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Ok im about to tackle squats for the first time in my workout career and im wondering what I should start out at weight wise? I have pretty muscular legs and have been doing leg presses for a long time. Anyone have any good suggestions on what type of weight i should start at out with squats and how many sets/reps i should do. I was doing 4 sets of 12 reps at 225-250 on the leg press and i was doing those pretty easily, so what weight do you guys suggest i start at out with squats?
The bar
Seriously. Just start with the bar and work your way up. Squats are not something you want to rush with. Better to use a weight that's too light than on that's too heavy
Good luck, get ready for gains :D
ok i'll try it, what so you suggest set/rep wise?
just the bar. work on your form- sitting down and back, not down and forward.
When doing squats for the first time you have to decide if you wish to do them ass to the floor or just to some arbitrary point you call parallel. I would suggest some sort of power rack/support structure to protect you should you fail with the weight on your back. Otherwise you have to do an awkward dumping of the weight.
I suggest trying bodyweight squats all the way down ass to the floor first. See how many you can do. Then work up to the bar on your back or dumbells in each hand depending on what you feel you can perform safely. If you plan to lift at home I would suggest practicing how you will get rid of the weight should you fail if you don't have a power rack/support structure or spotters to help.
Front squats are an option too if you have no squat racks or related structures to help you out when you fail.
[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by firstmark [/i]
[B]I suggest trying bodyweight squats all the way down ass to the floor first.[/B][/QUOTE]
More sensibly, as far down as you can go while still keeping good form.
If a person can't do a bodyweight squat all the way down to the floor they perhaps have some structural or muscular problems they need to find out about.
Its a natural movement and with no weight so if someone can't do it with good form then they might also have trouble walking with good form too.
Anything below parallel is dangerous.
Do one set of twenty reps.
i started with 135 about couple months ago, im at 245 now repping it
bump to the ones that said use the bar, rep range depends on what works best for you i use 6-8
Sometimes it's hard to use just the bar (as far as form and balance). I find it easier to throw a couple 10s or 25s on the bar to start out.
IMHO
If squats done below parallel are dangerous then I guess humans were not meant to squat down low to the ground. I wonder how humans were able to do this to help them hunt and survive. Running is dangerous too as is crossing the street. With an appropriate weight and a healthy frame even "dangerous" movements such as running, and squatting can be beneficial.
I imagine more people get hurt loading the bar extra heavy for squats to parallel which they then fail at and come all the way down to the ground forcefully on.
[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by TrudyV [/i]
[B]Anything below parallel is dangerous.
Do one set of twenty reps. [/B][/QUOTE]
um, no
[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by hyp3r3xt3nsion [/i]
[B]um, no [/B][/QUOTE]
0wned :)
i agree on just using the bar. the first time i did squats, i did like 5 sets just with the bar to get used to them. the next time i did them (the following week) i think i added 50 lbs to the bar, and kept going up very slowly. you wanna get yourself in a groove of proper form before you load on the weight.
[QUOTE=tbomb;2848756]0wned :)
i agree on just using the bar. the first time i did squats, i did like 5 sets just with the bar to get used to them. the next time i did them (the following week) i think i added 50 lbs to the bar, and kept going up very slowly. you wanna get yourself in a groove of proper form before you load on the weight.[/QUOTE]
When I started out I had never really understsood the squat form. I knew I wasn't supposed to bend my lower back and was to focus on form, but its hard to understand that until you're in motion.
Things that helped me as a newbie to squatting:
- Start with bar or VERY low weight. Seriously. This will give you time to adjust to the form. Doing the form improperly even with only the bar can still cause grievance to your lower back.
- Keep your upper chest pushed out. This should and will staart to come more naturally with practice.
- For me, angle your feet 30 degrees "outward" from shoulder-width stance
- If you feel like you're losing balance or "falling backwards" you have a problem with your stance. Push your knees outward instead of falling backward.
- Use Mirrors if available
- I'm a very long armed guy, it took me a while to find the proper grip on the bar. Start wide on the bar and work your way in a bit until you find a happy medium. you'll find the bar also falls nicely into the pocket in your back when you adjust your grip
Thread was originally posted in the Jurassic Period.