG only crowd. The ones I know are weaker and less explosive in sports. But they love to talk crap on the ones who lift at parallel. Then I hear it's "functional" as if the other isn't.
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
    edited September 2016
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    ninerbuff wrote: »
    rileyes wrote: »
    My orthopedic surgeon thinks no one should be squatting past parallel. He tells the high school kids to stop going ATG. I didn't go into depth with him about this but have been reading that it may be hard on the joints. And those who are not trained to move properly (keeping muscles engaged throughout movement) may create damage to the joints and tendons.
    There's nothing wrong with going to ATG IF it's executed properly and one isn't using resistance that's beyond their strength level.
    I would say that many orthos may say this due to surgeries that they are performing on people with knee issues and correlating it with how they may squat. Personally know 3 Crossfitters that have had knee surgeries.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png




    With regard to surgeries, that came to my mind as well. But then he advises young athletes as a preventative measure to not go past parallel for heavy squats.

    I think most people who claim to go ATG on back squats are closer to parallel anyway.

    I would think athletes who want to be quicker at getting up or want to increase their sprint speed can benefit better from heavy parallel squats and hip thrusts with some plyometrics that mimic their sport movement.

    ETA: plyometrics--I don't mean heaving a heavy a linebacker off one's back from the ground.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,692 Member
    edited September 2016
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    reedj64 wrote: »
    I have no problem with athletes squatting below parallel. In fact, when we do box squats I make them put the box below the parallel point and use lower percentages and have them move faster through the lift. My issue is with the ATG only crowd. The ones I know are weaker and less explosive in sports. But they love to talk crap on the ones who lift at parallel. Then I hear it's "functional" as if the other isn't.
    That's an issue thing amongst THEM. It doesn't devalue that actual movement (ATG)for those who are explosive and aren't weak. That's like saying one doesn't need to do hamstring work if they are strong a squats, leg press and dead lifts. Adding a hamstring movement DOESN'T reduce what they are already doing and may in fact enhance it. Not to mention that balance (antagonistic muscles) have less chance of being over powered and getting injured.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,692 Member
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    rileyes wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    rileyes wrote: »
    My orthopedic surgeon thinks no one should be squatting past parallel. He tells the high school kids to stop going ATG. I didn't go into depth with him about this but have been reading that it may be hard on the joints. And those who are not trained to move properly (keeping muscles engaged throughout movement) may create damage to the joints and tendons.
    There's nothing wrong with going to ATG IF it's executed properly and one isn't using resistance that's beyond their strength level.
    I would say that many orthos may say this due to surgeries that they are performing on people with knee issues and correlating it with how they may squat. Personally know 3 Crossfitters that have had knee surgeries.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png




    With regard to surgeries, that came to my mind as well. But then he advises young athletes as a preventative measure to not go past parallel for heavy squats.

    I think most people who claim to go ATG on back squats are closer to parallel anyway.

    I would think athletes who want to be quicker at getting up or want to increase their sprint speed can benefit better from heavy parallel squats and hip thrusts with some plyometrics that mimic their sport movement.

    ETA: plyometrics--I don't mean heaving a heavy a linebacker off one's back from the ground.
    All those are great to add. The thing with sports (especially those where impact happen alot), is that the legs are ALWAYS put into positions that don't mimic squats. It's rare that one will have weight evenly distributed while a play is in action. So you do want to train muscles for every possibility if you can. That's why plyometrics, ladder work, core work and lots of weight room work are essential in most athletes lives today.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
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    I am pretty shy on the clean to OHP but can see how ATG can be beneficial for heavier loads. But also the movement may detail more focus on the "catch" (fully engaged) than a front squat movement.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,692 Member
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    rileyes wrote: »
    I am pretty shy on the clean to OHP but can see how ATG can be beneficial for heavier loads. But also the movement may detail more focus on the "catch" (fully engaged) than a front squat movement.
    Well Olympic lifts (clean and jerk, snatch) rely on ATG in the lift. And these people are moving heavy poundages. Was so impressed by the guy that won the 56kg (123lbs) class with a World record 170kg (374lbs) clean and jerk this past Olympics.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    i've long ago given up having opinions about the way other folks squat. i'm not in this to change the whole world, so the one that matters to me is the one that lets me do it without getting hurt my own self.

    i can't even reliably figure out what that is for my own body after two years and counting. i've actually found more than one style that seems to be okay, depending on what i'm after and what kind of mobility r.a. is giving my joints.

    so i got no doctrine to bring to anyone else.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    I think it really depends on the goal and the person doing the squatting and how those things match up.
    I can think of examples where squatting above parallel is fine and I can think of examples where squatting ATG is fine.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    SideSteel wrote: »
    I think it really depends on the goal and the person doing the squatting and how those things match up.
    I can think of examples where squatting above parallel is fine and I can think of examples where squatting ATG is fine.

    Fully agree with this.

    When I was powerlifting, I had to squat to depth (below parallel). Now that I am lifting for form over function (hypertrophy), I squat with less depth as I feel I can keep constant tension on my quads like this.

    I have never squatted ATG as I lack the ankle flexibility, or desire to snap my *kitten* up.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    I descend until the point at which it feels like it is time to reverse directions, which is when I feel my lower hamstrings hit my upper calves. As far as I can tell it is at least at parallel. Dark picture but I think it looks ok.

    znp3ic8ptmwj.png
  • Karb_Kween
    Karb_Kween Posts: 2,681 Member
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    What's ATG?

    At The Groin?