Quarter Squat V.S Half Squat V.S ATG Squat

BeachGingerOnTheRocks

Honestly OP, nobody is trying to mock your numbers. People are simply trying to explain reality of lifting. Your goals are way beyond your realistic capabilities because like someone else said, that kind of number would set a world record.

If you can bench 100 pounds, then you can put a bar on your back and squat a legitimate weight that will work your quads and glutes and hams properly.

Maybe you should check out the strength standards. It will help you determine reasonable goals. Aim for "Elite" if that is your ultimate goal, but do it with a barbell and do it parallel or below. Here's the website.

http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/StrengthStandards.html

7opoundsin16weeks

I do understand that smith doesn't count as a real squat and that some consider ATG to be the only proper form. despite all of that i think i still have the right to brag about my 300 lbs squats. how many ppl can achieve that in less than 6 months weighing 155 lbs? I will work on reaching to parallel AND using an actual barbell.. and I WILL squat 400 lbs. watch me

DontStopB_Leakin

btw to those who don't believe my numbers.. just because u have chicken legs and my numbers are too good to be true doesnt have to mean theyre not true. i can put both u and yo mama on my shoulders and squat

:huh: .......................:laugh:

As long as we're attached to the smith machine so it can do half the work for you.

Seriously, OP, I'm not trying to be mean here. But a squat is a squat BECAUSE you're supporting that kind of weight on your shoulders. The lift is awesome because it works your whole body, and it's made even more awesome by going at least parallel - but preferrably ATG.

I take my squats seriously. They have done amazing things for my body. My current 1 rep max is 225 - of free weights. I go ATG with that number. It took me a long time to get that weight - and I have very strong, well developed legs. So, you come here and claim to be squatting a huge number (a number that my heavy lifting husband puts up, btw) but you're doing it wrong. You're using a smith machine and not going all the way down. That ain't a squat.

My advice: Get on a program. Check out Strong Lifts, Starting Strength, NROLFW, or something. Get a trainer who can show you correct form.

I know it's cool to talk about weight lifting, but you're not doing it right. You also have a lot of opinions about something you don't know a lot about yet. Left unchecked, you could be setting yourself up for injury. Do some research, read a bunch of articles, get on a program and stop trying to assert your knowledge on a bunch of people who know better.

Good luck to you.

My vote for the best advice so far

Seconded.

7opoundsin16weeks

Honestly OP, nobody is trying to mock your numbers. People are simply trying to explain reality of lifting. Your goals are way beyond your realistic capabilities because like someone else said, that kind of number would set a world record.

If you can bench 100 pounds, then you can put a bar on your back and squat a legitimate weight that will work your quads and glutes and hams properly.

I do have thin legs. Thin legs don't mean they aren't strong. I weigh right around 125 pounds and I have a 1RM of 175 on a parallel squat. Hitting that was hard work, and it's a fairly big number for my weight class. I'm not going to be hitting that PR again for a while because I want my form to be perfect before I try to go higher. For the record, my leg press max is over 400 and I work out twice a week on leg press between 240 and 280 at 10 reps x3 sets. They're not even close to the same thing.

Maybe you should check out the strength standards. It will help you determine reasonable goals. Aim for "Elite" if that is your ultimate goal, but do it with a barbell and do it parallel or below. Here's the website.

http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/StrengthStandards.html

thanks

LoraF83

I do understand that smith doesn't count as a real squat and that some consider ATG to be the only proper form. despite all of that i think i still have the right to brag about my 300 lbs squats. how many ppl can achieve that in less than 6 months weighing 155 lbs? I will work on reaching to parallel AND using an actual barbell.. and I WILL squat 400 lbs. watch me

So, basically: "I know I'm doing everything wrong, but I'm going to ignore all this advice that I've been given on how to correct it and continue to do it wrong anyway."

And no, you can't brag about 300lb squats because you aren't doing 300lb squats.


Once again, good luck OP.

timaeus_drache

This thread delivered.

7opoundsin16weeks

I do understand that smith doesn't count as a real squat and that some consider ATG to be the only proper form. despite all of that i think i still have the right to brag about my 300 lbs squats. how many ppl can achieve that in less than 6 months weighing 155 lbs? I will work on reaching to parallel AND using an actual barbell.. and I WILL squat 400 lbs. watch me

So, basically: "I know I'm doing everything wrong, but I'm going to ignore all this advice that I've been given on how to correct it and continue to do it wrong anyway."



Once again, good luck OP.

I think I did say that I will work on the proper form?

tross0924

First, stop using the smith machine. Find out what you can squat without it and start squatting that and improving from there. Working on finding the spot where the bar balances. It really doesn't take hardly any upper body strength to hold the bar in the right spot.

Second, keep up the hard work and you'll see the difference between your goal and your actual get smaller all the time.

And Third, don't talk about specific numbers unless you have to. It never turns out well.

Oh and as to the original question. Parallel.

BeachIron

This thread delivered.

