what is it about ATG squats

[mrpatrson]

ok so ive read that ATG squats work your glutes much more, my glutes are already probably the most worked muscle from reg squats. ive considered setting back the weight to do ATGs. I dont compete so im not concerned about my squat max lowering a little if I could ATGs down im just wandering how worth it they are.

[chazzy1864]

For me? Not required for my routine.

For others? A staple.

[washedupwarrior]

After a lifetime of training all different kinds of squats and contact sports its the only way I can squat that doesnt hurt my knees. ATG all the way!

[ZenBrah]

Apparently, if you don't do them, you are a pussy. Atleast thats what I've heard.

[viperjax]

For me? Not required for my routine.

For others? A staple.

way to derail what could have been an epic thread

[viperjax]

ok so ive read that ATG squats work your glutes much more, my glutes are already probably the most worked muscle from reg squats. ive considered setting back the weight to do ATGs. I dont compete so im not concerned about my squat max lowering a little if I could ATGs down im just wandering how worth it they are.

not sure if you're trolling but.. if your glutes get worked most from half squats then why are you asking about lowering the weight to do atg? if it ain't broke..

[AusPower]

Apparently, if you don't do them, you are a pussy. Atleast thats what I've heard.

This is correct.

[chinesemuscle]

if you think your glutes are sore from half squats, you should really try a full squat and quit being a pussy.

[mrpatrson]

not sure if you're trolling but.. if your glutes get worked most from half squats then why are you asking about lowering the weight to do atg? if it ain't broke..

not trolling... perhaps i want to take my legs through a full range of motion and doing so will work the entire leg more completly?

[matjusm]

not trolling... perhaps i want to take my legs through a full range of motion and doing so will work the entire leg more completly?

There you have it, now start ATG squatting.

Funny thing I found was that after I started doing full squats, its been impossible to go back to stopping at parallel since it feels so unnatural to stop at an arbitrarily defined point when I could instead go down further.

[IronDGM]

atg squats not only work the glutes very well, but also work the higher portion of the quad. If ur glutes r gettin overdeveloped then try taking abit of pressure of ur heels and transfering to the front part of the foot.

[chazzy1864]

if you think your glutes are sore from half squats, you should really try a full squat and quit being a pussy.

lawl...

[KyleAaron]

In any exercise, the greater the range of motion, the more thoroughly the involved muscles are worked.

Consider the bicep curl. If you do one of those half curls, with elbow going from

|
\

to

|_

the biceps will not be worked as thoroughly as if you go from

|
|

to

|/

That's because your biceps are an elbow flexor, they decrease the angle of the elbow joint. So the more the elbow is flexed, the more the biceps will be worked. However this means you'll be able to use less weight in your curls, which is why most guys in gyms do the half-curls. They would rather look good today and have weak small biceps tomorrow, than look weak today and have strong large biceps tomorrow. Short-term thinking, also known as being stupid and lazy.

Likewise with your glutes and hamstrings. One of their jobs is to extend the hip. So the more you flex your hip - the deeper you go on a squat - the more your glutes and hamstrings have to work to extend your hip.

The human body is designed to squat deep. It was not designed to do half-squats. That is why the squat-hold is a punishment on military recruit courses, whereas 4 billion Asians and Africans happily spend many hours sitting in the deep squat position. Half-squats are damaging to your knee and hip joints. However half-squats use less muscles, so they're not as hard and tiring as deep squats. Thus, setting aside which is appropriate for each person's goals, half-squats are generally preferred by lazy people.

[Forshy]

are they bad for your knees?

[KR3W1]

Lol at squatting asians. But your answer OP, is that half squats are for pussys

[Protege385]

Half-squats really work your glutes that much? They dont do jack for mine. Chazzy what is your leg routine like? Heavy lunges and leg-spreaders ?

[Farley1324]

I don't think I have done a single weighted ATG squat in my life.

[Protege385]

I don't think I have done a single weighted ATG squat in my life.

