Why you need to do full squats

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  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
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    I would love to do full squats, but I don't have ankle flexion like that. I can't get go *kitten* to grass without actually falling on my *kitten*. Now, put me in a pair of heels and I can get into a yogic squat . . .

    Your gastrocnemius is tight, probably because of high heels. You need to work the flexibility and elongate them again. Squats will help that. I've been a dancer my entire life and have worn very high heels for much of my life, but my ballet training way back from starting pointe drilled in the importance of keeping the calf muscles from shortening and atrophying.

    You can get it back though -- just be determined and work the flexibility.
  • kayhatlen
    kayhatlen Posts: 46
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    I have been working out for 3 months now. Started with body weight squats because of my horribly arthritic knees, ankles, hips, back, pelvis etc. Just graduated to adding dumbbells. Still can't get all the way down as far as the guy in your pic, but am getting closer. It is good you reminded us of proper form. Thanks. :smile:
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
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    when I squat all the way down and then stand back up my knees do this audible grinding crunching thing....it does not feel to great either.

    that's chondromalacia patella. I've had it since age 11. Because of it I do not run (unless being chased by someone bad) or do other high-impact activities. HOWEVER, I've been squatting for 5 weeks now (hit 100# this week), and it's true, the low, full squats have made my knees feel better than they have EVER felt.

    do it.
  • JennieAL
    JennieAL Posts: 1,726 Member
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    Personally I just go all the way down, because then I know without a doubt that I went past parallel. :laugh:

    I've been doing this as well.
  • cpiton
    cpiton Posts: 380 Member
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    when I squat all the way down and then stand back up my knees do this audible grinding crunching thing....it does not feel to great either.

    that's chondromalacia patella. I've had it since age 11. Because of it I do not run (unless being chased by someone bad) or do other high-impact activities. HOWEVER, I've been squatting for 5 weeks now (hit 100# this week), and it's true, the low, full squats have made my knees feel better than they have EVER felt.

    do it.

    Good to have a name for my crackly knee problem! I will say my knees feel better because of the squats I do, but I can tell I'm not going down far enough. Thanks, OP for posting this.
  • Testosterone
    Testosterone Posts: 236 Member
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    I just started stronglifts and squatted 65 lbs today for 35 reps! lol Going all the way down even with that little amount of weight is more taxing than I thought. I have a lot of muscle well... some but it's not balanced yet.

    you need to up your weight. you should never be getting 35 reps unless its you doing calisthenics. 10 reps or less.
  • Testosterone
    Testosterone Posts: 236 Member
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    what stretches help with being able to do them? I've never in my life been able to bend and go down to my ankles like that. I consider myself decently flexible. I just can't get much past 90 d. I'm not even talking out at the gym just bodyweight ones.

    google calf stretches, hold each stretch for 60 seconds, do 4 stretches each side. as long as you feel the burn and pull, theyre stretching.
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
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    I just started stronglifts and squatted 65 lbs today for 35 reps! lol Going all the way down even with that little amount of weight is more taxing than I thought. I have a lot of muscle well... some but it's not balanced yet.

    you need to up your weight. you should never be getting 35 reps unless its you doing calisthenics. 10 reps or less.

    stronglifts is 35 reps in the beginning with warmups. It's all about form first. Later when I start stalling with heavier weights it goes to 3x5 and 1x5.
  • Testosterone
    Testosterone Posts: 236 Member
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    I just started stronglifts and squatted 65 lbs today for 35 reps! lol Going all the way down even with that little amount of weight is more taxing than I thought. I have a lot of muscle well... some but it's not balanced yet.

    you need to up your weight. you should never be getting 35 reps unless its you doing calisthenics. 10 reps or less.

    stronglifts is 35 reps in the beginning with warmups. It's all about form first. Later when I start stalling with heavier weights it goes to 3x5 and 1x5.

    and im telling you that is pointless.
  • Nopedotjpeg
    Nopedotjpeg Posts: 1,806 Member
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    I just started stronglifts and squatted 65 lbs today for 35 reps! lol Going all the way down even with that little amount of weight is more taxing than I thought. I have a lot of muscle well... some but it's not balanced yet.

    you need to up your weight. you should never be getting 35 reps unless its you doing calisthenics. 10 reps or less.

    stronglifts is 35 reps in the beginning with warmups. It's all about form first. Later when I start stalling with heavier weights it goes to 3x5 and 1x5.

    and im telling you that is pointless.

