Squat questions

[Greek Freak]

Bignate knows the deal, I have read most of the "encyclopedia of bodybuilding" and I completely agree with him. Lots of pics, gives you a general idea of how to do things so it is good for someone wanting to learn some basics...but it is packed with flaws. Back to the smith vs. free argument...you'll soon learn to love the power rack. You can set it so that you have the appropriate range of motion, and you cant really fall over so it is just as safe as a smith machine but with many more benefits. When you first start out set the catches so you go to paralell and squat 135(with clips, better to look like a "bitch" than to look like a complete idiot when you flip the bar...learned that the hard way a couple times) and just get the form down. You dont need to go crazy heavy to get the benefits from squatting, and if you use the rack you have something to sort of guide you, and to be there if you overestimate yourself. Do some squats to failure and I guarentee it'll change the way your walking for a day or two. Another way to build up some power with them is to do a few reps till you fatigue, then stand there and rest for a few seconds then do some more...kind of extend your set and when you know your not getting another positive just do a real slow negative, just drop the barbell on the rack in the bottem then strip off some of the plates and put it back up for your next set.

 

[coolcolj]

I love doing squats myself. And apart from what was said above
for me personally, I find a stance slightly wider than shoulder width with your feet turned slighlty outwards is the best for balance and keeping the knees tracking straight.

The thing is before you can do squats to at least parrallel position, I suggest you do some foundation strengthening of bench stepups and or reverse lunges. WHy? Becuase these 2 exercises will stengthen certain muscles around the knee so that you avoid the knee buckles you see in people doing squats in the gym, where their legs don't track properly. 3 weeks or so is all that taakes. And while your doing them start doing bodweight squats to get the proper technique and get your muscles into the groove.

Don't let your ego ruin your knees! increase the weight by the smallest margin, and use each poundage increase for at least 2 workouts. Slow and steady wins the race.

Get the correct technique and groove right from the start, and ease your way up, you will really learn to enjoy squats. I sure do - this and jump snatches are my fav 2 exercises. I also love front squats with a wide stance and olympic grip with feet pointed outwards to work my quads hard and build up my groin flexibility and strength. I find with front squats that you need to take a wide stance to keep your torso erect

I myself have just started training after a 6 year layoff, and so far so good. The above things are my tips I give to you

 

[Ehiems]

Forget all that BS!

I got some real advice for you...not just jabberwocky and claptrap! Tip #1 Don't waste your time squatting on the smith machine...stick with the old fashioned squat! Now, thats not to say its a worthless machine! Smith machines have value. So do hack squats. So do leg presses. But don't tell me they can take the place of your old fashion squat! They are to be cosidered auxiliary to squats. Only during injury are they ever to be considered replacements for OF squats.
Serious squaters know the real reason that the squat power rack has the most cobwebs.
People just don't like to squat. It's a tough excercise and its hard work. Aside from the sick love of lactic acid burn,it seperates me from all those sissies on the smith machine.
Tip#2 Don't stop at parrelell, conventional wisdom says to descend no farther than parallel. Excluding those with serious knee problems.You should perform squats through a full range of motion. You don't perform the biceps curl halfway, do you? What makes the squat any different? Just make sure to start off useing a ligjhter weight and gradually work toward a full ROM when starting to perform complete squats. The advantages of doing this far outweigh the slight bruise to your pride.
Tip#3 Foot placement - squats, even with light weights, are tremendously beneficial, but to get the most out of them, you should eventually go heavy. To do that, you want to find the foot placement that works best for you. So long as you don't bounce, drop, stay down, bend forward or use poor form, by all means vary your style. Once you find the best foot placement, however stick with it. Variety for variety's sake is senseless.
Hope this helps man!

 

[Madd Hatter]

I hate seeing threads like this, because it reminds me that I'm not doing myself the most good, because I use a Smith Machine for squats. Now, I KNOW it's doing something, my legs have grown. But they never get sore. I've tried using the rack a couple times but I can't even squat with the bar and a plate. My balance is absolutely horrible, and I feel I'm going to tumble over anytime. So I could do pathetic form free squats with the bar, or smith squat with relatively good form with 200. I just wish I knew for sure how bad I was hurting myself.

