Weighted squats?

freckles2392 · November 2016

Hi everyone!

So I am interested in starting to do squats and would like some advice. Should I do squats with or without weight? I was thinking of purchasing either dumbbells or a kettle bell to help add weight to my squats. Which do you prefer is better? I have a gym membership but a little intimidated starting squats and having no idea what I am doing with the bar to add weights so I am a little unsure. But any advice would greatly be appreciated!

sammyliftsandeats · November 2016

I would start with bodyweight, especially if you are a beginner, get the form down and then add weight.

If you purchase dumbbells or kettlebells, you can do a goblet squat which will help you get the depth down for when you eventually graduate to barbell squats.

Goblet Squat

H_Ock12 · November 2016

Start by ensuring you're using the correct form without weights. Then add the bar. Then start adding weight. As far as the dumbbell/kettlebell, I do squat variations with those or weight plates. If you already have a gym membership, I don't see the need in wasting money on home equipment. Your gym will most likely have a trainer that can help you out with squats, tho!

freckles2392 · November 2016

I would love to utilize the gym weights but its very intimidting because alot of men are in the area of the weights and I feel like they will all be looking at me n judge me as a beginner

rileyes · November 2016

Either.

With a kettlebell you can also do swings, Turkish get-ups, bottoms-up...
With Dumbbells you can mimic barbell moves...

Both help with unilateral/frontal work.

Both can be helpful with accessory work when you barbell train.

Start squatting with bodyweight. Then you can single-leg (pistol) squat or add goblet squats.

sammyliftsandeats · November 2016

I understand that it may be scary but you just have to go in there. Watch videos of sample workouts you'd like to do and get familiar with the equipment. The people in there don't really care and most of them are just concentrating on their workouts. Trust me.

I failed on my squats this morning and my barbell hit the safeties. I looked around and nobody was watching me. It's all good.

JoRocka · November 2016

so what if they do?

What's the worst that can happen? Just accept that at some point someone's judging you- and it won't matter- you keep your head phones on and you keep training. In the long run- that sort of thing is irrelevant.

quiksylver296 · November 2016

They won't be in the squat rack, though.

(Just kidding, guys! Don't go ballistic.)

quiksylver296 · November 2016

I've done this a couple times, and the big "scary" guys came to make sure I wasn't hurt. If someone's judging me, I don't know about it. Headphones in, no clue what people are saying or thinking about me.

_incogNEATo_ · November 2016

I read the most insightful post on another thread regarding this the other day. That is this:

You're not that special. People really don't care about you that much. Majority of the time, this fear is irrational because nobody is there to pay attention to you. Everybody started as a beginner, so don't let that be what stops you.

Good luck!

BrianSharpe · November 2016

Everyone's a beginner at one time........ my own experience has been that most people are pretty much absorbed in their own workouts. You could consider getting a trainer for a couple of sessions to help with a program / form etc.

TR0berts · November 2016

If anyone does that, take comfort in knowing he's a D-bag.

pondee629 · November 2016

I started strong lifts 5x5 at the squat rack squatting with an empty bar. No one seemed to care. Did I get judged as a beginner? If so, not that I noticed. If so, I was.

Start light, get your form down correctly, stay safe and uninjured. If you don't want to use an empty bar, dumbbells work also.

Body weight
Dumbbells
Empty Bar
Bar with weights
Progress as you feel you can.
Again, stay safe and uninjured.

MelanieCN77 · November 2016

Definitely start with body weight and work up. Do a couple sets of 12-15 and see how your legs feel tomorrow. Also vary regular, close legged and sumo. When you are ready to work up to weighted you can just use a dumbbell and do a goblet squat, just hold it upright at chest level and off you go. It makes a big difference so don't go too big too fast. (that's what she said)

kxbrown27 · November 2016

Weighted Bulgarian splits. And once you get stronger and improve your balance, do them with a bosu ball.

rileysowner · November 2016

Unless they are doing curls ;-)

quiksylver296 · November 2016

You get me. High five!

rileysowner · November 2016

The vast majority will not notice you at all. They are concentrating on their own workout. Some will, but only in passing as they would anyone who is there. Even less often some will notice and offer assistance if they think you need it. Very rarely there will be some jerk who is for some strange reason offended at beginners. I personally have never met such a person, but I know they exist. Everyone there was a beginner at one time, and judging someone for trying to improve themselves is just stupid, so the issue is theirs not yours.

