For those who can't squat.....(help?!)
jmac4263
Posts: 245 Member
I watch on fitness sites, in the gym, and I see every where how squats are awesome for shaping and also burn a lot being a compound lift. However after several attempts.... Using the wall, putting a small weight under my toes to stay on my heals, stretching my hips and getting advice from several people I don't know why my body won't do a proper squat. My back automatically bends even doing just body weight. I can't stay on my heals and I can't go parallel at all. I'm getting nothing but frustrated because I'm cutting and I really want to work on shaping!!!! Any good alternates or ideas I haven't thought of because it's the only thing I'm missing!!! Also I can do them on smith machine (which I want to get off and do free weight) but it's just not the same!!!
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Have you tried front squats or box squats? Are you looking at the floor or up? What about your leg stance (too narrow or too wide)?0
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I watch on fitness sites, in the gym, and I see every where how squats are awesome for shaping and also burn a lot being a compound lift. However after several attempts.... Using the wall, putting a small weight under my toes to stay on my heals, stretching my hips and getting advice from several people I don't know why my body won't do a proper squat. My back automatically bends even doing just body weight. I can't stay on my heals and I can't go parallel at all. I'm getting nothing but frustrated because I'm cutting and I really want to work on shaping!!!! Any good alternates or ideas I haven't thought of because it's the only thing I'm missing!!! Also I can do them on smith machine (which I want to get off and do free weight) but it's just not the same!!!
Small weight under your heels right? not toes?
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K...assuming you're doing barbell back squats here. High bar or low bar (low bar is a bit easier to hit without back rounding)?
Best thing would be to post a video from the side -- hard to diagnose without seeing what's going on. And the problem might not be as bad as you think.
In addition to the hip opening / stretching work, might also want to look at stretching your hams and glutes.
Oh, and do you have conscious control of your lower back / glutes? As in, if someone cues you by touching your lower back, can you stick your butt out on command? If you can't do that, it doesn't matter how flexible you are...
BTW, I'm jealous of your biceps and shoulders. Nice work!0 -
Work on your squat pattern with goblet squats
https://bretcontreras.com/a-set-of-goblet-squats-per-day-keeps-the-doctor-away/0 -
Have you tried front squats or box squats? Are you looking at the floor or up? What about your leg stance (too narrow or too wide)?
Stance is just outside of shoulders, toes pointed a little out but not in. I've tried front with a kettle and I tend to have the same issue. I can sumo squat ok with a kettle. I am wondering if balance it playing a big part too0 -
K...assuming you're doing barbell back squats here. High bar or low bar (low bar is a bit easier to hit without back rounding)?
Best thing would be to post a video from the side -- hard to diagnose without seeing what's going on. And the problem might not be as bad as you think.
In addition to the hip opening / stretching work, might also want to look at stretching your hams and glutes.
Oh, and do you have conscious control of your lower back / glutes? As in, if someone cues you by touching your lower back, can you stick your butt out on command? If you can't do that, it doesn't matter how flexible you are...
BTW, I'm jealous of your biceps and shoulders. Nice work!
I've done it with bar high and low. Not sure on the butt part maybe it's my flexiblity0 -
Why not widen your stance? If you can do sumo then maybe your current back squat stance is too narrow which would play into the balance issue.2
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If it's possible could you maybe take a video, so we could properly figure out what's going on? Also what shoes are you using, make sure they're flat soled and not just running shoes.0
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Shoes are Nike trainers they are pretty flat. I've gone bare foot too I just can't seem to keep my toes up and go back on my heals with out bending my back a lot. If I'm on my toes I can squat better but obviously bad form0
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How is your ankle flexibility?1
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Shoes are Nike trainers they are pretty flat. I've gone bare foot too I just can't seem to keep my toes up and go back on my heals with out bending my back a lot. If I'm on my toes I can squat better but obviously bad form
Is it a confidence issue? If you put a low platform (aka, box squat), back there and do touch-and-goes on the box, do you still have the lower back rounding?
And how much weight on the bar are we talking about here? If the weight's too light, it's harder to counterbalance the weight from putting your hips back without doing an excessive forward lean, which tends to put you up on your toes.0 -
try using the TRX to squat until you can get the mobility and strength and form to do them on your own. The trx allows you to assist your squat so you can focus on your mobility and form without the added confusion of needing the glute power.
