Squats - FreeTrainers.com Forums

Group: General Fitness & Exercise

General Fitness & Exercise

Created: 2011/12/31, Members: 382, Messages: 54581

Various general exercise related discussions. Find out what it takes to reach your fitness goals through daily effective exercise. With so many options we try to find out what works best.

Join group

Squats

briany Posts: 8 Joined: 2007/01/02	2007/09/01, 11:48 PM I would like to know when you do a proper squat do the heals of your feet come off the floor alittle? Also I do have some minor knee issues and they tend to hurt alittle durning and after do squats is this due to improper form or just bad knees? This is one exercise I have always had problems with as far as doing them properly. I remember years ago when I was working out hard and alot younger when I did do them I felt a good pump all over my body and I miss that and want to feel that again but I do need help with proper form its been a long time since I did them consistenly.

asimmer Posts: 8,201 Joined: 2003/01/07	2007/09/02, 11:02 AM BAD form. Your heels shouldn't come up - your weight should be in your heels. You may have very tight hamstrings - do you stretch them? Here are a few things that help my clients do squats properly - - Sit back, like you are reaching for a chair with your butt. Your hips should fold before your knees ever do. If your knees are bending first you are throwing your weight forward - this will definitely cause knee pain. Think of your shins/lower legs as being in a brace that cannot move, bend from the hips and then when the hips have gone as low as they can without the knees bending, bend at the knees (I hope that makes sense) - go with low weight or no weight at all until you get form right. ou could parctice at home with a broomstick across your shoulders - working on comfort and depth. - Focus on keeping the weight in your heels, but also don't let your toes come up (although it should feel as though they can at the bottom of the movement) - Drive back up by pushing your feet into the ground and forcefully starightening your lges, squeezing your glutes as well. If you canot find a comfortable form for squats ask a trainer at the gym to evaluate your form. They shouldn't charge you for asking one form question, they should be happy to help you not injure yourself. Always warm-up for a few minutes before working your legs (or any body part) and be sure to stretch out after your workout. -------------- Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak. Thomas Carlyle
Pemdas Posts: 973 Joined: 2004/07/22	2007/09/02, 07:54 PM Widening your stance and pointing your toes out a little will also probably help.
Pemdas Posts: 973 Joined: 2004/07/22	2007/09/02, 07:56 PM Also do your knees cave in when squat. The shouldn't, but if they do make and effort spread the floor with your knees.
ssminnow Posts: 284 Joined: 2004/02/16	2007/09/03, 04:38 PM Asimmer, once again thanks for your great post. I always thought I was doing it correctly, but the heals are key, When i out the weight on my heals, I feel much less pressure in my knees. By just shifting the weight a little bit forward seems like it can do damage. Do you have any similar suggestions for shoulders when doing military presses or bench presses? How can I take the pressure off my shoulders like i can take it off my knees? Thanks!
SFGiantsMVP Posts: 1,533 Joined: 2005/12/04	2007/09/03, 06:31 PM For Bench bring weight down just below the nipples, if shoulders are stressed on bench it's may be because you bring the weight down to your shoulders or neck. For shoulders if the weight ain't too heavy it may be because your are over training them by bench wrong as it sounds you may be doing! I use to do the same until a friend corrected me and now my shoulder don't ever feel like they are on the bring of injury! -------------- Knock-Um Down & Keep-Um Down!
SFGiantsMVP Posts: 1,533 Joined: 2005/12/04	2007/09/03, 06:33 PM I would lay off any type of Decline until your shoulders get better as I had to! -------------- Knock-Um Down & Keep-Um Down!
SFGiantsMVP Posts: 1,533 Joined: 2005/12/04	2007/09/03, 06:34 PM Damn it I meant INCLINE! -------------- Knock-Um Down & Keep-Um Down!
ssminnow Posts: 284 Joined: 2004/02/16	2007/09/03, 08:10 PM Thanks SFGMVP. Funny that you mention laying of incline for a while, because I actually just decided to do that last week because of my shoulders. I read that during a bench press you should squeeze your shoulder blades together. Doing that helped some and it really felt like it isolated the pecs more. I think I just need some healing time.
asimmer Posts: 8,201 Joined: 2003/01/07	2007/09/04, 10:59 AM I also have found that if I press slightly towards my feet (not really much, just the thought of it going that way) as opposed to straight up over my shoulders/chest, benching is more comfortable. -------------- Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak. Thomas Carlyle
Pemdas Posts: 973 Joined: 2004/07/22	2007/09/04, 11:15 AM Tuck you elbows toward you body a little bit. I bet that you are flaring your elbows out to the side. When you flare the bar moves more towards your head causing more stress to shoulders. Tucking your elbows will let you get the bar farther down your chest. Assimmer's tip of pushing the bar towards your feet a little will help reinforce the tuck.
ssminnow Posts: 284 Joined: 2004/02/16	2007/09/04, 04:32 PM Awesome, thanks! I will try it during my next chest workout.