squats - parallel or ATF?

[cmdubs]

strictly for bodybuilding purposes...

which is better?

 

[hangclean]

Depends on what your trying to acheive. I do back squats with my shins perpendicular to the floor so its almost physically impossible to do ATF. A bodybuilder squat where your knees pass your feet you could go ATF. The only guy Ive seen squat ass to the ground without knees passing feet is Kirk Kawalski. I still dont understand how he does this. He must have a unique structure to his body to allow this. Front squats I do ATF because of the mechanics of the lift.

 

[cmdubs]

Depends on what your trying to acheive. I do back squats with my shins perpendicular to the floor so its almost physically impossible to do ATF. A bodybuilder squat where your knees pass your feet you could go ATF. The only guy Ive seen squat ass to the ground without knees passing feet is Kirk Kawalski. I still dont understand how he does this. He must have a unique structure to his body to allow this. Front squats I do ATF because of the mechanics of the lift.

well I want bigger quads but also don't wanna fuck my knees up

 

[Guinness5.0]

Go as deep as you can. Deep squats will put the brunt of the load on your hips rather than your knees.
Have you read this post?
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=332299

Also, there si a GREAT book called Starting Strength with like 30+ pages on squatting (plus chapters on DL, bench, overhead press, and power clean). Def. worth the price.
www.startingstrength.com

 

[hangclean]

Just keep in mind that when you squat heavy with your shins perp. to the floor your easing a lot of stress off your knees.

 

[UA_Iron]

ATF takes a lot of stress off your knees, but it adds considerably more stress on your hips.

I had an article where they actually measured the stress on hips and knees, I'll see if I can find it and scan it in.

 

[RipStone]

Squat as deep as you can while maintaining proper form.

 

[cmdubs]

it's always been confusing because when I first learned to squat I was told to make certain the knees don't track past the toes which is pretty much impossible with ATF

 

[Guinness5.0]

it's always been confusing because when I first learned to squat I was told to make certain the knees don't track past the toes which is pretty much impossible with ATF

Depends a bit on the person, but if your knees are past your toes a little it's no biggie. When people say that I think it's to get people to use their hips primarily (as they should w/ squats) and knees secondarily.

Here's a good squat vid (you can't see the guys feet but he goes real deep and his knees don't move foward a whole lot):
http://www.uwlax.edu/strengthcenter/videos/exercisevideos/High Bar Back Squat.mpg

Also, when you go deep on squats the hamstrings are used to pull back on the knees, thus helping to balance the forces applied to them.

 

[cmdubs]

thanks guiness - I need to spread some k