squats:45 degree or all the way down.

[lefler]

its harder for me to go half-way down then all the way.... stretch-shortening cycle.

i always go ass to the floor and it helps me power it up.

 

[Malcolme]

Couldn't agree more than with some of the bros on this thread advocating full, deep squatting. My own background is that I am 44 and have been back in serious training for only three years, having coasted with irregular training for the best part of 20 years due to career and family demands. Full squats have been the backbone (no pun intended) of my "come back" - I was never that impressive in the first place!
I want to add some advice on the cadence of the movement and the rationale of basing one's routine around squatting - I don't think it is the depth of the squat which carries the oft-talked-about knee dangers but rather "bouncing". I believe it is vital to go down slowly and steadily and actively decelerate into the bottom position, coming to a halt like a building's lift with a gentle settling into the bottom position.
I have worked up gradually from next to nothing to a maximum of 15 very carefully performed reps. with three and a half plates each side in this style. I warm up progressively over at least three lighter sets and do just one set of peak weight squats. I do this every four to seven days, depending on my recuperation and gym schedule.
To this core exercise I attribute my reforming of my physique, at 6ft 3ins, from a pretty out of condition 240lbs to 285lbs in much better condition. (On the AAS front, I have done one "basic" cycle in each of the last three years, running test and dbol, tbol instead in the latest course, at moderate doses for no more than nine weeks at a time - first course 250mg enth. per week and 15mg dbol per day, second time 500mg enth. per week and 20mg dbol, most recently 750mg frontload, seven weeks at 500mg and 40mg tbol per day for 50 days starting on week three of the test. I believe in using AAS "strategically to hit new strength and size levels and then working a 9 month off period post-pct to try to get back up to one's chemically assisted high point. It's working for me.)
On a broader note, I think this post, although within the AAS forum, is in fact vital. I think we (the vast majority of bodybuilders who are never going to grace an IFBB stage) need to concentrate more on the basic and compound exercises - squatting, calves, overhead pressing, bench, a basic rowing movement and an occasional set or two of curls are just about all I do, split around a 3 day per week schedule. I see so many guys, including the chemically assisted ones, flapping around with concentration cable, pumping motions - and they hardly ever get any bigger. It is an absolute fact within my gym - a reasonably hardcore place - that the bigger guys are the minority who squat and that the biggest guys are the ones who squat in this kind of style.
Remember, a strong muscle is a big muscle and a muscle gets strong without getting injured with careful, non-bouncing, moderate volume hard work on the proven "big" compound movements.
SQUAT DEEP, SQUAT SLOWLY, SQUAT CAREFULLY - AND BE PREPARED TO GROW LIKE HELL!

 

[Popeye1]

Hi Popeye1,

Haven't read the manual to be honest, but looking carefully at this picture from the angle it was taken, I would argue strongly that this is not parallel. Agree or disagree?

Yeah, it definitely doesn't look parallel. Remember, when we say parallel, we mean the anterior portion of the thigh

Oh, and for anyone that says they don't squat because of their knees........research has shown that a properly done squat does not affect medial or lateral knee stability, rotational stability, or, anterior or posterior knee stability!

 

[jrlex]

Couldn't agree more than with some of the bros on this thread advocating full, deep squatting. My own background is that I am 44 and have been back in serious training for only three years, having coasted with irregular training for the best part of 20 years due to career and family demands. Full squats have been the backbone (no pun intended) of my "come back" - I was never that impressive in the first place!
I want to add some advice on the cadence of the movement and the rationale of basing one's routine around squatting - I don't think it is the depth of the squat which carries the oft-talked-about knee dangers but rather "bouncing". I believe it is vital to go down slowly and steadily and actively decelerate into the bottom position, coming to a halt like a building's lift with a gentle settling into the bottom position.
I have worked up gradually from next to nothing to a maximum of 15 very carefully performed reps. with three and a half plates each side in this style. I warm up progressively over at least three lighter sets and do just one set of peak weight squats. I do this every four to seven days, depending on my recuperation and gym schedule.
To this core exercise I attribute my reforming of my physique, at 6ft 3ins, from a pretty out of condition 240lbs to 285lbs in much better condition. (On the AAS front, I have done one "basic" cycle in each of the last three years, running test and dbol, tbol instead in the latest course, at moderate doses for no more than nine weeks at a time - first course 250mg enth. per week and 15mg dbol per day, second time 500mg enth. per week and 20mg dbol, most recently 750mg frontload, seven weeks at 500mg and 40mg tbol per day for 50 days starting on week three of the test. I believe in using AAS "strategically to hit new strength and size levels and then working a 9 month off period post-pct to try to get back up to one's chemically assisted high point. It's working for me.)
On a broader note, I think this post, although within the AAS forum, is in fact vital. I think we (the vast majority of bodybuilders who are never going to grace an IFBB stage) need to concentrate more on the basic and compound exercises - squatting, calves, overhead pressing, bench, a basic rowing movement and an occasional set or two of curls are just about all I do, split around a 3 day per week schedule. I see so many guys, including the chemically assisted ones, flapping around with concentration cable, pumping motions - and they hardly ever get any bigger. It is an absolute fact within my gym - a reasonably hardcore place - that the bigger guys are the minority who squat and that the biggest guys are the ones who squat in this kind of style.
Remember, a strong muscle is a big muscle and a muscle gets strong without getting injured with careful, non-bouncing, moderate volume hard work on the proven "big" compound movements.
SQUAT DEEP, SQUAT SLOWLY, SQUAT CAREFULLY - AND BE PREPARED TO GROW LIKE HELL!

Great write up!! Thanks for the tips.


Peace..

 

[Dial_tone]

I think you need to go parallel at least unless you have knee problems. I can lift more full squatting because I get that muscle tension at the bottom of the rep.

 

[BLACKDOOG]

You should go down all the way as far as you can go to get the full range of motion. That is the only way to get stronger and build bigger Quads. Fuck that Bitch Sissyhalf way trying to show off with a lot of weight on the bar shit. Any body can do that stupid show off shit.

How many of you guys go alll the way down when squatting..How many of you don't..Which is best?

Discuss..

 

[anthrax]

I think you need to go parallel at least unless you have knee problems. I can lift more full squatting because I get that muscle tension at the bottom of the rep.

In fact squatting parallel put more stress on the knees than ass to the grass

 

[Excidium28]

Riverrock, if I'm not mistaken, doesn't that ISSA manual have a good explanation of an "olympic squat" vs. a "power squat" according to Dr. Squat (I forget his real name.)?

I have the 8th edittion personal trainer, independent study guide. Just has the basic squat. Its Frederick C. Hatfield, MSS, PhD.

 

[Klown]

here's a question....how many people do you guys n' girls see in your gym actually going ass to the floor or even below parallell?

Honestly, I've never seen a single soul go atf, and very very few below paralell

btw, I fully agree that squats ought to be atf

 

[nutsnack]

Yeah, it definitely doesn't look parallel. Remember, when we say parallel, we mean the anterior portion of the thigh

Oh, and for anyone that says they don't squat because of their knees........research has shown that a properly done squat does not affect medial or lateral knee stability, rotational stability, or, anterior or posterior knee stability!

well apparently i am not squatting right then cuz i had reconstructive surgery on my knee and im stuck like slat1 and if i go over 185 my knee hurts like hell and will actually just give out or buckle.. i just load up 135 and go ass to floor and actually walk out with a better pump then when i use to do twice that