Tips on squats?

2

Replies

  • DJStewie
    DJStewie Posts: 92 Member
    :noway:
    I'll make this a little more clear:

    - Feet shoulder width apart
    - Bar should rest on your traps, not on the base of your neck
    - When at the top of squat, do not lock legs out or throw hips forward
    - When lowering into squat, keep your butt back as if you are sitting down into a chair (practice without weight first)
    - Bottom of squat should be hamstrings parallel to floor or as far as you can go safely until you get the hang of proper form
    - Throughout entire motion, keep chest up and shoulders back (back will be slightly arched if you're keep chest up, shoulders back, and back strong)
    - Push through your heels on the way back up, stay on your heels throughout, not on toes or balls of feet.

    Hope this helps.

    This is good info, even though she has "wareagle" in her profile name . Be sure to initiate the squat with your hips and not your knees (i.e. push your butt back to start)

    Roll Tide.
  • Bakkasan
    Bakkasan Posts: 1,027 Member
    It not really a "feel the burn" type of exercise

    It's more of a I can't walk tomorrow kind of exercise. Squat like a boss, if you aren't pregnant.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    I'm going to go with a few less-obvious pointers.

    1) Your thumbs should be in line with the rest of your fingers, over the bar. The bar doesn't sit in the crook of your hand- that puts a lot of strain on your wrists.
    2) Engage your traps before even picking up the weight.
    3) Engage all your 'core' muscles to keep your back in the right position.
    4) If the bar starts going down, move out of the way and let it fall.
    5) Keep your weight centered over your midfoot. You should not be leaning on your toes or the balls of your feet. If you do that, your knees will end up going where they're supposed to go.
    6) Good form is always more effective than more weight, if you have to sacrifice form to add weight, you're not ready to add the weight.
  • wareagle8706
    wareagle8706 Posts: 1,090 Member
    :noway:
    I'll make this a little more clear:

    - Feet shoulder width apart
    - Bar should rest on your traps, not on the base of your neck
    - When at the top of squat, do not lock legs out or throw hips forward
    - When lowering into squat, keep your butt back as if you are sitting down into a chair (practice without weight first)
    - Bottom of squat should be hamstrings parallel to floor or as far as you can go safely until you get the hang of proper form
    - Throughout entire motion, keep chest up and shoulders back (back will be slightly arched if you're keep chest up, shoulders back, and back strong)
    - Push through your heels on the way back up, stay on your heels throughout, not on toes or balls of feet.

    Hope this helps.

    This is good info, even though she has "wareagle" in her profile name . Be sure to initiate the squat with your hips and not your knees (i.e. push your butt back to start)

    Roll Tide.

    WDE!!

    But valid points, I suppose..
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,030 Member
    Also DON'T let your knees drift inward. Make sure they are traveling the same direction your toes are pointed. Lots of people whom I see squat will squat down and as they push up, their knees come closer together.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    perfect-squat.jpg
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Check out this link, http://youtu.be/zPBF1EMHGoE

    this is worthless. actually it's worse than worthless.

    Actually her voice is kind of sexy.
  • wareagle8706
    wareagle8706 Posts: 1,090 Member
    perfect-squat.jpg

    omg this is just too cute!
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
    Most people already know how to squat. They do it a couple of times a day when using the bathroom. All of a sudden it gets complicated in the gym.

    My only suggestion is to make sure that the bar is not digging into your neck. If done correctly you shouldn't even feel the bar against your traps.
  • jonmico
    jonmico Posts: 37 Member
    Sit back, push from the heels.
  • chellekoren
    chellekoren Posts: 273 Member
    Do slow squat to where your thighs are parallel to the floor, come up but not all the way up, then down. Hands go out in front of you. Do 30, hold that horse stance for 10 seconds then repeat. You should feel the burn with that!! Breath out on the down.

    edit: feet wide. Think Jackie Chan.
  • bcf7683
    bcf7683 Posts: 1,653 Member
    perfect-squat.jpg

    :heart: this. Even this little guy can do it!
  • calibriintx
    calibriintx Posts: 1,741 Member
    You've been rude to people on these forums all morning, trolling around from post to post.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
    The best squat tip: drop your d*** between your knees.

    I'm really hoping this is a fake account set up by someone deliberately trolling.

    Otherwise I just feel sorry for you.

    Actually, that's a direct quote from Mark Rippetoe. So, I feel sorry for you for 1) not knowing that and 2) being incredibly, incredibly rude.

