Squats?

LadyVeng3ance
LadyVeng3ance Posts: 236 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I really need some help with the squat..
Seems like such an easy exercise, but when I go to the gym someone always comes up and tells me Im doing it wrong, and then "helps" me to them right..

HOW can your back be so straight when doing a squat? If I try to keep it straight I just fall backwards...

704c1540358e11e299af22000a9e29bc_7.jpg

I do not think I am strong enough to do it right, is that normal??

Replies

  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    The issue is generally more flexibility than anything.
    hip flexors
    hamstring tightness
    ankle mobility

    in this case you are only 3/4 the way down in your squat.
  • ubermensch13
    ubermensch13 Posts: 824 Member
    As crazy as this sounds, try squating a bar, the weight sometimes help get your form right. It did for me, I used to hate them b/c I couldnt' do them right, but once I figured it out, using the bar to "try to bend it over my back/shoulders" as I threw my hips back, I now love them.
  • LadyVeng3ance
    LadyVeng3ance Posts: 236 Member
    As crazy as this sounds, try squating a bar, the weight sometimes help get your form right. It did for me, I used to hate them b/c I couldnt' do them right, but once I figured it out, using the bar to "try to bend it over my back/shoulders" as I threw my hips back, I now love them.

    oh days, I did it with a bar, and I still looked pretty much the same :(
    I dont understand it.. But I use my table now, and try to be as straight upward as I can while supporting my hands on the table so I dont fall down! I can still feel it in my legs :)
  • LadyVeng3ance
    LadyVeng3ance Posts: 236 Member
    The issue is generally more flexibility than anything.
    hip flexors
    hamstring tightness
    ankle mobility

    in this case you are only 3/4 the way down in your squat.

    Yeah :/ It was more for the pictures sake that I was not all the way down :p But my back would probably be about the same
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    Check out the video series 'So you think you can squat' on youtube.
  • kellyscomeback
    kellyscomeback Posts: 1,369 Member
    I suck in my core, tuck my pelvis in and stick my *kitten* out as far as I can.
  • reneecgc
    reneecgc Posts: 179 Member
    Do you only do full squats? Try holding a lower squat for four pulses stand back up and repeat.
  • mirthfuldragon
    mirthfuldragon Posts: 124 Member


    HOW can your back be so straight when doing a squat? If I try to keep it straight I just fall backwards...

    I do not think I am strong enough to do it right, is that normal??

    You're having a balance / adaption issue, not a strength issue (not yet, anyway). It's like riding a bike in a way - it seems impossible at first to do it without falling, but then it clicks.

    One thing I found that is helpful to do is to go to the squat rack, grasp the bar (while it is still in the rack), and do body-weight squats while holding the bar in the rack, using the bar as support. This move, while looking silly, removes the balance issue and helps you learn the proper form. Try to use your arms as little as possible, and focus on your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. Once you do, say, 30 or 50 of these over a few days, your body will get comfortable enough to use the proper form. Box or bench squats are helpful too (where you put a stool or bench under you and do the squat to sit on the bench, so there is zero risk of falling).
  • MsNewBooty83
    MsNewBooty83 Posts: 985 Member
    knees never past ur toes and squat as if you about to sit back into a chair. maybe go deper into ur squats as u build more strength, might eliminate that tendancy to want to lean forward into it (which is probly ur body just trying to naturally find its balance point). also your weight should be pushing into ur heels, my toes always stay a little lifted as i squat. i hope that helps a little and doesnt sound as confusing to you as it was for me to write! lol
  • natesangel
    natesangel Posts: 210 Member
    lol yep ditto the others, knees toes or closer and as jillian says, throw that *kitten* through the wall behind you! took me a while before i could one with proper form, for me the trick was to concentrate on form and not how far down i went, once the form got in line the strength increase rapidly and i was able to go farther and farther down. good luck!
  • Farburnfred
    Farburnfred Posts: 333 Member
    This lady is a squatting goddess looking at squatting as a biomechanical norm and how to achieve it. All her exercises are great for building up to a 'gym squat' as opposed to an everyday squat

