stupid squat question

[maccaz]

hey guys, real noob question here :oops:

previously I have not been doing squats - mainly because Iv never used a PT and never really been shown form. getting more into freeweights as opposed to machines now and having trouble with squat form.

Problem I am having now when I squat (even just bar no weight trying to get it right) is I lean forward, and struggle to keep heels down, almost like going down on tiptoes like crouching. hard to explain but have googled and it seems like a common problem.

Is it a balance thing (ie I feel like if i lean back/more upright almost would fall backwards), will practice sort it or am i just doing it wrong,

I may upload a video as its hard to explain

should feet be pointing directly forward or out?

[Beowulf]

It would seem that your not sticking your ass out far enough man although it is hard to asses without actually seeing you squat.

Easiest way to solve this would proabably be to talk to one of the staff at your gym and show them your squat then ask what they see the issue is

[groovy]

Hey maccaz. Its a long video but one of the best videos i got given by Pman on how to squat properly. Hope it helps.

[maccaz]

sweet man cheers will watch when I get home.

[chaos]

Find a point high on the wall/ceiling in front of you and look at it while you squat. Noobs always look forward and the body follows the head....

[Maximus]

A few humble suggestions:

1. Wear some decent shoes while squatting (or barefoot even). Chuck Taylors are fine. Try not to wearing running shoes as they are simply not designed for this.

2. Use a Squat rack correctly and slowly build up the weight, do not use a Smiths Machine for squatting. This bears repeating. Do not use a Smith's Machine for Squatting.

2. Pay a professional to critque your form. A decent personal trainer will show you decent squatting form and adjust your posture if required. This is money well spent.

I had real difficulty with OHS and Olympic Lifts and paid a good trainer to help me out. It really made a difference.

Hope this helps.

[Maximus]

A few humble suggestions:

1. Wear some decent shoes while squatting (or barefoot even). Chuck Taylors are fine. Try not to wearing running shoes as they are simply not designed for this.

2. Use a Squat rack correctly and slowly build up the weight, do not use a Smiths Machine for squatting. This bears repeating. Do not use a Smith's Machine for Squatting.

2. Pay a professional to critque your form. A decent personal trainer will show you decent squatting form and adjust your posture if required. This is money well spent.

I had real difficulty with OHS and Olympic Lifts and paid a good trainer to help me out. It they really made a difference.

Hope this helps.

[Rookie]

Bro its not a stupid question, I had the exact same issue when I first started out squatting... Box squats with a safety squat bar are awesome for technique improvement/stability. These helped me heaps in staying up right and pushing through heels.

If you can go to a good PLing gym or just try it with an oly bar on a bench, and push your knees out too. Hard to explain but yeah box squats are best for teaching squat technique IMO

[bang_bang]

why is squating on a smith machine so bad? i sometimes do if i cant be arsed waiting for the squat rack

[Rookie]

why is squating on a smith machine so bad? i sometimes do if i cant be arsed waiting for the squat rack

Fixed plane of movement... and very easy to get injured ( from what I hear). Just dont think you'd get the same development on a smith machine as you would with a Barbell

[PeterDolan]

why is squating on a smith machine so bad? i sometimes do if i cant be arsed waiting for the squat rack

Fixed plane of movement... and very easy to get injured ( from what I hear). Just dont think you'd get the same development on a smith machine as you would with a Barbell

I disagree here rookie but not on the basis that what you said is wrong but because everyone's different

Personally, I'll wait 10mins for the squat rack to free up instead of use the smith, I like to use the smith every now and then for finishing off cause you can deep so deep and stretch and fill the muscles.

I do believe for the greatest population of gym goers, BB squats herald the best mass gain

[Rookie]

why is squating on a smith machine so bad? i sometimes do if i cant be arsed waiting for the squat rack

Fixed plane of movement... and very easy to get injured ( from what I hear). Just dont think you'd get the same development on a smith machine as you would with a Barbell

I disagree here rookie but not on the basis that what you said is wrong but because everyone's different

Personally, I'll wait 10mins for the squat rack to free up instead of use the smith, I like to use the smith every now and then for finishing off cause you can deep so deep and stretch and fill the muscles.

I do believe for the greatest population of gym goers, BB squats herald the best mass gain

yeah fair enough PD everyone is different, and I don't do them because well... in a PL comp you dont get tested on a smith machine. So yeah I guess specificity does come into play.

