How low do you go ( squat)

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Replies

  • Plates559
    Plates559 Posts: 869 Member
    PT has me doing 5 sets of 12 weighted squats using the Smith, with lower weight than normal (30kg), and with my butt hitting the lowest level of the work out bench. This feels a harder work out for me, has improved my shape, and seems to be less strain on my knees.

    Smith machine while can be used as a great tool, isn't recommended for someone who is just starting out, or someone who still doesn't have a strong/confident squat. I personally would recommend you never use it for squats.
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
    Definitely get to parallel. If you're having trouble with this see if there is a box or bench that you can pull into the squat rack and do Box Squats. Just make sure that the box or bench is low enough for you to achieve parallel. Box squats are a good way to teach form and it's actually a great version of the squat. Some powerlifters train box squats almost exclusively.

    I could adapt this to my Pistol Squats, squatting down to a chair seat or something lower until I can squat back up from the heel - thanks.
  • jesz124
    jesz124 Posts: 1,004 Member
    Thanks guys, just got back from work so haven't been able to read replies until now. Will read properly later on, I have a dog giving me evil looks if he doesn't get taken out in a minute, thank you for your advice, brilliant as always x
  • mensasu
    mensasu Posts: 355 Member
    I prefer do my squats in front of the couch. Drop your hips back and descend toward the cushions. Once seated, grab a beer and turn on the game...

    :drinker: :flowerforyou:
  • nml2011
    nml2011 Posts: 156 Member
    A common view is that full squats are bad for the knees because they require the knees to travel forward over the toes.

    There is no evidence that having the knee travel forward over the toe is bad for the knees.

    An analysis performed on cadavers found that the pressure on the knee decreases as the knee flexion angle increases from parallel to 120°... this would be the bottom part of the squat that scares many people!

    It's an improper view. As you can easily break parallel without forward knee travel.
    very true about the knee thing though. breaking parallel is actually better for your knees

    I agree... I certainly don't think that squats performed with good form are ever bad for the knees, if anything building leg strength through squats will help prevent injury.

    Make you run faster, jump higher etc. etc.
  • jesz124
    jesz124 Posts: 1,004 Member
    I'm really inflexible and have always struggled going really low with my squats. Basically im wondering if this will this hinder my progress? (I'm doing stronglifts presently, 7 sessions in) Opinions pleaseeeee!!

    What does your stance position look like (feet) and where are your toes pointed?

    Feet are roughly shoulder width or just further apart, toes pointing forward.
  • jesz124
    jesz124 Posts: 1,004 Member
    Will lower weight tomorrow and see if I can get lower. I think I've been focusing too much on upping weight every workout without keeping a good eye on my form. I always manage parallel on my warm ups sets, but can't get that low on my max weight, no way. I just feel like my legs will give way. Obviously I am trying to run before I can walk. Thanks again guys x
  • Game8
    Game8 Posts: 442
    Your squat depth will improve with time. Many people have a hard time at first to go really low. Don't force your body too much or you'll risk injury. Just practice more and always stretch at the end of each workout. Eventually you'll be able to go parallel and beyond, and trust me it's one of the most rewarding exercises you can possibly do.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
    IMO it's not a squat if it's not below parallel.
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
    *kitten* to grass for best results imo. I lightened the weight at first and slowly increased it over time.. have had no issues with joints or anything else knock on wood!
    [/quote

    Check out Goblet Squats on you tube. It's a great way to get depth and technique in your squats. Also I posted this article on another forum but I think it applies here as well.

    http://www.powering-through.com/2012/10/drop-quarter-squat-and-do-these-squat.html
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    What works for me is goblet squats. I make sure my weight is on my heels, not just on my toes.

    I go below parallel, so I can really feel the activation in the hamstrings (the back of my legs), and the glutes. (My quads are much stronger than the hamstrings, so I'm primarily doing squats to strengthen my hamstrings. (The goblet squat is more of a full body exercise which also exercises my core, as opposed to the reverse leg curl which is more targeted.)

    Doing squats on the Smith, I do not use a bench because I do NOT want "my butt hitting" the bench or anything, because that has too much potential for causing injury putting too much of a load on my spine and lower back. The key (for me) is feeling the activation in my hamstrings. My goal is maximize the amount of time my hamstrings are under tension.

    If you're looking to strengthen hamstrings more, do more deadlifts. Squats tend to hit the quads more.
  • maryloo2011
    maryloo2011 Posts: 446
    I'm really inflexible and have always struggled going really low with my squats. Basically im wondering if this will this hinder my progress? (I'm doing stronglifts presently, 7 sessions in) Opinions pleaseeeee!!

    What does your stance position look like (feet) and where are your toes pointed?

    Feet are roughly shoulder width or just further apart, toes pointing forward.

    Try pointing your toes out at about a 20-30' angle.
  • xxthoroughbred
    xxthoroughbred Posts: 346 Member
    A common view is that full squats are bad for the knees because they require the knees to travel forward over the toes.

