Doing my squats tonight... I noticed something... :)

[Citruscide]

Ok, so I've been going to the level position... basically going down until my butt is equal with my knees and then coming up... (BTW I do front squats -- whole shoulder issue)... and tonight I was like Well, why not try the going down thing as far as I can? I mean, I always got my ass down... but not... as far as it can go down go down.

Well, I basically let the weight push me down past the level plane... as I don't think it is a motion I can "force" myself to do... going up felt MUCH better... much bigger burn, which, in turn, fired me up much more... also, I noticed something BIG... my lower back wasn't hurting. I'm thinking that somehow I was using my lower back to keep from going down further ... kind of like airbrakes? I know my head was up straight... Doing front squats, it's really hard to lean forward without tipping right on over. ... so I think there is something in the motion of NOT going down below parallel that exerts some sort of pressure on your lower back...

Ahh well... all I know is that my lower back muscles weren't super sore tonight... maybe they are just getting used to doing squats, bent over rows, deadlifts and all the other shit I put it through.

C-ditty

 

[Fatty4You]

I agree, bottoming out always puts much less pressure on my knees and my back.

-Fatty

 

[b fold the truth]

 

[Lumberg]

If anything I think it is more crucial to go ATF on front squats than on regular squats. I certainly find it easier to go low to my limit with front squats.

JC

 

[bignate73]

when you break past that level range, your hips do whats called "nutation" where your hips actually tuck or roll under slightly. (watch someone squat down and you will see).

chances are you were/are stopping at the point where your hips are just rolling under and thus the weight is basically at the peak leverage point. similar to if you lowered a bicep curl down to the sticking point and came back up.

ive been doing ATF back squats for a couple weeks now and its damn hard but seems very beneficial functionally. i had been doing ATF front squats with light weight for a bit so i wasnt completely inflexible getting down there. hehe.

 

[DrBones]

I've been ATF squatting for a while now... and I've been noticing some seriously messed up creakin noises coming from my rigth knee... I found out I have some IT band problems which I think are contributing to it... Does anybody know if going ATF is hard on your IT bands?
Thanks

 

[Lumberg]

Sometimes I get nutation while doing SLDLs with a very narrow stance. My nuts get crushed between my thighs!

 

[bignate73]

My nuts get crushed between my thighs!

best bet there is to do like they did in silence of the lambs....push them back behind your thighs! LOL

"I'd F%$k me!"

heheh.

 

[Lumberg]

best bet there is to do like they did in silence of the lambs....push them back behind your thighs! LOL

"I'd F%$k me!"

heheh.

Actually that's what crushes them. The pulling motion of coming up tries to bring them to the front, but they get jammed between my thighs. I have to make sure they are in front so that won't happen.

Roman Chair hyperextensions are another classic "nutation" exercise

JC

 

[Lord_Suston]

going past parralle has always helped my back and given me strong knees. Going just to parallel is just plain uncomfortable, plus it is easier to pause at the bottom of atf meaning less omentum to work with and more muscle stress.