Squat: exploring the art and defining the concept of parallelism

[blut wump]

Yes, my guess is that you’re either not strong enough or you have flexibility issues like myself.

Not strong enough in what? My point with the OH squats was that your conjecture that they are a test for having sufficient flexibiliy to squat deep is erroneous.

If you can get a video of your squat and post it up you'll get help disecting your problem. If you are simply relatively new to deep squats then your best course is probably to persevere with them to improve form and flexibiliy. Make an effort to sit back, as I mentioned earlier and Guinness has reiterated.

 

[Madcow2]

Like anything the more you squat the better you get at it. If you stay tight with good technique you will naturally find your own bottom on the decent where the tightness will prevent form from breaking down and stop your decent. In doing this there is an implicit stretch so for a beginner or someone not accustomed to it, you can expect significant improvement over time (ankle flexability, ability to support and control load in the low position, flexability in hips, etc...). I have certainly seen people who've had trouble even getting to parallel. This tends to rectify itself fairly quickly but obviously every human body has its own limits and some people simply will never squat butt to floor - just about every able bodied human on the planet can at least break parallel though (before chairs - which is a major issue in Western areas - this is how we sat and how we took a crap when needed). I had relatively poor flexability when I started - 6'3", longer leg to torso ratio, pretty crap flexability in lower half, not your ideal squatting body.

 

[Guinness5.0]

If you can get a video of your squat and post it up you'll get help disecting your problem.

I can't agree with this more. Posting a vid was how I fixed my problem. I bought a $50 used digital cam from a friend and used the video function. Here's the link:

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=449633

BTW the hip shifting you mention is addressed as well.

 

[stevius]

How is the weight distributed across your foot? Are you driving through your heels, meaning you're 'sitting back'? I ask b/c this is something I learned very recently and it has been a huge help. I used to lean forward onto my toes a bit at the bottom to basically give my comparatively weak hams a free ride.

And I agreee that depth strictly for the sake of depth is not a good idea, but one should work to achieve depth through increased flexibilty/improved technique. Not everyone will go to the same depth, but I doubt that there are many who can't get a good deal below parallel with practice.

Hi Guinness5.0:

For the first fifteen years of lifting I thought I was doing pretty good, but it wasn't until I had the benefit of the internet that I finally understood just how much I could actually learn from real people online that I'd hitherto not had the oppotunity to communicate with. In the last five years I've changed my style and knowledge a lot, but it would be immodest of me to keep a closed mind.

In fact, I've just thought of something! I taught one of my training partners how to squat and he is much more flexible than me. In this regard he has two advantages:

1. He can get way below parallel at the same depth as I reach, so this goes to show that getting parallel is most definitely going to mean different things for different people.

2. He finds overhead squats pretty easy and doesn't struggle much.

 

[DTH]

Deep squating is not how far the bar is from the floor but how low your hips are relative to your knees.

 

[Guinness5.0]

Deep squating is not how far the bar is from the floor but how low your hips are relative to your knees.

This is accurate. Stevius, it seems from point 1 in your last post that you may be using an inappropriate standard for depth. It's all about the relationship b/t hips/knees. If he's below parallel and you aren't, he's deeper regardless of measurements or other criteria.

And regarding the other portion of your post, the internet has COMPLETELY changed my lifting! I'd still be using BB rags as info sources if it weren't for this place

 

[Madcow2]

Deep squating is not how far the bar is from the floor but how low your hips are relative to your knees.

Nice first post from someone who's been lurking since mid 2004 Typically lurkers christen their account with a post about the "growing the inner pecs" or "drinking winstrol for the Brad Pitt look".

 

[Cynical Simian]

Stevius, it seems from point 1 in your last post that you may be using an inappropriate standard for depth. It's all about the relationship b/t hips/knees. If he's below parallel and you aren't, he's deeper regardless of measurements or other criteria.

In case this isn't clear, Stevius, by your absolute distance definition of squat depth a dwarf standing completely erect with the bar on his shoulders would be "squatting deep."

I suppose I'll throw this out in this thread instead of starting a new one. Any specific stretching/warm-up routines that those of you with previous issues (blut wump?) have found useful for improving hamstring flexibility?

 

[Protobuilder]

I taught one of my training partners how to squat and he is much more flexible than me. In this regard he has two advantages:

1. He can get way below parallel at the same depth as I reach, so this goes to show that getting parallel is most definitely going to mean different things for different people.

2. He finds overhead squats pretty easy and doesn't struggle much.

So, you found what you were looking for -- "evidence" that "proves" the points you started out arguing for in this thread. LoL When all you've got is a hammer, the whole world looks like a nail. I'm just kidding around, not trying to be rude.

Regardless, your first conclusion is wrong. See DTH's post. Parallel is parallel, it's not subjective. Depth, however, is subjective--it's relative to your height, limb lengths, etc.

The attached picture really helps me get the mental picture of what I should be doing.

 

[stevius]

DTH wrote:
Deep squating is not how far the bar is from the floor but how low your hips are relative to your knees.

This is accurate. Stevius, it seems from point 1 in your last post that you may be using an inappropriate standard for depth. It's all about the relationship b/t hips/knees. If he's below parallel and you aren't, he's deeper regardless of measurements or other criteria.

Exactly! So my first post suffers from faulty analysis- I understand this completely now. Thankyou!

So, you found what you were looking for -- "evidence" that "proves" the points you started out arguing for in this thread.

Untrue- I never found what I was looking for. There could be several reasons for this:

1. Nobody is capable of describing a simple fact: That is if you're not flexible enough, you won't be able to squat deep without rounding the back.

2. I had to find this out for myself.

3. This has not been mentioned online in an article.

4. I've not read every article.

5. Something I haven't thought of.