Neglected real squats and now im embarassed

[jdbaker82]

So I have been hitting the gym hard to about 6 months and just now today decided to give in and do real squats if I want to get big. In the past I have done legs maybe once a week and only on hack squat machines and leg curl machines etc..... Well today some harsh reality kicked in... I basically cannot even squat as much as my bench press. I had a difficult time squatting even 200 lbs 5-6 times and my bench max is 280 lbs and I can easily do 245 5 times.

Does anyone have any advice on a leg workout to get my squats up as fast as possible? At the moment I am just trying to get down perfect form or maybe I could have squatted more today I am just working on form right now.

My stats are 27 years old/5'9"/190 lbs/28% BF measured on BOD POD

When I first started working out 6 months ago my BF was 36% and I could barley bench 135 lbs 5 times I guess my muscle memory helped from when I worked out alot when I was in high school but I have always neglected my legs for the most part.

Oh one more thing I also did deadlifts today and I think my form is right(Keeping my back straight) but I still notice a little soreness or fatique in my lower back after a few sets... Is this normal when you first start doing Squats and deadlifts?

 

[Scotsman]

1. Do not rush back into squatting and deading heavy you'll just hurt yourself.
2. Work on form, form, form.
3. The weight will come back quickly enough once you start doing them regularly.
4. There are no short cuts just hard work and discipline.
5. Be patient.

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[JDid23]

So I have been hitting the gym hard to about 6 months and just now today decided to give in and do real squats if I want to get big. In the past I have done legs maybe once a week and only on hack squat machines and leg curl machines etc..... Well today some harsh reality kicked in... I basically cannot even squat as much as my bench press. I had a difficult time squatting even 200 lbs 5-6 times and my bench max is 280 lbs and I can easily do 245 5 times.

Does anyone have any advice on a leg workout to get my squats up as fast as possible? At the moment I am just trying to get down perfect form or maybe I could have squatted more today I am just working on form right now.

My stats are 27 years old/5'9"/190 lbs/28% BF measured on BOD POD

When I first started working out 6 months ago my BF was 36% and I could barley bench 135 lbs 5 times I guess my muscle memory helped from when I worked out alot when I was in high school but I have always neglected my legs for the most part.

Oh one more thing I also did deadlifts today and I think my form is right(Keeping my back straight) but I still notice a little soreness or fatique in my lower back after a few sets... Is this normal when you first start doing Squats and deadlifts?

good for you bro!! That's very normal amongst people who start squatting after they've done bench pressing for a while- it's really nothing to worry about.

Like scotsman said, you want to nail your form before you increase the weight too much. I am going to blindly bet my left nut that you didn't squat ATG (ass to the ground, or at least below parallel)... Next time, i would warmup with the bar, 95, and 135 and try to go ATG on every rep. Be sure to keep your posture as upright as possible, entire body tight, and start the movement by sitting back and activating your hips and glutes. Then, while still keeping your posture as good as you can squat down as deep as you can. Don't try this with heavy weights at first because it is much harder than a regular parallel squat.

That is very normal for deadlifts. Just make sure your back is arched, and that the bar is litteraly touching your shins before you pull it up. Push up off of your heels, and before the lockout squeeze your glutes (this used to be my problem and my deadlift has helped since i've started focusing on it!). Also, keep your shoulders over the bar.

What is your current routine and what are your goals? You seem to have made great progress so far and with the addition of squats and deadlifts you should see even better progress!

 

[rikishi]

Squat below parallel. Most of the tools at the gym do quarter squats and load 5 plates and think they're the shit, but if they go past parallel with 315 they get crushed. Squat LOW and you will get respect no matter how small the weight (at least, you would from me and many others like me).

 

[jdbaker82]

good for you bro!! That's very normal amongst people who start squatting after they've done bench pressing for a while- it's really nothing to worry about.

Like scotsman said, you want to nail your form before you increase the weight too much. I am going to blindly bet my left nut that you didn't squat ATG (ass to the ground, or at least below parallel)... Next time, i would warmup with the bar, 95, and 135 and try to go ATG on every rep. Be sure to keep your posture as upright as possible, entire body tight, and start the movement by sitting back and activating your hips and glutes. Then, while still keeping your posture as good as you can squat down as deep as you can. Don't try this with heavy weights at first because it is much harder than a regular parallel squat.

That is very normal for deadlifts. Just make sure your back is arched, and that the bar is litteraly touching your shins before you pull it up. Push up off of your heels, and before the lockout squeeze your glutes (this used to be my problem and my deadlift has helped since i've started focusing on it!). Also, keep your shoulders over the bar.

What is your current routine and what are your goals? You seem to have made great progress so far and with the addition of squats and deadlifts you should see even better progress!

