Discussion
Hoofy said:
Interesting stuff.A wider stance seems to help, but it also makes my knees feel a little edgy.
The more I read the more convinced I become that I have a big imbalance between under-utilised glutes and over-developed hip flexors - the best cure for which is probably...squats. So I'm going to park 5x5 for a week or two and focus purely on form and mobility until they're good enough.
I take the point on the shoes, too: I'll find something less compressible.
IroningMan said:
One other thought on form: what should the start/end position be?
You can't have all three of the following:
Start standing up straight, knees and hips locked-out
Keep bar over the middle of your feet
Ensure bar follows a vertical path down and up...
But you can have all 3? Knees and hips bend to keep the bar in the best line.You can't have all three of the following:
Start standing up straight, knees and hips locked-out
Keep bar over the middle of your feet
Ensure bar follows a vertical path down and up...
IroningMan said:
Perhaps it's just in my head, but how can you be standing straight and still have the bar over the middle of your feet?
Surely it's over your heels unless you're leaning forward?
There's a slight torso lean to accommodate the bar, otherwise it'd fall off your back. I'd not over think it and break it down- just stay tight (probably the most important aspect of squatting), try to keep the bar path straight and sit down/stand up.Surely it's over your heels unless you're leaning forward?
If you get caught up in technicalities you'll never get comfy and it'll hinder progress- everyone squats differently and what works for some won't for others.
I've been squatting for a long time now, and I'm still refining it! Doing highbar, low bar and front squats gives you a load of different variations. Best thing to do is squat lots, make it yours and build it up. Don't listen to all the articles on the net either, most will give you different (and often conflicting) advice- cherry pick what works best for you and refine as time goes by 
didelydoo said:
I've been squatting for a long time now, and I'm still refining it! Doing highbar, low bar and front squats gives you a load of different variations. Best thing to do is squat lots, make it yours and build it up. Don't listen to all the articles on the net either, most will give you different (and often conflicting) advice- cherry pick what works best for you and refine as time goes by
I agree 100% with this. It took me a long time to realise it, until I read the following article:http://www.schwarzenegger.com/fitness/post/picking...
Up until then I was trying to squat how rippetoe wants you to squat as I was following starting strength. I actually ended up injuring myself and becuase of this my squat has always lagged behind my deadlift by quite a bit.
Just find what works comfortably for you that you can perform in a safe manner. Even if you have to lose a load of weight off the bar to start you'll soon shoot past what you were currently at.
Spent some time playing with form this evening: better with a wider stance, and more glute engagement, too, but still bending forward and I could really feel the drive through the balls of my feet rather than my heels.
Tried a couple of things with the help of one of the instructors:
Bar-only, stand next to the bench and just go low enough to sit down. Result: break at the knees, but then bend forward almost straight away. It's quite weird and try as I might I can't stop it.
Bar-only, wide stance, small plate under each heel. Result: straight up and down, so I think that's the way to go for now.
Tried a couple of things with the help of one of the instructors:
Bar-only, stand next to the bench and just go low enough to sit down. Result: break at the knees, but then bend forward almost straight away. It's quite weird and try as I might I can't stop it.
Bar-only, wide stance, small plate under each heel. Result: straight up and down, so I think that's the way to go for now.
I worry about lifting heavier when it comes to squat. The most I've done is 110kg 5x5, but I can't really do it 3x a week. Stronglifts wants you to be constantly increasing the weight, though personally, I don't care how heavy i'm lifitng as long as it helps towards me feeling better/stronger and assiting towards a calorie deficit for fat loss.
Been doing this about 7 weeks now I think, on Wednesday I did 62.5kg Squat/50Kg Bench Press/52.5kg Barbell Row.
Completed 5x5 for all easily enough, but I had to use dumbbells for the bench press and I'm properly sore today! Never had this using the barbell at all. Must be the extra effort to stabilise the dumbbells individually? The moobs are screaming haha.
Completed 5x5 for all easily enough, but I had to use dumbbells for the bench press and I'm properly sore today! Never had this using the barbell at all. Must be the extra effort to stabilise the dumbbells individually? The moobs are screaming haha.
ambuletz said:
I worry about lifting heavier when it comes to squat. The most I've done is 110kg 5x5, but I can't really do it 3x a week. Stronglifts wants you to be constantly increasing the weight, though personally, I don't care how heavy i'm lifitng as long as it helps towards me feeling better/stronger and assiting towards a calorie deficit for fat loss.
I agree. You have to listen to your body (at my age, I do, anyway!)On Tuesday^^, I deloaded but did some 'mentally' deep squats. Yesterday (Thursday) I just couldn't squat. Did two reps and my legs were screaming (which certainly isn't the idea on 5x5). So I'll leave it until Sunday now.
For most of us, training is a hobby with benefits. Getting hung up on regimes is bonkers.
V8mate said:
I agree. You have to listen to your body (at my age, I do, anyway!)
On Tuesday^^, I deloaded but did some 'mentally' deep squats. Yesterday (Thursday) I just couldn't squat. Did two reps and my legs were screaming (which certainly isn't the idea on 5x5). So I'll leave it until Sunday now.
For most of us, training is a hobby with benefits. Getting hung up on regimes is bonkers.
Interesting.On Tuesday^^, I deloaded but did some 'mentally' deep squats. Yesterday (Thursday) I just couldn't squat. Did two reps and my legs were screaming (which certainly isn't the idea on 5x5). So I'll leave it until Sunday now.
For most of us, training is a hobby with benefits. Getting hung up on regimes is bonkers.
5x5 hasn't caused me even a trace of DOMS until the wider stance squats I did last night - I can feel them in my glutes and inner thighs today.
One thing which did occur to me yesterday was what I was going to do if I failed to squat - I'm just using stands, not a rack, and there's not always someone handy to help, so I guess that's another reason to deload and focus on form for a bit.
Netball's bad for my back, though. I'm 47, you know...
ambuletz said:
I worry about lifting heavier when it comes to squat. The most I've done is 110kg 5x5, but I can't really do it 3x a week. Stronglifts wants you to be constantly increasing the weight, though personally, I don't care how heavy i'm lifitng as long as it helps towards me feeling better/stronger and assiting towards a calorie deficit for fat loss.
If 5x5 straight sets and increasing weight every workout is taking it's toll have a look at madcow.
It's 5x5 ramped sets, still 3 times a week, but Wednesday is a lighter day so you can recover better for Friday. You add weight on Friday but the top set is only a triple. Then on Monday you do the triple for 5 instead and so on. You'll still be adding 10kg to your Squat every month with this.
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