Am i squatting correctly?

Grceyy
Grceyy Posts: 3
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi, I have looked this up on the internet so much so i think i should be squatting right!....apparently when you squat your glutes are meant to burn is this right?? Because i keep my back straight, feet straight shoulder length apart, head forward, but it is always the muscles in my thighs which hurt when i'm done....

Replies

  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    Glutes don't always work properly at first. Google Bret contraras - he explains it well.

    Really concentrate on using/activating them and you should notice a difference.
  • fivethreeone
    fivethreeone Posts: 8,196 Member
    Probably not.


    Squatting is really technical and most people do it wrong. Do you have any video we can analyze?
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Words tell us things- but what we really need to know can be seen via video.
  • Megmo127
    Megmo127 Posts: 76 Member
    Words tell us things- but what we really need to know can be seen via video.

    This.

    Also - do you have any trainers/professionals at your gym or that you know that you could reach out to and ask for advice and to instruct you on proper form?

    It's so important to prevent injury.
  • ncrugbyprop
    ncrugbyprop Posts: 96 Member
    Google 'Mark Rippetoe squatting'. Watch videos until you think you undertand the mechanics. Use a phone, camera, etc. to compare your form.

    Squat regularly and eventually heavy and grow some tree trunks!!!!!!!
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    Squats are a quad-dominant exercise. As such, yes, you should feel it in your thighs.
  • giggitygoo
    giggitygoo Posts: 1,978 Member
    Words tell us things- but what we really need to know can be seen via video.

    This.

    Also - do you have any trainers/professionals at your gym or that you know that you could reach out to and ask for advice and to instruct you on proper form?

    It's so important to prevent injury.

    Yes to all of this.

    Most trainers at your gym (when not with a client) should be able to answer this question for you. People approach mine all the time to ask him form questions. He always, always takes a second to help.

    I would keep an eye out for someone who trains with barbells and ask them for advice.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    persence or absence of burn doesn't necessairly tell you anything about form
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    persence or absence of burn doesn't necessairly tell you anything about form

    or even a good workout- true story.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    persence or absence of burn doesn't necessairly tell you anything about form

    or even a good workout- true story.

    although you should be able to feel a muslce engage, which is probably not so obvious at first.

    i remember it being very difficult to percieve any kind of contraction in my pecs when i first started benching, but it was happening....
  • liekewheeless
    liekewheeless Posts: 416 Member
    try pushing your heels outward. Don't actually angle your feet but put some force in that direction.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    persence or absence of burn doesn't necessairly tell you anything about form

    or even a good workout- true story.

    although you should be able to feel a muslce engage, which is probably not so obvious at first.

    i remember it being very difficult to percieve any kind of contraction in my pecs when i first started benching, but it was happening....

    I would say... but I'm not everyone- and I haven't been a new lifter in a long while- and I know things feel all weird and different at either end of the sepctrum- so grain of salt here...

    but I would say- feeling a burn is significantly different feeling than feeling a muscle engage-which is different than also a muscle contract and release/movement. (example- dead lifting- you should be engaged at the bottom/start of the movement- even though you haven't performed the official movement.)
  • skeo
    skeo Posts: 471 Member
    To accurately check form, a video is necessary from a side angle with fitted clothing, so the body mechanics can be viewed well. Also I noticed in the beginning when I would squat and felt majority of the burn in my quads (front of thighs) I wasn't hitting parallel or lower.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    try pushing your heels outward. Don't actually angle your feet but put some force in that direction.

    I don't really understand this advice- and honestly without a base/video/photo to go on-it means nothing... it's kind of giving directions to someone and saying turn left- and you have no idea where they are going in the first place.
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
    It's impossible to even begin to give advice without a video. Also just because someone is a trainer doesn't mean they know how to squat either. I've seen first hand trainers teaching squat and teaching it all wrong. The trainers at the YMCA I used to lift at would workout at the same time I did. Most of them squatted way above parallel.
  • fivethreeone
    fivethreeone Posts: 8,196 Member
    try pushing your heels outward. Don't actually angle your feet but put some force in that direction.

    I don't really understand this advice- and honestly without a base/video/photo to go on-it means nothing... it's kind of giving directions to someone and saying turn left- and you have no idea where they are going in the first place.

    QFT
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
    try pushing your heels outward. Don't actually angle your feet but put some force in that direction.

    I don't really understand this advice- and honestly without a base/video/photo to go on-it means nothing... it's kind of giving directions to someone and saying turn left- and you have no idea where they are going in the first place.

    QFT

    Quadratic Frobenius test? Are you an infectious disease specialist? lol

    I think what she meant by "pushing your heels outward" is the "spread the floor" que. It was just poorly conveyed.

    OP, go to the gym, work up to a 1RM (or close to it) and video tape the 2 heaviest sets. Then, post it and we can tell you if you're squatting properly.
  • ilovepink143
    ilovepink143 Posts: 7 Member
    I have the same problem. I've been stuck at body weight squats for some time now just because I'm trying to perfect my form. I've read tons of posts and watched videos. I feel an intense burn In my quads. I've read that some people are quad dominant and squats don't work as well. I also have reached back to make sure my glutes are contracting and they are, yet I haven't seen any gains.

    Has anyone else experienced anything similar but had gains? Cuz that would give me a great deal of motivation and inspiration to know that I don't necessarily need to feel a burn in my glutes to know the squats are working


    Thanks !
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    I have the same problem. I've been stuck at body weight squats for some time now just because I'm trying to perfect my form. I've read tons of posts and watched videos. I feel an intense burn In my quads. I've read that some people are quad dominant and squats don't work as well. I also have reached back to make sure my glutes are contracting and they are, yet I haven't seen any gains.

    Has anyone else experienced anything similar but had gains? Cuz that would give me a great deal of motivation and inspiration to know that I don't necessarily need to feel a burn in my glutes to know the squats are working


    Thanks !

    How do you know if you have any gains if you are doing BW squats?

    You can only get gains in muscle size with calorie surplus (unless you're a noob).

    OP: post a vid

    In my experience as a trainer, I am going to assume that you aren't squatting correctly based on random observations that the majority of people don't. Also, there is definitely more than one way to squat "correctly".
  • ilovepink143
    ilovepink143 Posts: 7 Member
    allow me to correct myself. When I say gains I mean any type of improvement at all. ( my quads have toned up that's for sure ) I'm not going to hit the squat rack right off the bat when I haven't the foggiest what I'm doing, or atleast I don't think that's wise.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    allow me to correct myself. When I say gains I mean any type of improvement at all. ( my quads have toned up that's for sure ) I'm not going to hit the squat rack right off the bat when I haven't the foggiest what I'm doing, or atleast I don't think that's wise.

    I recommend goblet squats to practice the pattern. It won't be exactly the same (closer to a front squat) but most women can get to about 20kg or so before the upper body becomes a limiting factor.
  • Rocket_Man44
    Rocket_Man44 Posts: 896
    Have to go below or at least parallel. Both feet have to been on the ground...
  • ilovepink143
    ilovepink143 Posts: 7 Member
    Thanks guys. If I not feeling a burn in the glutes and only the thighs is it a sure fire way to know I'm doing something incorrectly ?

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