Women and squats

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wonderwoman234
wonderwoman234 Posts: 551 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have just started doing squats using a 45 lb. barbell. Man, they are hard! Has anyone else struggled to get down low enough? In another week I'll start adding weight to the bar.

I know I am getting a great workout because all of the machines I was using (leg press, butt blaster, leg extension, hamstring curl, etc.) didn't create the burn I have in my lower half just doing squats.

I tried using a wider stance (Sumo?) to try to reach parallel....not sure I'm quite there yet.

Any tips to get down where I need to be would be welcome!
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Replies

  • tyrsnbdr
    tyrsnbdr Posts: 234 Member
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    best way to give advice is for you to post a video of your form. it could be leg spacing, hip mobility, or bunch of other things.
  • wonderwoman234
    wonderwoman234 Posts: 551 Member
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    Hmmm, I guess I could ask someone at the gym to film me gettin' low. Bow chicka bow wow......(just kidding.....)

    I suspect it is hip mobility. My left hip is sore almost all the time - feels like the cartilege/connective tissue. I stretch for a good 20 mins after every workout but it doesn't seem to help.
  • Llamapants86
    Llamapants86 Posts: 1,221 Member
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    I found getting used to the full range of motion was really helpful. Find some furniture that is the right height for you (it should be the height that gets you just below parallel). Just squat until you touch that. Learn what it feels like and be consistent with that before you add any more weight.
  • LauraFouhse
    LauraFouhse Posts: 115
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    My physiotherapist had me doing squats holding onto a door frame. Face the frame.. hold on and drop your butt. Don't use your arms to pull yourself back up... engage your butt... but that will help you practice getting low.
  • journalistjen
    journalistjen Posts: 265 Member
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    You might just have to work up to it and build at the right muscles--especially core muscles and muscles in and surrounding the knees--not just hams and quads.
  • Asherah29
    Asherah29 Posts: 354 Member
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    Ya gotta stick that butt out gurl! - seriously though, stick it out to the point you feel ridiculous. Once I start feeling utterly stupid I know I'm in the right place!
  • wonderwoman234
    wonderwoman234 Posts: 551 Member
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    My physiotherapist had me doing squats holding onto a door frame. Face the frame.. hold on and drop your butt. Don't use your arms to pull yourself back up... engage your butt... but that will help you practice getting low.

    I will try this tomorrow. My legs are DEAD today from doing squats.....in a good way?! :)
  • wonderwoman234
    wonderwoman234 Posts: 551 Member
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    Butt out - got it!
  • BuckTheBMI
    BuckTheBMI Posts: 106 Member
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    Toes slightly outward... feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart... sit into the lift. Keep your weight on the heels of your feet (even raise your toes if you have to) and keep your back as straight as possible. A lot of people try to fold up like a jackknife.

    * Former competitive lifter.
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
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    Increasing your hip and ankle mobility will help a lot. You can find lots of really good videos on YouTube. I recommend Kelly Starrett's Mobility WOD series.

    Also doing more squats will make you more flexible. Just keep feeding the beast and it will come. Have some one watch you to give you feedback on your form.
  • Asherah29
    Asherah29 Posts: 354 Member
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    Keep up with them! I've been doing them regularly for 3 months now and the change is crazy awesome!
  • Galatea_Stone
    Galatea_Stone Posts: 2,037 Member
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    You need to stretch. Youtube has Elliot Hulse. The videos are kind of annoying, but he has great advice.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-0Qe80fUaU

    Mark Rippetoe also has great advice.

    Getting low takes time, and it one of the best, if not THE best reason to take it slow with the weight increases. Learn to get low first, then up the weights. There's no rush.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
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    Butt out, knees tracking over feet and thumbs on top instead of around are some common ones.

    Reading starting strength and going lighter sorted my squat right out. If you don't want to buy the book, mark rippetoe has some good videos on YouTube.

    Don't worry, in a few months you'll think the empty bar is light! :)
  • sjaplo
    sjaplo Posts: 974 Member
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    I found "Garland Pose" in yoga to be very helpful in getting all the pieces to align properly. Then I started with a dumbbell doing goblet squats and concentrated on keeping the weight in the center. I just moved to 95lbs on my front squat yesterday and I must be doing something right because I feel it in my glutes today, but not my quads or knees.
  • Ysmir
    Ysmir Posts: 828 Member
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    Hmmm, I guess I could ask someone at the gym to film me gettin' low. Bow chicka bow wow......(just kidding.....)

    I suspect it is hip mobility. My left hip is sore almost all the time - feels like the cartilege/connective tissue. I stretch for a good 20 mins after every workout but it doesn't seem to help.

    I had this issue at first too. working up to the full motion by doing supported squats helped a little, but when I started doing a few yoga stretches designed to stretch the hips, it really upped my game. Now I can easily squat. Try Eye of the Needle or the Goddess pose. It will really open up and stretch your hips.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
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    Time and practice and more time and more practice.

    I do a ton (TONNNNN) of body weight squats outside of my lifting routine. Body weight work has been invaluable when it comes to getting my lifting form in order.
  • 212019156
    212019156 Posts: 341 Member
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    When training my 15 year old son to be able to squat properly, I had him work towards being able to get into a full squat position with feet flat on floor (look up asian squat). Once he could get into that position comfortably and was able to hold it easily then we started using weight.

    Stretch out your hips and your calves. You will eventually be able to get into an asian squat position.
  • whitebalance
    whitebalance Posts: 1,654 Member
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    Doing a lot of body weight squats has helped me get deeper under the bar. And a counterpoint to your strategy, OP... narrowing my stance and bringing my feet more parallel made a big difference too.
  • AlyssamR6712
    AlyssamR6712 Posts: 114 Member
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    you are probably using too much weight.. try less weight. form is everything. start with a smaller amount of weight that you can break 90 with and then work your way up.

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  • beabria
    beabria Posts: 541 Member
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    Do squats with just bodyweight until you are more comfortable with the depth. I've been doing bodyweight squats for almost a month now, and just added the barbell - it makes it much, much harder! Also, stick your butt out farther than you think you should and make sure all your weight is on your heels. Some gyms have "practice bars" to use if you want to practice the move as if you had a bar, but without the added weight. (My gym, which isn't particularly well equipped, has a pvc pipe for this purpose.)

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