 

[Bobarell]

Well, I was in the gym tonight and I saw this guy with a very big upper body doing some squats with just the bar. He wasn't really doing high weight at all so maybe it was an active recovery day for him.

I couldn't tell what his legs looked like, but his calfs were alright. I am POSITIVE that he can do more than just the bar, but I felt good seeing him doing that little amount of weight. Like everyone said......go light with the rack and put your ego to the side. I am working on my form right now as well so I do my squats @115 on the rack. I admit that I do do a set on the smith machine high weight(to me), but I am getting away from it slowly.

 

[BodybuildingUniverse]

start out light, the weight will come quickly but DONT learn how to squat on a smith. it really is a whole different ballgame. squat as low as is comfortable, the deeper the better. High reps are fine, shoot for 12-15 and when you can do 16 add weight. Good luck!

 

[Manu]

squats

I've beeing trying a new workout for legs based in some article "functional hypertrophy" that i read at ironmag. i made some adaptation.
I do it every other week.

I do about 4 to 5 sets for 5 reps and try to perform it explosevly.
with 3/4 minutes interval bettwen sets

Then i get a light weight and make more 3 sets for 8 reps in a more controled tempo. 3 secs up 3 secs down.
with 2/3 minutes intervals

Then i do 2 sets at a lighter weight for 15 reps for 2 secs up 2 secs down.
with 90 secs intervals

And legs are over.

 

[Greek Freak]

Manu, thats a good program for a more advanced lifter...but if he is just learning to do free squats he is gonna have to get the groove and build up more strength before doing something like that. I saw the full range vs. paralell argument brought up before. I agree that full range squats can be good but just as with any other exercise, partial reps do have their place. When your trying to build up a lot of squatting power sometimes you need to feel what a weight is like before you do a full range, and if your in the rack you can set the catches to do this safely. I do up to 7 sets of squats in my workouts, i was just giving him one of the things I do which is use the rack as a guide so i could handle good weight and still have a far range of motion. I also do full squats all the way down standing behind a regular squat rack (I am 5'8 but i still hit the bottem of it on some reps), on those I always get a nice burn and feel like I recruit a lot of muscle fiber(and rip a lot of underwear) but I wouldnt want to go heavy with those. That may just be me personally but I dont feel it is worth risking an injury even if maybe you are sacrifising a small ammount of muscle growth. Pretty much as long as your doing some sort of squat and you start the motion pulling your ass back, eyes up on the wall and have to drive hard out of the bottem your gonna improve...just make sure the bar does have a good range. Just as the other guy said, you dont do half curls(although some people do)...just keep on squatting whatever way feels comfortable and the weight/size will come.

 

[Manu]

about range of motion

about full range:

I hear about full range and i am not sure what you mean.
i do squats til i make a parallel to the floor with quads (i hope this explains) maybe a little further. Is this full range?
Anyone has some site with video to show?

Thanks

 

[Ehiems]

A question of depth

Deep squats (lower-than-parallel thighs, or less than 90 degrees of knee flexion) are popular among powerlifters and Olympic lifters - the same lifters who can't wear normal pants because their thighs are so massive.
Bodytype also determines the depth to which you can squat. Short bodybuilders are able to squat so low their glutes nearly touch the floor (Tom Platz). Tall lifters - those with a longer femur (upper leg bone) - simply have more trouble doing so. They have a higher center of gravity, requiring them to bend excessively at knees and/or waist to keep their balance.
If your tall, don't force the issue by performing heavy squats beyond your limits or with bad form. Unfortunately, the point at which e risk of injury outweighs the benefits of increased muscle involvement varies from one person to the next. So some of you may have to consider squatting to the parallel-thigh position or as low as you can without knee pain or discomfort. Your body continually provides feedback, so listen to it.
As legendary bodybuilder Tom Platz says, "Half -squats equal half legs."