# The great squatting debate



## robc1985 (Jan 28, 2010)

Right I'm confused as feck at the minute. I have always believed that when you squat, you go parallel. So on sat in gym I was doing 140 for reps then pulled a 160pb. I was super happy and my mate said I was going parallel.

Then though a big unit powerlifter collared me. He said I should be widening stance, getting toes pointed out and getting ass to the floor. I did this with lighter weight ie early 00's and felt hammies and glutes work like mad.

A few gym mates have spoken to me about it and they say you should go parallel and that the ass to floor is a powerlifter thing. He used to do ass to floor and his knee got badly damaged after a long time going it.

What are people's thoughts?


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## achilles88 (Aug 27, 2010)

i do ass to floor, toes pointed out, feels more comfortable and stable for me


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

3 squat techs .

Power squats = wide

Olympic = just wider than shoulder .

Bodybuilder = partial pussy type squat generally they use a pussy pad .

Activating hams and glutes is what you want .


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## cub (Jul 14, 2011)

I squat wide with toes pointing out, narrow grip and I go just below parallel. My legs have grown very quickly, I'm pretty pleased with my progress.


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## deemann (Jun 25, 2010)

just below parallel


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## BigTrev (Mar 16, 2008)

To build strenght in the legs,, below parallel

In truth i end up parallel in most of them


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

BigTrev said:


> To build strenght in the legs,, below parallel
> 
> In truth i end up parallel in most of them


thats not true as sprinters NFL and other athletes use partial squats to build explosive strength :whistling:


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## Guest (Oct 29, 2012)

ewen said:


> thats not true as sprinters NFL and other athletes use partial squats to build explosive strength :whistling:


so whats best for size then? Below parralell? Would feel like a right [email protected] only doing little ones


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

Jd123 said:


> so whats best for size then? Below parralell? Would feel like a right [email protected] only doing little ones


Olympic style squats are king @Mingster has a great link on how to perform these .


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

Jd123 said:


> so whats best for size then? Below parralell? Would feel like a right [email protected] only doing little ones


Olympic style squats are king @Mingster has a great link on how to perform these .


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## Mingster (Mar 25, 2011)

Here you go...

http://oldschooltrainer.com/how-to-squat/


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## todski (Jan 29, 2012)

was in the gym tonight finishing off with dead lifts in one of the squat racks there was 2 lads in the other doing squats they were not even getting to parralell then they were discussing how far to go down when one said " they were told go below parralell and it makes your ass bigger and he didn't want a big ass " Que me starts to laugh at them

i do ass to floor with a wide stance have got my squats up to 97.5kg for 5 x 5 only been training for 5 months


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## BigTrev (Mar 16, 2008)

Jd123 said:


> so whats best for size then? Below parralell? Would feel like a right [email protected] only doing little ones


You probably right mate.

I took it that the lower you go the more strenght you develope


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## Guest (Oct 29, 2012)

Mingster said:


> Here you go...
> 
> http://oldschooltrainer.com/how-to-squat/


Cheers buddy will have a look


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## Guest (Oct 29, 2012)

ewen said:


> Olympic style squats are king @Mingster has a great link on how to perform these .


Tell you what also helped ages a go was that 'so you think you can squat' link

sorted me right out!


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

Jd123 said:


> Tell you what also helped ages a go was that 'so you think you can squat' link
> 
> sorted me right out!


They are great vids for strength but not size .


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## Guest (Oct 29, 2012)

ewen said:


> They are great vids for strength but not size .


Oh right, going lower than parallel anyway. And is 5x5 still ok for size? Or do I need 4x8?


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

Jd123 said:


> Oh right, going lower than parallel anyway. And is 5x5 still ok for size? Or do I need 4x8?


5x5 is generally in the strength/power rep ranges so for size you might want to go up to 12-15 reps over 3-4 sets .

breaking parallel is spot on thats all i do and you know when you do as your hams and ass hurt lol


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## Strongr (Oct 4, 2012)

Jd123 said:


> Oh right, going lower than parallel anyway. And is 5x5 still ok for size? Or do I need 4x8?


For strength it's ideal for rep rang of 3 to 5 for size you would want 10 to 16, everyone is different though those are what I've read a few times around various sites


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## robc1985 (Jan 28, 2010)

Cheers for all replies. As I wanted the majority say just below parallel. That's what I was doing for my 160ob so I'll stick with that


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strength_training#Realization_of_training_goals

thats not a bad table .


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## Guest (Oct 29, 2012)

ewen said:


> 5x5 is generally in the strength/power rep ranges so for size you might want to go up to 12-15 reps over 3-4 sets .
> 
> breaking parallel is spot on thats all i do and you know when you do as your hams and ass hurt lol


well 12-15 is going to be fun!

I'm at a measley 100 5x5 at the moment but can keep increasing, reckon I get the weight up before going for more reps?


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## skd (Dec 17, 2008)

i just cant go parallel, i find it awkward stopping mid way with a heavy weight, it dont feel right and i lose form,

i always take it right down to the floor


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

Jd123 said:


> well 12-15 is going to be fun!
> 
> I'm at a measley 100 5x5 at the moment but can keep increasing, reckon I get the weight up before going for more reps?


If 100kg is heavy to you then its not measley , you could do 12 week cycles 5x5 then 4x12 you'll look better for it .


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## Guest (Oct 29, 2012)

skd said:


> i just cant go parallel, i find it awkward stopping mid way with a heavy weight, it dont feel right and i lose form,
> 
> i always take it right down to the floor


I'm always worried about not going low enough. Think its from watching lads do these little like dippy squat things


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## Guest (Oct 29, 2012)

ewen said:


> If 100kg is heavy to you then its not measley , you could do 12 week cycles 5x5 then 4x12 you'll look better for it .


so 5x5 for another 6 weeks then change to 4x12 yeah? Cheers for your help as always pal


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

Jd123 said:


> so 5x5 for another 6 weeks then change to 4x12 yeah? Cheers for your help as always pal


yeah see how you get on , you will hit both fibre types and look more complete rather than a watery muscle .


