Stalling on the seated position of squats.

[anarchocapitalist]

I have been video recording my squats.

I'm not super explosive out of the bottom. I seem to struggle on the seated position.

I have been doing pause squats. I start my leg workout off with 3 sets of lunges. I hate lunges but I get a good pump in the legs. Then I do 135, 225, 315, 405 as a warmup. Then I'll toss on a weight belt and wrap my knees for 495lbs and a couple working sets of 5 plates and a quarter or something.

I noticed that I seem to struggle, not out of the hole I do ass to grass squats, but right at the "seated" position.

After my working set I started trying pause squats with 315lbs with a 1-2 second count at the bottom.

Ideas?

Box squats?

 

[maldorf]

I think the box squats are a good idea. John Parillo, used to be a well known trainer, had me do box squats and they really brought up my strength. He had us do them a certain way. We would come down on the box and instead of just touching the box and the come up (touch and go) we would actually sit on the box for a few seconds and bring the bar into a position that was backward a bit more like you were actually sitting in a chair. Then we would bring the bar back to the typical squat position and come up off the box. He had a wooden box for us that was solid wood and like legos so you could make it vary in height.

 

[chinaboy]

I feel box squats compress your spine more that they are worth. If you sit on the box you disengage your core and leave nothing but bone and connective tissue to support a heavy weight while your vertabra pitch back and forth. This will kick your spines ass. I'm all about training while being joint sparing. And box squats are on my list of too little gained from maximum wear on my body type exercises.

If you are concerned about your reps. Drop weight and focus on your goal of form and speed and work up your weight over time.

 

[BALDNAZI]

The box is your friend...

 

[devenidas]

I feel box squats compress your spine more that they are worth. If you sit on the box you disengage your core and leave nothing but bone and connective tissue to support a heavy weight while your vertabra pitch back and forth. This will kick your spines ass. I'm all about training while being joint sparing. And box squats are on my list of too little gained from maximum wear on my body type exercises.

If you are concerned about your reps. Drop weight and focus on your goal of form and speed and work up your weight over time.

x2

no box squats for me either.

Poor risk to rewards ratio

 

[Sugashane]

Something else to try might be one and a half squats. I prefer with a box so I don't cheat.

Go to full depth and touch the box, go halfway up, go back down, and after touching go back up. That is one. The weights will drop for this but there will be a huge focus on the bottom half of your squat.

You can do pause squats for longer. I have seen some do 10 seconds but I am not convinced that there is a benefit over 5 seconds.

You can also do dead squats. Set the safety bars to where you are at the bottom of your squat. Get under, squat it once and reset at a dead stop, just as with a deadlift. This takes away any kinetic energy that is built up and any myotatic reflex out of the equation and really forces development out of the hole.

Do you feel there is a mobility issue? A lot of squatters have poor ankle flexion or flexibility in the hips or groin that cause people to put themselves in a weaker position for their squats.

 

[prostock]

Ass to grass squats

Ur knees and hips will thankyou later in life .. pro

 

[Gravel]

**broken link removed**





The Hip Circle® can be used for hip and glute activation/strength as well as dynamic warm up. Simply put the circle around your knees and go for a long stride walk. You will not only get your hips and glutes warm, but your entire body. You can fix up your weak and painful "granny hips" by putting on the circle and walking forward, backward, and side to side. You can use it to squat, sumo Deadlift (feet out wide) or while simply walking on the treadmill! Many coaches like Kelly Starrett and Jesse Burdick love using the circle to cue their athletes to force their knees out while squatting and sumo deadlifting.

 

[natabolic]

Box squats with either reverse bands, or chains. That'll help your explosiveness. And in regards to compressing your spine, just maintain a tight, arched back, and stay in "squat form" with your core/legs engaged fully; you'll be fine. It's the guys that sit down, and completely relax the legs and back that end up having spine issues from box squats. Even then, you rarely hear of it... and HOW MANY powerlifters are box squating 800+++++? Tons that I know personally... Even more that I don't

 

[buck]

I think the box squats are a good idea. John Parillo, used to be a well known trainer, had me do box squats and they really brought up my strength. He had us do them a certain way. We would come down on the box and instead of just touching the box and the come up (touch and go) we would actually sit on the box for a few seconds and bring the bar into a position that was backward a bit more like you were actually sitting in a chair. Then we would bring the bar back to the typical squat position and come up off the box. He had a wooden box for us that was solid wood and like legos so you could make it vary in height.

Pretty much how the Westside boys do it. Lou has a video showing how on Youtube.

 

[socialdfan]

Paused box squats just below parallel making sure to sit back. Warm up the hips, glutes, hams prior with sled drags focusing on heels. Potentiate those muscles with 45* extensions, decline abs with weight, kb swings, etc. Basic conjugate stuff. Matt Wenning has a great DVD.

 

[maldorf]

I feel box squats compress your spine more that they are worth. If you sit on the box you disengage your core and leave nothing but bone and connective tissue to support a heavy weight while your vertabra pitch back and forth. This will kick your spines ass. I'm all about training while being joint sparing. And box squats are on my list of too little gained from maximum wear on my body type exercises.

If you are concerned about your reps. Drop weight and focus on your goal of form and speed and work up your weight over time.

I thought so, it makes logical sense, but never once had any pain from doing them in the manner I describe. I would go heavier than I could do full reps on too when the box was set higher and never had any pain.

 

[maldorf]

I have been video recording my squats.

I'm not super explosive out of the bottom. I seem to struggle on the seated position.

I have been doing pause squats. I start my leg workout off with 3 sets of lunges. I hate lunges but I get a good pump in the legs. Then I do 135, 225, 315, 405 as a warmup. Then I'll toss on a weight belt and wrap my knees for 495lbs and a couple working sets of 5 plates and a quarter or something.

I noticed that I seem to struggle, not out of the hole I do ass to grass squats, but right at the "seated" position.

After my working set I started trying pause squats with 315lbs with a 1-2 second count at the bottom.

Ideas?

Box squats?

I did those too, but the pause was more like 5 seconds. Light weight but it really hits that part of the lift.

 

[anarchocapitalist]

Wow awesome thanks guys.

When do you do box squats or other work?

Mon - Deadlifts & Back.
Tues - Bench & Chest.
Wed - Squats and Lower.
Thurs - Everything else.
Fri - Off
Sat - Off
Sun - Off

I noticed some guys do twice a week training for legs maybe a box squat on deadlift day?