    35 reps as in 5x5 + warm-up sets dude.

    Where exactly have you read that 5s are pointless?
  • Nataliaho
    Nataliaho Posts: 878 Member
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    For those guys and girls who have trouble with getting depth because of tight hips, I can recommend dry-needling. My husband was terribly tight and couldn't get depth so he went to the physio, got needled and wahlah:) Of course afterwards you need to keep up the stretching to maintain the flexibility.

    Personally I have the opposite problem, I am super-flexible, so have to use all my concentration to keep tight and not dive bomb.
  • Testosterone
    Testosterone Posts: 236 Member
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    I just started stronglifts and squatted 65 lbs today for 35 reps! lol Going all the way down even with that little amount of weight is more taxing than I thought. I have a lot of muscle well... some but it's not balanced yet.

    you need to up your weight. you should never be getting 35 reps unless its you doing calisthenics. 10 reps or less.

    stronglifts is 35 reps in the beginning with warmups. It's all about form first. Later when I start stalling with heavier weights it goes to 3x5 and 1x5.

    and im telling you that is pointless.

    35 reps as in 5x5 + warm-up sets dude.

    Where exactly have you read that 5s are pointless?

    this reads as a set (one set) of 35 reps.
  • Nopedotjpeg
    Nopedotjpeg Posts: 1,806 Member
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    I just started stronglifts and squatted 65 lbs today for 35 reps! lol Going all the way down even with that little amount of weight is more taxing than I thought. I have a lot of muscle well... some but it's not balanced yet.

    you need to up your weight. you should never be getting 35 reps unless its you doing calisthenics. 10 reps or less.

    stronglifts is 35 reps in the beginning with warmups. It's all about form first. Later when I start stalling with heavier weights it goes to 3x5 and 1x5.

    and im telling you that is pointless.

    35 reps as in 5x5 + warm-up sets dude.

    Where exactly have you read that 5s are pointless?

    this reads as a set (one set) of 35 reps.

    Eh. That's what I figured. But no it's 5x5 and I think you do 2 warm-up sets of 5's as well.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    if you feel like you are going to fall during a squat, you have a poor center of gravity and need to adjust. I'm so inflexible I can't reach past my knees... yet no problem in a full squat.


    Most issues keeping heels on the ground is due to form... not flexibility.
  • Testosterone
    Testosterone Posts: 236 Member
    Options
    I just started stronglifts and squatted 65 lbs today for 35 reps! lol Going all the way down even with that little amount of weight is more taxing than I thought. I have a lot of muscle well... some but it's not balanced yet.

    you need to up your weight. you should never be getting 35 reps unless its you doing calisthenics. 10 reps or less.

    stronglifts is 35 reps in the beginning with warmups. It's all about form first. Later when I start stalling with heavier weights it goes to 3x5 and 1x5.

    and im telling you that is pointless.

    35 reps as in 5x5 + warm-up sets dude.

    Where exactly have you read that 5s are pointless?

    this reads as a set (one set) of 35 reps.

    Eh. That's what I figured. But no it's 5x5 and I think you do 2 warm-up sets of 5's as well.

    that is a great rep range then.
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
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    yeah thanks for clearing it up, Nopedotjpeg. 2x5 warmup and 5x5. Warmups are supposed to be lighter but I just did 65 lbs for all. 65 lbs is a little light but it keeps me going to the gym and looking forward to adding 5 lbs every time til I start stalling.
  • lisa28115
    lisa28115 Posts: 17,271 Member
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    :bigsmile: BUMPING FOR LATER REFERENCE
  • reneegee23
    reneegee23 Posts: 233 Member
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    I was just thinking about this today, I usually do full squats with body weight just fine but weighted, man, I really need to work on that.
  • Eve1972
    Eve1972 Posts: 297
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    I can't do full squats with a bar on my back so I have been doing goblet squats, I can do *kitten* to grass in those, probably not as effective, but it is what it is! *lol*
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    I found out recently duet to knee pain that I wasnt squatting correctly.
    I fixed the issue after watching a Stronglifts video.
    Deloaded and started over and the pain is gone.
    I can't do full squats with a bar on my back so I have been doing goblet squats, I can do *kitten* to grass in those, probably not as effective, but it is what it is! *lol*

    Practice with good mornings and make sure your feet are at 10 and 2.

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