Do you squat low enough? givi\en up on pushups?

When I ask the average gym rat whether he/she squats until their thighs are parallel to the floor, 99.9 percent of the time the answer is "Yes." Then I watch them squat. My reaction is almost always the same: Do they understand what "parallel" means? maybe confusing it with "45 degrees"? The definition of a proper parallel squat is lowering your body until the tops of your thighs, not the bottoms, are at least parallel to the floor. This small detail typically amounts to at least a 2-inch difference. And when it comes to building muscle, inches matter. That's because the greater your range of motion, the more muscle fibers you'll activate, and the bigger you'll grow. Sure, a shallow squat is less taxing, but shouldn't that tell you something?Don't rely on a mirror to keep you honest; it leaves room for interpretation. Instead, tightly control your depth by squatting with a 12-inch box or a large medicine ball beneath you. (A typical bench doesn't work, since it stands 18 inches high.) If you're not touching the box on every repetition, you're not squatting deep enough.

How to do it: Stand with your heels just in front of a 12-inch box or other object. It can even be a cardboard box, since you won't be placing your weight on it. Initiate the movement by pushing your hips back. Bend your hips and knees to lower your body until your butt lightly touches the top of the box (don't sit on it), then press back up to the starting position

Have You Abandoned the Pushup? I hope your answer is no. , I far prefer the pushup to the bench press. After all, athletes don't typically spend a lot of time lying on their backs pushing up, unless they aren't very good at their sport. And besides working your pecs and triceps, the pushup engages your core, your lats, and just about every other muscle in your upper body. That makes it one of the most useful and efficient movements in anybody's exercise arsenal.

Think you're too strong for the pushup? Try this challenge: Assume a pushup position, but place your feet on a bench. Then have a partner place a 25-pound weight plate on your back, ..(10 for a woman to begin, unless of course you can handle the 25 then be all means go right ahead!) at the level of your shoulder blades. Now try to do 20 pushups with perfect form. Until you can pass this test, there's no reason to bother with the bench press. How to do it: Keep your body rigid, in a straight line from your ankles to your head, and lower it as a single unit until your nose touches the floor. Then press back up until your arms are completely straight. Want an even greater challenge? Perform the exercise withyour hands on a BOSU ball (dome down), which adds an element of instability, forcing the core and shoulder muscles to work even harder.