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Being a female, it is HIGHLY unlikely that you lack the flexibility to squat. Could you post a profile view video of your squat?0
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Sometimes our bone structure plays a big part of how we squat or if we can can as well as others etc . This was a great article and photos you might be interested to see about squat differences... http://themovementfix.com/the-best-kept-secret-why-people-have-to-squat-differently/3
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Lay on the floor and do superman's. When you can do those in your sleep, do them in a squatting position with no weight. Keep doing that.0
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Try different stances in your squat. Most people's squat stances will vary for numerous reasons. I agree with a lot of commenters that it's hard for us to help much without a video. Drop the weight down and focus on form at a low weight. Try different stances, breathe in at the top, brace, slowly lower down focusing on spreading the floor with your feet (it helps keep the glutes engaged).
Squats are great, there's no denying that. But they aren't the only way to build a bum. I love barbell hip thrusts and glute bridges, split squats, lunges. Look into strong curves or get glutes, these were developed by Bret Contreras (the glute guy) and he's got lot of options for building a butt.0 -
Body weight the best I could do for video0
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K...assuming you're doing barbell back squats here. High bar or low bar (low bar is a bit easier to hit without back rounding)?
Best thing would be to post a video from the side -- hard to diagnose without seeing what's going on. And the problem might not be as bad as you think.
In addition to the hip opening / stretching work, might also want to look at stretching your hams and glutes.
Oh, and do you have conscious control of your lower back / glutes? As in, if someone cues you by touching your lower back, can you stick your butt out on command? If you can't do that, it doesn't matter how flexible you are...
BTW, I'm jealous of your biceps and shoulders. Nice work!
I second this!0 -
DreesPerformanceTraining wrote: »Being a female, it is HIGHLY unlikely that you lack the flexibility to squat. Could you post a profile view video of your squat?
I don't know why you say that. Everyone's flexibility is different.
When I first tried squatting with body weight only, I failed miserably. With lots of practice I was able to become more and more flexible and get better balance, and now I am able to do a proper squat.0 -
I'd like to see a picture. Some lean is completely fine. If you allow yourself to lean, can you get to parallel?
https://www.t-nation.com/training/squat-mechanics-a-deep-analysis0 -
I read somewhere that if your "posterior chain" is weak it can keep you from doing a proper squat. I have been doing them a little, although I don't know for sure if I'm doing them right. I Googled videos and have my husband watch to see if it looks like the girl in the video. LOL I get sciatic nerve pain too if I do too many0
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Video0
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Well my video won't upload I guess or I can't see that it is0
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Hope you get the video up, but it sounds like an ankle mobility issue to me. You can prob do sumos b/c they require less ankle dorsiflexion. And during regular-stance, you're back is bending over to compensate for not enough dorsiflexion in order to keep the weight balanced over your feet. Otherwise, you feel like you're falling over backwards, right?
Elevating your heels should help you be able to do squats. But it would be good to work on ankle mobility/calf stretches.1 -
Hope you get the video up, but it sounds like an ankle mobility issue to me. You can prob do sumos b/c they require less ankle dorsiflexion. And during regular-stance, you're back is bending over to compensate for not enough dorsiflexion in order to keep the weight balanced over your feet. Otherwise, you feel like you're falling over backwards, right?
Elevating your heels should help you be able to do squats. But it would be good to work on ankle mobility/calf stretches.
I think you nailed it I talked to a couple trainers at the gym today and they watched me and that was one of the things they said because I do feel like I'm going to fall backwards0 -
The one thing that sticks out to me is that you keep mentioning having your toes raised. Don't do that. That might be your problem, right there. Raised heel is OK, but keep your toes (and the balls of your feet) firmly planted.0
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What I mean by my toes is that I've always been told my weight should be on my heels but it's hard for me to keep my weight on my heels I tend to keep my weight on my toes and the ball of my foot0
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What I mean by my toes is that I've always been told my weight should be on my heels but it's hard for me to keep my weight on my heels I tend to keep my weight on my toes and the ball of my foot
It's been my understanding that the weight should be in the middle of your foot, so neither on your toes or on your heels directly.
My coach's cues tend to be centered around spreading the force evenly throughout my entire foot.
I find if I move the weight to the front or back like that, the lift and my balance are both weaker.2 -
That makes sense!!! It's going to be a long road but hopefully I can get there!0
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