canadianlbs · November 2016

they really don't. you might get some people thinking they can patronize you or use your inexperience to show off and swing their own dicks a little, but long-term serious judging is really not the thing that i used to think it was.

you'll probably also find that you're not the only noob, if you actually go. and some of the noobs are men too. i honestly think you learn a lot just by being around a wide range of other lifters and sampling from their experience.

but if it helps you to practice at home first, then that's fine. i agree with the progressions suggested, and personally i'd buy kettlebells over dumbbells, but i actually wouldn't even do that right away. i'd drink a gallon of milk and then fill the jug up with sand or something

rileysowner · November 2016

I just realized I didn't answer the question. As to what to do, it really depends. Bodyweight squats did a lot to help me work on my form, and they can be really good for that. I still do them as part of my warm-up to get into the groove for when I do it with weight. I would not buy a dumbbell or kettlebell unless you are looking to use it for other things. Legs adapt to weights really quickly, and you will very quickly find what was challenging at first no longer is. The suggestion about using a milk jug (or any other container you can hold easily) filled with sand is a good one as a progression to weighted squats. Having said that, if you are able to squat with weight already, you may benefit more from using your gym.

Chieflrg · November 2016

We don't care who is doing what in there as long as some gym etiquette is used.

Everybody is learning on some level. I would definitely have a trainer help you out if you are unsure.

mgalovic01 · November 2016

Pinch your shoulder blades together to protect your spine. Keep a little arch in your lower back. Don't let it round out. Open up your groin, like you have a watermelon between your legs, just below your crotch. Get into a comfortable, stable stance. Tighten your whole body when pick up the bar, and keep it tight until to put the weight back on the rack. Especially, focus on tightening your glutes when you do the squat. Concentrate on activating the glutes. Try to get down to a 90 degree angle at your knees. The knees can come forward a little, but not that much. They probably shouldn't pass your toes. Don't bend over too much with your lower back. It should feel natural and stable, as if your body is functioning as one unit, not the legs moving without the back or vice versa. Once you lose tension in the glutes put the weight back on the rack. Its going to take time for your glutes to get strong enough to lift heavy weight. Don't be afraid to work on form with just the bar. Even seasoned lifters practice fine tuning their form this way.

genpopadopolous · November 2016

I do all my workouts with dumbbells and FitnessBlender in my basement.

I'm a stay at home mom to two young kids and a husband who works a ton. The gym isn't happening for me.

I will ask my husband to watch me or tape myself sometimes to check my form.

a45cal · November 2016

I second what the others have said about people not noticing, and a progression of bodyweight -> goblet -> empty bar -> weight, but I wanted to add:

If you're going to lift more than just dumbbells at some point, then you'll eventually have to go in the free weight area anyway. And if you're to the point of starting to lift the empty bar, you'll probably still feel kind of like a "noob" compared to the guys. But I'm guessing you're not going to buy a squat rack for your house, so it's going to be necessary to do that in the gym.

So basically, you can pick which you prefer. Dive on in and get over feeling anxious now, or spend extra money on dumbbells that'll probably have limited usefulness and then likely still have to deal with feeling new when you finally go over there. I'd say bite the bullet, but it's up to you.

kar328 · November 2016

I started lifting last year and was intimidated by the idea of the weights section as well. I got sessions with one of the personal trainers and had her show me the various lifts I wanted to learn. Watching all 5 feet of her saunter through the weight room (she used to be a powerlifter) helped me see that I had a right to be there and her instructions and help with my form made me look like I knew what I was doing. Now, every so often I look around, see I'm the only female in that section and smile. And honestly, if I feel any intimidation now, it's with the women not the guys. Probably because I'm comparing myself to them, whereas I just don't with guys. I say go for it and have fun. I enjoy it more than I thought I would.

rybo · November 2016

A great resource for learning how to squat properly is squat university. They also recently did a bunch of videos with barbell shrugged. So much information.

canadianlbs · November 2016

funny, yeah. although i also love lifting around other women and/or watching other women lift.
it depends more on my own mood and what i've got going on with my own self than on them, i think. some days it's inspiring and yay-us with women, and some days there's a few extra threads of 'should i be able to do that by now? am i slacking?'

i don't compare myself to the guys. if someone does something that is a triumph for him, it's a party without having anything to do with me personally.

Weighted squats?

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