Question about squats

[stunner5000pt]

Im sure this topic has been beaten to death but here goes anyway

How bad are ass to grass squats for the knees??

I have read in numerous articles and studies taht full squats are good and bad.... but relaly it comes down to the individual and a couple of factors which involve ankle flexibility and something else...

Suppose someone could squat 700lbs ass to grass... hypothetically, then would squatting ass to grass at that weight be extremely detrimental to the knees??

Certainly the risk of knee injury is heightened... but i have heard of people getting more injury risk when they squat parallel.

Am i making sense? Just confused

[chest6]

I've heard both ways. I think it depends on body structure. Either way..you need to have perfect form. A lot of things matter. Flexability, form, height, length of legs/torso etc. I have long legs and its pretty hard for me to go ass to the ground..but I did last week and my legs were shot for like 3-4 days afterwards..so I might start for a shock. All personal preference.

[Papi93]

Doing a full ROM is squat is said to be safer on the knees than stopping at parallel. Just make sure that your lower back does not flex at the bottom of the ROM for the full squat. If it does, your chance for injury, to the lower back, increases dramatically.

[SwoleCat]

I only go parallel, no further.

~SC~

[guest589745]

I had problems with my knees when wrappping them for squats, now that i dont, my quads get the full benefit and they no longer have pain in them. I think losing the wraps actually helped strengthen my knees.


I go beyond parralel only after I have warmed up with 3-4 sets.

[GREENMACHINE]

ass to the grass baby

[Panzerfaust]

Squats, what's squats?

I only go parallel..i will leave that ass to the grass squats to you bodybuilders...**** that..my knees hurt thinking about it.

[SwoleCat]

Mine do as well, and it lends no better development than parallel.

I was told by my sports med doctor to avoid compressing the knee compartment going down that low, and I trust in what he tells me because he assists many elite athletes in college and the pros.

~SC~

[guest589745]

Hmmm, good to know.

Thanks swole.

[stunner5000pt]

Mine do as well, and it lends no better development than parallel.

I was told by my sports med doctor to avoid compressing the knee compartment going down that low, and I trust in what he tells me because he assists many elite athletes in college and the pros.

~SC~

i dont know much about this ... so i have to ask

what is the problem with compressing the knee compartment?? Damage to the knee? Ligaments?

[helium3]

ive heard both arguements and they both have some merrit i started doing ass to grass squats after getting no where at all with paralell,just cant do em.think it depends also how much weight you use.

[ROUDA]

when you go to low it adds alot of stress to ligaments and the cartilege in the knee.

[ROUDA]

Another thing is it adds alot of pressure to the ankles.

[SwoleCat]

what is the problem with compressing the knee compartment??

The answer lies in the question, COMPRESSION. It means you are placing stress/force the the compartment that can be very damaging and wear out the cartilage under the knee.

People think they are "hardcore" by saying "ass to grass", but I'd like to see them in 10-15 years when they can't walk w/out a cane or walker of some sort.

~SC~

[spound]

Mine do as well, and it lends no better development than parallel.

~SC~

No offense swole, but can you back that claim up with any evidence? Or are you just speaking this way through personal experience with trying ATG squats yourself for a given period of time? I am just curious as to how you know this b/c I started squatting ATG starting in january and my legs are now caught up to the rest of my physqiue.....last year they lagged severely. I swear by squatting ass to the ground...not b/c I am or think I am hardcore, but because I truly believe in the results that squatting in this manner yields

[SwoleCat]

No offense swole, but can you back that claim up with any evidence?

I have no desire to try and prove anything to people here, I simply stated what I was told by a professional who assists professional/elite athletes. There are plenty of references that I've seen before that illustrate squatting ranges and the development that they yield, but I won't waste my valuable time searching to prove anything here as there is no point in doing so.

If one doesn't like or agree with the advice, I couldn't give a shit less really. I am not on this board to prove anything, I am here to offer my thoughts however and what people choose to do with those are up to them.

No offense, that's just the way it is. I get paid from my clients and in my business, not trying to prove methods to people here at this board. I help out freely here, so if my advice falls upon deaf ears, so be it, makes no diff. to me.

