Using my back to squat when I'm tired
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So now that I know that I was just being stubborn, I can completely forget about StrongLifts for the moment. I talked to my trainer friend today (saw hanging up on his wall that he is NASM certified or whatever), and he said that yes, I should start training in phase 1 of the OPT model to work on stability. He says it takes about 4 weeks to complete. He was really busy, so he just quickly scanned through this thread and told me that I have to be careful about who I'm listening to and that a lot of the info here can be misleading. Which is true to some extent, there is just so much contradicting advice; everyone has their own say, and a lot of the times, it is based on their own experience; what might feel right or work right for someone, might be different for someone else. So up to this point, I'm still confused. Do I grip the floor with my toes, or do I not? I find that yes, it does help with balancing my glutes on descension, but it prevents me from pushing from my heels. And how do I brace my core without doing a stomach vaccum? I mean, I always think that bracing my core = sucking in my stomach, is it not? Or is it just holding in my breath without sucking in my stomach?
It sounds like you have a good trainer there then, I would use him. Yes, Phase 1 of the OPT Model should only be 4 weeks long unless your trainer feels you need to go longer. This will give you a good opportunity to build some good balance and core strength & stability through a variety of exercises. In Phase 2 and if your trainer feels it's appropriate, you may actually be able to start squatting and you may do something like a Back Squat super-setted with DB Step-Up w/ Frontal Plane Balance (depending on where you need help with your balance).
A lot of people on here get all "RAH-RAH!... StrongLifts... Squats... Deadlifts" and there's nothing wrong with that but starting with those exercises is not always appropriate for everybody. Some people simply do not have the basic mobility and strength required to do those exercises correctly. If you can't do the exercises correctly then there's no point in doing them. Furthermore, if you end-up over-compensating you will get yourself hurt in-time. The cumulative injury cycle starts with one injury and leads to additional injuries, it's not good. Four weeks is nothing but a "blip' in-time; it's nothing, so take that four weeks to improve basic movement function & strength and then you'll be ready or close to ready to kill-it in the squat rack.
FeralX is correct, don't suck in your gut like that, it can actually lead to a spine injury.
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Ok Dern, I read through through the first two pages. What I do is I look up and fix my eyes on a spot where the ceiling and the Wall meet. When I get to the down position I then take a breath, look up, lean back and push with my heels. As I go up I push my air out. When I'm standing and I need to, I take a few more breaths before I go down again. I keep my eyes on the spot and breath out. You will not lean forward anymore. I squat more than most men at the gym and it works for me.
When I want to get stronger I always go up in weight to a weight that is too heavy. I do one rep and lower the weight. That always got me stronger fast. If you try this you need a spotter or raise the safety bars up high.
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yeah... no.
You don't want to be in the hole and breathing, that will jack up your abdominal bracing, and courting with complete and utter destruction.0 -
Great work, All you need is some experience. First, stop wasting time squatting with no or light weight. You are fit and can do so much more. 2nd Look up. Don't watch yourself. Keep you eyes up on the wall. 3rd bring your stance in a bit. feet should be about hip to shoulder with apart. 4th. Breath use your breath to push out that power. blow your air out through your mouth. 5. raise your side supports and your weight holder arms. Your side supports are way to low for safety and you should have that bar in a higher starting position.
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Add some weight and don't go so far down just to get the hang of heavy weight you can do just one if its too heavy stop and download. Your much stronger than you are lifting.
Let me know how you do. I speak from lost of experience and success. I started out 20 years ago and couldn't lift the bar. I quickly started lifting more than most men. Now at almost 52 years old and a woman I can say I have taught myself how to squat over the years and I never had any permanent injury's. I have become super strong and most men your age wish they could keep up with me in squats.0 -
i like the low bar squat advice. It helps. you will get use to it and over time it will allow you to be more powerful.0
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yeah... no.
You don't want to be in the hole and breathing, that will jack up your abdominal bracing, and courting with complete and utter destruction.
This. It would actually be so bad that you could potentially cause a chain reaction of really bad *kitten* that would ultimately collapse the sun into a black hole and destroy our entire solar system. Or you might just really screw up your back.0 -
At best, you'll only divide by zero and you'll fail the lift.
