Squat Failure

**MAURER** · 05-Mar-08, 07:40 PM

So let me start off by saying that I'm not going much below parallel on squats. I'm not very flexible, but I've been trying to go deeper so hopfully I will make some progress in that regard.

Anyway, I'm of course going heavy with squats, and the past couple times I have gotten stuck on my heaviest set at the bottom of the movement. If i can get past the bottom of the movement, I won't get stuck during the middle of the lift. What does this suggest about what muscles are weaker than others? I think it means my quads are stronger than my hams or glutes, but I'm not sure. Also, is there anything I can do to work on my strength at the bottom of the lift?

Dan C · 06-Mar-08, 11:01 AM

Simply saying that you get stuck in the hole is not enough info to tell where your weak point lies. As for what to do to improve your strength at the bottom... full squats, [low] box squats and bottoms-up squats.

**Firehawk** · 06-Mar-08, 11:51 AM

And no bouncing out of the hole when you do what Dan suggested either...that bouncing recruits momentumumum, which will produce less results if a weakpoint is in the hole (I'd say this is probably where most get stuck)...

**maverick** · 06-Mar-08, 11:55 AM

Definitely just need to keep working on deep squats. I would actually scale back the weight for a bit and build back up to where you are now, all the while beign sure to go rock bottom on all reps. When you tell yourself you are going to parallel or just below, you have a tendency to go a little less deep everytime the weight gets heavier. If you are in the bottom position, there is no doubt you are improving.

I've always had strong glutes and hips, so my sticking point was always just below parallel when going deep on squats.

trainerty · 06-Mar-08, 12:21 PM

Why do you want to go so deep? Is there a reason for the below parallel squatting?

How tall are you?
What does your stance look like in the start position, powerlifter, textbook? Feet spread how far apart?
How is the bar placed on your back?
Any abnormal tension at the joints during the lowering?

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When a guy/gal have a decent squat but can not bring it below the parallel, it's usually because the ankle mobility is not up to par. Simple solution is to breakdown the movement to develop weakpoints.

- Trying to develop ankle mobility, squat with perfect "textbook" form to your range of motion. Do heel walks and toe raises in your warmup.

- Trying to develop hip extensor flexibility (glutes,hams and adductors) - take the ankles out of the game by raising the heels on some plates. Now squat to the lowest ROM and hold the position for a few seconds before returning to top (recommend not screwing around with heavy weight until you get this down).

**MAURER** · 06-Mar-08, 04:42 PM

im 5'6, keep my legs a bit wider than shoulder width, toes slightly outward. bar rests on traps, close to neck, no abnormal tension. i dunno when i go real deep heavy enough to get my stuck, i feel like my butt isn't strong enough to raise. not sure if its the actual glutes or the hams or what though.

westside24 · 06-Mar-08, 06:18 PM

maybe you just need a supplementary exercise to "help" strengthen your glutes and hams.

GH Raises, are killer... they target the hams and glutes like you wouldnt believe.

Ive been doin them for 3 weeks now, at first I could only do slow negatives for 8reps
now I can do at least 3 before I have to resort to negatives for the rest of the set.I do them in addition to Deadlifts and Squats.

**MAURER** · 06-Mar-08, 06:29 PM

yeah i was wondering if some supplementary work would be good. right now im just doing squats, leg press, and calf raises.

westside24 · 06-Mar-08, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAURER

yeah i was wondering if some supplementary work would be good. right now im just doing squats, leg press, and calf raises.

why not deads? that would be the best bet for your glutes n hams, considering their a compound... or just go try the GHR's... you can always just try a set or two every week, just to see.

**MAURER** · 06-Mar-08, 07:00 PM

i consider deads a back exercise.

**Firehawk** · 06-Mar-08, 07:20 PM

Glute/Ham Raise is an awesome exercise, but you probably don't have access to a GHR station. You could try them off a lat station that is screwed to the floor of the gym or very heavy so that it doesn't move...just put your knees on the pad and lock backside of ankles under the 'what would normally be knee rests', bend at the waist all the way down keeping back locked straight, and back up. That exercise will truly test the strength of your posterior. They are HARD.

I agree with that trainerty fella that the build you have definitely can affect the ease at which you can reach depth, but I'd use the mobility excuse sparingly. Unless you're 260lbs shredded and 5' tall i don't know that bulkieness would be the problem. I'd be willing to bet it's a weakness first and foremost. I am 6'3 and built for deadlifting, which makes me not so built for squatting...all based on leverages...just remember the wider you go with the stance, the harder it is to get deeper. Dan has some videos (or used to) on him squatting ass to grass, notice his stance is shoulder width or less. He'd likely have one hell of a time squatting wide stance at that depth...

westside24 · 06-Mar-08, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAURER

i consider deads a back exercise.

oh, right, I do too, But I still do them for legs.. Then try the GHR's im tellin ya, theyre the best thing.

you can do them on the floor, having someone holding or standing on your feet, you can put plates on a barbell, and use that to anchor yourself, you can do what firehawk said, or the best... is use a long board or whatever they are called, the flat boards to do situps on, and they have an ankle mount at the end, like a decline bench, but longer. ill post a video from youtube hold up.

westside24 · 06-Mar-08, 07:39 PM

Heres an instructional
http://youtube.com/watch?v=NPo_XkeGPMI
heres with a machine and a bench rigged up
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xqnQqAyC7zY
heres with a spotter
http://youtube.com/watch?v=44DAxF6bneY&feature=related
Heres how to do an assisted GHR, very clever idea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXOBHtZrxAk&NR=1

**maverick** · 07-Mar-08, 08:30 AM

You can do all the assistance exercises you want, but you ain't gonna get better at squattin' deep til you start squattin' deep. At least that's my experience. Nothing blasts my glutes (no gay jokes), hips, and inner thighs more than deep, heavy squatting.

**MAURER** · 07-Mar-08, 11:33 AM

i dunno im starting to think im going deep enough. i asked my friend who i lift with how far it looked like i was going down compared to the box he has for squats at his gym. he told me that he thought i was going down about as far as the box, if not deeper. that should be deep enough right?

thanks for the vids too westside, i'll prob try them out.