~SC~

[spound]

Dude, are you being serious? Ease up. I dont see why you had to take my post in such a negative light, I was simply questioning one thing you stated. I take your word on the "compression" on the knee that your doctor stated, I was just asking if you had personal experience with trying ATG squats and noticed no direct correlation b/t them and any excess quad/leg development b/c like I said, I have noticed otherwise. Swole, listen, I appreciate the advice and time you give here, I pay CLOSE attention to your posts as they have much knowledge, and you have TONS of credibility backing it up. Please dont take my questioning as an insult, I have simply been "trained" into questioning things when it comes to "researching" Who wouldn't? I am sure you dont jsut go into things blindly as far as diet/training goes. Sure, you would if someone very credible offered you advice, but it is always nice to know the question "why?" to help understend WHY you are doing things instead of jsut doing them bc/ so and so said to...this is how you increase your knowledge and undestanding in this game.

I apologize if I came of rude, or disrespectful, but those were not my intentions bro. Hope there's no hard feelings. Have a good night.

I have no desire to try and prove anything to people here, I simply stated what I was told by a professional who assists professional/elite athletes. There are plenty of references that I've seen before that illustrate squatting ranges and the development that they yield, but I won't waste my valuable time searching to prove anything here as there is no point in doing so.

If one doesn't like or agree with the advice, I couldn't give a shit less really. I am not on this board to prove anything, I am here to offer my thoughts however and what people choose to do with those are up to them.

No offense, that's just the way it is. I get paid from my clients and in my business, not trying to prove methods to people here at this board. I help out freely here, so if my advice falls upon deaf ears, so be it, makes no diff. to me.

~SC~

[SwoleCat]

Nah, I wasn't insulted brutha, I just wrote what I did as many ask me to show "evidence" of other things that are very basic/common knowledge, so it was gettin' old that's all.

So my post kind of addressed all of that as a whole.

U have a good one as well.

~SC~

[*Narkissos*]

Doing a full ROM is squat is said to be safer on the knees than stopping at parallel. Just make sure that your lower back does not flex at the bottom of the ROM for the full squat. If it does, your chance for injury, to the lower back, increases dramatically.

Agreed. Stopping at parallel can increase sheer force on the joint.

There're debates about not letting one's knees stray past one's toes.

Some say Knees shouldn't pass toes as this increases sheer force on the joint.. However some say that letting the knees stray past the toes is more biomechanically sound.. and essential to sub-parallel squatting.

As someone who was plagued with bad knees early (and no longer have significant trouble with 'em)... I happen to agree.

Nark

[SwoleCat]

As with diet/training/life, best course of action is to do what works for YOU as an individual. Threads like this that go back/forth with arguing methods and what is "correct" really irritate me, so my advice is to do what the hell u want.

My legs do just fine with my methods, so I'll continue to utilize them.

Thanks and goodnight.............

~SC~

[spound]

As with diet/training/life, best course of action is to do what works for YOU as an individual. Threads like this that go back/forth with arguing methods and what is "correct" really irritate me, so my advice is to do what the hell u want.

My legs do just fine with my methods, so I'll continue to utilize them.

Thanks and goodnight.............

~SC~

LOL...very good point SC. People have to remember, "there is more than one way to skin a cat." You will have 10 guys doing a show whos preps were ALL COMPLETELY different, yet their preps all yielded similar results.

[spound]

Nah, I wasn't insulted brutha, I just wrote what I did as many ask me to show "evidence" of other things that are very basic/common knowledge, so it was gettin' old that's all.

So my post kind of addressed all of that as a whole.

U have a good one as well.

~SC~

Understood. I can see how that could get old VERY fast. There is no doubt that your methods work wonderfully though.....your clients' results are proof of this.....AND the proof is in the puddin' LOL Take care bud. I'm hitting the sack!

[Prime]

I think if you are comfortable going deep go deep, if you lack flexibility or suffer any discomfort going past parallel then stop at parallel. IT's a very individual thing. As long as you dont stop half way then it's all good.

[helium3]

what about platforms? i dont usually use them,last time i tried i noticed it shifted more pressure on the calves,and they seem suited to people with a limited range of motion.