Still can't squat - JP Fitness Forums

pinkgingham_19 · 05-03-2008, 04:44 PM

I'm almost done stage 1, and I still haven't done a full squat! Not even body weight. I've watched the Squat Rx series, and I'm now doing this Lurn 2 squat good -- E-ZY!

My question is what to do when I start stage 2 for the squat/press?

missjane · 05-03-2008, 04:45 PM

Why can't you squat?

pinkgingham_19 · 05-03-2008, 04:48 PM

My heels come off the ground, I fall over and my knees come out over my toes.

Susan4 · 05-03-2008, 05:21 PM

That happened to me. You need to work on your hamstrings and ankle flexbility a lot I'm betting, maybe glute activation too. Lots of active dynamic warmups and stretches after have helped me a good bit, no more heels off the floor anyway on squats for me. Bridges, bird dogs, squat to stand, twisting lunges, ankle stretches, hammie stretches etc. etc.

DirtyMartini · 05-03-2008, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinkgingham_19

I'm almost done stage 1, and I still haven't done a full squat! Not even body weight. I've watched the Squat Rx series, and I'm now doing this Lurn 2 squat good -- E-ZY!

My question is what to do when I start stage 2 for the squat/press?

Can you do a partial squat on your heels?

As for stage 2 with the front squat - you won't be able to do a front squat on your tippie toes while bearing weight (unless you want to fall forward), so this might be a good phase for you. Front squats will pretty much force you to bear weight on your heels.

BTW are you sure your back is in proper form?

Cynic · 05-03-2008, 08:12 PM

I would also recommend an aggressive regimen of foam rolling and stretching. Do it daily, w/o fail for 2-3 months.

Bonnie · 05-03-2008, 11:51 PM

Have you seen this article by Alwyn Cosgrove? Cosgrove's Five Ah Ha Moments

Flexibility and core stability, that's what I think is necessary to do a full squat.

Lisa~ · 05-04-2008, 09:39 AM

There is a lot of good advice in this thread and both of those articles are excellent. I really like Krista Scott-Dixon's "how to squat" series for beginners.

To the OP, I agree that a front squat might be easier for you than a back squat. If you can't do the combo movement, you might try a goblet squat as your front squat option. If you hold a medicine ball for your goblet squat, you might be able to make that into a front squat to push press combo (a medicine ball thruster). If you have to, shorten the range of motion on the front squat so that you can get the combo lift.

Well, there are two ways to think about it. You can work on your front squat (or goblet squat) until you learn how to squat--the goal is learning how to squat. Or you can shorten the ROM and get a combo lift--the goal is metabolic disturbance, getting that heart rate up, and fat loss. It depends on where you want to focus your efforts at this time. Both goals are worth pursuing.

foodfromafar · 05-04-2008, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cynic

I would also recommend an aggressive regimen of foam rolling and stretching. Do it daily, w/o fail for 2-3 months.

OK, another clueless newbie question. What is foam rolling?

DirtyMartini · 05-04-2008, 08:22 PM

google, baby, google!

Alternately, Lisa posted a great post about it here:
Charlie Horse

Celestialmom · 05-05-2008, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foodfromafar

OK, another clueless newbie question. What is foam rolling?

I second that--read the thread that DirtyMartini quoted. I just ordered my first foam roller after reading it and the articles that Julie posted...so I'll let you know how it goes!

Celeste

katiecopter · 05-06-2008, 07:23 PM

Hi,

I'm not much help, but wanted to chime in with a related question. I'm not sure if my squats are low enough. I can't see a mirror from the rack, and would like to know if there is a position your thighs should be at, at the bottom of the squat (for instance, should your thighs be parallel to the floor or lower than that)? My internet isn't very fast and streaming video is hard to download - so I've had a hard time with those links. thanks for any advice.

DirtyMartini · 05-06-2008, 07:50 PM

do you know anyone who can take a picture of you when you squat? Or someone at the gym you can ask? You should look to get your thighs parallel to the floor, and it's pretty close to impossible to check that on your own.

katiecopter · 05-07-2008, 01:54 AM

I can ask someone to take a picture I think. What I'm wondering beyond the leg position is how low your butt should go - it seems like there could be a point of no return.

Cynic · 05-07-2008, 03:48 AM

Video is better than still pictures. If you can get someone to video OR get a cheap tripod and video yourself, that will be far better. That way we can see what is happening in between.

DirtyMartini · 05-07-2008, 06:14 AM

ita. some cameras have the capability to take several pictures in a row with one click of the button - usually something like 9. If you don't have video on your camera, it might have that.

seomanthe · 05-07-2008, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Celestialmom

I second that--read the thread that DirtyMartini quoted. I just ordered my first foam roller after reading it and the articles that Julie posted...so I'll let you know how it goes!

Celeste

On Foam Rolling, I had a trial training session once and the trainer basically had me sit on the floor, legs straight out in front of me, with my ankles on top of the foam roll. It was about 3 to 5 inches in diameter I'd guess from memory. You then heave your torso up on your hands and s-l-o-w-l-y roll yours legs forward over the roll.

(Incidentally, for me, rolling was really painful and I haven't tried it again. I'd like to believe something was wrong somewhere, but I think I'll stick with regular stretching even though my hams are still REALLY sore two days after my first bout of single-leg Romanian deadlifts)

Bytsi · 05-07-2008, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seomanthe

On Foam Rolling, I had a trial training session once and the trainer basically had me sit on the floor, legs straight out in front of me, with my ankles on top of the foam roll. It was about 3 to 5 inches in diameter I'd guess from memory. You then heave your torso up on your hands and s-l-o-w-l-y roll yours legs forward over the roll.

(Incidentally, for me, rolling was really painful and I haven't tried it again. I'd like to believe something was wrong somewhere, but I think I'll stick with regular stretching even though my hams are still REALLY sore two days after my first bout of single-leg Romanian deadlifts)

I hate to tell you, but it does hurt - A LOT - and it's supposed to - until you've done it for a while and the myofascial release process is farther along... I doubt something was wrong somewhere when you tried it. I'm still in the "it hurts a lot" stage, but I know the benefits will be worth it...