[nodgodbod]

How low do you people go when squating? - is there any advantage of going "ass to the grass"? or are you just damaging your knees?
I've always squated down so that my upper leg is parallel to the floor - just wondering what you guys thought?

[Gumbo]

Balls to the floor!!!

I tend to go as deep as I can without feeling abnormal pain.....ends up being about parallel or even deeper if I feel good that day.

Gumbo

[Lean One]

Ass to ground all the way. As long as you don't have any pre-existing knee conditions, it's better for you in the long run. I used to squat 300+ to 90* til my knees started killing me and my back was about to go. That was before I knew any better. One day I decided to strip the bar and go ass to ground, then slowly work my way back up. I literally started with an empty bar. Now, I only squat about 180, but it's still ass to ground and the gains since then have been huge. It's not always how heavy you train. Sometimes how smart you train is more important. When I'm in the gym, I leave the ego in the car.

[Chunky]

parallel

[glenihan]

i can only go about a half an inch above parallel, any lower and the tendons in my right knee feel like they are going to rip in half and the vertebrae in my lower back feel like they are going to mold into one, ATG may be best, but i've gotten great results going just above parallel

[wranglergirl]

Parallel, I agree although i should not be squating...well anyway ( LOL) I do tend to go as low as I can......and that happens to be parallel .........

[Bacaveli]

ass to the grass is the best method imo. it stretches your tendons making them more flexible and therefor you will be less injury prone. also, ive noticed that the lower i go the faster my legs grow. that may just be me, but i do notice a huge increase in thickness and definition when i go all the way to as floor as opposed to going parallel.

[ZackMurphy]

I think parallel is fine. I enjoy ATG, but I think the emphasis on ATG is a little overblown. ATG forces max effort, of course, especially by the quads at the start of the contraction, by hams and glutes for the rest of it.

But very few of us ONLY do squats, in which case you'll have another shot to hit your quads more directly, with more precise intensity. Leg extensions, presses, smith squats - whatever else you do, you can get your quads a little more.

Also, remember that going ATG can easily cause knee-related complaints in lifters who aren't already experienced and flexible. It's great if you can do it pain-free, but it's just a rough bet to make. If you hae no pain now, that's great, but I know a number of guys who had no knee issues UNTIL they started doing ATG on squats. And this was on varying foot placements.

I go to parallel now, and I find I can control my proximity to failure much better than with ATG. Squats rule for absolute leg size, but I think you have to consider your whole routine as the size-generator, not a single portion of one lift. Squats for overall thickness, extensions and presses for quads.

[taffer]

i go all the way down, i make sure i warm up properly though

im pretty flexable, but have been slacking off on the stretching lately

[Sputnik]

Below parallel, but before my lower back rounds. EVERYONE who squats should go as deep as they can before their back begins to round. Beyond this point will lead to injury in the long run. Those that want to squat lower without rounding their back need to work on flexibility.

[MMA]

I mainly do box squats, using a bench.

[MMA]

I mainly box squat. Using a bench that you would normally do lying dumbell presses on.

[mrbig]

Ass and Balls to the floor

[OmarJackson]

ass to grass, heels elevated. doing that with 225 is a lot more inpressive than a fatshit doing 405 quarter-inch squats.

plus squating low makes your ass grow.

[Beelzebub]

slightly below parallel, heels elevated.

[Pirate]

If you can't hit squats deep, then don't do them, ride the sled...

-Pirate

[nodgodbod]

Originally Posted by Beelzebub

slightly below parallel, heels elevated.

Does elevating the heel not put extra pressure on the knee?

[jjjd]

fwiw, olympic style weightlifters have been lifting and squatting with elevated knees for decades. no problemo with knees.

i have squatted in three main styles -

wide stance, flat soled (converse all stars), bar low on back to just below parallel for powerlifting

narrower stance, elevated heels (adidas wling shoes), ass to ground - for weightlifting training

and

narrower stance, elevated heels (ditto), to just below parallel - for hypertrophy

they all have +'s and -'s. obviously, if you are training event specific, then a certain kind of squat will be preferable

if you are going strictly hypertrophy, i think there is good reason to adjust your height on occasion

above parallel (1/4 squats) are good to overload the quads and get your nervous system used to higher loads on your back. (same as walkouts do)

these aren't "cheating" if you are using them for a purpose.

i haven't done a competition in a while, but i still squat generally OLer style because i most prefer it and i think it gives the overall best benefit.

atg isn't so much the problems with the knees, it is bouncing out of the bottom (pushes the patella forward at the lowest point). bouncing is GOOD technique for a wler (as is bowing on the way up), but like almost ANY athletic endeavor, you sacrifice safety for sports performance

if one is lifting for pure ego (to do as much weight as possible), then a PLer stance (wide/low bar) will enable most people to do the most weight. but it is not very quad intensive

all depends on goals

for most people interested in hypertrophy, i would recommend high bar, not all the way to ass to grass (so called bber or athlete's squat)

and on the sports thing, I know one OLD ol'er who only squats about a 1/2 squat at best (actually a little above parallel). it's not cheating, because that's the depth he takes his clean and jerk as well. so it makes sense

as usual, goals defines means

[Beelzebub]

Originally Posted by nodgodbod

Does elevating the heel not put extra pressure on the knee?

for me it took pressure off the knees and lower back just by putting some 5lbs plates under my heels. i go lower and feel more comfortable.