    There is no evidence that having the knee travel forward over the toe is bad for the knees.

    An analysis performed on cadavers found that the pressure on the knee decreases as the knee flexion angle increases from parallel to 120°... this would be the bottom part of the squat that scares many people!

    It's an improper view. As you can easily break parallel without forward knee travel.
    very true about the knee thing though. breaking parallel is actually better for your knees

    I agree... I certainly don't think that squats performed with good form are ever bad for the knees, if anything building leg strength through squats will help prevent injury.

    Make you run faster, jump higher etc. etc.

    Maybe I'm doing it wrong...I used dumbells last night and every time I went lower than parallel, I heard serious crunching in my knees. I'm trying to focus on putting the weight on my heels, though.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    A common view is that full squats are bad for the knees because they require the knees to travel forward over the toes.

    There is no evidence that having the knee travel forward over the toe is bad for the knees.

    An analysis performed on cadavers found that the pressure on the knee decreases as the knee flexion angle increases from parallel to 120°... this would be the bottom part of the squat that scares many people!

    It's an improper view. As you can easily break parallel without forward knee travel.
    very true about the knee thing though. breaking parallel is actually better for your knees

    I agree... I certainly don't think that squats performed with good form are ever bad for the knees, if anything building leg strength through squats will help prevent injury.

    Make you run faster, jump higher etc. etc.

    Maybe I'm doing it wrong...I used dumbells last night and every time I went lower than parallel, I heard serious crunching in my knees. I'm trying to focus on putting the weight on my heels, though.

    That's...not normal. If it sounded a bit like 'Rice Krispies', you may want to get it checked. My ex-wife had the same kind of sound going on, and it turned out to be cartilage degradation.
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member

    If you're looking to strengthen hamstrings more, do more deadlifts. Squats tend to hit the quads more.

    Squats are primarily hamstrings, hips and glutes depending on how you do them.
    Quads still get some good activiation but they definitely aren't the primary mover.
  • llangstraat
    llangstraat Posts: 130 Member
    wear FLAT hard soled shoes- running shoes are too wobbly and i lose my balance

    ^^^^^^^^^I have not been lifting heavy for very long but this helped me a lot with keeping my balance and I'm able to squat lower when wearing flat soled shoes.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    I'm really inflexible and have always struggled going really low with my squats. Basically im wondering if this will this hinder my progress? (I'm doing stronglifts presently, 7 sessions in) Opinions pleaseeeee!!

    You really need to get to parallel with the Back Squat. Work on your flexibility and mobility. Work on things to make your lower back, hamstrings, and hip flexors more flexible.
  • booyainyoface
    booyainyoface Posts: 409 Member
    also check www.moblitywod.com LOTS of active stretches that will increase the depth of your squat- not the same old stretches you do in PE in high school.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    with flexibility issues, it might help to widen your stance a bit and have your toes pointed a bit outwards. just make sure you are essentially splliting the floor with your knees and he knees are going in the same direction as your feet
  • FunkyTobias
    FunkyTobias Posts: 1,776 Member

    Quads still get some good activiation but they definitely aren't the primary mover.


    lolwut?

    Unless you're GMing the weight up, the quadriceps are precisely the prime mover.
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,466 Member
    Definitely get to parallel. If you're having trouble with this see if there is a box or bench that you can pull into the squat rack and do Box Squats. Just make sure that the box or bench is low enough for you to achieve parallel. Box squats are a good way to teach form and it's actually a great version of the squat. Some powerlifters train box squats almost exclusively.

    I could adapt this to my Pistol Squats, squatting down to a chair seat or something lower until I can squat back up from the heel - thanks.

    Body By You by Mark Lauren has this exercise - one legged squats "box" squats. I had been doing them because, like you, I could only do one legged squats with the leg behind.

    They felt like an effective exercise, but I found that they hurt my knees too much :(. I've gone back to barbell squats for now, and will maybe come back to working towards pistol squats when I've lost a bit more weight.

    However, one of my friends here suggested two-legged squats with feet together as preparation. I'm not sure about these as they seem to easy (and I don't want to do hundreds of them with my dodgy knees), but maybe they would be useful? I thought they might help because obviously your body is balanced quite differently if the weight is over one leg rather than two legs in a squat position, and this is closer to a pistol squat than squatting with legs apart.
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    I like the responses suggesting mobility work and slowly getting your squat deeper while keeping your back arched. I see plenty of people at the gym who squat deep and "butt wink"... Thats no good. You shouldnt allow your back to fall out of form to squat deeper. It took months for me to get the mobility/flexibility to squat deep. As I went deeper they became harder and it seemed like I was progressing slowly, but, I'm sure it was the increase in ROM making it more difficult. Tight hamstrings are pretty common..

    box squats... mobility drills... stretching...

    thats my opinion....

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