Form is badass, I must say

[retiredrunner]

OP: Disregard the parrots and squat as deep as you can without compromising lower back arch/strength/whatever. Some people simply do not have the natural flexibility/body proportions to squat hams on calves without seeing major lumbar caving-innage. ATG is not at all necessary to develop a strong posterior chain. And no, squatting below parallel doesn't relegate you to pussy status (leg press exclusive will).

[Hack Squat]

It's easier to do atg front squats as far as flexibility. Take some weight off and try them, they won't work the glutes as much and you can get full rom. With time you can use almost as much weight as you could back squat.

[Farley1324]

It's easier to do atg front squats as far as flexibility. Take some weight off and try them, they won't work the glutes as much and you can get full rom. With time you can use almost as much weight as you could back squat.

I have a MUCH easier time getting depth with front squats than low bar back squats.

[BB2K]

After a lifetime of training all different kinds of squats and contact sports its the only way I can squat that doesnt hurt my knees. ATG all the way!

Im the same way. ATG is all i can do, anything less kills my knees.

[BB2K]

I have a MUCH easier time getting depth with front squats than low bar back squats.

ATG front squats would be my #1 staple movement. LOVE this movement more than any other and i have gotten way better results with ATG Front squats than regular back squats. I keep my feet close together so i hit the outter sweep really well.

[Farley1324]

ATG front squats would be my #1 staple movement. LOVE this movement more than any other and i have gotten way better results with ATG Front squats than regular back squats. I keep my feet close together so i hit the outter sweep really well.

I like front squats quite a bit. I havn't hardly ever done them as anything other than a light day squat alternative, but I may begin to interchange them with back squats.

[BB2K]

I like front squats quite a bit. I havn't hardly ever done them as anything other than a light day squat alternative, but I may begin to interchange them with back squats.

I stopped back squats, they always kill my lower back. Form was always perfect though. Front squats are fantastic, finally hit 315lbs for 2! But ever since i started keeping my feet close to each other my new max is 275lbs lol Feet together is much harder!



Wore the wrong type of shoes for squatting, i now have vibram5finger shoes.

[Farley1324]

I stopped back squats, they always kill my lower back. Form was always perfect though. Front squats are fantastic, finally hit 315lbs for 2! But ever since i started keeping my feet close to each other my new max is 275lbs lol Feet together is much harder!



Wore the wrong type of shoes for squatting, i now have vibram5finger shoes.

Low back problems are one reason I may do less back squatting. That pains me to say, but I have taken videos of my form on days where my back was slightly FUBAR the next morning.

As my sig shows my front squat PR is 325x1. I couldn't do that right now though. Double

[washedupwarrior]

Since I tore my left adductor I have kept the back squats to a minimum. My knees feel much better with fronts than they ever did with back squats.

BB2K once I have enough posts to be able to post a video of my front squats. My wife saw your vid and said "I thought you said you couldn't post vids on there yet". haha!

[BB2K]

Since I tore my left adductor I have kept the back squats to a minimum. My knees feel much better with fronts than they ever did with back squats.

BB2K once I have enough posts to be able to post a video of my front squats. My wife saw your vid and said "I thought you said you couldn't post vids on there yet". haha!

shoot me the link and ill post it bro. PM it to me.

I had my L5/S1 operated on, the worst pain ive ever felt. Ive had 4 knee surgeries on my right knee and i am now 30% disabled in that knee. Now, my injuries werent from squatting but back squats were just to painful after my surgeries. Front squats are pain free and i get great results with them.

[Farley1324]

shoot me the link and ill post it bro. PM it to me.

I had my L5/S1 operated on, the worst pain ive ever felt. Ive had 4 knee surgeries on my right knee and i am now 30% disabled in that knee. Now, my injuries werent from squatting but back squats were just to painful after my surgeries. Front squats are pain free and i get great results with them.

Damn. That's some ****.

I have a herniated L5-S1, nowhere near surgical, and it's enough of a PITA at times.

[unity]

just want to say it is nice to see members of this board finally migrating to front squats after years of seeing nothing but the hip break/low bar back squat gangs terrorizing every single thread.