Author Topic: How deep should you squat?  (Read 2059 times)

Xerxes

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How deep should you squat?
« on: April 29, 2007, 12:32:21 PM »
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AVBG

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Re: How deep should you squat?
« Reply #1 on: April 29, 2007, 01:27:24 PM »
No. go lower

BigAlski

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Re: How deep should you squat?
« Reply #2 on: April 29, 2007, 02:33:51 PM »
Right, that is not low enough.  You want to elevate your feet so you can go below them.

jpm101

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Re: How deep should you squat?
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2007, 04:00:03 PM »
For most any purpose, as muscle development or  strengh/power, going a little below parallel (90 degree break) is fine. The myth of going ass to the grass is never needed.  Front squats will usually go just below that parallel point also Though Olympic lifters, when doing squat cleans, pretty much go ass tp the floor with very heavy weight. The guy in the photo looks like an Olympic lifter.

Of course there are a few opposing recent views, that a break around or below knee level is dangerious to the knees because too much stress is placed on the knee joints/tendons themselves. That stopping point (when going down) and sudden reverse of direction (going back up) is the blame. Personal view (for what it's worth) is that this is not the case for most people. The mechanics of the squat does not always support that theory for most men. Good luck.
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Hedgehog

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Re: How deep should you squat?
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2007, 04:08:46 PM »
When starting going deep, you need to back off weight. And a lot.

The knees aren't used to that ROM, so as with anything, it has to be increased over time.

Here's another vid of an olympic weightlifter squatting:




Great legs, and overall muscularity.

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The Squadfather

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Re: How deep should you squat?
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2007, 05:29:37 PM »
When starting going deep, you need to back off weight. And a lot.

The knees aren't used to that ROM, so as with anything, it has to be increased over time.

Here's another vid of an olympic weightlifter squatting:




Great legs, and overall muscularity.

-Hedge
amazing strength on that guy, around 7 years ago i was squatting and an NPC level bb'er who was in the gym spotted me on a heavy set and when i was done he asked me why i only went halfway and i was shocked thinking all that time that i was going deep enough and he told me exactly what Hedge just said to back off the weight a little and start squatting well below parallel, i lowered the weight initially but i was absolutely amazed at how quick the strength built back up for FULL REPS, it literally increased every workout, it will get to a point where you will have to cut the depth a little when the weights get way up there but there isn't any reason why you shouldn't be able to squat to at least parallel with whatever weight you get to.

thewickedtruth

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Re: How deep should you squat?
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2007, 08:11:23 PM »
When starting going deep, you need to back off weight. And a lot.

The knees aren't used to that ROM, so as with anything, it has to be increased over time.

Here's another vid of an olympic weightlifter squatting:




Great legs, and overall muscularity.

-Hedge

qft! I recently started squatting after all the years of hacks and leg presses...I wanted to add some spice to my workouts and try somethign new. Something most people never attempt in the REAL world. A decent fucking squat. I started out thinking I was doing them right and improved quickly..I have a solid leg platform to start on anyway. Ass to GRASS is the way to go. Not only does it seem to give LESS stress on the knees than 90* to me but also feels as if I can explode out EASIER. You've got to use managable weight though. If you can't go to the floor and back up, you've got too much. I had to literally drop 100lbs on my squat to get my form spot on and since then have added an INCH to my legs in about a month and a half squatting twice a week. I will forever squat til I no longer can. The leg press and hacks can only do so much. Squatting has also helped my overall body power as well. If I had to choose two lifts that would forever change your physique, deadlifts would be number one, and then the squat second.

Your legs don't STOP at 90* on their own do they? No..so how can you expect full muscular development by doing half ass work?  ???

Mike

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Re: How deep should you squat?
« Reply #7 on: April 29, 2007, 09:53:42 PM »
qft! I recently started squatting after all the years of hacks and leg presses...I wanted to add some spice to my workouts and try somethign new. Something most people never attempt in the REAL world. A decent fucking squat. I started out thinking I was doing them right and improved quickly..I have a solid leg platform to start on anyway. Ass to GRASS is the way to go. Not only does it seem to give LESS stress on the knees than 90* to me but also feels as if I can explode out EASIER. You've got to use managable weight though. If you can't go to the floor and back up, you've got too much. I had to literally drop 100lbs on my squat to get my form spot on and since then have added an INCH to my legs in about a month and a half squatting twice a week. I will forever squat til I no longer can. The leg press and hacks can only do so much. Squatting has also helped my overall body power as well. If I had to choose two lifts that would forever change your physique, deadlifts would be number one, and then the squat second.

Your legs don't STOP at 90* on their own do they? No..so how can you expect full muscular development by doing half ass work?  ???

Excellent points up until the last point in bold.

Your body is not meant to have stresses (resistance from weights/machines) imposted on it for the sole purpose of hypertrophy.  Muscle building is an artificial way to stimulate the body to grow, to "trick" it into thinking it's in some sort of danger and has to adapt aka grow bigger, get faster, get stronger....   

We can't talk about the body mechanics when we are referring to pure hypertrophy can we?  Bodybuilders have come up with ranges of motion that are designed to specifically stimulate muscles with a certain amount of reps/weight for a purpose, to grow.  Building bigger/better muscles has very little to do with how are bodys naturally move, it has to to with stimulation (contolled in a gym and in fixed planes of motion) of certain muscles for the purposes of growth. 

thewickedtruth

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Re: How deep should you squat?
« Reply #8 on: April 30, 2007, 05:22:00 AM »
Excellent points up until the last point in bold.