Yep. Most entertaining thread of the day so far.

BeachGingerOnTheRocks

I do understand that smith doesn't count as a real squat and that some consider ATG to be the only proper form. despite all of that i think i still have the right to brag about my 300 lbs squats. how many ppl can achieve that in less than 6 months weighing 155 lbs? I will work on reaching to parallel AND using an actual barbell.. and I WILL squat 400 lbs. watch me

So, basically: "I know I'm doing everything wrong, but I'm going to ignore all this advice that I've been given on how to correct it and continue to do it wrong anyway."



Once again, good luck OP.

And brag about it even though it's bad form and not even parallel. Okaaaaaayyy.

DontStopB_Leakin

I do understand that smith doesn't count as a real squat and that some consider ATG to be the only proper form. despite all of that i think i still have the right to brag about my 300 lbs squats. how many ppl can achieve that in less than 6 months weighing 155 lbs? I will work on reaching to parallel AND using an actual barbell.. and I WILL squat 400 lbs. watch me

But you're NOT squatting 300 lbs. That's what everyone is trying to tell you. When you use a smith machine, the smith takes off some of the load.

Bottom line, your actually squat number is number is what you can squat with free weights, with no support from a machine. I'd guess your actual number is about 50% to 60% of your smith machine max. And there's nothing wrong with that. No one can wake up one day, walk into a gym, and squat twice their body weight without the training.


Again, smith machine squats =/= squats. Step away from the machine, use the free weights, and find out what you can actually handle.


ETA: And no one is saying you can't squat 400 lbs. You can, but you're not going to do it in under a year. That takes years of training. And no, it won't set a world record. It won't even come close. The current state record in my state for the OP's age, gender, and weight is 427 pounds. The world record is likely a good deal higher than that.

misssiri

btw to those who don't believe my numbers.. just because u have chicken legs and my numbers are too good to be true doesnt have to mean theyre not true. i can put both u and yo mama on my shoulders and squat

Until you tell me you can squat that much without the smith machine, I'm not buying it either. How much can you squat without the smith?

jimmmer

Again, smith machine squats =/= squats. Step away from the machine, use the free weights, and find out what you can actually handle.

Amen!

selina884

It's all well and good saying "everyone should squat ATG" but the problem is if you take every member of any typical gym the vast vast majority of them could not get near ATG while maintaining a property spine position and a big percentage of those probably couldn't even get to parallel.

You should squat as deep as your mobility/structure allows you to while maintaining proper form that is the safest method, be that parallel, slightly below or ATG.

If you can't even reach parallel you need to work on mobility.

Best post in the entire thread

BeachGingerOnTheRocks

ETA: And no one is saying you can't squat 400 lbs. You can, but you're not going to do it in under a year. That takes years of training. And no, it won't set a world record. It won't even come close. The current state record in my state for the OP's age, gender, and weight is 427 pounds. The world record is likely a good deal higher than that.

Good to know. I didn't look up the world record, just remarked on someone else's post.

7opoundsin16weeks

First, stop using the smith machine. Find out what you can squat without it and start squatting that and improving from there. Working on finding the spot where the bar balances. It really doesn't take hardly any upper body strength to hold the bar in the right spot.

Second, keep up the hard work and you'll see the difference between your goal and your actual get smaller all the time.

And Third, don't talk about specific numbers unless you have to. It never turns out well.

Oh and as to the original question. Parallel.

thank you. this is the kind of replies I need to hear

7opoundsin16weeks

btw to those who don't believe my numbers.. just because u have chicken legs and my numbers are too good to be true doesnt have to mean theyre not true. i can put both u and yo mama on my shoulders and squat

Until you tell me you can squat that much without the smith machine, I'm not buying it either. How much can you squat without the smith?

i haven't tried, but I will let you know on thursday/friday morning

agggie550

Bump... I just wanna read all this later.. it makes me giggle

As a 240lb man with a 1 Rep Squat max of 435lbs as of monday, and my legs are big (not chicken legs).

Sorry had to edit it.. 435lbs not 485lbs (Thats my dead lift 1 Rep Max)

carrieo888

I hated squats - cuz they hurt my knees - til my trainer told me to "sit" as if I was hovering over a toilet seat. Worked like a charm, now I've been told by a couple of trainers that my form is perfect, and my knees feel great. It's also very important to look toward a wall - rather than looking down - to keep your frame in good position.

Mind you, I do low weight/high reps, and only occasionally do ATG squats (those do tend to stress my knees).

myofibril

Seriously, OP, I'm not trying to be mean here. But a squat is a squat BECAUSE you're supporting that kind of weight on your shoulders.

Eh? So front squats and goblet squats are what exactly?

The mechanics of a squat are determined by the positioning of the ankles and hips relative to each other so you can drive the load in a vertical plane. This is why the Smith Machine is less use that a free weight squat as the positioning is artificial.

And what about people with long femurs or short torsos? Limited hip flexion? Tight hamstrings?