Flexible Enough for Squats?

augapfel · 13-Mar-08, 02:05 AM

I am just starting to workout again and I'm looking for the simplest routine possible so I'm going to start with a few compound exercises like deadlifts, squats, and benchpress.

Only problem is I'm not really sure I'm flexible enough to do squats, even without weights I have to keep my legs quite far apart to be able to bring my legs parallel to the floor, even then I feel like I'm sacrificing some form to get there.

Any ideas on how I can improve my squat tecnique?

**Lady C** · 13-Mar-08, 08:47 AM

practice. practice. practice.

I'm not joking. Do bodyweight squats until they feel second nature then work yourself up to heavier loads.

F_Mac · 13-Mar-08, 10:48 AM

A lot of people that are new to squatting have trouble hitting depth due to poor ankle mobility. One way of helping with this is to elevate the heels while squatting but putting something like 2 10lbs plates under the heels. After you are used to squatting that way and hitting depth you can remove the plates and likely you will have no difficulty squatting to parallel on your own.

**minime** · 13-Mar-08, 03:13 PM

Focus on letting knees travel outward over toes while going into the squat... this helped me get deeper without rounding my back.

And of course, practice makes perfect! Watch yourself in the mirror while you squat with no weight.. how far down can you get before your back begins to round? For now squat to that depth and each time try to focus on getting slightly lower. Sometimes holding onto something for balance is a good way to practice deep bw squats with upper body 'uprightness'

good luck!

standAPART · 14-Mar-08, 08:59 AM

You have tight lateral hmatsrings. And weak hip rotators. Work on fixing the mobility and tissue quality. Find a foam roller and perform rols on it on the outer thigh and hamstrings. Static stretch after your workout. Stretch your lats and practice keeping your torso erect duruing a squatting motion. I dfon't know how far down you are trying to get, but if your torso is falling, you may havea weak core. This isn't just localized to the lowerbody. Proper squatting has to have cooperation from all muscle groups.

Merrida · 22-Mar-08, 12:46 PM

How do you feel your form is suffering? Where, exactly? You do mention now being able to go low enough but specifically,- both visually and kinesthetically, what do you feel weakening or pulling you in or out of technique?

.

**.V.** · 22-Mar-08, 12:52 PM

If possible, take a short video of yourself squatting and post it up here on DF. I was having squat problems for about 4 years and although I did work on my own up to the ability to do real olympic squats going all the way down till my butt was touching my hamstrings...I'd still manage to injure my SI joints at times, taking me out of the gym for up to a month at a time.

One form check by the others here at DF and I was squatting injury free.

Without that, the best I can offer is to suggest ankle mobility, hip mobility, and hamstring mobility work...and warm up & stretch with every workout.

westside24 · 22-Mar-08, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by .V.

going all the way down till my butt was touching my hamstrings....

Your butt can touch your hamstrings? only thing I think of is, transformers... im an idiot. haha.

Im gonna take a video of me squatting in a little while, maybe you guys can point out everything im doing wrong.

**.V.** · 23-Mar-08, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by westside24

Your butt can touch your hamstrings? only thing I think of is, transformers... im an idiot. haha.

Im gonna take a video of me squatting in a little while, maybe you guys can point out everything im doing wrong.

oops. Should have said calves eh?

Duh. Brainfart for a moment. But actually, many butts touch hamstrings...not very attractive though you know.

23-Mar-08, 11:18 AM

I was taught this squat training drill by Tommy Kono and it has helped me improve my squat flexibility. I call it the Tommy Kono bodyweight squat.

Stand against the corner of a wall with the middle of your back touching the corner in a squat ready position. The entire area from the back of your head to the bottom of your butt should touch the wall corner. You'll have to play with how far your feet are away from the corner and your stance width. Now squat deeply while you continue to maintain contact with the wall corner. All the way down and back up is one rep.

I do these alot better now than the first time I tried them and they have helped me. So has overhead squats using a light pole as a prop.

Give these a try and let us know if they help.

westside24 · 23-Mar-08, 12:30 PM

wouldnt a wall squat do the same thing... a corner in your back hurt, when I tried it just now. but im not a sissy, im ok. speaking of wall squats, what about holding a wall squat for a very long time at parallel, say like a minute or two. what does that do for ya, if anything at all?

23-Mar-08, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by westside24

wouldnt a wall squat do the same thing... a corner in your back hurt, when I tried it just now. but im not a sissy, im ok. speaking of wall squats, what about holding a wall squat for a very long time at parallel, say like a minute or two. what does that do for ya, if anything at all?

Don't lean back into the corner, just lightly touch it. This exercise works on your flexibility whereas a parallel wall sit doesn't. The wall sit is a great exercise without a doubt but doesn't offer much to improve your flexibility.