    http://www.alignedandwell.com/katysays/you-dont-know-squat/
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    knees never past ur toes and squat as if you about to sit back into a chair. maybe go deper into ur squats as u build more strength, might eliminate that tendancy to want to lean forward into it (which is probly ur body just trying to naturally find its balance point). also your weight should be pushing into ur heels, my toes always stay a little lifted as i squat. i hope that helps a little and doesnt sound as confusing to you as it was for me to write! lol

    actually if you are doing high bar or front squats most likely your knees will pass your toes, for some reason that gets a bad rap, but is perfectly safe and normal.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    This lady is a squatting goddess looking at squatting as a biomechanical norm and how to achieve it. All her exercises are great for building up to a 'gym squat' as opposed to an everyday squat

    http://www.alignedandwell.com/katysays/you-dont-know-squat/

    Not sure if those are just exercises to help squats, but with squatting your heels should be on the ground and you push off of your heels, not your toes (this takes practice to get).
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Head neutral, hips down more. Can't see your feet or ankles to comment.

    I personally have much better form with a bar than without - if you have anything that can stand in for the shape of a bar, try practicing with that.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    knees never past ur toes and squat as if you about to sit back into a chair. maybe go deper into ur squats as u build more strength, might eliminate that tendancy to want to lean forward into it (which is probly ur body just trying to naturally find its balance point). also your weight should be pushing into ur heels, my toes always stay a little lifted as i squat. i hope that helps a little and doesnt sound as confusing to you as it was for me to write! lol

    "A study done by Fry AC, Smith JC, Schilling BK. (Effect of knee position on hip and knee torques during the barbell squat. J Strength Cond Res. 2003 Nov;17(4):629-33) examined joint kinetics during back squats under two conditions. The first condition placed a board in front of the participants’ shins, which restricted forward displacement of the knee. In the second condition, movement wasn’t restricted at all. They squatted normally and the knees were allowed to pass the toes.

    The researchers found that restricting the forward excursion of the knees during the squat (not allowing the knees to go over toes) increased anterior lean of the trunk and promoted an increased “internal angle at the knees and ankles.”

    The results showed a 22% decrease in knee torque and a 1070% increase in hip torque! That stress has to go somewhere. Keeping the knees behind the toes definitely reduces the forces on the knee, but those forces were transferred more than tenfold to the hips and lower back."

    Forces at the hip/lower back at such a dramatically increased rate are not acceptable, and natural joint movement should be encouraged, included knees over toes (dependent on foot positioning, whether or not there is excessive pronation/supination, etc.) as long as there is minimal compensation at another joint (in the case of this study, hip and low back)
  • Brunner26_2
    Brunner26_2 Posts: 1,152
    I wasn't able to go very low until I widened my stance a little bit and now I can go a little below parallel. Maybe that will help you. Hopefully someone reading this can say if that was ok to do or not.
  • coastie_wife07
    coastie_wife07 Posts: 99
    Trainer told me to stick my butt as far back as possible and look up toward something in the distance to keep my back just right
  • margojr4
    margojr4 Posts: 259 Member
    http://youtu.be/UdragwWQzbc

    Functional Movement Screening. If you know a trainer who does all screenings - check it out. Cool to see where you stand as far as flexibility, strength and functional movement. Then, you can incorporate exercise to help correct any errors.

    When I first did this squat test - I failed miserably lol Knocking the broomstick into the doorway 1/4 of the squat down. After working on my core and back for a few weeks I was able to pass the test (3 out of 3)
  • Farburnfred
    Farburnfred Posts: 333 Member
    This lady is a squatting goddess looking at squatting as a biomechanical norm and how to achieve it. All her exercises are great for building up to a 'gym squat' as opposed to an everyday squat

    http://www.alignedandwell.com/katysays/you-dont-know-squat/

    Not sure if those are just exercises to help squats, but with squatting your heels should be on the ground and you push off of your heels, not your toes (this takes practice to get).

