whats the true ROM on squatting

[BUDGIE]

when i started B/Band was going throughn the motions of asking advice reading mags educating myself etc, aprocess which by the way is never ending for any of us,the first thing i did is look and try to learn the basics..the ones which we know like -docompound exc use form at all time improve your diet and range of motion.this is the one that is bugging me when it comes to squatting. numerous times ive read in mags seen photos or film of B/Bs going to parallel or sometimes even less or theres the one where u go down till ur butt touches a bench. i admit i used to follow these myself till about a year ago when i switched to deep, butt to floor squatt which is the true ROM my legs came on more in the past yr more than the previus two and half yr. so whats the true deal with ROM for squatt are people been lazy is ther any specific reason why people only go 1/2 way surely ur going to use more muscle and therfore more growth going deep. or should the advice be do full ROM except when squatting.

[Flexor]

Going to the floor stretches the connective tissue in the knee joint and the hip joint. A lot of people have pain doing squats to the floor because of this. Going to parallel keeps the load on the quads and takes the glutes out of it a bit. I think its better to stop at parallel and keep the load in the muscles though, rather than putting all that load into the connective tissue at fulle stretch at the bottom of a deep squat.

Deep squats may improve growth, but the side effect of that might be joint trouble in later life.

[Conkies]

Going to the floor stretches the connective tissue in the knee joint and the hip joint. A lot of people have pain doing squats to the floor because of this. Going to parallel keeps the load on the quads and takes the glutes out of it a bit. I think its better to stop at parallel and keep the load in the muscles though, rather than putting all that load into the connective tissue at fulle stretch at the bottom of a deep squat.

Deep squats may improve growth, but the side effect of that might be joint trouble in later life.

Actually you have it wrong man...

The sheer force is less during sub-parallel squatting.

In fact...sub-parallel squatting is better for your knees in the long run as long as you:

1. pay attention to biomechanics.
2. don't bounce in the bottom position.

[Flexor]

Actually you have it wrong man...

The sheer force is less during sub-parallel squatting.

In fact...sub-parallel squatting is better for your knees in the long run as long as you:

1. pay attention to biomechanics.
2. don't bounce in the bottom position.

BS MAN...I know its not the case...

Read swolecat's sticky post at the top of the page. He has experienced knee injury and rehab first hand and he knows his shit. I'll believe a seasoned pro like him with a good reputation throughout his line of work over you anyday, and its backed up by fact.

Squatting to the floor squelches the knee tissue in an un-natural way...

[Canadiantiger]

I follow or atleast some of the methodologies of the Westside Barbell Club who by far train the strongest lifters. Matt I forget his last name has squatted 1010lbs and they have 16 members who have squatted 800lbs. In November 2004 L Simmons wrote an article about box squatting it is IMO well worth the read. www.westside-barbell.com

[*Narkissos*]

Actually you have it wrong man...

The sheer force is less during sub-parallel squatting.

In fact...sub-parallel squatting is better for your knees in the long run as long as you:

1. pay attention to biomechanics.
2. don't bounce in the bottom position.

I happen to agree with this

[chest6]

Its goes down to the age old response, do what works for you. Ass to floor hurts my knees. To Parallel works best for me,.

[Flexor]

Its goes down to the age old response, do what works for you. Ass to floor hurts my knees. To Parallel works best for me,.

Good to hear it...

If people want to squash the tissue beneath their patella as the quad tendons are stretched then that is up to them. I personally prefer to keep the load on the quads, and on the knees when they are in a safe position

[*Narkissos*]

'safe' is biomechanically relative

[chest6]

'safe' is biomechanically relative

I'll vouch for that, some people aren't built to squat ass to floor, thus why it isn't for everyone . Some can do it, and it works well for them.

[Flexor]

I'll vouch for that, some people aren't built to squat ass to floor, thus why it isn't for everyone . Some can do it, and it works well for them.

I guess that's true actually. Everyone is different, and all I know is that if I went to the floor my patella would pop out...

[keth'naab]

also keep in mind that "ass-to-the-floor" squats force your hips to rotate under your body, which forces your back to round slightly.

I've always been of the "go to parallel then another inch or so lower" camp.

so not ATF necessarily, but a bit below parallel. nothing extreme.

[Prime]

If you ever look at olympic weightlifters they squat arse to the grass

I personally find my knees have no problem going full depth and i have had Knee problems since i was a young teenager. I had oschlotschlatters disease (sp?) which is to do with the knees and connective tissue problems. Now get me running or cycling or rowing long distance and my knees go to hell!

[jermazz]

if you point your toes outward and keep your balance over your heals then you should not have any knee problems. Do not let them buckle in or bow out keep them in line with the path your toes point to and you can go as low as you want without hurting the joint. you still should not go so low that your pelvis rotates because this will hurt your back, this point is different for everybody depending on how strong your lower back is. DO NOT bounce out of the lower position during anylift EVER. this transfers the load to the ligaments and will hurt them, and second since you are now using momentum you are not getting full benefit out of the lift, so you are wasting some your time and risking injury for nothing, lighten it up and slow it down.

[Flexor]

I had oschlotschlatters disease (sp?) which is to do with the knees and connective tissue problems

Osgoodschlatters. I think I had a bit of that, is it something to do with the tendons not growing fast enough to keep up with bone and muscle length?

[IronReload04]

when i started B/Band was going throughn the motions of asking advice reading mags educating myself etc, aprocess which by the way is never ending for any of us,the first thing i did is look and try to learn the basics..the ones which we know like -docompound exc use form at all time improve your diet and range of motion.this is the one that is bugging me when it comes to squatting. numerous times ive read in mags seen photos or film of B/Bs going to parallel or sometimes even less or theres the one where u go down till ur butt touches a bench. i admit i used to follow these myself till about a year ago when i switched to deep, butt to floor squatt which is the true ROM my legs came on more in the past yr more than the previus two and half yr. so whats the true deal with ROM for squatt are people been lazy is ther any specific reason why people only go 1/2 way surely ur going to use more muscle and therfore more growth going deep. or should the advice be do full ROM except when squatting.

would you do a half bench? or a half curl? or a half military press? or a half skull crusher? or a half row? squatting to parellell is doing a half squat.

ass to floor is the correct technique.

[n4529359]

some people just don't have the ankle, hamstring flexibility to do ass to ground squats. as soon as your back starts to curl out of straightness i think thats as low as you should go.

[IronReload04]

than these areas may need to be strengthened