Bro, you're gonna hurt your knees squatting that low!

dandur
dandur Posts: 267 Member
edited November 11 in Fitness and Exercise
This morning in the gym:

Dude that does half front squats in the smith machine: "Bro, you shouldn't squat that low, it's really hard on your knees."

Me: *smiling knowingly "*kitten* to grass, baby. *kitten* to grass." (yes, that's really what I said)

Him: "Well, don't coming running to me when you blow out your knees."

Me: *chuckles then goes back to doing nice deep, heavy squats knowing my knees are much safer than his.


I really wish that myth would just die already.
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Replies

  • withervein
    withervein Posts: 224 Member
    Quoting the Gubernatrix cause she says it so accurately:

    "The problem with partial squats that stop when the thighs are parallel with the floor is that they mainly engage the quads, the large muscles at the front of the thigh. This puts more pressure on the knee. Only when you squat below parallel can you properly engage the hamstrings and glutes on the back of the thigh, balancing the engagement of muscles on either side of the knee and thereby the forward/backward forces acting on the knee."


    But the key, as in all things, is form. If you can't do it with good form, go as low as you can, but don't break that good form. That way lies unnecessary pain.
  • Smuterella
    Smuterella Posts: 1,623 Member
    Ooh, i'm totally doing my squats in front of the mirror tonight to check how low I go.
  • gdunn55
    gdunn55 Posts: 363
    No kidding. When I was a powerlifter/powerlifting official we always trained to go lower than parallel and we were told to light someone if they weren't even close to parallel. We were always told to sit down or go lower with squats.

    Just like someone saying you don't touch your chest when you bench press.
  • Angellore
    Angellore Posts: 519 Member
    Thanks for this, my knees aren't great so hopefully this might help me.
  • 99clmsntgr
    99clmsntgr Posts: 777 Member
    Deep squats are what my boot camp instructor yells about constantly (you don't know how many times I've heard him yell "NO REP!" at people during warm up squats). This is from his gym's blog. Seems to make sense of things.

    perfect-squat.jpg
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
    Love it! I wish people would believe me when I tell them this!
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    I was going just below parallel but just switched to "true *kitten* to grass" today. I could feel people looking at me funny....


    I LOVE that baby picture. Going to steal it....
  • LilRedRooster
    LilRedRooster Posts: 1,421 Member
    I'm totally stealing that baby picture, too, haha. That's awesome! Even more so because he's a little ginger. :D
  • withervein
    withervein Posts: 224 Member
    I get the best form from goblet squats, rather than barbell squats. I guess I really need to work on stabilization.

    When I'm using a KB to squat, i sometimes lose my balance. I go from looking like the pic of the baby, to sat on my butt looking bewildered.
  • jenniebean1680
    jenniebean1680 Posts: 350 Member
    I have always thought my legs are on wrong. I can't get that low, with or without weight, without either coming up onto my toes or falling over backward. There's no such thing as 'perfect form' since no 2 bodies are the same, but there IS correct form for every body. My body dictates that I don't put my *kitten* to the grass, unfortunately. I can go lower than parallel, however.... That's gotta count for something, right? Maybe if I work on it... But I'm not sure it's a big enough deal for me to work on it right now, lol
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/break_up_those_hips_and_fix_that_squat
  • JamesBurkes
    JamesBurkes Posts: 382 Member
    As has already been said, every body is different. I can feel *kitten* to grass putting strain on my knees. With a heavy weight it would be risky.

    On a more general level though, I suspect the "Don't go below parallel" advice is less to do with the depth of the squat and more to do with "bouncing" at the bottom of the rep, which IS bad for your knees. You can't bounce if you go to parallel; it's very tempting if you go all the way down. But most people who have good form and control the weight with no bouncing will probably have no problems.
  • lisasdoinit
    lisasdoinit Posts: 216 Member
    so weird.
    i actually just googled this last night..so many how-to videos saying only go as far as a chair below you..or parallel to your knees.

    then these links saying to go lower (not that i can yet anyway).

    figuring out the right way to do a squat is getting as complicated as finding the right yogurt!

    but thanks for the info..i'll add to my mental list and see what i can do!
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Words of wisdom from Mark Rippetoe
    When asked to "explain how deep squats won't screw up your femur/hips," so the person posting could explain it to his friend who believes that deep squats are harmful:

