Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below I was planning on starting Bill Starrs 5x5 routine tomorrow (monday) but I have a question first. Is it alrright to do front squats instead of olypic squats because I simple cant do down with my back staying straight enough. Ive been practising and stretching for 2 weeks but i cant go down while keeping my back in good posistioning. So could I do front squats instead or maybe do the olympic squats but on the smith machine? Also is thier any type of special sretching or anything that i could do do be able to do normal olypic style squats?
5x5 squat help
- Thread starter Jacob4591
- Start date
Hellawulf
New member
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/w...hows-your-squat-squat-help-thread-647759.html ... Look at that and see if any of those help.
Ive looked there about a week ago and im starting to think that I cant do it just because I cant physically bend the way you have to. I even talked to my gym teacher and he got me to do a flexibility type test thing and he said its something to do with my ankles not being able to bend enough. But its wierd because I can do front squats with good form. I can also do the olympic squats good but only if i put a 10 lb plate under my heels, but ive got mixed opinions on that ranging from it ruins your knees and isnt benefitial to its perfectly fine as long as its comfortable and that even most squat shoes have a wedge in them to give there heels some leverage.
LucSulla
New member
Front squats probably trouble your ankles less because the load on the front allows you to keep your shins closer to 90 degrees with the floor. You can lean back with out worrying about falling backwards as much. Try holding on to a door frame or the pillar of a power cage and going all the way down like you are squatting to take a crap (best description I can give). While holding on to your verticle support at the bottom, lean forwards and backwards slowly, watching the angle of your shins to the floor and how far out your knees come compared to your toes. Initially, a lot of folks don't have the hamstring and/or glute strength to get deep with an almost 90 degree angle to the floor without feeling they will fall backwards. You will notice that you do sit back on your heels almost exclusively when lined up right. This inability is often what starts throwing off your spine angle because your upper body compensates for your hams.
Strengthen your hams/glutes and continue to stretch. Chances are you will be able to do them just fine given time. A proper deep squat is something the human body is built to do, at least without weight, and chances are if you can do them with proper form at only body weight, you can learn to do them with weight on your back.
Oly shoes do have a wedge as it helps a bit getting out of the hole. If your knees are staying at your toes, they will more than likely be fine. Only you know for sure though.
My two.
Extra_Strong
Well-known member
Jacob4591 .. well 1st of all if you can front squat correctly you have all the tools to back squat.
it is just a coordination issue I Promise! I had all the same problems. took me quite a while to get a good back squat and be able to go down below parallel.
on top of that I have taught many many people and have never failed.. dont think there is something wrong with you that is unable to be corrected.. do you have the means to video you squat? maybe do set of oly's then back pretty sure i can talk to you through it. plus it is not flexibility if you can do an oly or front squat. sure it is just a small hip adjustment. or widening your stance.
it is just a coordination issue I Promise! I had all the same problems. took me quite a while to get a good back squat and be able to go down below parallel.
on top of that I have taught many many people and have never failed.. dont think there is something wrong with you that is unable to be corrected.. do you have the means to video you squat? maybe do set of oly's then back pretty sure i can talk to you through it. plus it is not flexibility if you can do an oly or front squat. sure it is just a small hip adjustment. or widening your stance.
Hellawulf
New member
No, you will eventualy need to do olympic squats or ATP squats, what its called is your achilles tendon, it get very tight if it isn't stretched, every morning after you get out of a hot shower sit on you toilet and take you towel and put it under the very top of your foot then pull back and stretch that tendon, do this everyday, after a few weeks you should be able to squat perfect if that is the problem, till then do front squats, but get to full squats as soon as possible.
Extra_Strong
Well-known member
I would drop any myth about it being your calve flexibility. if you are halving problems cause you are shifting your weight to your toes it is form not calves!! that is just bull crap.
