ATG Squat question

[Lawtycoon]

Before anyone starts, I've search and failed.

I've been slowly working my squats deeper over the last few weeks, and this morning decided fck it and pulled 20lbs off the bar and went ATG.

It felt good.

However, I was surprised to find I was feeling more recruitment in my calves than anywhere else when starting my ascent, so from ground to say an inch below parallel I had strong calve involvement.

I just want to know if this is normal, or in the alternative if my form is incorrect.

Cheers for the help.

[CyborgX]

It's probably because you have to relax your calf muscles to descend ATG on the squats, and therefore when you squat back up you must flex them again to get the weight moving.

[Lawtycoon]

Originally Posted by CyborgX

It's probably because you have to relax your calf muscles to descend ATG on the squats, and therefore when you squat back up you must flex them again to get the weight moving.

I can defintely feel the need to tense through the calve. I'm just worried I'm maybe pushing through the balls of my feet too much and not getting the most out of the exercise. Not sure how to change it.

Anyone who does ATG want to comment?

[J.L.C.]

Just because you go deeper doesn't mean you should be rocking onto the balls of your feet. You need to keep the on your heels while driving up regardless of squat style.

[dgcoats]

Originally Posted by Lawtycoon

I can defintely feel the need to tense through the calve. I'm just worried I'm maybe pushing through the balls of my feet too much and not getting the most out of the exercise. Not sure how to change it.

Anyone who does ATG want to comment?

You really shouldn't be pushing off the balls of your feet at all. Sit in the squat and put the weight on your heels.

[Lawtycoon]

That was my point. It doesn't feel like I'm moving onto the balls of my feet but I'm wondering if that is the only reason why I would feel more recruitment in my calves at the start of the ascent.

[XXX666]

It could be a few things

that feeling may go away after you develop more balancing strength.

give it a few weeks and see what happens.

i understand what you mean and i think you are flexing your calves because you are pushing very hard.

[Lawtycoon]

Originally Posted by XXX666

It could be a few things

that feeling may go away after you develop more balancing strength.

give it a few weeks and see what happens.

i understand what you mean and i think you are flexing your calves because you are pushing very hard.

Cheers XXX, I assumed that that's the cause.

I'll see if I'm still doing it after a few more sessions.

[InclineDBPresss]

ATG squat takes a lot of calf/ankle flexibility at first, you might just be acclimating to that. Maybe what you felt was tightness from an intense stretch rather than a muscle working.

[iSkinny]

Originally Posted by Lawtycoon

pulled 20lbs off the bar and went ATG.

It felt good.

Whether it felt good or not if you're breaking the lordotic curve to force ATG - just for the sake of your ego - then you're asking to be injured. Progressive overload placed on anterior pelvic tilt is asking for trouble.

If you didn't break the lordotic curve then ignore my point and congrats on the depth. The increased recruitment - as already said - may be due to moving onto the balls of your feet, the increased durations of stabilization or simply contracting them hard during hard pushing.

[Sim882]

I can feel it sometimes a bit in my calves in the final few reps, as u use any strength you have to push off.

Take the advice of others and try and sit back - with the weight on the heals, any calf involvement should be fairly minimal.

At the bottom you should be mainly feeling the movement in your arse from my experience.

[Ironlife]

During the concentric phase of this movement places a great deal of extension on your hips and knee joints which doesnt really explain why you are feeling this in your calves, probably due to a lot of the weight being transfered to the bottom of your feet (as mentioned^), especially when you are going that low. Keep training that squat ATG and your quad development should increase.

[Lawtycoon]

Originally Posted by iSkinny

Whether it felt good or not if you're breaking the lordotic curve to force ATG - just for the sake of your ego - then you're asking to be injured. Progressive overload placed on anterior pelvic tilt is asking for trouble.

I was very focused on not breaking the lordotic curve. My lifting partner confirmed it looked good, so I don't think that's an issue.

RE Ego: I have actually dropped my squats about 60 lbs from my parallel so that I can do ATG.

Originally Posted by Sim882

I can feel it sometimes a bit in my calves in the final few reps, as u use any strength you have to push off.

Take the advice of others and try and sit back - with the weight on the heals, any calf involvement should be fairly minimal.

At the bottom you should be mainly feeling the movement in your arse from my experience.

i definitely feel it in my gluts just surprise by the amount of calve. I'll make sure I'm sitting right back on my heels next time and see how that goes.

Originally Posted by Ironlife

During the concentric phase of this movement places a great deal of extension on your hips and knee joints which doesnt really explain why you are feeling this in your calves, probably due to a lot of the weight being transfered to the bottom of your feet (as mentioned^), especially when you are going that low. Keep training that squat ATG and your quad development should increase.

Cheers guys. The advice is greatly appreciated. I'll play around next week and see how it goes.

[Lawtycoon]

Originally Posted by InclineDBPresss

ATG squat takes a lot of calf/ankle flexibility at first, you might just be acclimating to that. Maybe what you felt was tightness from an intense stretch rather than a muscle working.

This hadn't occurred to me to be honest. I didn't feel it when I warmed up with a very light weight so I'm thinking its the way I'm lifting once it gets difficult.

[Sim882]

Originally Posted by Lawtycoon

This hadn't occurred to me to be honest. I didn't feel it when I warmed up with a very light weight so I'm thinking its the way I'm lifting once it gets difficult.

Hey fellow South Australian - we're surprisingly numerous here - try squatting barefoot next time.

It feels much better - regular running shoes are too elevated, and decrease your ability to sit back (to a small degree only, but enough to be noticeable).

[Lawtycoon]

Originally Posted by Sim882

Hey fellow South Australian - we're surprisingly numerous here - try squatting barefoot next time.

It feels much better - regular running shoes are too elevated, and decrease your ability to sit back (to a small degree only, but enough to be noticeable).

I'll give it a shot.

[iSkinny]

Originally Posted by Lawtycoon

I was very focused on not breaking the lordotic curve. My lifting partner confirmed it looked good, so I don't think that's an issue.

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