i cant squat at all

[stevesmi]

we all started somewhere.. i started out in my parents garage at 15 with weights that had spiders all inside of them... i would lift and get bit. it wasn't easy. the key is to lift big and eat big and good things will happen. be patient, weight training is like anything else.. you gotta do it often and you gotta commit. if you want to learn how to fly a plane, you need to do it and learn and practice. or play basketball.. or anything. now some guys start lifting and automatically start putting on muscle fast.. i was like that when i started lifting.. it was pretty cool. but other guys it takes a little while. we all have different genetics.

below in my signature there is a workout program i put together which is a good blueprint, check it out. also there is a bulker down there as well..

 

[burnthiscorpse]

we all started somewhere.. i started out in my parents garage at 15 with weights that had spiders all inside of them... i would lift and get bit. it wasn't easy. the key is to lift big and eat big and good things will happen. be patient, weight training is like anything else.. you gotta do it often and you gotta commit. if you want to learn how to fly a plane, you need to do it and learn and practice. or play basketball.. or anything. now some guys start lifting and automatically start putting on muscle fast.. i was like that when i started lifting.. it was pretty cool. but other guys it takes a little while. we all have different genetics.

below in my signature there is a workout program i put together which is a good blueprint, check it out. also there is a bulker down there as well..

Fuck that shit bro!!!! I do NOT do spiders. FUCK THAT!!


As an example to the OP....if I were to take a 3 month layoff....then start up again, It would take me a solid 6-8 weeks to get my body accustom to all the movements and soreness and healing ect....

If your a true beginner 3 weeks in I would expect at least a solid 3 months break in if not more. Hell it takes me at least 4-5 leg workouts once a week to even get to the point where I can do multiple sets of any decent weight and make it through the workout and still be able to walk the next day.
Keep at it, you'll be fine.

 

[underattack]

Dont Start with 5 sets.
I would rather do 2-4 warmup sets focusing on form. Goblet squat is great for warmup. Makes ur postorial chain activate better. Then do 1-2 sets of squat until ur body adjust. Then add more sets. U dont need more than 1 set 3x a week to grow at start anyways.
To get a perfect form u need to do around 3000 correct reps. So warm up with 2-4 sets of 20 reps. And u wil soon have great form. And good progress, and dont be that soer

 

[burnthiscorpse]

to elaborate a little more on my comments....

After a long layoff, I wouldnt be able to get through one set of squats without cramping and soreness. Then I would be sore as hell for a week. Then each time gets a little more and a little more.
Takes time.

 

[die faster]

theres alot of different muscles that go into squatting. you werent lifting at all then you start squatting with 5x5, you have serious weak points in your legs that are getting hit really hard because they havent been used. 3x a week is alot, once every 4 days is the maximum for me for any muscle group.

as others have said, i would recommend going higher on the reps and lower the weight and also lower intensity. start increasing the weight and intensity as you feel comfortable

 

[burnthiscorpse]

theres alot of different muscles that go into squatting. you werent lifting at all then you start squatting with 5x5, you have serious weak points in your legs that are getting hit really hard because they havent been used. 3x a week is alot, once every 4 days is the maximum for me for any muscle group.

as others have said, i would recommend going higher on the reps and lower the weight and also lower intensity. start increasing the weight and intensity as you feel comfortable

I have to agree 1000% on then end comment. Being experienced and switching to a 5x5 isn't going to be the same as starting brand new and trying to tackle a 5x5.
DEFINATLEY go easy to start with. Don't be an asshole like I was get a good head start on fucking your tendons up by lifting as much as possible every single workout when starting out.
And another piece of advice.....training triceps......don't go ape shit with heavy weights on the skull crushers and shit like that. Use a lighter weight and slow your rep speed down a lot and get to a point where its easy before you add weight then do the same allover again.

 

[SirIsaacBrock]

well as far as the joints go, I mean, I have bad knees I would say but squatting doesnt hurt them, nor does any other exercise really. I am just starting to get into lifting, but throughout the years Ive been on and off researching how to put mass on my bones, exercises etc.. I just never actually STUCK to it.. Ive read loads and loads of articles about form and watched videos etc. My joint health is quite important to me, as I have a slight connective tissue 'disorder'. Time to put my knowledge where the weights is I guess..

My shoulders do twinge a bit after some heavy benching (ive dislocated both 2 or 3 times and had to be knocked out a few times to have them reset they were out so bad) but I am pretty sure my form is pretty solid. I pinch my shoulder blades together and try to arch my back slightly with my feet planted firmly on the ground. Arms at about a 45 coming down parallell to the floor (i dont bounce the bar off my chest). I keep my eyes straight at the ceiling and just focus on pushing the weight up evenly and cleanly. The last 2 or so reps I'll sometimes struggle to push out and lose a bit of form but I would think thats normal.

As far as squatting and any other exercise really I make sure my back is straight, feet about shoulder width and I squat ass to grass, eyes focused straight ahead with my head up, just focusing on pushing my feet through the floor. Squats are killing every muscle group there is in my legs, after the first time I squatted I couldnt even sit down on the toilet without easing myself down my ass hurt so much :rofl:

I'll lay off a bit on the weights and come down on the number of sets for now. Good to know that it takes some of you over a month to get used to everything again though. I am really happy with my progress so far though, and I look forward to lifting nights all the start of a good healthy lifestyle. Hell I even look forward to popping all 19 animal pills per day too ..

Ive been waiting until the intial soreness issues go away until I start supplementing with creatine, but Ive also heard that it may indeed help with my soreness as well..

 

[gatemoney]

I took about 3 months before i started my 5x5's just going through the movements with a comfortable weight.
i still did it 5x5 and kept the schedule i just didn't do the progressive loading.
I had the same problem with the squats and this really helped to condition my legs. It toke about 6 weeks before the doms stoped.
with the risk of sounding like a dick there is the "man the fuck up and do it anyway approach" you might want to consider. I did it, its what it takes. No matter how bad it hurt i did that shit anyway. I was determined that that shit was not going to beat me.
Body building without squats is like a monster truck without tires. You would really be selling yourself short not to do them. You gotta dig deep bro and make that shit happen!

 

[SirIsaacBrock]

So Ive decided to just keep at the 5x5 and doin squats 3x per week,.. Ill get used to it I guess. Tonights workout was good, I did drop the weights by 10lbs and focused on keeping perfect form rather than pushing out what I can muster, felt better too. Realized my left shoulder cracks and pops if I try to overhead press too much, my back begins to arch back and the shoulder bears the brunt I guess. Keeping my elbows out and not locking them at full height kept my shoulder feeling good, which I guess is the proper form. Squats hurt a bit still but I managed to get them out at the same weight as wednesday. My right knee actually cracks a bit once I hit dead bottom, but no pain. My knees will actually lock if I crouch down too far, that is if my heel comes close to touching my ass under any strain the knee literally locks up and it hurts like hell to unlock it heh. Im pretty damn sure my squat form is spot on though. Looking at my thighs, they've doubled in size in a month so I guess thats where a lot of my food energy has been going.. feels good.

I've just been working at home, and planned to for a little while until I am lifting less than embarassing weights but a gym around the corner has pretty good incentives going on right now, no sign up fees, no first and last payments, buncha free stuff and access to an exclusive adidas store with 50% off everything which is quite the perk.. I just have to see if they have a power rack because if they don't I dont want any part of the gym heh.

 

[moya]

I would just continue to perform the squats as prescribed in the program, even if the weight needs to be light. Take as much time between sets as you need in order to prepare yourself for the lift. If the weight is getting heavy for you, 3-5 mins of rest or even more between sets isn't unheard of.

this is good advice...