Squatting & Flexibility

Stick at it - your tendons and ligaments will remember how to stretch eventually. And keep the weight light until they do. I went back to basics with my squatting a few weeks ago and can now do a full squat, albeit it with only half the weight I was using before. This is using an Olympic bar in a squat rack btw. Smith machines also good for helping form if you have access to one.

blobby10 wrote: »

Stick at it - your tendons and ligaments will remember how to stretch eventually. And keep the weight light until they do. I went back to basics with my squatting a few weeks ago and can now do a full squat, albeit it with only half the weight I was using before. This is using an Olympic bar in a squat rack btw. Smith machines also good for helping form if you have access to one.

How does the smith machine help with form?

blobby10 wrote: »

Stick at it - your tendons and ligaments will remember how to stretch eventually. And keep the weight light until they do. I went back to basics with my squatting a few weeks ago and can now do a full squat, albeit it with only half the weight I was using before. This is using an Olympic bar in a squat rack btw. Smith machines also good for helping form if you have access to one.

I second the advice that blobby10 is giving with the exception of the Smith Machine portion. The smith machine doesn't provide the correct movement pattern to complete the squat. In some cases, you have to put your body in some weird positions in order to complete the movement. Stick with the barbell squat. The improved motion will come with time.

Old_Man_McGucket wrote: »

I know better than to use a smith machine for squating, but while we're on the subject, how about using it for barbell rows?

Why ever use the smith machine? I hate it and my gym should trash it for another squat rack or power cage.

I'm older and had the same issue with hip flexors and ankle flexibility. Work at it with other stretches, and keep the weights light until you have form down. It comes with time. As to the Smith machine, my recommednation is to stay away from it. The bar path is wrong, and the auxiliary muscle and balance issues are definitely off. Other than that, it's a fine piece of equipment.

Perhaps try goblet squats first to help with the flexibility? Having the weight at the center of the body means you can just concentrate on getting down without worrying about balancing the bar as well.

Okay, it sounds like you can't do a third world squat - which is common among people with desk jobs. You just have to stretch, a lot. Brushing teeth? Why not third-world squat? Use the sink or tub for something to hold onto to not fall backwards. Watching TV? Squat for 10 minutes.

As far as squatting at the gym goes - use small plates under your heel or do half-squats until your flexibility improves. Do hip opener stretches, stretch your calves, do the pigeon yoga pose.

Went through all of this myself - could not do even close to parallel when I started and now can do an *kitten*-to-grass squat no problem.

First, don't even look at the Smith machine, it will give you AIDS, true story. If you're having the same issues with just a body-weight squat then it is likely just flexibility.

When you squat do you notice your feet rotate outward or inward without you forcing them to move that way?

Do you notice your knees move inward at all?

Don't make any adjustments by adding plates, or anything crazy; address the issue. Compensating for one issue can just cause another issue over time.

It's hard to give you an idea solution without actually seeing you move but here's what I would give as a general approach.

Foam Roll: Roll until you find a spot that is tight, you'll probably notice it hurt, and hold it for 30-sec's
- IT Bands up to your outer knee
- Adductors from your groin down to your inner knee
- Calves (they play a strong role in the concentric portion of the squat)
- Hamstrings
- Quads
- Lat's

Lacrosse Ball your glutes and piriformis, not gonna lie this will probably hurt

Active-Isolation Stretch: Extend the stretch and hold for 2-sec's, release, repeat for 5 to 10 reps for 1 - 3 sets, judge for yourself (Do these on training days AND non-training days)
- Kneeling Hip Flexor stretch
- Adductors
- Hamstrings (I prefer the 90/90 stretch where you lie on the floor)
- Lower back
- Lats
- Shoulders

This should help improve your flexibility over time. When you initiate your squat and you sit back, also make sure to push your knees out, this will help in getting to depth as well. Just as important... make sure you're breathing correctly as this will help brace your ab's and make you more stable.

You will want to do a little core & stabilizer strengthening as well. My preferred list of exercises are...
- side planks
- front-planks
- superman (as a hold not the extension of hands and leg version)
- cable chops
- cable lifts
- back extensions

You don't have to do all of them at once obviously, but some kind of mix. Like one day focus on static holds and do the planks and superman and one day work on resistance and do the chops and back extensions. Yes doing Squats and other compound movements will help strengthen your core but doing some specific exercises is important to help further improve that; think not just about strength but stabilization and injury prevention.

Good mobility stretching routine.

http://youtu.be/FSSDLDhbacc