Your body is not meant to have stresses (resistance from weights/machines) imposted on it for the sole purpose of hypertrophy.  Muscle building is an artificial way to stimulate the body to grow, to "trick" it into thinking it's in some sort of danger and has to adapt aka grow bigger, get faster, get stronger....   

We can't talk about the body mechanics when we are referring to pure hypertrophy can we?  Bodybuilders have come up with ranges of motion that are designed to specifically stimulate muscles with a certain amount of reps/weight for a purpose, to grow.  Building bigger/better muscles has very little to do with how are bodys naturally move, it has to to with stimulation (contolled in a gym and in fixed planes of motion) of certain muscles for the purposes of growth. 

my post was made in regards to ligaments and tendons and their adaptivity to the exercises and stress they're put under. Most people, unless they've suffered injury in the past, when doing 90* movements or partials ALL of the time, and you know I'm not making this up, have serious flexibility and lig/ten strength issues later down the road after heavy lifting. If you don't stress the ENTIRE muscle structure throughout it's full ROM, eventually something will give. They'll go too deep, move too much weight past a certain point and that's when things snap, stress, tear, etc. Perfect example would be those that have been on bed rest or in a cast and can't move fully just yet. Partials have their place, but unless you're just lazy or have some legitimate excuse NOT to do them, I'd always advocate full ROM on all exercises.

Hedgehog

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Re: How deep should you squat?
« Reply #9 on: April 30, 2007, 08:30:06 AM »
qft! I recently started squatting after all the years of hacks and leg presses...I wanted to add some spice to my workouts and try somethign new. Something most people never attempt in the REAL world. A decent fucking squat. I started out thinking I was doing them right and improved quickly..I have a solid leg platform to start on anyway. Ass to GRASS is the way to go. Not only does it seem to give LESS stress on the knees than 90* to me but also feels as if I can explode out EASIER. You've got to use managable weight though. If you can't go to the floor and back up, you've got too much. I had to literally drop 100lbs on my squat to get my form spot on and since then have added an INCH to my legs in about a month and a half squatting twice a week. I will forever squat til I no longer can. The leg press and hacks can only do so much. Squatting has also helped my overall body power as well. If I had to choose two lifts that would forever change your physique, deadlifts would be number one, and then the squat second.

Your legs don't STOP at 90* on their own do they? No..so how can you expect full muscular development by doing half ass work?  ???

And I recently started to add the olympic weightlifting styled squat, ass to grass... It's been helping my regular below parallell squat and overall strength like nothing else.

-Hedge
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Re: How deep should you squat?
« Reply #10 on: April 30, 2007, 08:33:57 AM »
For a tall guy I have always gone way down on squats and I feel it has helped. I feel that sometimes when I work really heavy when I stop at parallel it kind of feels unnatural. Well that and that I am cheating a little. Going full is also the only time ever (and it happened more then once) that I have been complement by someone working out near that I used good form.

Mike

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Re: How deep should you squat?
« Reply #11 on: April 30, 2007, 09:59:46 AM »
my post was made in regards to ligaments and tendons and their adaptivity to the exercises and stress they're put under. Most people, unless they've suffered injury in the past, when doing 90* movements or partials ALL of the time, and you know I'm not making this up, have serious flexibility and lig/ten strength issues later down the road after heavy lifting. If you don't stress the ENTIRE muscle structure throughout it's full ROM, eventually something will give. They'll go too deep, move too much weight past a certain point and that's when things snap, stress, tear, etc. Perfect example would be those that have been on bed rest or in a cast and can't move fully just yet. Partials have their place, but unless you're just lazy or have some legitimate excuse NOT to do them, I'd always advocate full ROM on all exercises.

I think the flexabliltiy issue you make is a good point.  I do plenty of "ass to grass" leg exercises, but they are with bodyweight or on 1 leg. 


Try doing a few Turkish Getups without your hands and you'll see the flexibilty it requires in your knees. 

thewickedtruth

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Re: How deep should you squat?
« Reply #12 on: April 30, 2007, 10:01:03 AM »
I think the flexabliltiy issue you make is a good point.  I do plenty of "ass to grass" leg exercises, but they are with bodyweight or on 1 leg. 


Try doing a few Turkish Getups without your hands and you'll see the flexibilty it requires in your knees. 


lol a WHAT?

sounds like some shit out of kama sutra

Mike

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Re: How deep should you squat?
« Reply #13 on: April 30, 2007, 10:51:21 AM »
lol a WHAT?

sounds like some shit out of kama sutra

http://www.shihan.com/uploads/videos/Kettlebell%20Turkish%20Clip.wmv

I use it during Rugby season for flexability, it's great for any athlete who has to get up and goes down constantly.

thewickedtruth

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Re: How deep should you squat?
« Reply #14 on: April 30, 2007, 10:54:21 AM »
http://www.shihan.com/uploads/videos/Kettlebell%20Turkish%20Clip.wmv

I use it during Rugby season for flexability, it's great for any athlete who has to get up and goes down constantly.

awesome..thanks bro.