Can't do squats (suggestions?)
recover_healthy_fit
Posts: 209 Member
I can't do squats. I can never target my butt with them, only my quads and maybe some of the rest of my thighs but not a lot. My hips are also uneven. What other butt exercises can I do that are just as effective for the butt as squats are? I really want to lift and round out my butt and build muscle. I've have fat I need to burn off there, too, but I want to reshape it and lift it also. Everytime I try to target my butt, I end up targeting my thighs and calves instead and barely my butt.
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Replies
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I had that problem and a trainer worked with me to do some good pre-stretches and glute isolating exercises. I would have tight quads and pain for days. The biggest problem was that I wasn't doing low enough with the squats. I hope this helps you.0
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what do you mean " can't do squats"
physically incapable?? don't like? bad balance/?
have you tried deadlifting?0 -
I had that problem and a trainer worked with me to do some good pre-stretches and glute isolating exercises. I would have tight quads and pain for days. The biggest problem was that I wasn't doing low enough with the squats. I hope this helps you.
Thank you
Hmm, looks like I'll need to hold on to something to get lower. I'll try that and see how it feels. Hopefully my uneven hips won't stop me from doing proper squats...0 -
what do you mean " can't do squats"
physically incapable?? don't like? bad balance/?
have you tried deadlifting?
My hips are uneven, and it is really hard to do them properly. I end up putting my force on to one side more than the other because my legs are not even because of my hips. And I target my thighs and quads more than my butt. Most of the time I don't target my butt at all. Squats also hurt my hips, and it feels like something is almost being pinched in a way, it's hard to describe. I do stretch before and after, and stop when I must. My left hip is higher than my right so it makes my left leg longer....0 -
Bump for the responses. I can't do squats, dead lifts or lunges due to nerve damage in feet and legs which affects balance.0
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1.) have you seen a physician?"
2.) single leg squats- free standing- or on a sled
3) split squats/bulgarian squats
4.) bridge lifts0 -
1.) have you seen a physician?"
2.) single leg squats- free standing- or on a sled
3) split squats/bulgarian squats
4.) bridge lifts
No ,I have not. I know what it's from....it's from doing moves improperly...oops...lol but i know i can fix it....even my shoulder and arms are uneven and they never use to be.
thank you0 -
Do leg lifts and pilates. I have a bad knee and have issues with squats sometimes too!0
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i used to have uneven shoulder also and always put more weight on one leg, so my hips were uneven too, so i know where your coming from... with your sqauts, start out going as low as you can and slowly work toward getting 90 degrees (or lower) this may take a little time. If you have to, do them without weight or with light weight dumbells held at your side. Make sure your back is straight and put your weight in your heels. i would bet money that when you squat, at the bottom of your squat your weight is in the ball of your foot or even throughout, thats why its working your thigh and quad... when your at the bottom of your squat, you shoule be able to wiggle your toes, this load the weight in your heels and will force your hamstrings and glutes to engage...
Hope that helps, let me know how it goes.0 -
1.) have you seen a physician?"
2.) single leg squats- free standing- or on a sled
3) split squats/bulgarian squats
4.) bridge lifts
No ,I have not. I know what it's from....it's from doing moves improperly...oops...lol but i know i can fix it....even my shoulder and arms are uneven and they never use to be.
thank you
GO TO THE DOCTOR!! If you are feeling pinching INSIDE the joint there is an issue you will not be able to fix by doing more exercises! Shoulders as well. Unless of course you want surgery and a nice set of 4 scars around the joint, if you are lucky enough it can be fixed laparoscopicly. Speaking from personal experience there.0 -
FIX. YOUR. SQUAT. if you cannot perform the most basic of all movement patterns correctly you will end up with bigger problems than the shape or your butt. (that means consulting a doctor to determine the status of your hip joints.)
if you are looking for exercises to engage the glutes: deadlifts, romanian deadlifts, glute bridges... doing these will also teach you how to get your glutes to fire while squatting.
also if you are doing high bar squats switch to low bar to get the postirior chain more involved.0 -
oh you can also do Lunges with or without dumbells, but agian load the weight in your heels as much as you can.0
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Hip thrusts - you are sat on the floor with your knees bent, your torso leaning back to rest your shoulders on a bench at knee height. from that position you use your glutes to lift your body up to make a bridge position so that your body is flat at the level of the bench and your lower legs are straight . Given that rubbish explanation have a look on you tube! They really do work your glutes but you don't have the balance issues and it shouldn't be a problem even with uneven hips.0
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if you drink more booze, you will be able to squat,0
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what do you mean " can't do squats"
physically incapable?? don't like? bad balance/?
have you tried deadlifting?
My hips are uneven, and it is really hard to do them properly. I end up putting my force on to one side more than the other because my legs are not even because of my hips. And I target my thighs and quads more than my butt. Most of the time I don't target my butt at all. Squats also hurt my hips, and it feels like something is almost being pinched in a way, it's hard to describe. I do stretch before and after, and stop when I must. My left hip is higher than my right so it makes my left leg longer....
