squats:45 degree or all the way down.

[bicepts101]

rule of thumb is below parallel...thats the way i was taught

 

[Jim Ouini]

Article from the link curgeo posted

http://purepowermag.com/samples/pdf/squat1to39.pdf

They address muscle activation on the quarter, parallel and full squat (135, 90 and 45 degrees, respectively)

 

[JohnRobHolmes]

thats a good read there. page three has the basics.

i say go as low as you can without resting your ass on your feet, or your hams on your calves. NEVER relax at the bottom of the squat, but get down as far as is comfortable.

i think a question along the same lines is - pullup: halfway or all the way up?

 

[Tom Treutlein]

You know what I was always confused about? You're supposed to keep an arch in your back, right? Well, I can keep one until I break about five inches below parallel - then I can no longer feel the gap in my erectors. I'm guessing this is slightly rounding - my tailbone isn't a clear, straight shot up to the back of my neck, ya' know?

So...is this something to be avoiding? Is it due to lack of flexiblity? I can't see how since I can fall into a split, but...I don't want to fuck up my back, and lately it has been hurting.

 

[ridethesnake]

i think a question along the same lines is - pullup: halfway or all the way up?

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Three-quarters, maybe. The lats are recruited through a lot of the movement, and halfway certainly wouldn't cut it.

 

[JohnRobHolmes]

You know what I was always confused about? You're supposed to keep an arch in your back, right? Well, I can keep one until I break about five inches below parallel - then I can no longer feel the gap in my erectors. I'm guessing this is slightly rounding - my tailbone isn't a clear, straight shot up to the back of my neck, ya' know?

So...is this something to be avoiding? Is it due to lack of flexiblity? I can't see how since I can fall into a split, but...I don't want to fuck up my back, and lately it has been hurting.

i have this same problem, and i am fairly flexible. the last bit of my lower back comes out of line in the deepest part of the squat unless i spread my legs wide.

 

[Mithrandir]

same here mario, I asked a friend to let me know if what i felt was true and he said my form still looked great, so...?

 

[psilo]

I go as deep as possible without loosing the arch in my back. If I truly go down as far as possible, the arch starts to flatten out, and I think this is dangerous (I'm talking at about 4-5 inches from the floor.) In general, I go well below parallel, usually to wear my hams just start to touch the top of my calves.

 

[Madcow2]

Here's a thread on it. There are possible contributing technique and flexability factors but this isn't uncommon. http://www.midwestbarbell.com/totalelite/index.php?showtopic=749