Official Squatting Advice Thread

**ceilos456** · 10-11-2006, 05:09 PM

well here you can state where to grip, how to keep form being injured, etc.

**TheCore** · 10-11-2006, 05:10 PM

Well don�t ego lift when squatting, that�s for sure...!

**USMARINE8152** · 10-11-2006, 05:14 PM

feet should be in a comfortable position keep ur bacj arched and ass out , dont let your butt tuck under at any time. and range of motion has alot to do with your flexability.

**KopyKat** · 10-11-2006, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by USMARINE8152

feet should be in a comfortable position keep ur bacj arched and ass out , dont let your butt tuck under at any time. and range of motion has alot to do with your flexability.

Agreed

**itsallgood** · 10-11-2006, 05:33 PM

Keep your head up. Pick a spot on the ceiling and keep your eye on it for the whole set.

**Hola Bola** · 10-11-2006, 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by itsallgood

Keep your head up. Pick a spot on the ceiling and keep your eye on it for the whole set.

Negative. Look straight ahead.

**itsallgood** · 10-11-2006, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by Hola Bola

Negative. Look straight ahead.

thanks, but I'll keep looking up.

**Hola Bola** · 10-11-2006, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by itsallgood

thanks, but I'll keep looking up.

Any particular reason why?

**papi93** · 10-11-2006, 05:49 PM

Originally Posted by itsallgood

thanks, but I'll keep looking up.

Are you a powerlifter? If not, neutral alignment is superior.

**itsallgood** · 10-11-2006, 05:53 PM

Originally Posted by Hola Bola

Any particular reason why?

It's just the way Ive always done it, it helps keep me from leaning forward. Is there something wrong with looking up? I think if I tried looking straight ahead after all these years, I would probably fall on my face! I don't know maybe not.

**Killa Cris** · 10-11-2006, 06:08 PM

When I squat I've noticed I lean forward too much, how can I correct this?

Any particular stretches or exercises I should be doing?

**Kouta** · 10-11-2006, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by Hola Bola

Negative. Look straight ahead.

Agreed Holla. Look ahead.

I know some people are getting sick of Rippetoe but here are some quotes from starting strength .

Quote:'But the form errors created by looking up combine with the bad neck position to produce a movment that is so unsafe as to almost make it understandable that so many health care professionals advise against the squat.'

" The single most common problem encountered by professional strength coaches is the trainee who has been shown to "squat: by someone who has never himself done a correct squat. Invariably these kids will have been taught to "look up at the ceiling" when they squat...............This is a very difficult habit to break once it is established and has so many detrimental effects on the squat exercution some law against it will eventually have to be adopted.
Looking up when squatting is the enemy of depth, hip drive out of the bottom , and correct chest postition, the three most important factors in a correct, safe squat. This bizarre neck position it inheritly unsafe anyway. To place the cervial spine is extreme hyperextension and then place a heavy weight on the trapezius muscles directly underneath it is, at best, imprudent."

**Mark1T** · 10-11-2006, 06:27 PM

When doing squats, I personally prefer to do 3 to 5 reps per set, as opposed to higher rep sets. I like the endurance that higher reps can help you achieve, but for growth and strength, I have found that 3 to 5 reps help me perform with much better range of motion (ATG), without having to worry about whether I will hit the 10th or 20th rep.

Again, I do like high rep sets, but from experience, I know that I personally perform best with 3 to 5 reps.

Example: The Beast on ocassion uses a 3 reps per set, 10 set Squat routine. To make it more challenging, I do this, but only rest 60 to 70 seconds between each set (30 total reps). By the 7th or 8th set, I am sweating hard.

p.s. I also look ahead - preferrably in a mirror.

**Hola Bola** · 10-11-2006, 06:27 PM

Kouta beat me to it... thats what I was going to say.

**USMARINE8152** · 10-11-2006, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by Hola Bola

Kouta beat me to it... thats what I was going to say.

ya i agree looking up feels weird now that u mention it. o ya nice squat of 455.

**sanpedro** · 10-11-2006, 06:34 PM

i keep my best form with eyes closed

opening them makes me dizzy while squatting

**Hola Bola** · 10-11-2006, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by USMARINE8152

ya i agree looking up feels weird now that u mention it. o ya nice squat of 455.

