Hamstring "Bounce" ?

[TheTonyT]

I hear about it all the time that when you sqaut to use the stretch shortening reflex in your hamstrings to help explode out of the hole. Ive done this during high bar "Olympic" style squating when Im basically ( but not literally) bouncing off the back of my calfs, but how is this reflex/rebound achieved during low bar squating?

[gzt]

It happens because your hamstrings are stretched. If they aren't, maybe you aren't pushing your knees out. Or you're very flexible.

[MazdaMatt]

Read the active hip article.

[Tom Campitelli]

You should read Starting Strength and Rip's article on Active Hip. You will find your answers there.

[msingh]

I only recently discovered how to squat correctly and never so much saw any bounce before this.The thing to do is to set up tight (everywhere really) and then stay tight throughout the lift. i was setting up ok, but not holding that same tightness at the bottom of the lift.

[TheTonyT]

I try to stay as tight as I can, shoving my knees out has hard as I can, and try to shove my ass back, but when I get to a certain point/depth it just feels like Im going to loose tension/tightness and get stuck in the "hole". Im thinking either my lower back is rounding,my knees arnt being shoved out hard/wide enough, or both. Im thinking this would probolly kill my hip drive as well.

I tried using a makeshift "box" out of a milkcrate and 3 45lb plates, used it during my max set on my PR day and it felt that itc cleaned up my technique some.

[LudwigVan]

Personally I feel wearing a belt helps me utilize the bounce more effectively with heavy weights, since it helps me ensure that I'm not letting any of the upward energy dissipate by failing to keep my torso tight. Before I started wearing the belt I had a tendency to get too deep because I was relaxing at the bottom.

[gzt]

And, to be honest, I don't really "feel" the bounce, either. I know it's there, because I don't have much problem getting out of the hole, but, as a man I'm sure you understand this, sometimes you just don't feel things and you have to keep on anyway.

[msingh]

I agree what that gzt, i don't feel a bounce as such, but when you have an efficient ascent out of the hole it must have been there, right?

[misspelledgeoff]

That's because the hamstrings are "minimally activated" in the squat. Read some science dummass.

I agree what that gzt, i don't feel a bounce as such, but when you have an efficient ascent out of the hole it must have been there, right?