hitting parallel on the squat

[matches]

So apparently I have been doing half squats or whatever.

Basically, I was doing squats about a year ago when this giant power lifter came up and told me I was going too low and that I was going to blow my knees out. He brought over a stool for me to use as a guide basically when my butt hit it was time to go back up. Doing it this way got me as low as about to sit on a chair. Now I have been seeing stuff that says you have to hit parallel in order to get the most out the squat the potential for injury from hitting parallel is BS.

What are you guys doing? I still need to film some my lifts to get your critiques, but I need to get my posts up to 30 or something before I can post a link :/

[uabeng]

go on google and google pictures of people in undeveloped parts of the world that do not have the luxury of a chair. how are they sitting/squatting? are the hips below are above the knee? seems pretty natural to go all the way down.

[matjusm]

So apparently I have been doing half squats or whatever.

Basically, I was doing squats about a year ago when this giant power lifter came up and told me I was going too low and that I was going to blow my knees out. He brought over a stool for me to use as a guide basically when my butt hit it was time to go back up. Doing it this way got me as low as about to sit on a chair. Now I have been seeing stuff that says you have to hit parallel in order to get the most out the squat the potential for injury from hitting parallel is BS.

What are you guys doing? I still need to film some my lifts to get your critiques, but I need to get my posts up to 30 or something before I can post a link :/

He might have been huge but he certainly wasn't wise. Full squats are great as they allow for the largest range of motion and they will not blow your knees out.

What he was showing you was something that is only applicable in powerlifting: hitting a certain depth in order for the lift to qualify. For everyone else, I can't see much of a reason to consciously limit your squat depth.

Read this: http://www.poliquingroup.com/Tips/ta...r-Results.aspx

[ironwill2008]

So apparently I have been doing half squats or whatever.

Basically, I was doing squats about a year ago when this giant power lifter came up and told me I was going too low and that I was going to blow my knees out. He brought over a stool for me to use as a guide basically when my butt hit it was time to go back up. Doing it this way got me as low as about to sit on a chair. Now I have been seeing stuff that says you have to hit parallel in order to get the most out the squat the potential for injury from hitting parallel is BS.

What are you guys doing? I still need to film some my lifts to get your critiques, but I need to get my posts up to 30 or something before I can post a link :/

Get to at least parallel. There is no clinical evidence to support the myth that Squatting to that depth or deeper promotes knee injury.


You'd do well to ignore Mr Giant Dude the next time he comes around with more advices.

[NicktheStick]

You'd do well to ignore Mr Giant Dude the next time he comes around with more advices.

Unless of course he's recommending a buffet... Powerlifters always know where to find the best all-you-can eat places.

[ironwill2008]

unless of course he's recommending a buffet... Powerlifters always know where to find the best all-you-can eat places.

Lulz. Dude probably knows how to eat!

[matches]

He does! I've ran into a couple times out of the gym and that guy E.A.T.S... three full breakfast plates... all him

[chazzy1864]

He was right , going to low can blow out your knees. Keep it between 80-90 degrees and you're fine.

You just perpetually give bad advice, eh?

[TJP33]

yes/no/maybe... it really depends on the individual squatting. In most cases no- I agree with above post- but I could see this advice being given as a precaution to those guys who tend to buckle there knee inward to drive the weight up. perhaps he saw that in you?

a video would definitely be helpful, I think stance and bar positioning will decide whether you should being looking for a full squat vs atg.

[bl1tzkr13g]

So apparently I have been doing half squats or whatever.

Basically, I was doing squats about a year ago when this giant power lifter came up and told me I was going too low and that I was going to blow my knees out. He brought over a stool for me to use as a guide basically when my butt hit it was time to go back up. Doing it this way got me as low as about to sit on a chair. Now I have been seeing stuff that says you have to hit parallel in order to get the most out the squat the potential for injury from hitting parallel is BS.

What are you guys doing? I still need to film some my lifts to get your critiques, but I need to get my posts up to 30 or something before I can post a link :/

As others have said... This guy had no idea. My knees actually will hurt worse if I stop above parallel... It feels like it puts so much strain on my ligaments to stop... Therefore I always break parallel.

He was right , going to low can blow out your knees. Keep it between 80-90 degrees and you're fine.

No. Wrong. And wrong.

There is a reason your knees are able to accomplish a full range of motion where your calves touch the back of your legs. So long as you are utilizing proper form, your knees will NOT have any issues... As a matter of fact, my knees feel better now than they ever did.

There is also a reason why lifting competitions have set rules for certain lifts... Just saying.

