How low can you go

[taichiguy]

yesterday was a light day for squats(245) and i noticed this guy watching me. when i was done with my set he cam up to me and said " that was impressive, i have never seen anybody go that low while squatting"
YEAH BABY!!!

[StrongLiftMyBalls]

[b17vic]

Obviously the unsolicited comment came from one of the general population who thinks using machines and doing cable fly's is strength training. Do the squat again but go deeper!

[Charlie Davies]

" that was impressive, i have never seen anybody go that low while squatting" YEAH BABY!!!

Hurrah for geezers!

[Mark E. Hurling]

Hurrah for geezers!

Can somebody give out an AMEN! for that. Good work.

[taichiguy]

just to clarify... it wasn't ATG but definitely below parallel
these knees don't work that well

[phalzee]

My understanding from reading SS has been that squats should be done to a bit below parallel, and that you don't gain much by going below that. (And also risk knee problems.) The idea being we should be shooting for a "sweet spot" somewhere between less than full depth and ATG. Your thoughts geezers and geezettes?

[Immortal_k]

My understanding from reading SS has been that squats should be done to a bit below parallel, and that you don't gain much by going below that. (And also risk knee problems.) The idea being we should be shooting for a "sweet spot" somewhere between less than full depth and ATG. Your thoughts geezers and geezettes?

Not a geezer but that is true. If you go to the end range of possible movement, as low as you could go, you lose hamstring tension and your knees travel forward. During a correctly performed low bar back squat, the knees only travel so far forward as to allow the remainder of the squat to become a hip movement. The emphasis is on the hip as that is the body's center of power.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Second that. Just below parallel is the prescription. No extra points for lower.

[Kim]

Need the bounce. I'm still working on hitting the sweet spot to get that 100% of the time.