OP - I have the same exact issue - my chiropractor fixes it regularly.0 -
Check out Bodynomics.com she has some vids on youtube for squats. I would think form is your culprit.0
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Definitely see a doctor!! I had a friend who has one leg shorter than the other and was causing pain in her hip and back. She got a lift for one of her shoes and the pain went away.
Second- get a trainer or go to a group class with a certified trainer. I do Crossfit (http://map.crossfit.com/ you can find an affilate near you). Crossfit may seem intimidating but the coaches and owners are certified and always focus on doing moves correctly.0 -
I would also suggest hip thrusts and glute bridges with weights. Look up Brett Contreras on You Tube for form tips.0
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what do you mean " can't do squats"
physically incapable?? don't like? bad balance/?
have you tried deadlifting?
My hips are uneven, and it is really hard to do them properly. I end up putting my force on to one side more than the other because my legs are not even because of my hips. And I target my thighs and quads more than my butt. Most of the time I don't target my butt at all. Squats also hurt my hips, and it feels like something is almost being pinched in a way, it's hard to describe. I do stretch before and after, and stop when I must. My left hip is higher than my right so it makes my left leg longer....
My hips are uneven, too, due to slight Scoliosis. I have a quarter-inch shoe lift I wear in my left shoe. It evens out my hips during the day and REALLY helps with my back pain. I put velcro on the bottom of it and in all my left shoes, so I can put it in any shoe I wear.0 -
i used to have uneven shoulder also and always put more weight on one leg, so my hips were uneven too, so i know where your coming from... with your sqauts, start out going as low as you can and slowly work toward getting 90 degrees (or lower) this may take a little time. If you have to, do them without weight or with light weight dumbells held at your side. Make sure your back is straight and put your weight in your heels. i would bet money that when you squat, at the bottom of your squat your weight is in the ball of your foot or even throughout, thats why its working your thigh and quad... when your at the bottom of your squat, you shoule be able to wiggle your toes, this load the weight in your heels and will force your hamstrings and glutes to engage...
Hope that helps, let me know how it goes.
I was having the same problem with not feeling it in my glutes. Thanks for this!0 -
I showed the girls at work how to hold onto the desk while doing them (not putting your weight on the desk, but using it so they didn't feel like they would fall backwards), UNTIL they could do them on their own.0
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I can't do squats because of my knees, Old lady of 47 with arthritis and a bad knee.
Remember the old Buns of Steel videos, they did modified bridges that really target your butt.
Also leg lifts toward the back are great for butt. Pilates Leg exercises are great.
Search for videos or exercises on the web. You can search for leg or butt exercises and just skip all the squats. There are lots of exercises out that work.
Oh and lunges are great too if you can do those.0 -
If you belong to a gym, see if they have a glute press. It works one leg at a time. I got better results squatting & deadlifting with a barbell, but I still got pretty darn good results on machines before that.0
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First off dont use the word can't, you just need to retrain your body to do them properly. Start off by doing body weight box squats. You can use a chair instead of a box. Stand in front of the chair and squat down until your butt touches the chair but don't actually sit down. Both sides of your butt should touch at the same time and if you were to look down at yourself from up above your shoulders, knees, and toes should form a straight line down to the ground. Make sure you are wearing flat shoues or do it barefoot. One of the biggest things I see with people that seem to be pushing up through their toes rather than their heels is that they are squatting in tennis shoes that has a drop from heel to toe that naturally wants to push them forward. As you get more comfortable with form you can add dumbells/kettlebells for extra weight or if you want to practice form for when you get to the point of using a barbell then put a broomstick on your shoulders where the bar would go.
Form is the biggest factor when squatting. But if you start off saying you can't do something you never will.0 -
FIX. YOUR. SQUAT. if you cannot perform the most basic of all movement patterns correctly you will end up with bigger problems than the shape or your butt. (that means consulting a doctor to determine the status of your hip joints.)
if you are looking for exercises to engage the glutes: deadlifts, romanian deadlifts, glute bridges... doing these will also teach you how to get your glutes to fire while squatting.
also if you are doing high bar squats switch to low bar to get the postirior chain more involved.
This.0 -
A little off topic, but yoga helps loosen up my hips and teaches me how to balance evenly. I stopped squating and deadlifting for a while because I blew my back out. Ever since I've been doing yoga, my back pain has subsided and my core is stronger, which helps keep better form.0
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When I was first learning proper form for squats, I was told to hold on to something (I used a pole at the gym). It really helps to keep your balance and reach the desired squat position.
Also, lunges.0 -
Do more squats.
If you have a serious physical problem that stops you from being able to do squats, you should see someone for PT or something.
It's a basic human movement, I can't imagine how not being able to squat would affect my daily life.
In the meantime, deadlifts and romanian deadlifts will still target your glutes.0 -
Check out Bodynomics.com she has some vids on youtube for squats. I would think form is your culprit.
^^^ This 10x's.0 -
My hips are also uneven.
Has a doctor told you this? Have you considered seeing a chiropractor & getting adjusted back into place?0
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