• Keep up to date with Ausbb via Twitter and Facebook. Please add us!
  • Join the Ausbb - Australian BodyBuilding forum

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact us.

    The Ausbb - Australian BodyBuilding forum is dedicated to no nonsense muscle and strength building. If you need advice that works, you have come to the right place. This forum focuses on building strength and muscle using the basics. You will also find that the Ausbb- Australian Bodybuilding Forum stresses encouragement and respect. Trolls and name calling are not allowed here. No matter what your personal goals are, you will be given effective advice that produces results.

    Please consider registering. It takes 30 seconds, and will allow you to get the most out of the forum.

Full, half and qtr squat

Goosey

Goosey

.
Hey, I remember about 15 years ago when there was a resurgance back to the barbell squat on the internet and reading a lot of pros and cons.

if you didn't "squat ass to grass", you weren't squatting and that the against people saying that the squat is dangerous and bad for the knees, as with most things in this business we go from one extreme to the next.

it appears as though a middle ground has been found and although the full squat probably is the most effective barbell exercise ever invented it is and can be dangerous as hell, a great movement but you need the right structure to get down there, ass to grass, can place enormous pressure on the lwr back and knees, in that overtime, the calf pressing against the leg, can place considerable pressure on the knee.

Who here, have been doing the "full squat" and receiving benefit?

I'm a half squatter, I just could not get down that far, ATG, I tried for years, which I think played a part in stalling my progress in squatting, I focused too much on rom rather than adding kg's to the bar.

The only way I can get movement like that around the hip without lower back issues is with certain types of leg presses.

For the last 5 years my focus has been trying to get my knees behind my ears, supplementing squatting with leg pressing and stiffies.
 
I have just about given them away, albeit one of great exercises.

I can only get a decent weight using back, and if I have no interest in powerlifting in future, I do not see need to do heavy squats. If I decide to compete again in powerlifting, I will obviously need to do a few months of them to get into groove again.

I prefer leg press, lunges and leg extensions, and may only do squats now at end of session (light)
 
Last edited:
I've always squatted deep naturally - as the weight approached and exceeded 200kg, I found the height getting higher though. I try to go as low as possible, as I like to do my compounds 'correctly' in case I decide to ever compete in PL so I don't have to relearn them. I do occasionally get a bit of knee pain that lasts the rest of the day from going low with heavy loads though, but it goes away.

I found that the lower I go with a wide stance, the more I feel it in the quads and inner / outer parts of the leg (can't remember the muscle names).

Squatting heavy / low is the most difficult lift that I do IMO, that and 1RM bench press.
 
When I talk ATG, I mean your standard positioning, feet just past or at shoulder width, feet slightly turned or at a position that is comfortable and squatting until you arse contacts with your calves, while maintaining the natural curvature of the spine.

None of this moving legs out to reduce rom and shit.
this single topic created huge internet wars lol.

people saying they squat ATG 200 posting endless vids and people replying that's only a half squat!

squatting is the key-stone to my workouts, but because I cannot full squat, I need to supplement with leg presses.
 
I go shoulder width, but cant get anywhere near my calves, barely can break parallel when breaking with hips rather than knees.
 
Over the past few months I have really focused on re-learning my squat. Changing feet position and hand position until I felt comfortable, I dropped a substantial amount off the bar and started over. It is now deeper than before. I found my strength came up quite quick in the beginning, I passed my previous 1RM and strength is continuing to increased slowly. I love leg day, would be my favourite day of the week. I recently purchased some lifting shoes and immediately noticed a change for the positive. Have had a few weeks off but looking forward to hitting them hard again. I don't have a huge squat at all but I love it and I'm not competing with anything other than the week before.
 
Squats are a great exercise especially if you have he right body type for them. My knees can't handle them any more so I use the leg press instead which doesn't seem to worry my knees.
 
First seeing Dan John over at power and bulk I even tried goblet squats, they helped me understand how to squat, but it took me years to understand how truly important a good leg press is.

for me.
 
If I don't have deep squats in my training my IT band tightens and my piriformis gets inflamed and pushes against my sciatica and I'll get referred pain all down my left leg
The rest of my training is done either to develop the thighs a long way out from competition or with competition technique as I near a meet
 
I go to the point of parallel and maybe slightly beyond if the weight is light. Any further and it just feels awkward and unnatural.
 
I do ATG with front squats, just below parralell with back squats. Thats whats working for me at the moment, obviously might change it up in future and try doing ATG for both (dropping the weight substantially in the process).
 
Silverback said:
When I talk ATG, I mean your standard positioning, feet just past or at shoulder width, feet slightly turned or at a position that is comfortable and squatting until you arse contacts with your calves, while maintaining the natural curvature of the spine.

None of this moving legs out to reduce rom and shit.
this single topic created huge internet wars lol.

people saying they squat ATG 200 posting endless vids and people replying that's only a half squat!

squatting is the key-stone to my workouts, but because I cannot full squat, I need to supplement with leg presses.
Click to expand...


When I say wide, I mean slightly wider than shoulder width. Yeah I don't count ATG unless calf touches hamstring, as I don't have a spotter to tell me how low I'm going. If i could record myself at gym I would. I don't leg press, but I do do hamstring curls as an assistance. I try to squat like an IPF lifter I guess.

EDIT: ITB is outer leg yes? If so I found foam rolling them helps a lot with mobility at the bottom of the squat.
 
Last edited:
0ni said:
If I don't have deep squats in my training my IT band tightens and my piriformis gets inflamed and pushes against my sciatica and I'll get referred pain all down my left legThe rest of my training is done either to develop the thighs a long way out from competition or with competition technique as I near a meet
Click to expand...
My ITB's are that tight I have deep cuts and striations on the outsides of my thighs even with moderate bodyfat. Squatting ass to calves/balls to floor was the best my quads ever grew. Although I developed significant problems transitioning to low bar/parrallel squats as I still continued to search for the stretch reflex as my glutes/hips werent able to generate any significant power.
 
DREADLIFT said:
My ITB's are that tight I have deep cuts and striations on the outsides of my thighs even with moderate bodyfat. Squatting ass to calves/balls to floor was the best my quads ever grew. Although I developed significant problems transitioning to low bar/parrallel squats as I still continued to search for the stretch reflex as my glutes/hips werent able to generate any significant power.
Click to expand...

So, why did you transition from full squat to half squat?
did I read this correctly?
 
I squat to where my flexiblity allows me to, while maintaining my back tightness and position.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top