The highlighted part was all I was trying to get at. I know Tom Platz did lots of squats...

[PeterDolan]

Fixed plane of movement... and very easy to get injured ( from what I hear). Just dont think you'd get the same development on a smith machine as you would with a Barbell

I disagree here rookie but not on the basis that what you said is wrong but because everyone's different

Personally, I'll wait 10mins for the squat rack to free up instead of use the smith, I like to use the smith every now and then for finishing off cause you can deep so deep and stretch and fill the muscles.

I do believe for the greatest population of gym goers, BB squats herald the best mass gain

yeah fair enough PD everyone is different, and I don't do them because well... in a PL comp you dont get tested on a smith machine. So yeah I guess specificity does come into play.

The highlighted part was all I was trying to get at. I know Tom Platz did lots of squats...

Platz did more volume on squats than I do in my whole leg work out haha

[Rookie]

Haha I re call Gregg Valentino saying he squatted 315lbs for 50 reps :shock:

But surely your quads were built from lots of BB squats though right? As a main exercise I mean

[PeterDolan]

Haha I re call Gregg Valentino saying he squatted 315lbs for 50 reps :shock:

But surely your quads were built from lots of BB squats though right? As a main exercise I mean

Definitely but I think the biggest thing was doing them right though

The only machine I've seen that would been good looks kinda like a calf raise, I've seen Vic Martinez use it. Even then I'd only use it to help people with poor technique

Alot of people are literally scared to squat properly, my training partner was terrible with it. Some tough love sorted that out. So as rookie suggested, get to a PL gym and you WILL squat just fine (not perfectly) after 1-2 sessions

[cantygirl]

You probably have tight hamstrings and calves, hence why your leaning forward to much. Best way to combat this is to put a weight plate under each heel then you will be able to correct your posture. Plenty of hamstring stretching after working out and id jump on the rower before you start squats and really push hard through your heels to get some heat into the hamstrings.

[PeterDolan]

You probably have tight hamstrings and calves, hence why your leaning forward to much. Best way to combat this is to put a weight plate under each heel then you will be able to correct your posture. Plenty of hamstring stretching after working out and id jump on the rower before you start squats and really push hard through your heels to get some heat into the hamstrings.

Not a 20kg by the way haha about a 2.5-5kg plate depending on how tight you are

[teamfatboy]

Find a point high on the wall/ceiling in front of you and look at it while you squat. Noobs always look forward and the body follows the head....

Look up.

Start in a squat rack...

Only once you've mastered it there, then options like using a Smith open up, like narrow-stance (ankles together) to hit the outside of the quads - impossible to do without a Smith.

[bang_bang]

why is squating on a smith machine so bad? i sometimes do if i cant be arsed waiting for the squat rack

Fixed plane of movement... and very easy to get injured ( from what I hear). Just dont think you'd get the same development on a smith machine as you would with a Barbell

oh ok thanks for clearing that up. i do usually avoid using it

[PeterDolan]

Find a point high on the wall/ceiling in front of you and look at it while you squat. Noobs always look forward and the body follows the head....

Probably ditch the mirror too if that's what your rack is in front of

[HarryB]

just do leg extensions and always wear boardies! Seems to be the current trend at my gym!

[PeterDolan]

just do leg extensions and always wear boardies! Seems to be the current trend at my gym!

Guys always train in boardies at mine too, can't squat in boardies, they wouldn't even if they could anyway

[HarryB]

I keep telling them they're not fooling anyone and at least train their calves!!! My 130 kilo tongan training partner trains in boardies, well used to.. even though I said you couldn't squat in them he persevered, then of course split them and walked out of the gym with his tshirt tied around his waist lol

[PeterDolan]

I keep telling them they're not fooling anyone and at least train their calves!!! My 130 kilo tongan training partner trains in boardies, well used to.. even though I said you couldn't squat in them he persevered, then of course split them and walked out of the gym with his tshirt tied around his waist lol

Sometimes there is only one way for a person to learn their lesson

I've found they do train calves due to the machine orientated training but they pile the weight on and bounce like a motherfucker moving that shit about an inch

[lemon]

Boardies makes you cool - Fact.

@ the question

Make sure your knees don't go over your feet.

When you're lowering the bar it should almost remain within a straight line while going down

I know you said you've watched videos but I think this ones a good example.

You see his knees go only as far as his feet. His ass is really pushed out and the weight remains in a vertical line. Doesn't swing forwards tipping him.