Form for squats help.

RimBlock · 20 Jul 2009 at 05:20

Hi,

I have been doing squats but have just realised that they are only 2/3 squats.

Speaking to a trainer in the gym, they suggested doing with an empty bar to get the form right before adding weight.

I cannot get to the full squat position even with no bar for two reasons...
My balance is terrible and my leg muscles will not allow me to go down that far (I suspect it will be very hard to get back up again if they did).

Any suggestions on how to help loosen the muscles (what stetches / yoga / other).

RimBlock · 20 Jul 2009 at 08:43

Thanks FF,

I was using the site for the great animated gifs showing the moves for each exercise which is why I now know I am doing it only 2/3rds.

I will take a good look at the link you suggest and see what else I can get from the other links I have not looked at there (i.e. which do not explicitly relate to an exercise)

Regards
RB

RimBlock · 21 Jul 2009 at 02:23

I pulled a few of the EXRX suggested tests off the site with a mind to have a look at home last night but my Wife had Harry Potter booked with the kids so no go there. Will try tonight and bring the results back here.

Dun, I mean 2/3 of thighs parallel to the floor. If you take a line from behind the knee parellel with the floor and another from behind the knee up to the centerline on the hips I would imagine the ange would be around 20 degrees (standing up would be 90 degrees).

I believe the tops of my thighs are restrictive although I do have the problem with my heals lifting off the floor on a number of stretches in the past.

Maybe yoga may help and I will look for a sports physio and the experience with the PTs is not the best (see the other thread).

I really have never been very flexible even at 17 and doing Karate with all its stretching twice a week.

Thanks for the advice and suggestions guys.

RB

RimBlock · 22 Jul 2009 at 03:43

Ok,

I am now pretty confused. Doing dry squats (body weight only) at home then I can more or less go all the way down all be it a little unstable at the bottom.

I can only think the problem at the gym is one of three things.
1. It is usually one fo the last exercises and so the muscles are all pumped restricting the movement.
2. The smith machines limited movement (ie. up and down only) is restricting my squat ability.
3. Confidence in being able to get up again from a full squat under load.

I suspect it may be a combination of all three.

I will try with the squat rack and a clean bar and see how that goes.

Any links for info on how to use a squat rack correctly would be very helpful. The trainers are not the most approchable unless you have signed up with them.

Cheers
RB