Is there anything that I should keep in mind, I have tried before and it is really hard for me to get the form down. I know that it is easy to hurt yourself squatting and I feel like I might be on the verge..
Scared to Squat.....
- Thread starter ShaftedTwice
- Start date
That's what I was thinking myself, but I hope that when I get to the higher weights I didn't start off with bad form thinking it was right.
Also, deadlifts are of the same concern to me as well.
Also, deadlifts are of the same concern to me as well.
i was afraid to squat and deadlift as well .. i started off very light even deadlifting and now i love it .. my favorite lift ..
as far as squatting goes .. i hate it .. i started off really light .. just the bar .. to get my legs used to going parallel or lower .. now im up to around 105 for 3 sets of 5 .. still light compared to most everyone here .. but im slowly working my way up
just remember .. head forward .. chest out and elbows behind the bar and shoulder blades together
as far as squatting goes .. i hate it .. i started off really light .. just the bar .. to get my legs used to going parallel or lower .. now im up to around 105 for 3 sets of 5 .. still light compared to most everyone here .. but im slowly working my way up
just remember .. head forward .. chest out and elbows behind the bar and shoulder blades together
Try higher reps to start, 12-20, and going all the way down with light weight (the empty bar). I think higher reps helps you get the feel and stretch. Once you start feeling comfortable, then slowly increase the weight (no more than 5 pounds a week) and lowering the reps when you need to, to keep the form perfect. Remember, only 5 pounds a week increase adds up to 250 pounds in a year, so at some point you will probably not be able to add 5 pounds every week!
Can you bodyweight squat without issue? Full depth? If you can't, work on that.
I know how I felt when I was first squatting. It's intimidating, because there's so many factors you're either not aware of, or you're trying to keep track of. Among other things, it's helpful to have a wider stance. If your legs are too close together, it's harder to have a hole to go into.
Back squat with a broom, if need be. Eliminate any forward lean. If you're really having issues with a forward lean, switch to front squats. Go stupidly light, and keep that torso upright, and hit full depth. There should be less fear of depth with front squats, as if you can't get out of the hole you can just dump the weight on the safety bars.
I'm convinced most people have issues squatting due to a weak posterior chain. Squatting may be a quad-dominant exercise, but the strength out of the hole comes from your glutes. Romanian deadlifts are your friend.
I know how I felt when I was first squatting. It's intimidating, because there's so many factors you're either not aware of, or you're trying to keep track of. Among other things, it's helpful to have a wider stance. If your legs are too close together, it's harder to have a hole to go into.
Back squat with a broom, if need be. Eliminate any forward lean. If you're really having issues with a forward lean, switch to front squats. Go stupidly light, and keep that torso upright, and hit full depth. There should be less fear of depth with front squats, as if you can't get out of the hole you can just dump the weight on the safety bars.
I'm convinced most people have issues squatting due to a weak posterior chain. Squatting may be a quad-dominant exercise, but the strength out of the hole comes from your glutes. Romanian deadlifts are your friend.
M.J. Quiocho
Member
How's It!
The prevous information provided by Timmy is very substansial when squatting.
A wider stance provides stability and dispersement of flowing energy. This would be like the roots of a plant or tree. In many martial arts, stance is what will dictate postural energy. You gotta be comfortable. If it doesn't feel right, it ain't healthy for you as well as your body.
Helping to keep the upperbody upright comes by breathing right. This allows to push the chest up (while inhaling and creating the nautral curver of the spine so that you don't stress and cut off oxygen/energy to the area that needs it.
One simple exercise that is required before squatting is learning to understand a small and powerful movement call "hip-extension." This is when your hips push backwards like shooting you butt out. This movement also prevents the knees to go beyond your toes. Okay...
Have someone ( who understands the squat )work with you and make sure he or she can do it right. Olympic Squat is different from Power lifting squat so go out and see this. Basic Squat method is something that relates to the every day demand of lifting objects, no matter how small, from the ground up.
Practice is how you relate to your active life style. We all have to squat one time a day.
ALrighty, that's it for now!
Aloha!
Mikey Q.
The prevous information provided by Timmy is very substansial when squatting.
A wider stance provides stability and dispersement of flowing energy. This would be like the roots of a plant or tree. In many martial arts, stance is what will dictate postural energy. You gotta be comfortable. If it doesn't feel right, it ain't healthy for you as well as your body.
Helping to keep the upperbody upright comes by breathing right. This allows to push the chest up (while inhaling and creating the nautral curver of the spine so that you don't stress and cut off oxygen/energy to the area that needs it.
