Can you squat double your body weight?

[farzamk]

Parallel squat, 1 rep.

[kevn594]

used to be able to squat more than 2x my body weight. comin back from 3 broken vertabrae is tough though

[DavidJr74]

I never squat parallel though; I only squat full. I remember once I did 290 before football season about parallel but thats not 2x bodyweight so no.

[jace387]

yeah, i weighed 155 at the time, and before i broke my back i was working out with 375 going to parallel for 4-6 reps! just did my first squat this week since i found out it was broken back in august and it felt pretty good...anybody got any tips on getting back quick??

[Ben76]

I never squat parallel though; I only squat full. I remember once I did 290 before football season about parallel but thats not 2x bodyweight so no.

If you could do 290 for a legit parallel there is no reason you can only do a plate for 8 reps no matter the depth.

[DavidKH]

At 156 I squatted 405x2

[farzamk]

For sprinters and athletes wanting to reach their max potential in starts and acceleration, 2x body weight squat is necessary.

[crppleman51]

For sprinters and athletes wanting to reach their max potential in starts and acceleration, 2x body weight squat is necessary.

less your in HS then its desirable but chances are most people wont have stats like that til senior year

[CLiTMASTA]

For sprinters and athletes wanting to reach their max potential in starts and acceleration, 2x body weight squat is necessary.

would squating 3x your bw make a big difference acceleration wise then only squating 2x your bw?

[farzamk]

less your in HS then its desirable but chances are most people wont have stats like that til senior year

you dont reach your max potential do you that early?

I do have a 13 year old capable of squatting 2x his body weight, it is possible, but more so should be done 15/16 years old if you hope to be succesful at using blocks.

[farzamk]

would squating 3x your bw make a big difference acceleration wise then only squating 2x your bw?

would squatting 5000 pounds make a difference than squatting 100 pounds? If the answer is yes, then yes it does make a difference.

3x squat is INCREDIBLE and every good starter in history of sprints is/was capable of doing it. Powell, Greene and Johnson perfect examples.

Greater the strength to mass ratio, the better your start will become and so will your accel.

[HoosierBoy]

For sprinters and athletes wanting to reach their max potential in starts and acceleration, 2x body weight squat is necessary.

No, it isn't. Stop talking in absolutes.

[farzamk]

No, it isn't. Stop talking in absolutes.

How many good athletes you got?
Name a single sprinter who had a great start and acceleration who couldnt squat their own body weight x2.

[farzamk]

Tyson Gay/Carl Lewis, Lewis couldnt, Gay unheard but think he is getting there. Lewis took illegal stimulants to speed up his reaction and relied on top speed to cover for his acceleration. Gay doesnt have a start or accel., but all around can run a 100m very well. His start and accel have developed as his lifts and squat have progressed under work on Jon Drummond.

Johnson was the strongest sprinter ever and could squat 3.2x his body weight 6 reps, and even did a second set with less than usual recovery time. Reaction time was 0.115-0.120, he ripped the blocks off the track once, acceleration was probably the best ever in sprinting.

[DavidJr74]

If you could do 290 for a legit parallel there is no reason you can only do a plate for 8 reps no matter the depth.

I haven't updated that in a long time.

[RAW87]

I cant squat at all with my bad knees

[farzamk]

I cant squat at all with my bad knees

You're 13!

Do you stretch everyday?
Do you stretch your quadriceps every day?
Have you squatted before?
Do quadricep strengthening exercises?
Loosen your knee at all?
Ice your knee?
Proper quadricep massage?
Do lunges?
Have perfect squatting form?

If yes to all, then there's a problem, go to your doctor. You shouldnt have knee problems at this age.

I doubt you have the talent to get where you want to without a large amount of lower body strength.

[roid_monkey]

I cant squat at all with my bad knees

lol, thats what they all say

[RAW87]

Do you stretch everyday?- No
Do you stretch your quadriceps every day?-No
Have you squatted before?- Only bodyweight, even 10 bodyweight squats hurt
Do quadricep strengthening exercises?- Yes
Loosen your knee at all?- How?
Ice your knee?- No
Proper quadricep massage?- No
Do lunges?- Yes
Have perfect squatting form?- Probably not "perfect" but for bodyweight only, its good.

[qb0708]

200 lbs done 455x2 parallel hoping to be able to do 2.5xbody weight(500) for the next powermeet, farzamk this intrigues me because i am going to start running track this year for the first time since in 8th grade (im a senior now) and the last time i ran track i had a very slow start...

[killermony]

1 was at about a 2.3x bodyweight squat to just below parallel. at about 170 lbs i was squating close to 400 lbs, but it is probably less now since, i "aggravated my knee cartilage" as our trainer said, during football and stopped squating heavy for about 5 weeks.

[kevn594]

I seriously doubt any person on here under 200lbs saying "oh ya, i squatted 4__ for like 5 reps before i got hurt", etc, etc.

as i have seen thousands of time before with my friends who havent played football since they were in 9th grade, the average kid thinks he squats 490 because he half-squatted 315 a couple times.


2nd, farzamk, i duno about the carl lewis statement. he is one of the greatest athletes of our time. his supposed failed drug tests were before the 1988 Olympics yet all of his PR's were post 1990. i dont really buy into those accusations.

i also completely agree with your statement that a double body weight squat will help a sprinter reach their potential BUT i think that some of the greatest sprinters are just genetic freaks and half of them can get away with not squatting that much

[Dom_88]

Not even close lol. But I'm working on it.

