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Squat help anyone? please :(

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  • Squat help anyone? please :(

    Squats and any lift involving squats (deadlifts, etc) have always been a big weakness of mine.
    Fistly I have some obstacles, my feet. My feet naturally point outward, which I share with a lot of people but unlike them I can't correct mine. For me feet being straight is actually painful while I can turn them almost 180degrees outward and not feel pain..This is something the coaches are always hounding me for and i've talked to many doctors and the only thing that can be done is hip surgery to rotate them inward or something, which i'm not cool with...but i've also read a lot about leg lifts and it is okay to have your feet pointing outward at a slight angle but no more than 25degrees..which is doable for me if I really try at it.

    Secondly, getting parallel. When I first started lifting I squatted the bar and couldn't get parallel.. About a year after I worked up to about 275 with almost descent form..but good form is dodgy with me, it goes on and off and I can't control it indefinately. This is frustrating when I see people on the team with half the dedication of me and they are doing 365 and getting parallel or past with ease.. I know being 6'3 works against me and I hate all you short mo' fo's who have it easy

    So, any tips for a bad squatter with feet, form, and height issues? lol.
    Football Creed: I am a champion...I train like a champion ...I practice like a champion....I live like a champion...And now I vow to play like a champion...As a champion I have pride...And will not tolerate doing less than my best...The only reason I will accept defeat...Is if my best isn't as good as my opponents... I vow to do everything tonight...In a way so that win or lose...My parents will be proud of me...My coaches will be proud of me...This team will be proud of me...But most of all...I will be proud of myself...I will never quit...Regardless of the score...because a champion never quits...I promise to be aggressive...to execute...to hustle...to HIT! HIT! HIT!

  • #2
    Well the issue with the feet I can understand but straight is not always better. I personally keep mine at about a 45 degree angle so give this a try, it adds for stability.

    Now about your form, if you can provide more info it will be better. What do you mean you have trouble getting to parallel? Now I am going to get shot for this but I am not a fan of going below parallel, this puts a lot of strain on the knees and tendons so I do not recommend it.

    We are more then glad to help but I need mroe info on yoru form to better help. If you have pics or even a video you can post then that would be great.

    Comment


    • #3
      I'll see what I can do about pics or videos lol i'm not too good with digital videography lol.

      I'm trying to think of what to tell you about my form..basically it sucks.. I have bad knees and it feels like i'm putting a lot of strain on them which would signal that I wasn't putting the weight on my heels like your supposed to. The pain is pretty great which I think makes me hesitate on pushing it to get parallel..I don't think in my mind I trust the strength in my legs enough or my spotter to just do it..
      I have been known on occasion to get pretty close to parallel but most of the time i'm a couple inches off.
      I've been trying to work on my mechanics of the squat, ya know every individual motion kind of like the clean complex, but it's not helping me get it done. To sum it up basically i'm just not getting parallel. I'll workin on trying to get a picture or video of me squatting just a bar so you can correct the problems.


      Also on a sidenote, when I front squat I feel like i'm using my back more than anything just to keep the weight on my arms..any tips?
      Football Creed: I am a champion...I train like a champion ...I practice like a champion....I live like a champion...And now I vow to play like a champion...As a champion I have pride...And will not tolerate doing less than my best...The only reason I will accept defeat...Is if my best isn't as good as my opponents... I vow to do everything tonight...In a way so that win or lose...My parents will be proud of me...My coaches will be proud of me...This team will be proud of me...But most of all...I will be proud of myself...I will never quit...Regardless of the score...because a champion never quits...I promise to be aggressive...to execute...to hustle...to HIT! HIT! HIT!

      Comment


      • #4
        Let me think about your squat a bit and will get back on it. ONe tip is to drive with your heals, this will get you to sit back more and help take some of the strain off your knees.

        For front squats I always recommend using a smith machine if possible. It almost sounds as if you are keeping too upright. You can bend forward just like a regular squat and I always cros my arms over the bar to help stablize it.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by larsons
          I have bad knees
          More detail ?

          Do you leg press ?

          Comment


          • #6
            Focusing on my hip movement revolutionized my squatting. I used to just drop straight down and had way too much weight on top of my knees. Now I start with rotating my hips. Owner of my gym is an Olympic lifter and it sure helps having someone give you some pointers.
            Wrist wraps fix everything.

            Comment


            • #7
              We don't have a leg press machine at my school.

              How do you focus on your hip movement?
              Football Creed: I am a champion...I train like a champion ...I practice like a champion....I live like a champion...And now I vow to play like a champion...As a champion I have pride...And will not tolerate doing less than my best...The only reason I will accept defeat...Is if my best isn't as good as my opponents... I vow to do everything tonight...In a way so that win or lose...My parents will be proud of me...My coaches will be proud of me...This team will be proud of me...But most of all...I will be proud of myself...I will never quit...Regardless of the score...because a champion never quits...I promise to be aggressive...to execute...to hustle...to HIT! HIT! HIT!

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by larsons
                We don't have a leg press machine at my school.

                How do you focus on your hip movement?
                The squat isn't a perpendicular drop down and then straight up. I did that for a while and it either caused my heels to come off of the ground (and subsequently I fell on my face) or I just usually compressed the hell out of my knees.

                The squat starts with your pelvis rotating back (like sticking your butt out a little) which helped me get my torso aligned and let me get really deep in my squat. I helps me keep my back arched without sacrificing range of motion. Obviously, it's just one part of the squat motion, it's just that for me focusing on that fixes alot of my other problems.

