Weak Out of the Hole with Squats

[cmrocks]

Hi guys,

I'm new to strength training. I've been doing Starting Strength for the past while with good results. My squat has quick progressed from 155 to 245x5 and my deadlift has progressed from 185 to 315x5. With squats, I'm starting to have trouble getting out of the hole on my 3rd to 5th reps. Once I'm a few inches above parallel, I can easily move the weight to lockout. What sort of assistance exercise could I add to help with this?

Also, with deadlifts, I've done a 1RM of 355 lbs. I have no problem pulling the weight off the floor but, as I stand up, I'm having problems with my back rounding a bit. What could I do to help with this?

Thanks,

Cole

[davisj3537]

Box squats help out of the hole. True box squats, not that tng crap.

[TrettinR]

You're not weak out of the hole, You're weak everywhere. Keep squatting.

[cmrocks]

Box squats help out of the hole. True box squats, not that tng crap.

Thanks!

If I'm squatting 245x5, what weight should I start with for box squats? I'm assuming they should be done a bit lighter?

[samsont]

You're not weak out of the hole, You're weak everywhere. Keep squatting.

OP listen to this please

but if you listen to the other guys advice go with pause squats instead of box

[ShaunB61]

You're not weak out of the hole, You're weak everywhere. Keep squatting.

this. dead squats are good too

[breathinglife]

Trettin is right.
Don't do any squat variations at this point. They will screw with your form. Unless you are an experienced squatter, doing box squats or dead or pin squats will actually make you weaker out of the hole because they will teach you to squat without any stretch reflex, and so you'll start to muscle the squats out of the hole.

You just need to squat more. The only variation I'd add at this point is front squats. But just stick with squatting normal for now. I've seen many beginner lifters become fixated on some perceived weakness and go on an endless quest for the perfect assistance exercise to solve all of their problems. They never find it and they don't ever get stronger.

[scorpionsf]

you havent failed or reset yet

eat more food

[ShaunB61]

Trettin is right.
Don't do any squat variations at this point. They will screw with your form. Unless you are an experienced squatter, doing box squats or dead or pin squats will actually make you weaker out of the hole because they will teach you to squat without any stretch reflex, and so you'll start to muscle the squats out of the hole.

You just need to squat more. The only variation I'd add at this point is front squats. But just stick with squatting normal for now. I've seen many beginner lifters become fixated on some perceived weakness and go on an endless quest for the perfect assistance exercise to solve all of their problems. They never find it and they don't ever get stronger.

What do you recommend as assistance work for legs then, just squats and front squats? Not being sarcastic or anything either, you're a strong dude and obviously have been doing something right

[breathinglife]

The only exercises I do are bench, squat, deadlift and front squat.

[lowerpower]

i think doing a combination of box with pause, would be a best of both worlds, just mix up as many different types of lifts, hit the glute ham raises and you will see your max creep up, and you should get your true 1rm, thats the best way of judging if your getting stronger.

[shffl]

Agreed with what TrettinR said.

If you truly want to switch up do ATG squats. When you are doing ATG squats with the same weight that you are currently doing for reps, problem solved.

[LimitStrength]

Agreed with what TrettinR said.

If you truly want to switch up do ATG squats. When you are doing ATG squats with the same weight that you are currently doing for reps, problem solved.

90% of people do not have the flexibility to safely do ATG squats without seriously increasing there risk of injury. It's not wise to recommend something without knowing his personal flexibility limits.

Beyond that, as a Raw lifter, the bottom of the lift is naturally going to be the hardest, as you have the worst leverage there. All the bands / chains / reverse band stuff that you hear or read about powerlifters using are designed to train the lockout. This is because the suits / gear that the lifters use provide the most support at the bottom, and little at the top, so there is more of a need to train the lockout as that's where the lift usually fails, once the suit stops providing support.

Pause squats / box squats / pin squats, while all different, do have one similar theme. That is that they break up the concentric-eccentric cycle, and reduce stretch reflex. This means that you must generate more force to move the same weight. When you do not pause on a squat in the hole, or do not start it from the hole position, you naturally gain a stretch reflex from the muscles lengthening and resisting the stretch.

When you do things like box squats or pause squats, the longer you pause, the more you lose any help from the stretch reflex (about 90% of all stretch reflex is lost after about 4 seconds).

So reducing stretch reflex actually trains your body to create more force without the aid of this reflex. This is part of why box squats are so popular, among other reasons.

Like others said you have so many areas you can improve strength wise, you don't need any fancy variations. But things like front squats or pause squats are pretty basic, and can help all of your lifts.

Try experimenting with a few simple variations for awhile and then rotate back to free squatting. You should see an increase in strength. Keep in mind you will have to use lower poundage for most variations since you'll need some time to develop the appropriate motor patterns and stuff.

[baxtej44]

although the above mentioned variations and ideas are great, the only one that really stands out is just keep squatting/everything is weak.

[cmrocks]

Thanks guys. I'll just keep progressing on the program for a while yet. I've only been moving up in weight every 2nd workout. I've found that I've been more successful by going up in weight, then squatting 5x3 then using the same weight and squatting 3x5 then going up in weight again.

My biggest problem right now is that I work in a mining camp on a 3 weeks in, 3 weeks out rotation and I can only squat while at home. It's been 2 steps forward, 1 step back. We're getting a real gym here soon so that should help a lot.

[4g64fiero]

The hole should be the hardest part of the lift at this point.

[baxtej44]

for a raw lifter it's basically always going to be the hardest. i don't know how it would ever not be the hardest part.

[shffl]

90% of people do not have the flexibility to safely do ATG squats without seriously increasing there risk of injury. It's not wise to recommend something without knowing his personal flexibility limits.

That's interesting I didn't know that. It always came naturally for me so I thought it's normal.

[Torrtrefireto]

for a raw lifter it's basically always going to be the hardest. i don't know how it would ever not be the hardest part.

If you bounce out of the hole like I do its not hard at all

I can probably get 575 out of the hole, but 525 I probably couldn't make past like.... 2/5ths the way up

[wrkingclasshero]

The thread title reminded me of a horrible picture I saw of a guy who's intestines popped out of his *** while doing squats. Because of that I have always been afraid of doing squats.

[baxtej44]

The thread title reminded me of a horrible picture I saw of a guy who's intestines popped out of his *** while doing squats. Because of that I have always been afraid of doing squats.

you're in the wrong section

[InspecktaDeck]

The thread title reminded me of a horrible picture I saw of a guy who's intestines popped out of his *** while doing squats. Because of that I have always been afraid of doing squats.

ha jolly good show m8, are you avin' a giggle? Also negged

[Claymore1]

box squats help out of the hole. True box squats, not that tng crap.

this ^^^^^