    Yep those are to help with the process of stretching all the relevant muscles until you get there
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    I wasn't able to go very low until I widened my stance a little bit and now I can go a little below parallel. Maybe that will help you. Hopefully someone reading this can say if that was ok to do or not.

    I have long legs so having a wide stance helps me too.
  • MsNewBooty83
    MsNewBooty83 Posts: 985 Member
    knees never past ur toes and squat as if you about to sit back into a chair. maybe go deper into ur squats as u build more strength, might eliminate that tendancy to want to lean forward into it (which is probly ur body just trying to naturally find its balance point). also your weight should be pushing into ur heels, my toes always stay a little lifted as i squat. i hope that helps a little and doesnt sound as confusing to you as it was for me to write! lol

    "A study done by Fry AC, Smith JC, Schilling BK. (Effect of knee position on hip and knee torques during the barbell squat. J Strength Cond Res. 2003 Nov;17(4):629-33) examined joint kinetics during back squats under two conditions. The first condition placed a board in front of the participants’ shins, which restricted forward displacement of the knee. In the second condition, movement wasn’t restricted at all. They squatted normally and the knees were allowed to pass the toes.

    The researchers found that restricting the forward excursion of the knees during the squat (not allowing the knees to go over toes) increased anterior lean of the trunk and promoted an increased “internal angle at the knees and ankles.”

    The results showed a 22% decrease in knee torque and a 1070% increase in hip torque! That stress has to go somewhere. Keeping the knees behind the toes definitely reduces the forces on the knee, but those forces were transferred more than tenfold to the hips and lower back."

    Forces at the hip/lower back at such a dramatically increased rate are not acceptable, and natural joint movement should be encouraged, included knees over toes (dependent on foot positioning, whether or not there is excessive pronation/supination, etc.) as long as there is minimal compensation at another joint (in the case of this study, hip and low back)
    s*** good to know! thank you!
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
    "A study done by Fry AC, Smith JC, Schilling BK. (Effect of knee position on hip and knee torques during the barbell squat. J Strength Cond Res. 2003 Nov;17(4):629-33) examined joint kinetics during back squats under two conditions. The first condition placed a board in front of the participants’ shins, which restricted forward displacement of the knee. In the second condition, movement wasn’t restricted at all. They squatted normally and the knees were allowed to pass the toes.

    The researchers found that restricting the forward excursion of the knees during the squat (not allowing the knees to go over toes) increased anterior lean of the trunk and promoted an increased “internal angle at the knees and ankles.”

    The results showed a 22% decrease in knee torque and a 1070% increase in hip torque! That stress has to go somewhere. Keeping the knees behind the toes definitely reduces the forces on the knee, but those forces were transferred more than tenfold to the hips and lower back."

    Forces at the hip/lower back at such a dramatically increased rate are not acceptable, and natural joint movement should be encouraged, included knees over toes (dependent on foot positioning, whether or not there is excessive pronation/supination, etc.) as long as there is minimal compensation at another joint (in the case of this study, hip and low back)

    Thanks for this, I have hip and lower back problems and I have to be so careful when doing squats, maybe this will help!
  • jenhelle
    jenhelle Posts: 14 Member
    Mark Rippletoe has some good videos on youtube too.
    I use a wider stance, & there is a pocket that I feel myself hinge into if that makes any sense.
    I think you should do as others have said, & hold on to something until you feel more comfortable.
  • jcolier
    jcolier Posts: 64
    Try to lower your head a little. Looking up will arch your back. I see many people lifting their head up to watch themselves in the mirror, which naturally arches their back.
  • halleymw
    halleymw Posts: 246 Member
    One thing that I found helpful is practicing the squat while facing a wall. Start about a foot away, and move closer as you improve your technique, until you can do it with your toes just a couple of inches from the wall.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pye8XXTf7c

    Mike

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