If you're gonna squat................

If you are going to tell people what they shouldn't do, at least have the decency to tell them or show them what they should do.

To anyone who wants to learn more about squatting, here are some helpful videos that are for all trainees, from bodybuilders, powerlifters to the general man or woman who wants to get fit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ME8gEN54Ao (watch all 5 parts)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Sg6wacNtDo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVpg3ChPzrs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnoaEjvPeBg

Leg press is a much easier ego boost anyhow.

And for the squat challenges...................if you aren't doing a full squat with just your body weight, then those 250 quarter squats were an effort for ego.

but 250 quarter squats is still almost 63 regular squats. that's still an accomplishment damnit.

people still squat???? it's so horrible for your knees and back!!!

The cartilage in my knees is all destroyed from an accident and I squat with no pain what so ever. It took me months to learn proper form, but it was worth it.

Mind you I only squat with a 20lb kettle bell right now.

I'm still trying to figure out why this bothers you.

I agree with the OP. I'm only squatting about 155 right now, due to the fact that I literally just started squatting last week. I'd rather go light and learn the proper technique, instead of going heavy and ending up on the stretcher.

ready for the laughter...i squat with the Smith Machine for now so i can get lower

Leg press is a much easier ego boost anyhow.

Indeed. That's why I like to use that machine that has you pushing the weights up at like a 45 degree angle. Cause then you get to load it up like a real badass, and only the physics majors working out know you aren't lifting the full weight! I'm like, "Yeah, I've got 400 lbs on this thing and you're only squatting 250 lbs. I'm stronger than you!"

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Indeed. That's why I like to use that machine that has you pushing the weights up at like a 45 degree angle. Cause then you get to load it up like a real badass, and only the physics majors working out know you aren't lifting the full weight! I'm like, "Yeah, I've got 400 lbs on this thing and you're only squatting 250 lbs. I'm stronger than you!"

Is that angled leg press easier? how does it compare to a machine with a straight forward leg press? i actually never realized they were simulating squats...

Well any machine is inherently easier than free weights. In free weights you have to incorporate stabilizer muscles and it's often these muscles that limit the amount of weight to lift.

In addition, with an actual squat you are lifting a significant portion of your body weight (everything above the legs) in addition to the bar. With a leg press you are lifting a much smaller percentage of body weight (below the upper legs). And generally on a leg press, you are going horizontal, so you're not really even lifting those. And of course with a machine you are generally pushing your back into something, so Newton's law about action/reaction comes into effect allowing you to apply more pressure per pound than with an olympic squat.

You can test this yourself by putting a suitably easy to handle weight, say 90 pounds on the machine and try a 90 pound squat. You will notice one is significantly easier than the other.

Is that 45 degree machine easier than a leg press? Per lb on the machine, yeah. Because you're going at an angle, so the actual weight lifted is a sine function, not a linear or 1-to-1 ratio. However, leg press machines have many different mechanics and some convert horizontal momentum into angular momentum instead of vertical momentum. Those are about the same.

However both are generally dangerous for people without back issues or body builders because your knees will most likely go out past your toes. Combined with the fact that both machines limit the effectiveness of your hips, it puts much more strain on your knees that a properly executed olympic squat will.

EDIT: I was actually joking when I made my original post. The sad thing is I actually had some guy in a gym say something similar to me. I was in a general conversation with him and asked why he preferred the angled machine to the free weight squat. His answer was because he could put more weight on it.

ready for the laughter...i squat with the Smith Machine for now so i can get lower

So that's what that thing is called! I was calling the assisted squat machine since that's basically what it's doing. Haha

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I'm still trying to figure out why this bothers you.

OP may not reply because he thinks he's better than everyone because he squats properly and doesn't think he needs to advise anyone.

My primary concern is that half squatting can cause knee problems.

Lol, yeah that's it.............:noway:

I'll just respond with attorney terms: Speculation by the...................what position are you in?

Notice in my original post I'm NOT telling people they don't know how to squat properly..............I'm telling them that ego is getting in the way of them doing that squat because of weights that are too heavy to handle or repetitions that are too high for them to accomplish.

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

You're 100% spot on here.
Dudes squatting 300lbs and going 1/3 the way to parallel aren't squatting.

By contrast people that "bounce" on DLs and benches aren't doing it right either, but....

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I'm still trying to figure out why this bothers you.

OP may not reply because he thinks he's better than everyone because he squats properly and doesn't think he needs to advise anyone.

My primary concern is that half squatting can cause knee problems.

Lol, yeah that's it.............:noway:

I'll just respond with attorney terms: Speculation by the...................what position are you in?

Notice in my original post I'm NOT telling people they don't know how to squat properly..............I'm telling them that ego is getting in the way of them doing that squat because of weights that are too heavy to handle or repetitions that are too high for them to accomplish.

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

I meant what I said to you in my first post.

My second post to you was just me trolling you

Certified Trollmaster

I was doing some *kitten* to the grass squats last week with 150kg. Its not the best in the world but its still pretty heavy. A tall guy smaller than me came up and asked if I was done. I was unracking the weights for him and he told me to leave them on. Added another couple of 20kg plates and without warming up proceeded to do about 3 inch squats. lol Talk about bad on the knees. He wouldn't listen.

Super squat machine and hack squats are good to throw into the mix. You can do squats facing out and deadlifts facing in.