Gimme a few, I'll get in my birthday suit too.
Gimme a few, I'll get in my birthday suit too.
I am just experimenting with what works in terms of training to failure, and in this case perhaps a few half squats would enable me to get a point of failure safely. And don't get me wrong, I understand the many virtues of squats, but the fact remains squats are a weak point for me. If I follow conventional form with proper feet spacing, I never feel stable parallel or below it. Part of it is physiology and part is psychology. I hurt my back five years ago to the pain was unbearable and it took months to rehab it as well as a major life change so I baby my lower back... and stay weaker than acceptable. So I have started to use a wide stance and go as close to parallel as possible. It feels better and the last couple months I've seen growth, it just feels like I am cheating. Are there cons to a wide stance?
It isn't cheating. just a different style. It will also lead to muscle groups being targeted in different ways/angles. Also not really a bad thing. But if your doing them for physique reason be aware of that.
A few links, food for thought:
I May Not Know Diddley... But I Know Squat! | Dr. Squat - Dr. Fred Hatfield
A Case for Wide Squats
USA Powerlifting Online Newsletter
http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/...%2C%201991.%22
If you've reached the point where you cannot do a full ROM squat, then you've already achieved failure. A wide stance requires more upkeep in terms of hip mobility and foam rolling, but it is by no means cheating as long as you hit depth (top of the patella parallel with the hip).
M. Ed. Ex Phys
Funny you mentioned foam rolling. The wife surprised me with a rumble roller. I'll work on the hip mobility stuff, and you also have a great point on the definition of failure in a squat. Thank you for your input.
First off, let me say I am not an expert or anything close. Tallstraw your build sounds exactly like mine. I'm 6'1" 225lbs, longer legs and short torso. I also have knee and extreme lower back issues due to my 10years in the military. I have always had a problem squatting and just never did it because we ran so much for training. I am also not flexible at all. I cant touch my toes. I got fed up with my scrawny weak ass legs and decided I would figure out the squat.
Things that helped me: (Rodja if any of these a wrong please let me know!!!)
feet position and angle - I figured out that if I jump in the air and land with bend knees, that is a decent feet position for my squat (slightly wider that shoulders). I also angle my feet out about 45 degrees. This helped my knee pain the most.
Lifting barefoot - This allows me to keep the weight back and my knees behind my toes. With shoes on I tend lean forward on the balls of my feet rather then back onto my heals.
Frequency - Squatting multiple times a week allow my body to get use to the discomfort of the movement.
Squatting to a lower than parallel platform - This ensured that I did not cheat myself on my depth by only go half way down.
Weighted Walking Lunges - This helped me with my balance and over all squat performance.
I have been lifting for over 10years but only seriously squatting for 3 or 4 years. Stupid I know. When I started 135lbs was painful but now I have hit 405lbs for 3 reps. This may not be great for strength athletes, but for me is huge. Just check you pride/ego at the door and go for it.
Last edited by derekh83; 01-09-2013 at 02:59 PM. Reason: grammer
I think the guy just doesn't want to squat. Like I said, if the guy can take a shit, then he can squat.
M. Ed. Ex Phys
Alot of it was mind set. I forced myself to like the squat and now that I see my hard work paying off I love them. Also my body is crazy pumped the next day and I feel like I gain 5lbs.