squat strength

Raven21 · 08-06-2008, 11:26 PM

Just want some feedback... I know it will be difficult without video but here goes anyway...

My squat sucks, but I'm slowly unravelling some of the issues and it is getting better. Right now my deadlift max is 405 while my squat is 275. Now I've fixed my feet, my position have started sitting back into it and pushing more with my hips.

During this 3 week wave instead of doing high box squats I have been doing pin squats - I put the rack pins and a height that puts the me starting at parallel and then start the squat from the bottom up. The last couple of weeks I have smoked 315 in this movement... and I do let the bar rest at the down position so there's no bouncing to help the change of direction. I tried 365 yesterday and moved it 3 inches. The strange thing was I felt like I had it in me but that my upper body couldn't keep upright. As such, I think that my core is weak as hell, more so than before...

So questions are:

1) Thoughts on this being a reasonable conclusion?
2) To fix it I was going to do ab work at every training session from hear on out, doing the scheduled heavy ab work, but working in standing abs every other workout where no ab work was scheduled - too much? Better idea?

I'm 9 weeks into my 12 week training cycle and my deadlift is moving along greatly.... I think I will hit at least my 450 goal at the end of these 12 weeks, and I think my 300 goal for squats is attainable but this has me irked... Also if it helps, I lift without a belt or any wraps/sleeves... and yes a belt will probably have to be my next purchase.

Thanks folks... let me know if I need to disclose anything else!

goliath23 · 08-07-2008, 12:33 AM

maybe a little more information is needed. How old are you, how tall are you, how much do you weight?How long have you been training and what type of training are you doing right now?

idk · 08-07-2008, 12:41 AM

are you using gear?

high box squats? how often do you do those?

wide stance or narrow stance?

i'm just a beginner and not really great at this whole thing, but it seems like a technique issue.

Raven21 · 08-07-2008, 08:08 AM

Okay, I'm 33, weigh 230 at 5'11".

I've had been training between a westside and 5x5 program for about 4 years, up until about 8 months ago when I started the Elitefts Beginners Program. I'm in week 9 of my second round of the program and the program has gone much better this time around - true consistency of training, diet and recoverey.

My squat technique has always been troublesome - I've struggled with finding my foot stance and then with getting proper depth due to poor flexibility... However, the last couple of years it was hampered mostly by a neck injury which was finally taken care of a 2 months back and the squats are now progressing well as my balance in much improved, leading to better technique and consistent proper depth. I'm squatting with my feet just outside shoulder width.

No gear of any kind including no belt or wraps/sleeves.

Hope that helps.

idk · 08-07-2008, 08:12 AM

definitely get your hands on a belt.

work on spreading the floor. push your feet out to the sides instead of into the ground. that'll keep it from becoming a good morning. keep squatting to that parallel box as well. high squatting all the time is gonna hinder your ability to squat to proper depth.

**thenatural** · 08-07-2008, 01:54 PM

my 3 pieces of advice:

1. improve your flexibility
2. improve your core strength
3. get us a video if you can.

how often do you do good mornings?

geese_com · 08-07-2008, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thenatural

my 3 pieces of advice:

1. improve your flexibility
2. improve your core strength
3. get us a video if you can.

how often do you do good mornings?

What are some suggestions to improve core strength? I think I have the same problem, my legs are pretty strong but my upper body sucks.

DuckDuckGoose · 08-07-2008, 02:59 PM

for core strength , you should be hammering your abs and posterior chain movements :

close stance good mornings
seated lower back ab crunch machine
wide stance good mornings
45 degree hypers
seated good mornings
glute ham raises
90 degree hypers
stiff legg deadlifts
reverse hypers
supermans
abdominal plank
standing cable crunches
abdominal rollouts with the little wheel thingy
weighted crunches
janda situps
hanging leg raises
cable or db side bends
barbell landmine rotations
rainbows
side bridge

pretty much any standing weighted ab / oblique exercise is going to have great carryover for the squat and building core strength .

geese_com · 08-07-2008, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DuckDuckGoose

for core strength , you should be hammering your abs and posterior chain movements :

close stance good mornings
seated lower back ab crunch machine
wide stance good mornings
45 degree hypers
seated good mornings
glute ham raises
90 degree hypers
stiff legg deadlifts
reverse hypers
supermans
abdominal plank
standing cable crunches
abdominal rollouts with the little wheel thingy
weighted crunches
janda situps
hanging leg raises
cable or db side bends
barbell landmine rotations
rainbows
side bridge

pretty much any standing weighted ab / oblique exercise is going to have great carryover for the squat and building core strength .

Thanks so much! I'll get on that stat!

Raven21 · 08-08-2008, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thenatural

my 3 pieces of advice:

1. improve your flexibility
2. improve your core strength
3. get us a video if you can.

how often do you do good mornings?

flexibility is improving and a constant work in progress, so I'm going down the right path here thankfully

core strength - started adding core work to every training session so this should should marked improvement in about a month -BUT IS THIS A GOOD STRATEGY GIVEN IT IS A WEAKNESS?

the program (elitefts beginner program) just started to incorporate GM's during this 3 week wave... I haven't done them seriously in over a year because of my neck alignment being so buggered... they hurt too much - and it was also a form issue too so - thus far my head is staying neutral and I'm remembering how much I loved this movement

Going to try to figure something out for video too, as this will provide the greatest clues for critique obviously

Thanks to all for the help... keep it coming if you think it's a good idea!

idk · 08-09-2008, 12:28 AM

dude if its an EFS program, then just do what it says, they know what they're doing.

Raven21 · 08-09-2008, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by idk

dude if its an EFS program, then just do what it says, they know what they're doing.