    "Just because some *kitten* asserts a thing does not mean that it is worthy of refutation. If the same guy tells you that every space shuttle launch perturbs the Earth's orbit, and that the cumulative effects are just about to start the process of the loss of the atmosphere into space, thus creating a vacuum that will destroy all life on the planet in approximately 36 hours, would you deem this necessary to refute? How much time would you spend explaining to him why this cannot happen? Would not your time be spent better doing other things? And if you devise a concise explanation, why would you assume he would understand?"
    Anyone who says that full squats are "bad for the knees" has, with that statement, demonstrated conclusively that they are not entitled to an opinion about the matter. People who know nothing about a topic, especially a very technical one that requires specific training, knowledge, and experience, are not due an opinion about that topic and are better served by being quiet when it is asked about or discussed. For example, when brain surgery, or string theory, or the NFL draft, or women's dress sizes, or white wine is being discussed, I remain quiet, odd though that may seem. But seldom is this the case when orthopedic surgeons, athletic trainers, physical therapists, or nurses are asked about full squats.
    The full squat is a perfectly natural position for the leg to occupy. That's why there's a joint in the middle of it, and why humans have been occupying this position, both unloaded and loaded, for millions of years. Much longer, in fact, than quasi-intellectual morons have been telling us that it's "bad" for the knees.
  • grapenutSF
    grapenutSF Posts: 648 Member
    I'm so deeply jealous that you got to say "*kitten* to the grass" out loud. I've been looking for opportunities. Hard.
  • garbanzalo
    garbanzalo Posts: 61 Member
    That quote is from "Starting Strength" by Mark Rippetoe. A TERRIFIC book. Check it out.
  • Aliciaaah
    Aliciaaah Posts: 379 Member
    I'm so deeply jealous that you got to say "*kitten* to the grass" out loud. I've been looking for opportunities. Hard.

    lmao!! I hope you find it. Hard.
  • zafferFL
    zafferFL Posts: 402
    I wish that someone would strap C4 to the Smith machines at my gym
  • TurnLeftNow
    TurnLeftNow Posts: 171
    You know what stops myths from living on? Educating people? You know what educates people? Giving them information on a proper squat form and giving good references to your information.

    You know keeps them being spread around? Thinking you're absolutely clever and hilarious because you said "*kitten* to grass"
  • fitnoflab
    fitnoflab Posts: 90 Member
    You know what stops myths from living on? Educating people? You know what educates people? Giving them information on a proper squat form and giving good references to your information.

    You know keeps them being spread around? Thinking you're absolutely clever and hilarious because you said "*kitten* to grass"
    Lighten up
  • Goal_Seeker_1988
    Goal_Seeker_1988 Posts: 1,619 Member
    I'm so deeply jealous that you got to say "*kitten* to the grass" out loud. I've been looking for opportunities. Hard.


    Ditto!
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    I guess not everyone knows a lot of asian people (you forget when you live in so-cal) but we call this the asian squat. Because most east asian people at least are quite comfortable sitting around in a full squat like that baby. Its just a flexibility thing (unloaded I mean) -- if you keep doing it your whole life you can still do it. Its actually quite comfortable - I use it as a rest position when I'm doing something like Disneyland where I'm on my feet all day.
  • iamstaceywood
    iamstaceywood Posts: 383 Member
    You know what stops myths from living on? Educating people? You know what educates people? Giving them information on a proper squat form and giving good references to your information.

    You know keeps them being spread around? Thinking you're absolutely clever and hilarious because you said "*kitten* to grass"
    You know what? I NEVER educate people in the gym. Noone wants to hear what I have to say, especialy some super buff lifter guy. Even if i'm right. So, I'd be just as happy with an opportunity to say *kitten* to grass.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    i tried *kitten* to the grass and my heels always come off the ground. Not sure if it is right????
  • grapenutSF
    grapenutSF Posts: 648 Member
    You know what stops myths from living on? Educating people? You know what educates people? Giving them information on a proper squat form and giving good references to your information.

    You know keeps them being spread around? Thinking you're absolutely clever and hilarious because you said "*kitten* to grass"

    I respectfully disagree. I could say that with a very lighthearted tone. I'd wink. Please, someone, give me a chance.
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
    i tried *kitten* to the grass and my heels always come off the ground. Not sure if it is right????

    no, its not. do the squat with less weight, and keep your heels on the ground. if necessary, point your toes up and make them touch the top of your sneakers to make sure the heel stays down. new sneakers, with less cushioning may be necessary for lifting.
  • cindycoley19
    cindycoley19 Posts: 39 Member
    OMG, Love this post!!! Priceless!!!!
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    i tried *kitten* to the grass and my heels always come off the ground. Not sure if it is right????

    That might be an acheles (sp?) tendon thing.
  • mattkellett
    mattkellett Posts: 82
    your knee is safest when you are *kitten* is the grass, it is way more open to injury when you just do partial squats. Everyone has a different "squat position" the old "toes forward, shoulder width apart" is as old school as the "dont squat all the way down. People need to learn to stay quiet unless they REALLY know what they are talking about.

    Good for you to get down low "*kitten* to the grass" great job.
  • mattkellett
    mattkellett Posts: 82
    Deep squats are what my boot camp instructor yells about constantly (you don't know how many times I've heard him yell "NO REP!" at people during warm up squats). This is from his gym's blog. Seems to make sense of things.

    perfect-squat.jpg

    AWESOME< LOVE THIS , I was trying to think on how to describe a pwerfect squat and relate it to a baby posisiton, and then I found your reply! just awesome thanks for that.
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