Am I doing squats wrong if...

Chris99mu
Chris99mu Posts: 352 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
....I only feel it it in my quads and not anywhere else? Not hams, glutes, etc.

Ideas?

Replies

  • sucg
    sucg Posts: 36
    Thats the only place i am feeling it to.
  • thatsillyshana
    thatsillyshana Posts: 141
    Maybe try out different kinds of squats? I feel it in the same place too, so maybe it's normal :D.
  • toddis
    toddis Posts: 941 Member
    Where you place your feet, how low you go, and where you place the bar on your back all affect which muscles are emphasized while doing squats.

    Many people I see at the gym do high bar squats, with feet facing forward, barely shoulder width apart, and go down about a quarter of the way. This would emphasize the quads.
  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
    Not necessarily, especially if you squat high bar.
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
    Yeah, what type are you going?

    I changed to ATG squats and feel it more in my hams and glutes now - but I always felt in in my quads.
  • ashleymcn01
    ashleymcn01 Posts: 108 Member
    Form is everything when it comes to squats, and very important for not hurting yourself. You should do a search on Google for different types of squats and a whole list of great sites will pop up that will show you the correct form, many with videos that you can watch.
  • adopt321
    adopt321 Posts: 111
    If you're in a gym ask one of the personal trainers to check your form. I'm sure they'd do it for free. You could also try front squats.
  • WDEvy
    WDEvy Posts: 814 Member
    That's the only place I feel it too.
  • Vonwarr
    Vonwarr Posts: 390 Member
    It can be affected by a number of factors, as other posters have brought up.

    If you're feeling it mostly in your quads, there's a good chance you're not going low enough. Your posterior muscles (i.e. glutes, hamstrings, and adductors) don't engage until you're below parallel in a squat.
  • kimad
    kimad Posts: 3,010 Member
    When you do a squat you need to have a lot of tension/resistence on your way back up and force yourself to feel it in the hamstrings, then give your bum a good squeeze at the top.. :)

    Also, make sure your weight is in your heels...I lift up my toes to remind myself.

    ETA: and like the poster above me, make sure you are going low enough -- but not too low.
  • Morninglory81
    Morninglory81 Posts: 1,190 Member
    I was always told to activate the muscles I wanted to feel by thinking about using them as I do the exercise.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
    It can be affected by a number of factors, as other posters have brought up.

    If you're feeling it mostly in your quads, there's a good chance you're not going low enough. Your posterior muscles (i.e. glutes, hamstrings, and adductors) don't engage until you're below parallel in a squat.

    ^^^this. I wasn't going low enough and only felt it in my quads. Once I got down low enough, my hammies and butt felt like they were going to explode. It's a lot lower than you would think and a LOT harder. Once you get low enough, the hip drive out of the bottom is critical for engaging the hams and glutes. Without the proper hip drive, you will kill your back.
  • Sactown900
    Sactown900 Posts: 162 Member
    I squatted heavy (late 70s) for 15 years. How far apart were my feet, how low I went, all impacted the muscles. when I went below parallel and wide, my upper thighs and glutes were so sore I could barely sit. When I did squats narrow stance, only to a low bench my front quads were sore.

    Two knee surgeries and a bad back later, my beloved 9 sets of Full Squats-twice a week are long gone. :-(
  • holothuroidea
    holothuroidea Posts: 772 Member
    You're not going low enough. Make sure your hip crease goes below the level of your knees, this will engage your hams and glutes.

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