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How to squat deeper

CHAPS

Registered User
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This is an excellent article, i personally find that stretching my hip flexors out before squating allows me to go way deeper.
 
I will read this as I'm always looking for ways to improve my leg day, squats are very beneficial.
 
Never had too much trouble going deep..but then that's how I started off.

Here's the best hip flexor stretch ever. Get good and warmed up and slowly get into this position and you'll feel the stretch..ooh yes.

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I do the DC style stretches for my legs but i also throw in extra hip flexor stretches as sometimes i can't go ass to grass without stretching first. I posted this article as i see it ALL the time at both gyms i frequent that most guys tell me they can squat 405lbs+ or whatever then i see them do it and they aren't even breaking paralel.
 
Thanks for the article.

for some reason I can never get my normal squats to go deep enough. front squats are dead freaking on (probably because I do them afterwards).
 
And what is the point of taking your squats deeper?


CROWLER
 
So the other guy doesn't yell at you, saying "YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PARALLEL. THOSE REPS DON'T COUNT!!" :toofunny:
 
CROWLER said:
And what is the point of taking your squats deeper?


CROWLER
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as mentioned in the article the lower the go the greater the stretch on the thigh muscles both lower and higher. also lower you go less strain on your knee i think which puts more effort onto the leg muscles
 
CHAPS said:
I do the DC style stretches for my legs but i also throw in extra hip flexor stretches as sometimes i can't go ass to grass without stretching first. I posted this article as i see it ALL the time at both gyms i frequent that most guys tell me they can squat 405lbs+ or whatever then i see them do it and they aren't even breaking paralel.
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What's your definition of ATG? If you watch olympic lifters they truly do go ATG (and if in competition counts as a miss for touching the platform); however, I have a hard time believing the majority of the population can do this. Either that, or everyone, including myself, I've ever trained with is seriously lacking some flexibilty.

FYI, my ass usually touches my calves (that's as far I can get)
 
Are we trying to work the quads or the hams or both?


CROWLER
 
beallio said:
What's your definition of ATG? If you watch olympic lifters they truly do go ATG (and if in competition counts as a miss for touching the platform); however, I have a hard time believing the majority of the population can do this. Either that, or everyone, including myself, I've ever trained with is seriously lacking some flexibilty.

FYI, my ass usually touches my calves (that's as far I can get)
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I aim for the happy medium that was mentioned in the article, so not touching my calfs but still below parallel
 
CHAPS said:
I aim for the happy medium that was mentioned in the article, so not touching my calfs but still below parallel
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Have you done any olympic training (snatch, clean, jerk) for any considerable amount of time? I wonder if my tendency to go ass to calves is remnants of my former training style.

Just curious, because, as the article indicates, your goals for training will correlate with how you train ceteris paribus (e.g. powerlifting v. olympic)

BTW, a good pair of olympic lifting shoes can make a world of difference.
 
beallio said:
Have you done any olympic training (snatch, clean, jerk) for any considerable amount of time? I wonder if my tendency to go ass to calves is remnants of my former training style.

Just curious, because, as the article indicates, your goals for training will correlate with how you train ceteris paribus (e.g. powerlifting v. olympic)

BTW, a good pair of olympic lifting shoes can make a world of difference.
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I've incorperated olympic lifts but never for a considerable amount of time, i have powerlifted for a considerable amount of time though that's how i built 90% of my mass.
 
I go down to having my ass rest firmly but breifly on my lower calves. I cannot touch the floor with any weight on me.
 
psychospic said:
I just started doing Zercher Sqauts, you have to ighten the weight considerably but you can go deeper.
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can anyone comment on where your elbows are supposed to go or how low you go

cuz when i do zerkers which i just started my arms pratically rest on my legs then i go back up or sometimes my arms get in the way

am i going too low or doing something wrong
 
you can do zerchers all the way down if you want.

The bar should rest against your body. When you go down, it should be above your hip joint, so it shouldn't interfere with the motion.

How long are your gorilla arms?
 
thesinner said:
you can do zerchers all the way down if you want.

The bar should rest against your body. When you go down, it should be above your hip joint, so it shouldn't interfere with the motion.

How long are your gorilla arms?
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bar rest against my body. humm.

ok im holding bar away from body and i think letting my arms dip too far down i go pratically to the floor with my tush

i think if i keep my body more upright that wouldnt allow my arms elbows to rest on my legs
 
whats ATG? ass to ground? i think thats pretty impossible for 99% of the populus. Try doing that with no weight at all, youll fall backwards. Im a flexible guy that doesnt have a problem being in the squat position (ass to calves) for hours and hours at a time. ATG is probably just an exaggerated term.

Function wise doing ATG squats or going all the way down isnt going to build anything worth the effort imo it will just cause more stress the the knee.
 
