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

i use the smith machine. i dont have enough upper body strength to use a free barbell

until this you really aren't squatting. I'm not disregarding your effort on the smith machine, it just isn't a real squat. There are no smith machine competitions, if you want to compete in the squat you need to squat.

what should i do to be able to carry a barbell?

This just smells all kinds of fishy.

You shouldn't be worrying about what type of squat to be doing if you can't even hold a barbell. And it seems to me that with the knowledge your claiming to have about lifting that you don't know what exercises to do to be able to stand with a barbell across your shoulders? I'm not trying to sound like a d*ck, I'm just trying to wrap my head around what's going on here.

If you're being serious, it really sounds like you have your priorities/goals all sorts of messed up.

Are you currently squatting using free barbells or a smith machine?

i use the smith machine. i dont have enough upper body strength to use a free barbell

So, you're saying that you can squat a HUGE number, but you can't hold a barbell across your shoulders?

And, you're just going willy-nilly in the gym with no program?


Hmm.......

yes.. does it bother u?

Well, yes, because it doesn't compute.

And the goals on your page state you want to bench press 150lbs. How can you do that if you can't lift a 45lb barbell?

Are you currently squatting using free barbells or a smith machine?

i use the smith machine. i dont have enough upper body strength to use a free barbell

So, you're saying that you can squat a HUGE number, but you can't hold a barbell across your shoulders?

And, you're just going willy-nilly in the gym with no program?


Hmm.......

yes.. does it bother u?

Well, yes, because it doesn't compute.

And the goals on your page state you want to bench press 150lbs. How can you do that if you can't lift a 45lb barbell?

please read what i said carefully. I CAN hold a bar, but not a 300+ one cause i havent tried yet.

But the whole point of a squat is to be able to support that kind of weight.

That's why a squat is a compound lift. It's not just working your legs. It's working your entire body.

I am trying to work on my mobility a bit more to get to ATG, but, I always go parallel with my barbell squats. My PR is 2 sets of 6X175 pounds. Not quite my body weight.

I've since dropped that weight back down some and am focusing more on getting a deeper squat. I am almost ATG on bodyweight squats, and can drop just below parallel for my barbel squats. My butt is better for it!

i use the smith machine. i dont have enough upper body strength to use a free barbell

until this you really aren't squatting. I'm not disregarding your effort on the smith machine, it just isn't a real squat. There are no smith machine competitions, if you want to compete in the squat you need to squat.

what should i do to be able to carry a barbell?

This just smells all kinds of fishy.

You shouldn't be worrying about what type of squat to be doing if you can't even hold a barbell. And it seems to me that with the knowledge your claiming to have about lifting that you don't know what exercises to do to be able to stand with a barbell across your shoulders? I'm not trying to sound like a d*ck, I'm just trying to wrap my head around what's going on here.

If you're being serious, it really sounds like you have your priorities/goals all sorts of messed up.

I can hold a barbell, but i cant hold a 300+ barbell. to be honest i havent even tried holding that weight. i could bench 100 lbs the second try btw

So I just switched from a Smith to a power rack (my old gym didn't have any power racks only Smith machines) and I had to drop the weight. I was squatting 220 in the smith and now I'm doing reps of 145 to work on form and stabilizing muscles. I used to do nothing but free weights so this is my first time transitioning from Smith to free weights. Back when I hit a max of 270, I had started with free weights and that was my max after I had been lifting free weights for 8 years. I suggest just start with the power rack and a bare bar and see what you can add with good form. I can leg press double what I'm squatting because they really aren't the same thing. All the stability and control that you need in a squat is given to you in a leg press (and even a Smith machine) because there isn't as much freedom of movement.

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.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/10-reasons-squats-are-a-terrible-exercise.html?mcid=face

Edit: Sorry, I couldn't help but think about this article. It's pretty funny...

I always go parallel, I had some knee problems in high school and my physical therapist told me to make sure I at least got /slightly broke parallel.

I was staring at my screen with a disgusted look on my face until I got to the end of that stupid article. That almost blew any and all credibility that BB.com had.

Haha. We probably had the same look on our faces. One of my good friends who is a crossfit trainer posted it so I kept thinking it had to be a joke but I wasn't sure until I got to the end of it :laugh:

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

take a good look at my profile pic...i definitely don't have chicken legs....and yet, i still can't wrap my head around your goals.