Thanks man. I didn't know you looked at my journal...

**USMARINE8152** · 10-11-2006, 07:10 PM

ya i actually do a upper/lower and ripped off ur 12 day rotation which works wonders for me, as does the upper/lower which i got thr motvation to do after checking out ur journal. .....that sounded gay.

ya nice #'s on ur lifts.

**ceilos456** · 10-11-2006, 08:46 PM

how low do you guys go when squatting

**SpeedDemon9** · 10-11-2006, 08:50 PM

ATG....My knee has been killing me, so I've backed off of squats for the time being.

**anabolicaholic** · 10-11-2006, 08:57 PM

Look straight ahead, keep your shins perpendicular to the floor and push from the heels! Make sure your thighs go below parallel to the floor.

**Tomos** · 10-12-2006, 06:56 AM

With all this good squat form information I guess all that I would add is if and when you change your form, whether it be how deep you go or width of stance, you must go slow and lower your weight a bit. If your squatting 250 for reps and you decide to widen your stance 6,8 or even 10 inches or more you really should drop the weight to say 180 or so until your joints and muscles catch up.
Squats are a complex movement and every time you do them your reinforcing and conditioning your muscle and nervous system to do it that way and only that way, so if you make changes to form do yourself a favor and make changes to the load as well.

**pali012** · 10-12-2006, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by ceilos456

how low do you guys go when squatting

As low as you can comfortably go. If you want to go lower, start stretching.

**best regards** · 10-12-2006, 09:57 AM

What I've found is when the toes are pointed outwards, the abductors take over big time. Especially when you go ATG. Keep the toes slightly pointed outwards. Then keep the feet a little wider than the shoulders. As this will allow optimal stabilization IMO.

Another thing I've found if the biceps play a big role in stabilizing the weight for me. Don't have the grip too wide or you'll pull a bicep. Or that's what happened to me at least.

Hmm, also a bodybuilder may not benefit from ATG too much due to the great glute/hamstring use. My ass has gotten a lot bigger over the last month I got my rack lol. But I'm an athlete so I don't really care. But I know a lot of bodybuilders would go nuts.

**best regards** · 10-12-2006, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by pali012

As low as you can comfortably go. If you want to go lower, start stretching.

Yes. If you go ATG you'll find yourself going lower and lower every session due to increased abductor/hamstring flexibility.

**pali012** · 10-12-2006, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by best regards

Yes. If you go ATG you'll find yourself going lower and lower every session due to increased abductor/hamstring flexibility.

What?? If you go ATG, you cant go any lower. How can I go lower every session???

I can go ATG now, it doesnt mean its safe. My back rounds like crazy. So I should keep going ATG, just so I can go ATG?

**pali012** · 10-12-2006, 10:15 AM

http://dieselcrew.com/articles/cleaningupthesquat.pdf

**best regards** · 10-12-2006, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by pali012

What?? If you go ATG, you cant go any lower. How can I go lower every session???

I can go ATG now, it doesnt mean its safe. My back rounds like crazy. So I should keep going ATG, just so I can go ATG?

In my experience, I've been able to get lower every session (3x a week) because I'm getting my flexible. If you're rounding the back, something's not right. You're not supposed to go literally ass to grass. But just as low as you can. Which is usually limited by the hamstrings or abductors. If the back is becoming rounded, I would just not go that low. How can down can you do without rounding?

**best regards** · 10-12-2006, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by pali012

http://dieselcrew.com/articles/cleaningupthesquat.pdf

Very interesting read. I find when I do wide-stance, all the pressure goes to my abductors and have pull them a couple times. I find that somewhere in between, maybe a little closer than that one guy he showed a picture of, feels good. But his stance looks ridiculously wide.

**bucsfan** · 10-12-2006, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by Hola Bola

Negative. Look straight ahead.

Affirmative. I made the mistake of looking to far up one time and I heard something pop in my lower back. My back hurt like crap for two months and I couldnt squat. So I now just look straight ahead

Thread: Official Squatting Advice Thread

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Official Squatting Advice Thread

PL Style Squats

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions