Are you guys sure about the Squat???

[NotNowChief]

For what its worth I just had a phd chiropractor recommend barbell back squats as an eventual part of back rehab to strengthen and activate glutes. His recommendations and queries on squat form pretty much paralleled the advice given on this site.

I've posted this link before on these forums so apologies to anyone bored by it but its just too damn good not to make available to this guy. The best referenced, written and argued case for deep barbell squatting I have come across;

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/weight-training-weight-lifting/bill-starrs-5-x-5-program-variation-per-madcow2-thanx-so-here-k-up-now-375215-83.html#post5124176

[rere]

I've bookmarked this for future reference.

[Tripwire]

i had one of the personal trainers in teh gym comment on how good my technique was the other week.. then today some real random skinny guy in at least his 50's came and told me that i shouldnt be going that low because if i wobble and put weight on my ankle my knee would pop out?.. apprently he's seen it before?.. (this was after my 4th set so my face was going a bit red but wasn't exactly wobbling or anything ) I just had to say, ow really well ill have to take it a bit easier then.. thanks...

[MikeD]

Guy at one gym I go to loads over 5 plates on the bar...and doesn't even go down a quarter. I don't even know what the fuck it is. But he truly thinks he's king shit, and most people there didn't know the damn difference.

Going low is good.

[wrenchhands]

AM I sure about *my* squat? No, because I don't have mirrors, cameras, or a partner.

Am I sure that deep squatting is correct? Oh hell yes. Billions deep squat to poop every day of their lives, and their knees are strong.

[Tenmagnet]

i had one of the personal trainers in teh gym comment on how good my technique was the other week.. then today some real random skinny guy in at least his 50's came and told me that i shouldnt be going that low because if i wobble and put weight on my ankle my knee would pop out?.. apprently he's seen it before?.. (this was after my 4th set so my face was going a bit red but wasn't exactly wobbling or anything ) I just had to say, ow really well ill have to take it a bit easier then.. thanks...

He's kind of right - if your knees are wobbling back and forth under heavy weight, you can hurt yourself. It's probably easier for that to happen with parallel squats. I know a few guys who have done that on rippetoes program, and I was doing it a bit when I was using running shoes. Bare feet, and taking care to use proper form is the antidote.

[Rockfella]

One word: Ignore the lamers, show them in 3 months time what program me u r following with your own results. Partial squats build "Sports specific strength" in the hips as we can lift very heavy weight on the top position on the squat! It is useless for us. Go for FULL DEEP SQUATS NO MATTER WHAT!
Ignore the world/local gym/trainers. I have never followed what the trainers in my fancy gym tell me. Other gym members have started asking me questions on what programe I follow, 'coz they have seen me struggling with 25kg on squat and now I lift 55 kg AND 100+KG ON THE dl within 2 months with a broken shoulder. I have to ignore them since I don't like to waste time teaching 5 x5s to gym rats. Be selfish! Show the world with your results/progress, be brave/bold to train different, once u start showing results they will find ways to talk to you/ask u questions = that’s a big ego kick!

Hi All,

I'm reading the Starting Strength book, and squat pass parallel makes sense.

However, I've been approached again, while doing my squats today, about how bad it's going to be fore my knees when it's heavy.

And from what I've seen, other people in the gym, and a lot of the personal trainers, I see people only squating about a quarter.

It just seems to me that I'm the only one .

After I finished my squating today, I was using the smith machine for inverse lateral rows, and I noticed another personal trainer showing a guy how to squat, and it's confusing as hell for me, it seems that he told the guy opposite of what I was reading in Starting Strength.

He told the guy to put his knees inward while he was going up, and at the same time, to look straight in the mirror to check your form. He was squating 45 lb on each side plus the bar, but he didn't go all the way down.

So I guess my question is, is it really safe to squat all the way pass parralel ? And if it is, how should I politely tell the personal trainers and other folk, to stop asking me about it...?