There's a cool kinesiology study..somewhere 'round here..that shows the opposite. Apparently they did scans on muscles of subjects doing ATG and parallel and found that stopping at parallel puts more strain directly on the knee tendons whereas going below parallel puts more on stress on the actual muscle groups.
 
nycste said:
can anyone comment on where your elbows are supposed to go or how low you go

cuz when i do zerkers which i just started my arms pratically rest on my legs then i go back up or sometimes my arms get in the way

am i going too low or doing something wrong
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I go down until my elbows just touch my knees, at this point my hams are parallel to the ground. You hold the bar in the crook of your arms, I usually clasp my hands.
 
psychospic said:
I go down until my elbows just touch my knees, at this point my hams are parallel to the ground. You hold the bar in the crook of your arms, I usually clasp my hands.
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yes thats what i do. but i think i learn to far foward instead i should try and relaly hold the weight the bar near my chest? instead i keep it several inches away from my body cuz it shard to hold
 
pistonpump said:
whats ATG? ass to ground? i think thats pretty impossible for 99% of the populus. Try doing that with no weight at all, youll fall backwards. Im a flexible guy that doesnt have a problem being in the squat position (ass to calves) for hours and hours at a time. ATG is probably just an exaggerated term.

Function wise doing ATG squats or going all the way down isnt going to build anything worth the effort imo it will just cause more stress the the knee.
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Everyone should learn the asian squat! ;)

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Seriously though, for a regular squat with proper form, I find that if you squat with a bar it is much better for balance than free wieght. It might help to widen your stance a little as well.

For some reason I seem to be able to go deeper with front squats than back squats. But I agree with yourself and chaps.. as long as it is somewhere between parallel and the ground it should be good.
 
nycste said:
yes thats what i do. but i think i learn to far foward instead i should try and relaly hold the weight the bar near my chest? instead i keep it several inches away from my body cuz it shard to hold
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Keep your elbows close to your body or rib cage and as you squat and push your butt backwards, your elbows will naturally come forward. If you keep your elbows too far in front, it will be hard to squat deep enough to get the full effect of the exercise. If it helps place one of those padded tubes you use for a regular squat or wrap some towels around the bar.
 
asianbabe said:
Everyone should learn the asian squat! ;)

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Seriously though, for a regular squat with proper form, I find that if you squat with a bar it is much better for balance than free wieght. It might help to widen your stance a little as well.

For some reason I seem to be able to go deeper with front squats than back squats. But I agree with yourself and chaps.. as long as it is somewhere between parallel and the ground it should be good.
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OMFG!!!!!!!!!!! hahahaha yeah you got that right on. :clap2: :toofunny: thats great.
You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to asianbabe again.
btw i challenge anyone to asian squat longer than me lol, western squat....
 
psychospic said:
Keep your elbows close to your body or rib cage and as you squat and push your butt backwards, your elbows will naturally come forward. If you keep your elbows too far in front, it will be hard to squat deep enough to get the full effect of the exercise. If it helps place one of those padded tubes you use for a regular squat or wrap some towels around the bar.
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ok did some zerkers today.

no matter how i hold the bar with no weight i cannot go lower then parrell without doing some freaky form and my elbows are always in the way of my legs so i get 1inch below ll at the max. which i guess is fine but i cant tell you howmany times i rest on my thighs then go back up

anyways i tried a few diff versions spacing of my arms and diff leg stances o well my back hurt today so wasnt happy
 
Here ya go nyc,

I found the vid of beelz doing his zercher's with perfect form. Notice how the bar is held close to his body.

 
yea seen that one at MMI long time ago

it looks like his elbows hit his legs then he goes back up but its hard to tell


this guy only goes down half way but some impressive poundage
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this video is pretty good
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KABUKI IS DA MAN
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bar should touch the upper part of the quad right by the hip joint.

I don't really like zerchers, they hurt my arms more than they work my legs.
 
Hey Nycste. Try it without the weights, perhaps even with those lioght bars most gyms ususally keep in the stretching area. I know it won't make you look very strong but getting the form down is very important for results and of course safety. I did a few sets with just the bar then made small increments. if you get the move right you definitely feel it attacking your quads in a way you've never felt before, but ytou will also feel it in your core and arms and front delts. The whole frontal plane of my body was sore for a few days.
 
psychospic said:
Hey Nycste. Try it without the weights, perhaps even with those lioght bars most gyms ususally keep in the stretching area. I know it won't make you look very strong but getting the form down is very important for results and of course safety. I did a few sets with just the bar then made small increments. if you get the move right you definitely feel it attacking your quads in a way you've never felt before, but ytou will also feel it in your core and arms and front delts. The whole frontal plane of my body was sore for a few days.
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think ill use the bar i got at home with some weight and record it with my camera then upload them and we can make fun of me
 
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