                You may feel stress on the lower back but my trainer says lower back strength is the main bottleneck for both deadlifts and squats. Since I'm 6'2", relatively unflexible, and neglected my lower back for a while, squats have been about my back/core stability catching up. Hope that helps?
                Wrist wraps fix everything.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by matt24002
                  The squat isn't a perpendicular drop down and then straight up. I did that for a while and it either caused my heels to come off of the ground (and subsequently I fell on my face) or I just usually compressed the hell out of my knees.

                  The squat starts with your pelvis rotating back (like sticking your butt out a little) which helped me get my torso aligned and let me get really deep in my squat. I helps me keep my back arched without sacrificing range of motion. Obviously, it's just one part of the squat motion, it's just that for me focusing on that fixes alot of my other problems.

                  You may feel stress on the lower back but my trainer says lower back strength is the main bottleneck for both deadlifts and squats. Since I'm 6'2", relatively unflexible, and neglected my lower back for a while, squats have been about my back/core stability catching up. Hope that helps?
                  Great info, RrRrRrRrRrepped!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Yeah i've been told before to stick my butt out but it's like..i don't know how to explain these things.
                    It's kinda like the power clean..when your first learning all the mechanics some people get easily confused, especially if your learning the right way. but if you watch someone who's done it a lot they don't even think about what they are doing because it's second nature. The sad thing is I'm captain of the Varsity Team, I can outbench and outclean anyone on the team but when it comes to my squats and deadlifts they're all like "yeah, what now captain?"
                    I have trouble sticking my butt outward. Do you mean bend at the waist forward? I'm getting my neighbors camera soon and am going to have someone take a bunch of pictures of my squat so you guys can critique it.
                    Football Creed: I am a champion...I train like a champion ...I practice like a champion....I live like a champion...And now I vow to play like a champion...As a champion I have pride...And will not tolerate doing less than my best...The only reason I will accept defeat...Is if my best isn't as good as my opponents... I vow to do everything tonight...In a way so that win or lose...My parents will be proud of me...My coaches will be proud of me...This team will be proud of me...But most of all...I will be proud of myself...I will never quit...Regardless of the score...because a champion never quits...I promise to be aggressive...to execute...to hustle...to HIT! HIT! HIT!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by larsons
                      Yeah i've been told before to stick my butt out but it's like..i don't know how to explain these things.
                      It's kinda like the power clean..when your first learning all the mechanics some people get easily confused, especially if your learning the right way. but if you watch someone who's done it a lot they don't even think about what they are doing because it's second nature. The sad thing is I'm captain of the Varsity Team, I can outbench and outclean anyone on the team but when it comes to my squats and deadlifts they're all like "yeah, what now captain?"
                      I have trouble sticking my butt outward. Do you mean bend at the waist forward? I'm getting my neighbors camera soon and am going to have someone take a bunch of pictures of my squat so you guys can critique it.
                      The squat motion is alot like sitting down, it's just that when most of us sit down we just throw our weight onto the chair. Squatting is like sitting down but in a way that is controlled throughout the entire motion. This is why alot of people actually place a bench b/w the squat rack and try to touch it. Try sitting and standing without ever throwing your body weight. You should notice that not only do your hips move laterally from back to front, your pelvis kinda rotates forward, too. When you say that you stick your butt out, it makes me think you start that way and try to hold it the whole time. Some movement is good, as long as you never sacrifice stability in your back. This is probably more than anyone on this forum ever wants to hear, but when I finish my squats I kinda visualize humping something. Nothing too vulgar, just a slight, gentle 'thrust'. Hey, I need something to get me through those sets.
                      Wrist wraps fix everything.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Alrighty I finally got ahold of a camera. I have 4 pics of me squatting. two front and two side profiles. I've gotten as low until the point of real pain in my knees and groin muscles.





                        Football Creed: I am a champion...I train like a champion ...I practice like a champion....I live like a champion...And now I vow to play like a champion...As a champion I have pride...And will not tolerate doing less than my best...The only reason I will accept defeat...Is if my best isn't as good as my opponents... I vow to do everything tonight...In a way so that win or lose...My parents will be proud of me...My coaches will be proud of me...This team will be proud of me...But most of all...I will be proud of myself...I will never quit...Regardless of the score...because a champion never quits...I promise to be aggressive...to execute...to hustle...to HIT! HIT! HIT!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          wow..those are really big. sorry guys I'm not good with editing and all that jazz :/
                          Football Creed: I am a champion...I train like a champion ...I practice like a champion....I live like a champion...And now I vow to play like a champion...As a champion I have pride...And will not tolerate doing less than my best...The only reason I will accept defeat...Is if my best isn't as good as my opponents... I vow to do everything tonight...In a way so that win or lose...My parents will be proud of me...My coaches will be proud of me...This team will be proud of me...But most of all...I will be proud of myself...I will never quit...Regardless of the score...because a champion never quits...I promise to be aggressive...to execute...to hustle...to HIT! HIT! HIT!

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            1) Holy ouch... that doesn't hurt your neck ?

                            2) Bar, lower on traps IMO

                            3) Look forward, not kinked up

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              any tips on getting parallel? or a way to squat parallel without putting so much stress on my knees?
                              Football Creed: I am a champion...I train like a champion ...I practice like a champion....I live like a champion...And now I vow to play like a champion...As a champion I have pride...And will not tolerate doing less than my best...The only reason I will accept defeat...Is if my best isn't as good as my opponents... I vow to do everything tonight...In a way so that win or lose...My parents will be proud of me...My coaches will be proud of me...This team will be proud of me...But most of all...I will be proud of myself...I will never quit...Regardless of the score...because a champion never quits...I promise to be aggressive...to execute...to hustle...to HIT! HIT! HIT!

                              Comment

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