I <3 Squats

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24

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  • n_unocero
    n_unocero Posts: 445 Member
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    I love squats!

    unfortunately i'm just now learning the proper form, so i'm still doing smith machine squats.
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
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    Not squatting is bad for the knees = TRUTH! (as long as you use proper form)

    As a hiker/backpacker who often carries heavy packs (40+ lbs) for miles and miles, up and down steep terrain, I can tell you squatting has made all the muscles that support my knees way stronger. My knees have never felt better!
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    I love squats!

    unfortunately i'm just now learning the proper form, so i'm still doing smith machine squats.

    It'd be better to do it without weight than with a Smith machine. The bar needs to come forward as you bend down. It simply can't on a Smith.
  • mirgss
    mirgss Posts: 275 Member
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    It'd be better to do it without weight than with a Smith machine. The bar needs to come forward as you bend down. It simply can't on a Smith.

    Ditto on this! The Smith machine is evil! Stay away from it....move to barbell (empty) squats, DB squats, or even bodyweight squats to get the proper form...Smith machine will not teach you proper form.
  • thefuzz1290
    thefuzz1290 Posts: 777 Member
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    I use the pad...interesting input, I'd never heard it was a bad thing. What about those plastic stingray-looking things you can snap on to the bar, are those bad too?

    P.S. squats are my boyfriend
    I would avoid anything that separates the bar from your skin. Although, I've not done any research on the sting ray.

    The stingray thing makes the bar sit in the proper position, but you lose some of the effectiveness with your stabilizer muscles.
  • hsmithway
    hsmithway Posts: 191
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    I *loathe* squats. Probably because I'm uncoordinated, have tiny feet, a long femur, and a huge butt, so I really struggle with my form. But I'm working on it :P
  • DixiedoesMFP
    DixiedoesMFP Posts: 935 Member
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    Darn it. I'm apparently doing it all wrong.
  • Nopedotjpeg
    Nopedotjpeg Posts: 1,806 Member
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    The stingray is usually used by people who have shoulder injuries I believe. I think there's some other reasons, but if the bar is hurting you a lot, you're probably putting the bar in the wrong position. Also, note there are two types of barbell back squats. The low-bar position (sits on the rear delts) and the high-bar position (sits on the traps). There's a lot more to them than just the bar position to, but it's beyond the scope of my "expertise."
  • Tubby2Toned
    Tubby2Toned Posts: 130 Member
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    Why squat?
    You will develop a rock hard *kitten*, that's why.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    Why squat?
    You will develop a rock hard *kitten*, that's why.

    Muscle may be heavier than fat. But granite is heavier than muscle. :smokin:
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    Why squat?
    You will develop a rock hard *kitten*, that's why.

    If you go deep. If you only half squat you'll develop weird huge quads and no *kitten*.
  • RachVR6
    RachVR6 Posts: 3,688 Member
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    *kitten* TO GRASS BABY!!!!
  • sweetheart03622
    sweetheart03622 Posts: 928 Member
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    Why would you not want to use the pad for the bar? Are you supposed to look cooler without it? I'd rather not have red marks all over the back of my neck.

    it "can" promote bad form. Also, maybe somebody can correct me, but if your getting red marks on your neck, your holding the bar too high??? When I squat, the bar sits below the top of my shoulders.
    Yep, it was the very fact that I felt I needed the pad that told me my bar position wasn't quite right. when I first started out squatting I had the bar in contact with some of the vertebrae on my neck, which is too high. Now I kinda squeeze myself up into to the bar & get it resting on my trap muscles where it should be; and there's no need for the pad.

    Really?? I never knew this and I've been squatting on and off for years! I always would just use it when it was available and not use it when it wasn't. Thanks folks!
  • Tubby2Toned
    Tubby2Toned Posts: 130 Member
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    Yep, ATG...
  • MissFit0101
    MissFit0101 Posts: 2,382
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    :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:
  • jarrettd
    jarrettd Posts: 872 Member
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    Learning to <3 squats, but can't quite get ATG. What should come first? More weight or a deeper squat?

    I'm a little old for just starting training (44yrs), and I can only go to where my thighs are parallel to the floor, with 85#. Where should I go from here?
  • bzmom
    bzmom Posts: 1,332 Member
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    I LOVE SQUATS they do wonders for my bootay:love::love: :wink:
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    Learning to <3 squats, but can't quite get ATG. What should come first? More weight or a deeper squat?

    I'm a little old for just starting training (44yrs), and I can only go to where my thighs are parallel to the floor, with 85#. Where should I go from here?

    Less weight. Focus on form. Form comes first always, even if it means taking away all the weight and doing just body weight No exceptions to this, ever.
  • addisondisease2
    addisondisease2 Posts: 348 Member
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    Learning to <3 squats, but can't quite get ATG. What should come first? More weight or a deeper squat?

    I'm a little old for just starting training (44yrs), and I can only go to where my thighs are parallel to the floor, with 85#. Where should I go from here?

    Watch out for that lumbar rounding with your ATG squat, break up the hips, get more flexible before you start adding much more weight. You don't have to train ATG for it to count. But ATG is pretty bad *kitten* IMO.
  • Tubby2Toned
    Tubby2Toned Posts: 130 Member
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    Yes! Fellow meat heads on mfp! I love it.

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