I can't do squats. At all.

2

Replies

  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    So you have a standing toilet to take a poop???

    if you can sit to take a dump- you can squat.

    if you can get in and out of a chair- you can squat.

    learn how to squat- and start using a chair- or rail to help.
    use a dumbell for goblet squats if you are falling forward (usually that is an ankle mobility issue)

    if it's a depth/uncomfortable- just keep doing it it's fine- you can keep working on it with the use of a chair- or a broomstick across your back (like a barbell).
  • Galatea_Stone
    Galatea_Stone Posts: 2,037 Member
    Try stretching. Do sumo stretch with your elbows inside your knees touching, widen your stance, and keep practicing.

    When I first started, my thighs rippled like water. I had no discernible muscle, doing simple step-ups unweighted was difficult, I had trouble walking up stairs. Now, I squat with well over my body weight on the bar. Squats aren't something you just do out of the gate. You have to work at them.

    http://www.besthealthmag.ca/get-healthy/stretching/sumo-squat

    http://www.sensational-yoga-poses.com/psoas-stretches.html

    http://www.fitness.com/exercises/202/glute_stretch.php
  • Tortitudekitty
    Tortitudekitty Posts: 67 Member
    As age creeps up on us the old joints get not so supple as in our youth. :ohwell:

    I'm 56 now and used to be a gym fanatic in my 30's and had a well buff body to show for it. Fast forward to now and I was a bit shocked as to how "unsafe" I felt (and a bit creeky!) doing squats.

    Salvation came in a Swiss Ball until I got some strength and flexibility back........
  • May_Rose
    May_Rose Posts: 119 Member
    If you can sit in a chair, you can do a squat. Maybe not a true, below or at parellel squat, but it'll give you a good place to start. Google ways to learn how to squat (chairs are usually inolved) ;). Best of luck.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
    You either don't know what you're doing or you have mobility issues. My bet would be you have mobility issues. You really need to address this before you even attempt to add any weight. Not seeing how you squat and move I obviously can't say for sure, but most people are very tight in their hip flexors (quads/top of legs) and calves. Foam roll and stretch these areas like crazy. Place a bench or chair behind you and practice just squatting to parallel. Having a bench/chair behind you will assure you hit close to parallel and will give you some security that you won't fall. :smile: Ideally you want to squat about an inch below parallel but that will come with time.
  • 212019156
    212019156 Posts: 341 Member
    One other thing to add, if it just hurts when you squat down then it may just be muscle tightness. If that's the case then you just need to do stretches and work on body weight squats for a while until you limber up. In addition performing a heavy warmup may alleviate this as well.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    As age creeps up on us the old joints get not so supple as in our youth. :ohwell:

    I'm 56 now and used to be a gym fanatic in my 30's and had a well buff body to show for it. Fast forward to now and I was a bit shocked as to how "unsafe" I felt (and a bit creeky!) doing squats.

    Salvation came in a Swiss Ball until I got some strength and flexibility back........

    My last leg session at the Y involved me resting as I watched a geriatric sweatin' to the oldies.

    He was easily 80 if a day... and doing low bar back squats with 25 pound plates.
  • PeterSedesse
    PeterSedesse Posts: 124
    You really have to be careful with squats and do them correctly.

    http://www.explain-health.com/proper-technique-squats-exercise.html

    With that said, a great exercise that works nearly the same muscles is to go hiking ( uneven terrain) with a backpack with some books or water bottles in it. Make sure the backpack is fairly tight and high on your back ( don´t let is dangle around your lower back).
  • cosmichvoyager
    cosmichvoyager Posts: 237 Member
    I used to not be able to do squats at all, had that feeling of terror because I was really just too weak in most parts of my body to hold my 250 pounds of weight up with mainly my glutes. Even now I prefer to do squats over a low weight bench so I feel secure that I am really doing a sitting type motion.

    I started with core/ab exercises that mostly had me on my back on a mat: I started with practicing diaphragmatic breathing, glute bridges, heel taps, dead bug, planks.

    It is way better to build up your strength gradually and over your whole body rather than risk hurting yourself. It took me like a year to be strong enough to do a squat.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    A year? You went too slowly. A squat is a normal day to day functional movement.

    Unless you were rehabbing a trauma, of course.
  • teiganb
    teiganb Posts: 2 Member
    it may be your technique to be honest. I am a Master Trainer and I train Marines and other military and personnel. Many of them have been unable to do squats until I corrected their form.
    Try standing with a dining chair behind you, feet a comfortable width apart (at least shoulder width) and just lower yourself as if you are about to take a seat. Just as your buttocks barely touch the chair, stand up again. This should alleviate your knee issues.
    If this doesn't help at all, please let me know and we can come up with other ideas. :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    What is a Master Trainer?

    What certification body gives that one? Never heard of it before.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    What is a Master Trainer?

