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.

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squats...

Lumina20 Posts: 966 Joined: 2001/10/31	2002/05/06, 11:18 PM Okay, I know this has probably been asked a few times, but I can't seem to find the answer I'm looking for when I do a search. I have never done a squat before. I am supposed to do front squats tomorrow, and so I tried practicing them in front of a mirror. I can't get my thighs to be parallel to the ground. Is this just an issue of flexibility or am I doing something really wrong?

Philia2 Posts: 4,078 Joined: 2001/10/19	2002/05/07, 01:19 AM Try to do it with a Smith machine the first time. You'll then be guided and you can lean your back against the barbell. Just imagine yourself having a chair far behind your butt and you need to sit down on it...... -------------- - Nina :o) La vie est toujours aussi belle.....
Lumina20 Posts: 966 Joined: 2001/10/31	2002/05/07, 05:06 PM Unfortunately the Smith Machine at my gym broke a while ago and they never replaced it. Doh! Thanks anyway
rpacheco Posts: 3,770 Joined: 2001/12/13	2002/05/07, 05:15 PM I think maybe the problem is your balance. For front squats, keep your back very straight and don't go too heavy or you'll tend to lean forward. Just bend your knees as far as they'll go without moving your head (meaning, just look straight ahead throughout the entire movement). Even partials count towards the exercise. In time, you'll get the hang of it... -------------- _Robert_
Boddhisattvha Posts: 1,226 Joined: 2002/03/07	2002/05/07, 06:01 PM Wouldn't leaning against a wall help you keep the form necessary? -------------- And my soul must be iron, because my fear is naked. I'm naked and fearless.
rpacheco Posts: 3,770 Joined: 2001/12/13	2002/05/07, 06:40 PM Against a wall? On squats? For regular ones, I wouldn't try that unless you carry enough wall insurance! LOL! The only exercise I would do against a wall would be standing barbell curls. Otherwise, stay away from the walls...before you do some real damage...LOL!!! -------------- _Robert_
Lumina20 Posts: 966 Joined: 2001/10/31	2002/05/07, 06:50 PM Okay, so I went to workout today and tried to get that squat thing down. I had two people trying to help me, one being a personal trainer who thinks I may have shin splints because when I try to go all the way down I get a pain in the front of my ankles. But when I got home I just did some with some dumbells in the seclusion of my basement, hopefully I did them right because there are no mirrors down here... I won't give up though. I think I'll try your suggestion, rpacheco, next time I try them.
jnellie Posts: 924 Joined: 2002/02/24	2002/05/07, 07:18 PM way to go ........lumina.............
Philia2 Posts: 4,078 Joined: 2001/10/19	2002/05/08, 01:26 AM Why not just do lunges?!!!! They are as great as squats and you'll even have a better butt work out!!! Now when you get stronger legs, then you can attack the squat again. -------------- - Nina :o) La vie est toujours aussi belle.....
ssjslsdd Posts: 59 Joined: 2002/01/23	2002/05/09, 06:48 PM I agree if you do lunges you will have a great butt. I do them every other week and I doubt if you could pierce my butt with a needle. Lunges are the way to go, and they hurt like hell. Just my two cents. sean.....
Lumina20 Posts: 966 Joined: 2001/10/31	2002/05/09, 09:08 PM pierce your butt with a needle? ouchie! okay, i will lunge my cheeks into submission
Boddhisattvha Posts: 1,226 Joined: 2002/03/07	2002/05/10, 11:12 AM Oh man did those suck... -------------- And my soul must be iron, because my fear is naked. I'm naked and fearless.