Tall dudes how low do you squat?

jumpshot903

jumpshot903

Well-known member
Awards
1
  • Established
Ok we all know having a little extra height can be a little tough in the gym to not only fill out but some of the key excercies are tougher for taller folks, Bench Press, squats, deads are all a little trickier for taller folks to keep there form strict.

Now speaking strictly about squats i don't know if its just pure lack of flexibility but i for the life of me can't get more then a few inches below parallel without losing form, i see all these shorter guys going so deep and i get a wee bit jealous.

So how deep you go in your squats? and if you've found ways to get deeper what were they?

I've been working on my flexibility a lot stretching and doing yoga aswell as correcting a few things in form i went a bit wider stance and it's seemed to help but anything else i can do to really get lower.
 

SweetLou321

Well-known member
Awards
4
  • Established
  • Best Answer
  • First Up Vote
  • RockStar
Joe defrancos agile 8 to losen up hip flexers. Have someone ACTUALLY teach you to squat, like a powerlifter. Get stronger in the core, low back, and hams. Stay tight, chest up, and sit back. Theres more.
 
darsh89

darsh89

Active member
Awards
0
If you let your knees move out slightly as you descend it may help some
 
asooneyeonig

asooneyeonig

Well-known member
Awards
0
google the fitcast episode 6 with dan john. its a great squat video on how to go ATG no matter the body type.
 
808rebel

808rebel

Well-known member
Awards
0
im 6'3" 230 and i go ATG every single time. no matter what. regular squat or front squat. u either need to find an olympic lifter to help you out, or watch a lot of videos and tutorials online like i did, and then teach urself. film urself squatting and look for flaws. the whole process took a while, but knowing how to squat correctly is CRUCIAL!
 
Rodja

Rodja

Board Sponsor
Awards
3
  • RockStar
  • Legend!
  • Established
If you let your knees move out slightly as you descend it may help some
Moving your knees out is essential. Imagine trying to "spread the floor" while you're descending and pushing off the sides of your feet as you come up.

If you don't do them now, start doing box squats:
 
808rebel

808rebel

Well-known member
Awards
0
i dont understand the suggestion of box squats. the OP is asking about depth.
 
jumpshot903

jumpshot903

Well-known member
Awards
1
  • Established
I've read through most of this stuff by now im not new to squatting just looking to improve depth i've always been tought parallel is fine and i even go probaly 1-2 inches below parallel not much but ive been improving the weight and gaining size but my glutes have been lacking a bit and i want to focus more on ATG to help improve those.

Ive watched videos over the years and ive improved my form greatly the only thing i keep coming back to is flexibility within the hips and overall legs, over the past few months ive worked on doing yoga and static and dynamic stretching 5 times a week yoga 2x a week.

Is this the main thing that can improve my depth in squat is flexibility if all my other factors check out, ive been under the watch of a strength coach most of last year my form is fine i just can't get low.
 

Devilsblood

New member
Awards
0
im 6'3" 230 and i go ATG every single time. no matter what. regular squat or front squat. u either need to find an olympic lifter to help you out, or watch a lot of videos and tutorials online like i did, and then teach urself. film urself squatting and look for flaws. the whole process took a while, but knowing how to squat correctly is CRUCIAL!
same here it's just a little tricky learning the form
 
808rebel

808rebel

Well-known member
Awards
0
Box squats teach you how to sit back on your hips and to keep your knees in the proper place.
ooooohh i see.... yeah it would be great for that. it's applying that to a full ROM squat that gets tricky.
 
GeekPoop

GeekPoop

Well-known member
Awards
1
  • Established
ooooohh i see.... yeah it would be great for that. it's applying that to a full ROM squat that gets tricky.
same movement its simple. only difference is with free ROM is you never completely stop.
 
SemiBulimic

SemiBulimic

Member
Awards
1
  • Established
I am not the tallest here (6"1) but I found that moving my feet out wider helped significantly. I started with wide box squats and over the past few years have gradually brought my feet in narrower. Each time I bring my feet in I train box squats for weeks beforehand to nail technique. Lots of hip mobility movements and post workout stretching are your friends here
 
Movin_weight

Movin_weight

Active member
Awards
1
  • Established
height really has nothing to do with squat technique, the issue is femur length in comparison to torso height. People with a long femur, and a shorter torso tend to have issues b/c of simple biomechanics. It becomes difficult to keep the body's center of gravity over the toes without excessive "lean" or flexion at the hip. Flexibility of the hips, lower back, and calves will help to alow for a deeper squat in this situation, as well as let you keep your hips underneath you instead of kicking back. The only issue i've seen squatters have with this type of situation, is that extra stress is placed on the knees, b/c the knee will almost always track out in front of the toes when getting deep.
 
Royd The Noyd

Royd The Noyd

Board Sponsor
Awards
2
  • RockStar
  • Established
height really has nothing to do with squat technique, the issue is femur length in comparison to torso height. People with a long femur, and a shorter torso tend to have issues b/c of simple biomechanics. It becomes difficult to keep the body's center of gravity over the toes without excessive "lean" or flexion at the hip. Flexibility of the hips, lower back, and calves will help to alow for a deeper squat in this situation, as well as let you keep your hips underneath you instead of kicking back. The only issue i've seen squatters have with this type of situation, is that extra stress is placed on the knees, b/c the knee will almost always track out in front of the toes when getting deep.
Strong post
 
808rebel

808rebel

Well-known member
Awards
0
Im not trying to say THIS is correct, but im workin on it, and I know what needs to be improved. Here i am doing 315x4 ATG a week ago, and Im 6'3" and 230.

[video=youtube;G4kmW-f92sQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4kmW-f92sQ[/video]
 
Movin_weight

Movin_weight

Active member
Awards
1
  • Established
Im not trying to say THIS is correct, but im workin on it, and I know what needs to be improved. Here i am doing 315x4 ATG a week ago, and Im 6'3" and 230.

[video=youtube;G4kmW-f92sQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4kmW-f92sQ[/video]



your video is pretty much an identical depiction of what I described above. Solid set though, nice and deep
 
divo006

divo006

Member
Awards
0
Im not trying to say THIS is correct, but im workin on it, and I know what needs to be improved. Here i am doing 315x4 ATG a week ago, and Im 6'3" and 230.
nice deep squat but it seems your a bit "squrmy" if you get what i mean. would like to see a bit less ADHD movement and a bit more strict form if you know what i mean. otherwise its a nice deep squat.
 
Torobestia

Torobestia

Well-known member
Awards
2
  • RockStar
  • Established
At 6'3", the best thing I've found so far is to do low box squats. What I use for a box is a very particular bench at my school gym. It's a fixed, flat bench (so it's not adjustable). These are usually pretty low and 1-2" below parallel, so it gives you plenty of room to work on that form. That is, you can place a piece of wood or a plate on the bench to start high, and work down from there. Additionally, for people with bad biomechanics *cough goodproportions cough* but tight hip flexors or hamstrings, you can also put plates under your heels to help you achieve a deeper squat while you work out issues with the aforementioned.
 
dalexander

dalexander

New member
Awards
0
what helped me is ...go back to 135 to practice getting low w light weight. and remeber to emphasize weight on heels this will force you to keep ur but down
 
newman897

newman897

Member
Awards
0
6'6 235 here I personally hate squatting but still gotta do it like someone else said put something under you heals to elevate them and use less weight to get form right then progress up also try getting a mini band and putting it around the top of knees and when going down try to stretch it by pushing knees out
 

Similar threads


Top