I agree, but I thought I would get more out of this movement that than the high box squats for this wave... second time through the program so nothing ventured nothing gained I guess... and they have paid off, I feel better with the weight on my shoulders and my legs feel like they were working harder for this movement... plus my squat is just disproportionately weaker than my Deadlift... thought this would help me push heavier and make progress... I think the real fix is going to have to be doing some straight squatting without a box and really working the movement and get my technique down not that things are progressing to a more natural movement

08-06-2008, 11:26 PM	#1
Raven21 New Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 5	squat strength Just want some feedback... I know it will be difficult without video but here goes anyway... My squat sucks, but I'm slowly unravelling some of the issues and it is getting better. Right now my deadlift max is 405 while my squat is 275. Now I've fixed my feet, my position have started sitting back into it and pushing more with my hips. During this 3 week wave instead of doing high box squats I have been doing pin squats - I put the rack pins and a height that puts the me starting at parallel and then start the squat from the bottom up. The last couple of weeks I have smoked 315 in this movement... and I do let the bar rest at the down position so there's no bouncing to help the change of direction. I tried 365 yesterday and moved it 3 inches. The strange thing was I felt like I had it in me but that my upper body couldn't keep upright. As such, I think that my core is weak as hell, more so than before... So questions are: 1) Thoughts on this being a reasonable conclusion? 2) To fix it I was going to do ab work at every training session from hear on out, doing the scheduled heavy ab work, but working in standing abs every other workout where no ab work was scheduled - too much? Better idea? I'm 9 weeks into my 12 week training cycle and my deadlift is moving along greatly.... I think I will hit at least my 450 goal at the end of these 12 weeks, and I think my 300 goal for squats is attainable but this has me irked... Also if it helps, I lift without a belt or any wraps/sleeves... and yes a belt will probably have to be my next purchase. Thanks folks... let me know if I need to disclose anything else! __________________ Real glory springs from the silent conquest of ourselves.—Joseph P. Thompson Save 5% on your next order! Use code JNH914 and begin your TrueProtein Experience!

08-07-2008, 12:41 AM	#3
idk Super-heavyweight Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Hawaii Posts: 4,397	are you using gear? high box squats? how often do you do those? wide stance or narrow stance? i'm just a beginner and not really great at this whole thing, but it seems like a technique issue. __________________ 1 oz. prevention =1 lb. cure Do not exist, LIVE! Jesus would total elite !!!!~DuckDuckGoose If apologizing works, then why do we need the police?

08-07-2008, 08:08 AM	#4
Raven21 New Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 5	Okay, I'm 33, weigh 230 at 5'11". I've had been training between a westside and 5x5 program for about 4 years, up until about 8 months ago when I started the Elitefts Beginners Program. I'm in week 9 of my second round of the program and the program has gone much better this time around - true consistency of training, diet and recoverey. My squat technique has always been troublesome - I've struggled with finding my foot stance and then with getting proper depth due to poor flexibility... However, the last couple of years it was hampered mostly by a neck injury which was finally taken care of a 2 months back and the squats are now progressing well as my balance in much improved, leading to better technique and consistent proper depth. I'm squatting with my feet just outside shoulder width. No gear of any kind including no belt or wraps/sleeves. Hope that helps. __________________ Real glory springs from the silent conquest of ourselves.—Joseph P. Thompson Save 5% on your next order! Use code JNH914 and begin your TrueProtein Experience!

08-07-2008, 08:12 AM	#5
idk Super-heavyweight Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Hawaii Posts: 4,397	definitely get your hands on a belt. work on spreading the floor. push your feet out to the sides instead of into the ground. that'll keep it from becoming a good morning. keep squatting to that parallel box as well. high squatting all the time is gonna hinder your ability to squat to proper depth. __________________ 1 oz. prevention =1 lb. cure Do not exist, LIVE! Jesus would total elite !!!!~DuckDuckGoose If apologizing works, then why do we need the police?

08-07-2008, 01:54 PM	#6
thenatural Moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Just around the bend. Posts: 8,509	my 3 pieces of advice: 1. improve your flexibility 2. improve your core strength 3. get us a video if you can. how often do you do good mornings? __________________ weight training and nutrition are two very simple endeavors. In fact, they are both primal instincts we are born with. Too many people are making this stuff way too complicated. Keep it simple and basic. It works every time. Hard work and consistency always pay big dividends. -exmgq Be Cool. Stay in School. And use the code JCK333 at your trueprotein checkout to save 5% on your entire order.

08-07-2008, 12:33 AM	#2
goliath23 Heavyweight Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: ottawa Posts: 2,190	maybe a little more information is needed. How old are you, how tall are you, how much do you weight?How long have you been training and what type of training are you doing right now?

08-07-2008, 02:59 PM	#8
DuckDuckGoose Heavyweight Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: far away from afghanistan Posts: 2,569	for core strength , you should be hammering your abs and posterior chain movements : close stance good mornings seated lower back ab crunch machine wide stance good mornings 45 degree hypers seated good mornings glute ham raises 90 degree hypers stiff legg deadlifts reverse hypers supermans abdominal plank standing cable crunches abdominal rollouts with the little wheel thingy weighted crunches janda situps hanging leg raises cable or db side bends barbell landmine rotations rainbows side bridge pretty much any standing weighted ab / oblique exercise is going to have great carryover for the squat and building core strength . __________________ " You know a unicorn is just a horse with a dildo on its head. " - 5luke2 http://bbsimg.ngfiles.com/1/14772000...7182c486f3.jpg

08-09-2008, 12:28 AM	#11
idk Super-heavyweight Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Hawaii Posts: 4,397	dude if its an EFS program, then just do what it says, they know what they're doing. __________________ 1 oz. prevention =1 lb. cure Do not exist, LIVE! Jesus would total elite !!!!~DuckDuckGoose If apologizing works, then why do we need the police?

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