At worst, like the feral one said... you'll kill us all. You don't want our blood on your hands. Do you?
DO YOU?!0 -
Another thing, when I squat light weight I actually perform poorly. There is something different that will occur when you have a heavy weight on the bar. Start with 25 on each side. You should not be squatting less than that. Your fit so don't be afraid to go for it. You will focus more and you wont mind holding that bar low on your back as much. Don't forget to raise the safety bar do it very high till you get comfortable. and make sure you raise the hangers so your not bending down out the gate. I set mine so I have to slightly raise my self up. I start looking at my spot on the ceiling before I even lift my weight off the rack. You will not fall forward if you look up.
Another thing there is a difference between asking advice from a trainer friend and hiring one. If you hire a good trainer they will walk you through the entire from and be able to adjust what you need right there when you need it.
It was smart of you to video yourself and ask for advice. Being able to see what your doing really gives you better advice.0 -
Would a lifting belt help?0
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does anyone have a heart rate of 170+ after high rep squats?
fackin deadly0 -
Another thing, when I squat light weight I actually perform poorly. There is something different that will occur when you have a heavy weight on the bar. Start with 25 on each side. You should not be squatting less than that. Your fit so don't be afraid to go for it. You will focus more and you wont mind holding that bar low on your back as much. Don't forget to raise the safety bar do it very high till you get comfortable. and make sure you raise the hangers so your not bending down out the gate. I set mine so I have to slightly raise my self up. I start looking at my spot on the ceiling before I even lift my weight off the rack. You will not fall forward if you look up.
Another thing there is a difference between asking advice from a trainer friend and hiring one. If you hire a good trainer they will walk you through the entire from and be able to adjust what you need right there when you need it.
It was smart of you to video yourself and ask for advice. Being able to see what your doing really gives you better advice.
Darren, seriously, ignore all this. The terrible advice provided by this poster ranges from extremely dangerous to health to... wth would someone do that?
Kiyy, if you're squatting with light weight and having poor form, you need to significantly deload and work on your form. Your form should be abso-freaking-lutely BOMBER with just the bar. Form has a greater tendency to break down as weight increases, so if you have horrid form with just the bar, you're going to get even worse from there. It's your body, so break it how you want, but seriously, you should hold back the dangerous advice before you or someone else divides by zero.
Thanks.0 -
does anyone have a heart rate of 170+ after high rep squats?
fackin deadly
I do. Heavy weight will pop up the heart rate, yeah. Nothing deadly about it, it's a normal physiological reaction to heavy output.
Once his other issues are handled, that might help cue him to keep that core tight. I don't think it's really needed though.Would a lifting belt help?0 -
Lifting belts are not a good idea, unless your goal is to weaken your back muscles.
If you can't do squats with proper form, lower the weight. It's just a matter of time before you get stronger and can properly do progressively higher weights - and your supporting muscles will develop to enable that to happen. Belts impede that progress.0 -
Torontonius wrote: »Lifting belts are not a good idea, unless your goal is to weaken your back muscles.
Another expert that doesn't know what they don't know.
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Another thing, when I squat light weight I actually perform poorly. There is something different that will occur when you have a heavy weight on the bar. Start with 25 on each side. You should not be squatting less than that. Your fit so don't be afraid to go for it. You will focus more and you wont mind holding that bar low on your back as much. Don't forget to raise the safety bar do it very high till you get comfortable. and make sure you raise the hangers so your not bending down out the gate. I set mine so I have to slightly raise my self up. I start looking at my spot on the ceiling before I even lift my weight off the rack. You will not fall forward if you look up.
Another thing there is a difference between asking advice from a trainer friend and hiring one. If you hire a good trainer they will walk you through the entire from and be able to adjust what you need right there when you need it.
It was smart of you to video yourself and ask for advice. Being able to see what your doing really gives you better advice.
Darren, seriously, ignore all this. The terrible advice provided by this poster ranges from extremely dangerous to health to... wth would someone do that?