    Do you have any tips to prevent the bar rubbing on your d*** during deadlifts?
    Use correct form.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    perfect-squat.jpg

    favorite
  • lucasriggs
    lucasriggs Posts: 131
    c0292.jpg
  • Flamencoflynnie
    Flamencoflynnie Posts: 61 Member
    I have started doing some bodyweight squats (10 reps) every time I visit the bathroom. I stand with the porcelain behind me and squat until I can feel it touch my butt. If I remember to do it, it's adding 100+ squats every day.

    It's a killer after leg day in the gym though.....
  • maab_connor
    maab_connor Posts: 3,927 Member
    OP, my best two tips when starting are these:

    1- curl your toes slightly, then you'll stay on your heels and not pop up on your toes.

    2 - treat it like you REALLY have to go and a nasty latirene is the ONLY option besides crapping your pants. you know that don't-touch-ANYTHING squat. we ALL know that one. that starts you down leading w/ the hips.
  • bgelliott
    bgelliott Posts: 610 Member
    Do ball squats against the wall. Push through your heals not your toes.
    Try doing 3 sets of 50 with no weight. Your quads will burn, if not then hold some dumbbells in each hand.

    http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/fitness_programs_exercise_library_details.aspx?exerciseid=69
  • nyusha
    nyusha Posts: 21 Member
    Thanks all - my profile pic is decieving I guess - it was a year ago, not prego anymore.

    So the legs parallel to the floor, but what if I'm going to fall over when I get that low - any tips to get strong enough to be able to go that low in the first place?

    Practice/ Strengthen with wall sits
  • rachaelfisher1
    rachaelfisher1 Posts: 69
    YouTube Mark Rippetoe squats. Watch & learn.
  • CorvusCorax77
    CorvusCorax77 Posts: 2,536 Member
    The best squat tip: drop your d*** between your knees.

    I'm really hoping this is a fake account set up by someone deliberately trolling.

    Otherwise I just feel sorry for you.

    Actually, that's a direct quote from Mark Rippetoe. So, I feel sorry for you for 1) not knowing that and 2) being incredibly, incredibly rude.

    Do you have any tips to prevent the bar rubbing on your d*** during deadlifts?
    Use correct form.


    Step #1: wear strap on to gym....
  • CorvusCorax77
    CorvusCorax77 Posts: 2,536 Member
    Op, here's my tips on squats:

    (1) go all the way down. If you can't do this with any weight, start with body weight. It may help to stretch first.
    (2) I do them with my feet shoulder width, or a little more apart, toes angled outward.
    (3) make sure your knees don't buckle in
    (4) I think it's natural to lean forward a bit (we are talking back squats right?)

    It's probably best to watch some YouTube videos rather than have people try to explain it.

    I don't think you have to listen to mark rippetoe or fail miserably. There are many many many people out there who know how to execute a proper squat.
  • 19kat55
    19kat55 Posts: 336 Member
    Bump
  • deannajf4
    deannajf4 Posts: 223 Member
    I'll make this a little more clear:

    - Feet shoulder width apart
    - Bar should rest on your traps, not on the base of your neck
    - When at the top of squat, do not lock legs out or throw hips forward
    - When lowering into squat, keep your butt back as if you are sitting down into a chair (practice without weight first)
    - Bottom of squat should be hamstrings parallel to floor or as far as you can go safely until you get the hang of proper form
    - Throughout entire motion, keep chest up and shoulders back (back will be slightly arched if you're keep chest up, shoulders back, and back strong)
    - Push through your heels on the way back up, stay on your heels throughout, not on toes or balls of feet.

    Hope this helps.

    Thank you - these tips are great! Going to work out now, I'll give this a try - see how my legs hold up tomorrow! :)
  • sjeannot
    sjeannot Posts: 143
    Almost as if you are about to sit, squat down as low as you can go but make sure to not let your knees to go above your feet when you are doing it. Sit back. Another option which I found to really and truly burn was to do squats with a kettlebell. I think I enjoy that most now.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    It not really a "feel the burn" type of exercise
    I've always thought of it as more of a "see spots in front of my eyes, ready to puke" exercise. :bigsmile:
  • shaybuggie
    shaybuggie Posts: 160 Member
    Every once in a while try and lift your toes off the ground a little; if you can't do that, then you're leaning too far foward. This is what the guy on Supreme 90 Day, and that's the squat rule I go by.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    bump :)
  • Bethabooo
    Bethabooo Posts: 4
    Maybe hold it mid air for a few seconds. Another way is to do the invisible chair thing where you stand all the way up against a wall and then slide down until your knees are bent, thighs straight out. You'll feel it.
    Edit: Oh yeah! Squats are supposed to be only on the heels toes off the ground.

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