Actually the reason I never did squats is because I never knew how to do them properly, after 6 months I noticed all the people who were big at the gym actually did squats so I decided to go to Youtube to look for proper form on Squats and I was actually getting parallel to the floor and ass to ground or at least almost touching my leg. Thanks for the tips and advice one other thing I do not like is how uncomfortable the bar feels on my shoulders I guess I will get used to it.. Do most people use a padding on the bar?

 

[JDid23]

Actually the reason I never did squats is because I never knew how to do them properly, after 6 months I noticed all the people who were big at the gym actually did squats so I decided to go to Youtube to look for proper form on Squats and I was actually getting parallel to the floor and ass to ground or at least almost touching my leg. Thanks for the tips and advice one other thing I do not like is how uncomfortable the bar feels on my shoulders I guess I will get used to it.. Do most people use a padding on the bar?

that's good... ass to the floor saves my legs from enduring a lot of pain and stress! Definitely work on your form for a while and do squast/deads at the beginning of your workout because they take the most out of you (if you do cleans or snatches or anything like that, you might want to do those ahead of them, but that's it).

You will get used to the bar on your shoulders. The ones who use padding on the bar also have vaginas It doesn't let you accurately feel how much weight is on you're squatting and how heavy it is for you.

 

[jdbaker82]

What is your current routine and what are your goals? You seem to have made great progress so far and with the addition of squats and deadlifts you should see even better progress!

Well months 1-5 my routine was Chest/Tris Monday /Back/Bicepts Tues/Weds Off or light cardio/ Thursday Shoulders/Legs. I was only working each muscle group once a week and alternating beween 1-5 rep ranges and then 8-12 rep ranges. I recently started a new routine where I am working each muscle group twice a week with 72 hours rest between.

As far as goals I want to get to at least 15% BF but I also want to gain size and strength I am finding out it might be better to focus on one goal at a time because putting on muscle and losing good BF % at the same time is very difficult but I have been able to do that so far but it has probably hindered my progress to a lower BF % in the shortest amount of time. I have been on a strict clean diet of 6 small meals a day 30carb/30fat/40protein roughly. I would say between 2300-2700 cal a day.

 

[jdbaker82]

that's good... ass to the floor saves my legs from enduring a lot of pain and stress! Definitely work on your form for a while and do squast/deads at the beginning of your workout because they take the most out of you (if you do cleans or snatches or anything like that, you might want to do those ahead of them, but that's it).

You will get used to the bar on your shoulders. The ones who use padding on the bar also have vaginas It doesn't let you accurately feel how much weight is on you're squatting and how heavy it is for you.

LOL @ having vaginas.... Well yeah sounds good and yeah I made sure I did them first thing to be honest I was dieing only after 4-5 sets of squats and deadlifts I even got a headache... The only thing running through my mind was how I have been so naive not to believe all the posts I have read in forums, all the books I have read touting squats.... Well just the feeling I got I knew everyone was right after today if something hurts that bad it must be a good thing . In fact I left the gym earlier then I normally would today because I was so shot just from doing 6-8 sets of squats deadlifts felt like I was going to pass out almost.

 

[tapnyaout]

Glad to hear ya took a step in the right direction you must workout in a casual gym. I also work out in a casual gym because it's the only facility close enough to me wherein I can do my home and work duties, meetings, counseling sessions (not for me but by me!) lol. As everyone knows at least most partners you lift with in a casual gym has\ve a routine that's never got them over 250lb bench press, no muscle tone, and have never deadlfted or squatted. So in general people that've never lifted weights might be impressed by their 250lb benchpress but for those people that have reasearched and attempted to learn about the sport whether it be PL or BB know 250lbs = nothing unless it's controlled, deliberate, precise. Yet they've also never incorporated squats nor deadlifts I drifted away from being that person I do deadlift now and it's lacking but I'm going up 5-10lbs about each week and am at a total of 315lbs 1rm. There is no squat rack in the gym unless you decide to let a vagina *ahem* smith machine guide you. I suppose when I become more serious Ill make more travel time or buy a squat rack...

 

[jdbaker82]

Glad to hear ya took a step in the right direction you must workout in a casual gym. I also work out in a casual gym because it's the only facility close enough to me wherein I can do my home and work duties, meetings, counseling sessions (not for me but by me!) lol. As everyone knows at least most partners you lift with in a casual gym has\ve a routine that's never got them over 250lb bench press, no muscle tone, and have never deadlfted or squatted. So in general people that've never lifted weights might be impressed by their 250lb benchpress but for those people that have reasearched and attempted to learn about the sport whether it be PL or BB know 250lbs = nothing unless it's controlled, deliberate, precise. Yet they've also never incorporated squats nor deadlifts I drifted away from being that person I do deadlift now and it's lacking but I'm going up 5-10lbs about each week and am at a total of 315lbs 1rm. There is no squat rack in the gym unless you decide to let a vagina *ahem* smith machine guide you. I suppose when I become more serious Ill make more travel time or buy a squat rack...

Yeah its a pretty small local gym... not sure if they are all over the states or just in MD but its called Brick Bodies.