[Jasonk282]

He was right , going to low can blow out your knees. Keep it between 80-90 degrees and you're fine.

Idiot^^^^^

[chamelious]

Always lower than parallel, but its taken a bit of experimenting to find the right stance/etc that works for me. For me its high bar, ankles raised, stance fairly narrow. Its worth remembering that its beneficial to get lower than parallel, but not everyones body is the same in terms of imbalances, weaknesses, limb lengths etc.

[hanger1989]

I've always been told to go down as far as your flexibility allows you to. Unfortunately for me that's not very far haha!

[Reise91]

people need to stop thinking theres one certain depth which is perfect for everyone who squats. everyone is different when it comes to this ****. some people can get away with squatting all the way down to the ground with no problem, some people cant. theres a video on the athaleanX youtube channel all about squat stance and depth and the reasons why people are all so different, including bone length and size and joint insertions.

everything iv read says you should try and get your legs parallel to the ground. i think the things that will be hurting your knee will be bouncing at the bottom of the movement, going down past where is comfortable and just generally bad for, not to mention using weights which are too heavy.

[Jasonk282]

people need to stop thinking theres one certain depth which is perfect for everyone who squats. everyone is different when it comes to this ****. some people can get away with squatting all the way down to the ground with no problem, some people cant. theres a video on the athaleanX youtube channel all about squat stance and depth and the reasons why people are all so different, including bone length and size and joint insertions.

everything iv read says you should try and get your legs parallel to the ground. i think the things that will be hurting your knee will be bouncing at the bottom of the movement, going down past where is comfortable and just generally bad for, not to mention using weights which are too heavy.

it's because of a flexibility problem, squatting atg is natural...just look at toddlers



1. athleanx, LOL
2. bouncing at the bottom is not bad for your knees, that's the stretch reflex
3. heavy weights don;t make your knees hurt when you squat

[Molinski09]

Idiot^^^^^

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http://harboursidefitness.com.au/con...FormSquat.jpeg

I don't know why all you guys are freaking out and giving me bad rep points... check the picture I linked. With respect to that dotted line going straight up a 75- 80 degree squat would be average for most guys. If you want to go lower and feel more comfortable that's fine with you but don't come on here and criticize me when I'm simply trying to help the OP. Obviously if you have proper form you'd never blow out your knees but with improper form it can be very easy too and i have no clue how the OP does his squats. Next time relax and understand what I'm saying before you go calling me an idiot etc.

-Mechanical Engineering Student

[chamelious]

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http://harboursidefitness.com.au/con...FormSquat.jpeg

I don't know why all you guys are freaking out and giving me bad rep points... check the picture I linked. With respect to that dotted line going straight up a 75- 80 degree squat would be average for most guys. If you want to go lower and feel more comfortable that's fine with you but don't come on here and criticize me when I'm simply trying to help the OP. Obviously if you have proper form you'd never blow out your knees but with improper form it can be very easy too and i have no clue how the OP does his squats. Next time relax and understand what I'm saying before you go calling me an idiot etc.

-Mechanical Engineering Student

Your claim was "going too low can blow out your knees".

[Molinski09]

Your claim was "going too low can blow out your knees".

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Yes in regard to the OP who I don't know how he squats - It's unlikely but if has bad form and goes to low he'll **** up his knees. And most people were saying I was wrong on my angles as well which I was not.

[TheLiftingDoc]

Blowing knees out from going too low...

I have heard good trolls in my life, but this is one of my favourite

[Molinski09]

Blowing knees out from going too low...

I have heard good trolls in my life, but this is one of my favourite

With improper form actually will destroy your knees. Squatting is actually good for your knees when done properly and it's used in most physio cases for people recovering. But per example someone is going for a PR on squat on their knees are moving forward while squatting it can do some damage. I apologize for not being more clear by aying squatting too low can wreck your knees because no- with proper form it never will.

[Jasonk282]

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http://harboursidefitness.com.au/con...FormSquat.jpeg

I don't know why all you guys are freaking out and giving me bad rep points... check the picture I linked. With respect to that dotted line going straight up a 75- 80 degree squat would be average for most guys. If you want to go lower and feel more comfortable that's fine with you but don't come on here and criticize me when I'm simply trying to help the OP. Obviously if you have proper form you'd never blow out your knees but with improper form it can be very easy too and i have no clue how the OP does his squats. Next time relax and understand what I'm saying before you go calling me an idiot etc.

-Mechanical Engineering Student

with respect to your linked picture. one is a high bar squat and the other is a low bar squat...both to depth, but with different leverages. your more likely to blow your back out with improper for to depth as you use more of your back to get out of the hole, like a squat-morning. you hurt your knees when you squat above depth as sheer forces on your knees from stopping.