[HoosierBoy]

How many good athletes you got?
Name a single sprinter who had a great start and acceleration who couldnt squat their own body weight x2.

I don't know sprinters, but I can name dozens of offensive linemen who don't even do the back squat.

[Bodysteele]

"Squatting" 2X your bodyweight isnt a prerequisite for anything.

Some of the best athletes I ever played football with couldnt/didnt even squat much at all.

Look; the first issue is there is no STANDARDIZED squat. Some of the movements people call "squats" on here are to me quarter or half squats at most...and you'll have people calling SPECIFICALLY the depth good. Every 200lbs kid on here has a 400lbs squat...sorry if I doubt them but ive seen some of their sets with 275 where they dont even appraoch parallel..hard for me to buy they sink 405lbs.

Im sorry....if you have the safety bar at your waist or even close to it its a half squat to me.

I squat shoulder width apart ATG or LITERALLY calf to hamstring(olympic style) till it is impossible to go any further....that or inches away at worst. Doesn't mean i'm a better person or a better athlete but it is a more demanding lift than what typical BBers/ or even athletes use. You cant compare numbers on one lift to the other....depth is a huge issue affecting or limiting poundage.

Thats a completely different movement than a wide stanced PLing type movement with a goodmorning and minimal knee bend.

Just bc someone can manipulate technique to put a big number on the board doesnt make them a good athlete....hell it doesnt even make them stronger than they were before...

One reason why ill never squat in a PLing competition or compete in PLing...

Just doesnt appeal to me...its just number whoring.

The best stat to measure athleticism I know of is some sort of coefficient between BW and vertical Jump. The heavier and the higher the better....

No cheating the Just Jump machine....no spreading the legs 8 feet wide, no tipping forward to lessen ROM, just get on the scale and then jump.

Thats how much lower body POWER you can maximally call upon.

Pretty simple, and pretty good measure...much better than any lift where technique comes into play.

[WRbigbody]

nope I'm 207lbs and squat around 300-310 for a max, but I do have good speed

[the gomenator]

yes, im 185 and squatting about 405.

[farzamk]

Do you stretch everyday?- No
Do you stretch your quadriceps every day?-No
Have you squatted before?- Only bodyweight, even 10 bodyweight squats hurt
Do quadricep strengthening exercises?- Yes
Loosen your knee at all?- How?
Ice your knee?- No
Proper quadricep massage?- No
Do lunges?- Yes
Have perfect squatting form?- Probably not "perfect" but for bodyweight only, its good.

You need to start stretching your quads 5x a day. That's right, 5 times. 30-45 seconds each time on each leg. Ice your knee daily as well as post workout and post squatting. Isolate your leg in place, roll through your knee pre workouts. Dont take knees past toes ever. Perfect your form. Also stretch everyday 2x a day.

[Reps n Sets]

Tyson Gay/Carl Lewis, Lewis couldnt, Gay unheard but think he is getting there. Lewis took illegal stimulants to speed up his reaction and relied on top speed to cover for his acceleration. Gay doesnt have a start or accel., but all around can run a 100m very well. His start and accel have developed as his lifts and squat have progressed under work on Jon Drummond.

Johnson was the strongest sprinter ever and could squat 3.2x his body weight 6 reps, and even did a second set with less than usual recovery time. Reaction time was 0.115-0.120, he ripped the blocks off the track once, acceleration was probably the best ever in sprinting.

If you going to call out Carl at least state the fact that Johnson took illegal substances also.

However you fail to acknowledge immaculate athletes like Tommie Smith and Bob Beamon who, without weights, put up competition times/distances that would rival some of todays best athletes.

Bob damn near jumped up the pit.

Tommie acceleration wasn't as crucial for he was a 200m runner but he still managed to run a 19.8 with his hands up in the air for the last 10m while repeatedly turning his head back looking at his competitors throughout the end stretch of the race (poor mechanics)-- the video is on youtube.

This is before weightlifting went mainstream and calisthenics was the choice of exercise.

[farzamk]

I seriously doubt any person on here under 200lbs saying "oh ya, i squatted 4__ for like 5 reps before i got hurt", etc, etc.

as i have seen thousands of time before with my friends who havent played football since they were in 9th grade, the average kid thinks he squats 490 because he half-squatted 315 a couple times.


2nd, farzamk, i duno about the carl lewis statement. he is one of the greatest athletes of our time. his supposed failed drug tests were before the 1988 Olympics yet all of his PR's were post 1990. i dont really buy into those accusations.

i also completely agree with your statement that a double body weight squat will help a sprinter reach their potential BUT i think that some of the greatest sprinters are just genetic freaks and half of them can get away with not squatting that much

Lewis had immense talent, didnt have a great acceleration, and I can guarantee 200000% he had MANY types of stimulants. He just got caught once and got it hushed up. I know the business well, ALL I mean ALL the sprinters take drugs whcih range from anabolic steroids with dianabol being very popular among sprinters to the 70 undetectable drugs made last year to variety of stimulants.

Lewis wasnt muscular and had favourable leverages compared to Johnson.

All sprinters lift, and most can squat 2x body weight and top starters and accelerators can squat 3x.

As for Lewis's 1990 stuff, he continued his drug use from whcih he started early on in his career up to when he retired. You need to do some research and read a book like Speed Trap and see how easy sprinters can pass drug tests.