    What certification body gives that one? Never heard of it before.

    I know LA Fitness uses the term for their "higher end" trainers- which is fancy way of saying you pay more.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,964 Member
    Not even a little bit. Even with no weights. My knees just don't bend very far. If I force it, they hurt way to much. What is a good substitute?
    So how do you get on a toilet and also get back up?

    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
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,964 Member
    What is a Master Trainer?

    What certification body gives that one? Never heard of it before.
    An "old" trainer !:laugh: :laugh:
    There are certs for this and usually a Master trainers train.........................trainers in new techiniques or approaches to exercise.

    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
  • AlliecoreXX
    AlliecoreXX Posts: 78 Member
    Ok I've read up on it a bit, I was doing them a little bit wrong, and I don't know how to activate the right muscles, as soon as I try my knees tense up and I take the weigh on my knees, I am scared I'm going to fall over or something. I just need to keep practicing

    That is super common. It took me AGES to get my squat form perfected....I had initially trained myself wrong, and I over thought the process. A lot. Now, a lot of years later, one of my areas of specialty as a trainer is helping my clients learn perfect squat form. For those with achy knees, I often use the stability ball method that others have suggested....it helps modify the range of motion, but also teaches you what it feels like to push through your heels and butt rather than through your toes and knees. Good luck! Squats are soooo terrific for so many reasons!
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    box squats x 1 million.

    Then take the box away.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    What is a Master Trainer?

    What certification body gives that one? Never heard of it before.
    An "old" trainer !:laugh: :laugh:
    There are certs for this and usually a Master trainers train.........................trainers in new techiniques or approaches to exercise.

    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

    Ah ok, a trainer's trainer. Nice. I've never come across that.
  • mgalsf12
    mgalsf12 Posts: 350 Member
    If your knees don't bend, how do you sit down into a chair? You might want to hire a personal trainer for a session or two or just ask at your gym if someone could show you how to do a proper squat. It is basically the same motion you use to sit.
  • 212019156
    212019156 Posts: 341 Member
    If you can find a good trainer they can help you with mobility issues. There are good ones but its tough to find one. From my experience the fact that they are certified is not a good indicator of ability as a trainer. That is why I always suggest a physical therapist for mobility evaluations. A side benefit is that your insurance will probably cover the physical therapy sessions, but will not cover personal trainer sessions.
  • MoveitlikeManda
    MoveitlikeManda Posts: 846 Member
    I look like a right perv at the gym watching people squat.

    I look at them and think "Im sure thats not how i look when i do it" so then go home and practice.

    I still think my bum sticks out to far and that im leaning too far forward but seem to have no idea how to counter balance the 2.

    Its like the second my bigg *kitten* goes out my upper body just falls forward :embarassed:
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    You can, you just don't know it yet :happy:

    If you really want to, you'll find a way - reading starting strength did it for me, my severe bullying did it for my mum :laugh:
  • Tedebearduff
    Tedebearduff Posts: 1,155 Member
    Not even a little bit. Even with no weights. My knees just don't bend very far. If I force it, they hurt way to much. What is a good substitute?

    Get a trainer odds are your doing them wrong.
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
    Is it because of an existing condition or just that it's uncomfortable?
  • kjm3579
    kjm3579 Posts: 3,974 Member
    Try yoga -- that will work wonders for flexibility -- then move back into lifting routines.
  • _sirenofthesea_
    _sirenofthesea_ Posts: 117 Member
    I started out with a box - sit down on the box, get up - that's a squat - a box squat! I've worked my way up to doing 85 squats with a trainer just last week in one session! NEVER thought I could do that - have a lot of ways to go, but I'm working on it!
  • cosmichvoyager
    cosmichvoyager Posts: 237 Member
    A year? You went too slowly. A squat is a normal day to day functional movement.

    Unless you were rehabbing a trauma, of course.

    I had a disc herniation so yeah, was taking it (super) slow.
    The pain was the worst thing I have ever felt in my life, like when I started trying to walk again I would cry from pain. I probably could have squatted sooner but I was straight up scared, like terrified to mess up my back. My trainer had to literally hold my hand to get me to hinge lol--and that was after 3 months of 3x a week physical therapy. Definitely was a trauma :/

    I am hella strong now though! This was years ago. It probably took me a full year to get over the memory of that horrible pain.
  • Health_Temple
    Health_Temple Posts: 93 Member
    Then how do you sit in a chair? I know you don't stand over the toilet to drop one in...lmao!
  • JustFindingMe
    JustFindingMe Posts: 390 Member
    Bump for reference
    Thanks!
  • derik999
    derik999 Posts: 73
    Not even a little bit. Even with no weights. My knees just don't bend very far. If I force it, they hurt way to much. What is a good substitute?

    Work on your flexibility and range of motion? If you are having ROM issues that are causing pain you might want to see a Physical Therapist.

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