Kiyy, if you're squatting with light weight and having poor form, you need to significantly deload and work on your form. Your form should be abso-freaking-lutely BOMBER with just the bar. Form has a greater tendency to break down as weight increases, so if you have horrid form with just the bar, you're going to get even worse from there. It's your body, so break it how you want, but seriously, you should hold back the dangerous advice before you or someone else divides by zero.
Thanks.
I have squated 2, 100 lb plates easy. Excellent form. I am a squat expert so you don't know what your talking about. Oh and I'm a 51+ year old woman. I can probably out squat you so you may need to re think some things.0 -
The belt is not necessary.0
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Here are some articles that I think will help you.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/cyberpump1.htm
You would automatically straighten up and pull your head and shoulders back. This is the proper position of the spine for the squat. IOW, your head is pulled back; your chest is raised; and you have a slight arch in your lower back. At no time during the squat should you bend over at the low back or look down.
Many people use towels or padding under the bar. Others (including me) feel this leads to some instability because the weight is "teeter tottering" on a small area on your back. If the bar is hurting you either need to add some trapezius mass, place the bar a little further down your back (it should be just above or below the sharp ridge on your scapula (shoulder blade)
Begin to raise the bar as you exhale by pushing the floor with the heel of your foot as you straighten the legs again and go back to the starting position.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/barbell-squat
Begin to raise the bar as you exhale by pushing the floor with the heel of your foot as you straighten the legs again and go back to the starting position.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbinfo.php?page=Squats
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/no_pain_squat.htm
Now look up and this should help you arch your back. Stick out your chest. Lift your toes slightly. This forces you to keep your weight on your heels.0 -
Sorry, honored elder, you are no expert.
Looking up is a bad idea, and frankly, the rest of your advice is along that same level of bad. Someone's going to get hurt following your expert wisdom.0 -
You speak hastily by saying several people are wrong. At your age you probably should have learned you don't have to be a jerk to express yourself and there may be more one way of doing things well. As a woman, I can very likely out squat you and I have many years experience. But I guess you still think that you are the only one with good advice. LOL.0
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Lol, you're new here, it's ok. I also don't get in squat races, a bum knee is not something to race with. Then again, if you were an expert, you'd know that.
Unfortunately, you and another user are giving terrible advice. Luckily, there are people who are much more versed at this than I in this thread. You should watch, we will all learn something.0 -
You probably hurt your knee when you were squatting with poor form.0
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Thanks for the compliment but an expert doesn't = a mind reader. I guess I am suppose to somehow know you have a bum knee. Oh and just a reminder you also told him that his personal trainer gives him bad advice But I am happy to hear that you agree there is always something to learn.0
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25 years heavy weight lifting legs lots of other sports and no injury's. At almost 52 years old I can out squat most men in any gym. last week, I was squatting and pressing with a strong thick 6+ foot man at the gym. I was doing 25 reps to his 5 reps. I could do every bit of what he loaded and more. I have never had any injury. But I don't know a thing.0
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Ummm... I'm not going to be negative here. All I will say is that if you want to get some good squat information then watch "So You Think You Can Squat" and / or videos from Mark Rippletoe, Joe Defranco, Chad Wesley Smith, or Dan Green just to name a few. Also, listen to your trainer and don't read anymore of this thread, there is so much bad and outdated (good at one time, not true now) information in this thread. Do the OPT Model for 4 weeks to build some base stabilization and strength and then progress from there. Cheers!0
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Too late, You have already been negative and insulting to several people. I have the experience and I guess you watched a video so now your the expert.0
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Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
Sorry about that. I guess you jumped in so I didn't realize you were not the guy who was insulting people and had no real life experience to back up his opinions.0 -
Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
Yeah, it's just a troll.
Or, early stage dementia, either way. Full of horrid info.0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMzLXUWtP7I&list=UUfp6G6JnSdF0XYP6MCVgOQA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcfgrV2Ay0s&list=UUfp6G6JnSdF0XYP6MCVgOQA&index=2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KglS2WW06w&index=3&list=UUfp6G6JnSdF0XYP6MCVgOQA
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