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switching from full squat to parallel squat

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revexrevex

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I've always done full ATF squats, never stopped at the parallel. My lower back always rounded once I went past parallel, though I did not pay much attention to it. Now that I am approaching heavier weight (beyond 225) on squats, I started having enormous back pains. The pains that travel from your right glute to your left glute, sometimes down your leg, at times I was unable to sleep. I tried to stretch hip flexers, tried to add additional ab work, even got a new matress. The only way I was able to fix it was....... DEADLIFTS. I am no doctor but I seem to have a pinched nerve and deadlifts would always release it. I felt great after deadlifts, no pain whatsoever, but the next time I would squat again it would come back.

So unfortunately Im going to go with parallel squats, probably will add 100 lbs to my rep max on the positive size lol.. Well it is better than not squating at all! Any opinions?
 
Could be your form

at a guess - from my own experience, your squatting with a fair bit of forward lean with a more hip back style squat, rather than a more knees forward and upright style?
 
your right bro. I just go down in the most natural way possible, even if it means knees beyond toes. Also there is a great lean forward though I try to pushup with my head straight up. I use pretty narrow stance too. Its ridicolously funny.. as soon as I go past parallel... boom flexion between lower back and gluteus maximus, I can't even control it.
 
Knees over toes if fine

but if you widen your stance to about slightly wider than shoulder width, with feet angled outwwards about 30 degrees, you will probably fix your problem there, because you will be able to squat much more upright and your back straighter. And probbaly go deeper as well.

You lower back rounding is due to a flexibility issue, and leaning to far forward means your lower back is taking too much stress.
If you lean forward a lot, bam you stress you lower back and glutes. Stay upright and its mostly quads.

going wider in stance and thus staying more upright will negate the flexibility issue quite a bit. You still have to actively arch your back slightly and stay upright, but it will be easier.

Try it and see how you go. But remeber to stay tight when you hit the bottom, don't relax your muscles to try go deeper. Stay tight and as soon as you hit the limit go back up. You can generally go lower if you relax, but this is dangerous
 
revexrevex said:
So unfortunately Im going to go with parallel squats, probably will add 100 lbs to my rep max on the positive size lol.. Well it is better than not squating at all! Any opinions?

A lot of benefit from parallel squats, but I've found using lighter weight and going past parallel was more beneficial.
 
coolcolj, if you are squatting for jumping wouldnt parallel squats help since when you jump you never go [passed parallel? isnt it i guess yu could say more sport specific?
 
Get someone to slap the heck out of your butt before you squat. A big ol' slap that kinda hurts...then think about sitting your butt BACK instead of down next time. Even with high bar squats you should sit BACK and not down...

As far as your back goes...strengthen it. Strengthen your entire core...make it stronger and able to handle more weight so that your "weakest link" becomes something else...

B True
 
thriller said:
coolcolj, if you are squatting for jumping wouldnt parallel squats help since when you jump you never go [passed parallel? isnt it i guess yu could say more sport specific?

well quarter squats are more specific. but my goal is to develop strength and flexibility in the relevant muscles and the range of motion of the full squat is superior. Its just for developing full range strength. Then I intergrate the strength by doing sports specific moves and squat jumps and olympic lifts.

Later on I may add in heavy partial squats in a power rack, but I'm still working on building foundation strength. Reading the articles by John Smith, he would have Connie Price Smith (female trhower) do 3 sets fo 3 explosive partial squats pushing up on the bar when its sitting on he power rack pins.

Besides full squats strengthen the knees and surrounding ligaments


BFold - I used to sit back, but think about this, if you sit back the bar is now behind your centre of gravity, which mean you have to lean foward more, and thus you become a hip squatter, ie your using hips to move the bar. For bodybuilding purposes this may not be a good thing :)

Now I'm on my third revision of my squat form. Eveytime I changed it, I had to drop weight and work back up. But right now its perfect for me and my goals. I sit straight down, my knees go past of toes, my upper body is upright, I go rock bottom with ease and I feel it pretty well balance in my quads, hamstring and glutes. Lower back does not get stressed much at all.
This is called an Olympic Highbar Full Squat. Sure you can lift more in the powerlifting form, but its your hips doing the work, not your legs.

My current form, pretty much feels like a front squat, but with more weight. This is also how Tom Platz squats :)
Before I used to sit back and go rock bottom - this overstretched my hamstrings, and my lower was getting way too much stress. I could barely get my quads to feel anything and my hip joint got pretty damn sore.

anyway I know people who do both styles when and where its applicable to their training goals.
 
CoolColJ said:


This is also how Tom Platz squats :)

tom has some interesting ideas on squats. a friend of mine is training with him. near vertical torso, very high flexibility in the ankles, just dropping straight down.

scarrry. not for me, my ankle wont do it.
 
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