Do you guys go ATG on squats when training for strength or slightly below parallel?
I go slightly above parallel.
You mean below?
[quote]mattd534 wrote:
You mean below?
[/quote]
No, he means what he said.
[quote]mattd534 wrote:
You mean below?
[/quote]
Nope.
Why above
[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:
[quote]mattd534 wrote:
You mean below?
[/quote]
Nope. [/quote]
So you are saying it is not below, but above?
[quote]mattd534 wrote:
Why above[/quote]
It is the depth that seems to best accomplish my goals of getting bigger and stronger.
I go as far as my mobility allows to me to (and I am always trying to improve my pretty sucky mobility) because this is the movement I want to be strong in and I don’t compete so I have to rules I’m trying to get the most out of.
Fair enough… Have you tried foam rolling
I go below parallel, close to ATG but not quite. But I squat with a high-bar position, wear Olympic lifting shoes, and do a lot of mobility stuff every day to do it. I started doing it to make my low-bar parallel squat better, since that is all I did for years. Deep high bar squats feel more natural, useful and athletic-- and I have found I like them better. Just what I have found that works for me right now in my training/life.
I foam roll regularly.
Twojarslave, your posts crack me up man lol
[quote]Evolv wrote:
Twojarslave, your posts crack me up man lol[/quote]
Yep, he’s an awesome poster.
I wish he stays for a long time.
I’m of the opinion that for most recreational lifters (those not competing in any type of strength sport) then you should strive to squat as low as you can before your back rounds. That might be ATG, or it might not even be parallel.
If you are a powerlifter, it makes sense only to squat to competition depth.
[quote]Yogi wrote:
I’m of the opinion that for most recreational lifters (those not competing in any type of strength sport) then you should strive to squat as low as you can before your back rounds. That might be ATG, or it might not even be parallel.
If you are a powerlifter, it makes sense only to squat to competition depth.[/quote]
I’m of a similar opinion, but I’m aware there are plenty of situations in which squatting as low as you can go is not helping you towards your goals. I think every individual lifter needs to make the decision as to whether they lift the way they do out of a misplaced sense of “doing it properly” or because it’s actually moving them towards their goals.
I have always squatted as low as I can with a straight back. Granted as the weight gets heavier I tend to ease up in depth but I always go no less than 3/4 down I just feel like my lower back gets great work in the hole. unless you are training for a powerlifting meet or other similar ventures. It does the body great to go through more motion just for the flexibility aspect.
I feel that one should ultimately squat to whatever depth accomplishes their goals, rather than define their goals based on what depth they are squatting at.
I think the other issue is most people have an incorrect definition of what “slightly below parallel” means. That’s pretty darn deep, but when people hear “don’t squat ATG, just go slightly below parallel,” they somehow take that to mean half squatting.
[quote]magick wrote:
[quote]Evolv wrote:
Twojarslave, your posts crack me up man lol[/quote]
Yep, he’s an awesome poster.
I wish he stays for a long time.[/quote]
Thanks for the love guys. I am not going anywhere. My internet only has four or five other websites on it, and they are all about tits.
Back on topic, I am going to go out on a limb and assume that OP is a beginner. With that in mind, I think it is instructive that an advanced brute like Th3pwnisher squats above parallel. That said, OP is most likely not advanced, and I believe he would be well-served to focus on learning how to squat with a full range of motion and doing so with no unexpected pain.
Following that basic principle and methodically adding weight to the bar has gotten this lifter to a 495 raw beltless squat this past Monday without ever missing a squat rep on the way. A poster named punnyguy once made a comment to me about “owning the weight”, and that idea really resonated with me on the squat.
To me, owning the weight means squatting as deep as I can, which is probably slightly below parallel, while maintaining passable form that does not put me at any unreasonably elevated risk of gross injury. It means racking the bar when things don’t feel right. It means squatting with confidence and adopting a spirit of continuous improvement, which may one day lead me to squatting above parallel to reach my goal.
With less than two years under the bar, full squats are still getting the job done for me. OP, I would suggest a process of trial and error to arrive at what works best for you.
I agree but 1/4 squats seem to be a knee issue waiting to happen
[quote]BigEasy24 wrote:
I agree but 1/4 squats seem to be a knee issue waiting to happen[/quote]
They worked for Paul Anderson. I like them myself.