One simple exercise that is required before squatting is learning to understand a small and powerful movement call "hip-extension." This is when your hips push backwards like shooting you butt out. This movement also prevents the knees to go beyond your toes. Okay...
Have someone ( who understands the squat )work with you and make sure he or she can do it right. Olympic Squat is different from Power lifting squat so go out and see this. Basic Squat method is something that relates to the every day demand of lifting objects, no matter how small, from the ground up.
Practice is how you relate to your active life style. We all have to squat one time a day.
ALrighty, that's it for now!
Aloha!
Mikey Q.
squating
Im sorry to say this
But get your ****ing ass and squat your gonna need to get over your fear and squat sometime. (Jillian michaels) Red team trainer from Biggest loser weight loss show Told me You Fear of something. Get over it Just do it and your fear will be over.
I was afraid to bench press and I took my fear and and just bench press.
BUT REAMBER WORK IN PROPER FORM SO YOU WONT INJUR YOUR SELF.
Im sorry to say this
But get your ****ing ass and squat your gonna need to get over your fear and squat sometime. (Jillian michaels) Red team trainer from Biggest loser weight loss show Told me You Fear of something. Get over it Just do it and your fear will be over.
I was afraid to bench press and I took my fear and and just bench press.
BUT REAMBER WORK IN PROPER FORM SO YOU WONT INJUR YOUR SELF.
I agree with the general direction everyone is going in this thread, but I think the simplicity of what we are talking about may need re-iterating.
This is a great statement.
It is one thing to perform an unnatural movement and open risk to injury. -It is quite another to simply be unconditioned to a NATURAL movement.
As is said, take the time to make sure the movement is a natural one and go rediculously light until the posture is perfect. At that point, the joints, muscles, and tendons will start to feel like this movement is as normal as sitting sown in a chair. -Not easy as far as weight is concerned, but there will be a natural feel to the posture being correct.
This process takes time, so do not be in a hurry. Allowing the time to be right keeps you from being wrong at a later date and causing long downtime.
Once you have perfect posture, gains in weight will come much faster than trying to gain on weight and posture at the same time, and after a short while you will instinctively KNOW when you are off by even a tiny amount with your posture.
The body likes natural postures. Give it what it likes, and it will give you what YOU like.
M.J. Quiocho said:
This is a great statement.
It is one thing to perform an unnatural movement and open risk to injury. -It is quite another to simply be unconditioned to a NATURAL movement.
As is said, take the time to make sure the movement is a natural one and go rediculously light until the posture is perfect. At that point, the joints, muscles, and tendons will start to feel like this movement is as normal as sitting sown in a chair. -Not easy as far as weight is concerned, but there will be a natural feel to the posture being correct.
This process takes time, so do not be in a hurry. Allowing the time to be right keeps you from being wrong at a later date and causing long downtime.
Once you have perfect posture, gains in weight will come much faster than trying to gain on weight and posture at the same time, and after a short while you will instinctively KNOW when you are off by even a tiny amount with your posture.
The body likes natural postures. Give it what it likes, and it will give you what YOU like.
ShaftedTwice said:
At your age i would use relatively high reps ranges when squating unless your physically mature IE 12-25reps.
Use a boomstick on your off days and perform a hundred full squats to get use to the movement, if you can't do 100reps you don't need to use a barbell. If you use light loads there's no reason to worry about injury.
Also, don't just pump out the reps with the broomstick, focus on form.
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The most important aspect of squat form is your lower back position.
Specifically, the lower back should have an arch to it. NEVER let the lower back round out (i.e. round forwards) during a squat or a deadlift (or any variation of either exercise).
All movement should come from the hips, not the lower back, as the torso moves up and down.
Use a mirror, and light weights/barbell only, and perfect your form. Then add weight.
Lastly, when you do add weight down the road, if you feel towards the end of a set you can't finish with good form...end the set then. better to do 3 reps of good form, than try for 5 reps and possibly injure your lower back.
Specifically, the lower back should have an arch to it. NEVER let the lower back round out (i.e. round forwards) during a squat or a deadlift (or any variation of either exercise).
All movement should come from the hips, not the lower back, as the torso moves up and down.
Use a mirror, and light weights/barbell only, and perfect your form. Then add weight.
Lastly, when you do add weight down the road, if you feel towards the end of a set you can't finish with good form...end the set then. better to do 3 reps of good form, than try for 5 reps and possibly injure your lower back.
Alright thanks guys, this helps a LOT, didn't even know where to start 