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Yes in regard to the OP who I don't know how he squats - It's unlikely but if has bad form and goes to low he'll **** up his knees. And most people were saying I was wrong on my angles as well which I was not.

No it's not. you can fuk up your back more than your keen from going to low. Again, the majority of knees issues are from people squatting to high, not to low.

[ironwill2008]

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http://harboursidefitness.com.au/con...FormSquat.jpeg

I don't know why all you guys are freaking out and giving me bad rep points... check the picture I linked. With respect to that dotted line going straight up a 75- 80 degree squat would be average for most guys. If you want to go lower and feel more comfortable that's fine with you but don't come on here and criticize me when I'm simply trying to help the OP. Obviously if you have proper form you'd never blow out your knees but with improper form it can be very easy too and i have no clue how the OP does his squats. Next time relax and understand what I'm saying before you go calling me an idiot etc.

-Mechanical Engineering Student

What does the diagram you linked have to do with your claim that Squatting deep will "blow out your knees?"



You should stop posting until such time as you know what you're talking about.

[unstrong]

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http://harboursidefitness.com.au/con...FormSquat.jpeg

I don't know why all you guys are freaking out and giving me bad rep points... check the picture I linked. With respect to that dotted line going straight up a 75- 80 degree squat would be average for most guys. If you want to go lower and feel more comfortable that's fine with you but don't come on here and criticize me when I'm simply trying to help the OP. Obviously if you have proper form you'd never blow out your knees but with improper form it can be very easy too and i have no clue how the OP does his squats. Next time relax and understand what I'm saying before you go calling me an idiot etc.

-Mechanical Engineering Student

That diagram is from Starting Strength and illustrates two main things:
- The bottom positions of the low bar and high bar squat differ because the bar must remain over the midfoot to avoid moment arms. If the bar were in front of or behind the midfoot, the tendency would be to fall forwards or backwards.
- The amount of forward knee travel varies to accommodate point 1.

What that diagram is not about is a recommendation of how far down someone can safely squat without sustaining knee damage. I'm sure Lu Xiaojun is just destroying his knees by catching his snatches so low:



And while Salimi Behdad being 350 pounds probably puts a good deal of stress on his knees, you know what does not? Throwing up the heaviest snatches in world history:

[uabeng]

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http://harboursidefitness.com.au/con...FormSquat.jpeg

I don't know why all you guys are freaking out and giving me bad rep points... check the picture I linked. With respect to that dotted line going straight up a 75- 80 degree squat would be average for most guys. If you want to go lower and feel more comfortable that's fine with you but don't come on here and criticize me when I'm simply trying to help the OP. Obviously if you have proper form you'd never blow out your knees but with improper form it can be very easy too and i have no clue how the OP does his squats. Next time relax and understand what I'm saying before you go calling me an idiot etc.

-Mechanical Engineering Student

Lmao, since when does being a student in engineering hold any weight?

Get out, get your licensure then you might have a touch of clout. Til then, keep in the books...

[Jasonk282]

That diagram is from Starting Strength and illustrates two main things:
- The bottom positions of the low bar and high bar squat differ because the bar must remain over the midfoot to avoid moment arms. If the bar were in front of or behind the midfoot, the tendency would be to fall forwards or backwards.
- The amount of forward knee travel varies to accommodate point 1.

What that diagram is not about is a recommendation of how far down someone can safely squat without sustaining knee damage. I'm sure Lu Xiaojun is just destroying his knees by catching his snatches so low:



And while Salimi Behdad being 350 pounds probably puts a good deal of stress on his knees, you know what does not? Throwing up the heaviest snatches in world history:

fixed the pic for ya

[Molinski09]

What does the diagram you linked have to do with your claim that Squatting deep will "blow out your knees?"



You should stop posting until such time as you know what you're talking about.

Clearly I'm making two different points if you can read.

[ironwill2008]

......snip.....

Go away.

[Molinski09]

Go away.

If any of you can read I also apologized for saying it will blow out the knees. I was wrong on that point . Because I messed up one point shouldn't make all my credibility gone. I still know what I'm doing so relax.

[adamdavidson47]

I read this article the other day, thought it was interesting.

http://www.t-nation.com/training/how...should-i-squat

[ironwill2008]

I read this article the other day, thought it was interesting.

http://www.t-nation.com/training/how...should-i-squat

Probably the take-home point of that entire article was the paragraph on ankle mobility, something that causes lots of squat noobs lots of problems as far as reaching depth is concerned.