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How low do you squat?

jpk said:
Besides how low you go, how high do you stand up? Do you lock your knees out, thereby removing all tension from the muscles? Does anybody stand up just short of lockout when squatting?

Just curious boys
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I don't lock out on any exercises.
 
ZackMurphy said:
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.
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I dont know them personally, but too much could have been a factor.

I use less weight, go ATG and slower.........I love the results that have I reaped from this method.

To each his own, i commend any guy who actually makes an effort at the squats and deads..................

Even the 3 inch squatters........lol
 
I did parallel the other day(MIGHT HAVE BEEN LOWER) REMEMBER WHEN IN DOUBT IF YOU THINK ITS NOT PARALLEL , GO LOWER is a saying I learned from Max-ot.

O and pausing at the bottom and not bouncing out(that's a cause of bad knees)
 
I have leaned do do paralell when hitting hams first,and ATG when hitting quads first.I feel my hams too much if I work them first and then do ATG sq's.That being said,last time I did paralell my tear drops were extremely sore.I have always heard the deeper you sq the more the tear drops get worked...........But paralell did just fine.
 
Narrow stance, ass to grass. I used to squat "sumo style" but i got tired of hearing all the **** talking about how my 750 belt only squat didnt count because i wasnt deep enough ( mostly from the thinner guys under 205) I squat less AND i officially cant find pants that fit anymore thanks to my quads and ass exploding to cartoonish size (look too big even on my 290 pound frame). It was a setup damn it!
 
That's a good 5 year bump to a 9 year old thread.

But when in Rome..

Below parallel squat. ATG high bar oly squat and front squat as assistance.
 
nodgodbod said:
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?
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once you go past parallel stress comes off your knees and is primarily on your hips. \
 
If not going deep, you emphasize the quads and neglect the posterior chain. This is what's bad for the knees. I go a2g as much as possible.
 
threeFs said:
If not going deep, you emphasize the quads and neglect the posterior chain. This is what's bad for the knees. I go a2g as much as possible.
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I saw something recently, (possibly on another forum) it was a study that showed squatting past parallel didn't increase posterior chain activation anymore than just squatting parallel.

Ill try to dig it up on my phone, but no promises.

Edit: Invalid Link Removed


It was shown that the posterior chain was just as active during a parallel squat but the quadriceps were activated MORE in the ATG squat. So a full squat actually emphasizes that quads more, and by your reasoning, is detrimental to the knees (although I don't tend to agree with that sentiment). Also, its important to consider that ATG squats utilize less weight (generally) because of leverage so the difference in quad activation when taken to 90% 1RM may be less with ATG simply because of the weight difference.
 
jimbuick said:
I saw something recently, (possibly on another forum) it was a study that showed squatting past parallel didn't increase posterior chain activation anymore than just squatting parallel.

Ill try to dig it up on my phone, but no promises.

Edit: Invalid Link Removed


It was shown that the posterior chain was just as active during a parallel squat but the quadriceps were activated MORE in the ATG squat. So a full squat actually emphasizes that quads more, and by your reasoning, is detrimental to the knees (although I don't tend to agree with that sentiment). Also, its important to consider that ATG squats utilize less weight (generally) because of leverage so the difference in quad activation when taken to 90% 1RM may be less with ATG simply because of the weight difference.
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Yes, I can definitely squat more @ parallel or box @ parallel vs a2g. Also when going all the way down, it is easy to bounce out of the hole which may or may not be good vs slow eccentric.

But for me, I never go less than parallel. After all, everyone can squat 500 for 2 inches...
 
threeFs said:
Yes, I can definitely squat more @ parallel or box @ parallel vs a2g. Also when going all the way down, it is easy to bounce out of the hole which may or may not be good vs slow eccentric.

But for me, I never go less than parallel. After all, everyone can squat 500 for 2 inches...
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I would never advise anyone to go less than parallel.
 
Going ATG absolutely destroys my legs and can barely walk the next two days where if I don't go ATG I get less DOMS
 
4 knee surgeries here and when i was squatting 315 for reps to just barely parallel my knee wud be sore and tender for days..stripped the wieght started atg and worked my way back up to 275 for reps..its improved my flexability of the joint tenfold and no more pain..my knee feels so good i dont even bother taking joint support supps anymore
 
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