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## Monkey skeleton (Jul 8, 2012)

ewen said:


> Olympic style squats are king @Mingster has a great link on how to perform these .


I would have assumed that power lifter style would have been your choice, Ewen, with you doing strong man. Or does that style tend to lend it's self more to squatting in competition conditions, due to missing out the quad activation? Where as Olympic develop more all round strength due to hitting all muscles in the leg?

I thought I had this all straight till I read this thread! Lol


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

Monkey skeleton said:


> I would have assumed that power lifter style would have been your choice, Ewen, with you doing strong man. Or does that style tend to lend it's self more to squatting in competition conditions, due to missing out the quad activation? Where as Olympic develop more all round strength due to hitting all muscles in the leg?
> 
> I thought I had this all straight till I read this thread! Lol


i go for a wide power squat for 2 reasons 1 im just not flexible to oly squat and 2 power squats focus more on leg power than leg size that been said you will get size just not as much as an oly style so i can run with weight due to having less bulky more powerful legs .


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## Monkey skeleton (Jul 8, 2012)

ewen said:


> i go for a wide power squat for 2 reasons 1 im just not flexible to oly squat and 2 power squats focus more on leg power than leg size that been said you will get size just not as much as an oly style so i can run with weight due to having less bulky more powerful legs .


Ah, got you. Thought you were saying you did Olympic style squats.

Cheers


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## ausbuilt (Nov 22, 2010)

ewen said:


> 3 squat techs .
> 
> Power squats = wide
> 
> ...


so F**kin' true.... I def advocate the wide stance, ass to grass, toes out...

in fact to improve her ass/glutes, my wife now squats with a stance WIDER than this (toes are about right though):


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

@ausbuilt good point made there , I've been training a female that wants ass and hams tighter and by going wide toes out this hits the area very well .

Is recommend all women to go wide stance .


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## 25434 (Dec 27, 2011)

ewen said:


> @ausbuilt good point made there , I've been training a female that wants ass and hams tighter and by going wide toes out this hits the area very well .
> 
> Is recommend all women to go wide stance .


i didn't know that. I will check what I do on Sunday. I think I put my feet about shoulder width, hummm..I do go down parralel but when I go a bit lower I can't get up again, pft..glad I saw this thread though...cheeers.


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

Flubs said:


> i didn't know that. I will check what I do on Sunday. I think I put my feet about shoulder width, hummm..I do go down parralel but when I go a bit lower I can't get up again, pft..glad I saw this thread though...cheeers.


i seem to think yours are wide but have a look and go wider if you think its narrow ish and point toes out \ / bit more than those < and let knees follow their pointingness lol


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## 25434 (Dec 27, 2011)

ewen said:


> i seem to think yours are wide but have a look and go wider if you think its narrow ish and point toes out \ / bit more than those < and let knees follow their pointingness lol


I will do that Ewen. I'll do a vid on Sunday so you can have a look if you have time. Cheers.


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

Flubs said:


> I will do that Ewen. I'll do a vid on Sunday so you can have a look if you have time. Cheers.


ive always got time for you flubs even more so when squattage takes place 

you still got videos on your youtube ?


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## eezy1 (Dec 14, 2010)

im a pussy when it comes to legs then :laugh: i go par with squats and get some good quad development from it. hit my hams and glutes during the rest of my legs sesh


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## 25434 (Dec 27, 2011)

ewen said:


> ive always got time for you [Redacted] even more so when squattage takes place
> 
> you still got videos on your youtube ?


Yes, but I know they're poop....:laugh: but the silver lining is that they will get better...gulp...hopefully...lol....


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## Scottswald (Mar 16, 2007)

ausbuilt said:


> so F**kin' true.... I def advocate the wide stance, ass to grass, toes out...
> 
> in fact to improve her ass/glutes, my wife now squats with a stance WIDER than this (toes are about right though):
> 
> View attachment 99191


that your lass aus? looks like her................ that should almost be in the adults lounge! haha

Squats is the one exercise i struggle with, ive always tried to go to parrallel but just last session went a lot deeper and found it much easier, its actually the first time ive naturally sat back into a squat without having to concentrate on it. always leaned forward somewhat and struggled with balance. I'm actually quite exited to see the progress now my squats are decent.

also, only for guys who actually have big legs - preffered rep range for GROWTH?


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## ausbuilt (Nov 22, 2010)

Scottswald said:


> that your lass aus? looks like her................ that should almost be in the adults lounge! haha
> 
> Squats is the one exercise i struggle with, ive always tried to go to parrallel but just last session went a lot deeper and found it much easier, its actually the first time ive naturally sat back into a squat without having to concentrate on it. always leaned forward somewhat and struggled with balance. I'm actually quite exited to see the progress now my squats are decent.
> 
> also, only for guys who actually have big legs - preffered rep range for GROWTH?


yep its my lass... she'd slap me up if I was taking pix of other girls! LOL She was squatting her bodyweight there, but went heavier on the next set..

no diff between girls and guys- for size, you need some reps- so 6-8 for the heaviest sets...

only powerlifters get a benefit from max singles and triples.


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## pea head (May 28, 2008)

Ass to the floor

22 years training,still no knee problems.touch wood. :thumbup1:


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## eezy1 (Dec 14, 2010)

would u say the chances of blowing out a knee are the same with par and A2G squats


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

eezy1 said:


> would u say the chances of blowing out a knee are the same with par and A2G squats


if your forms sh1t it doesnt matter how you squat .

knees follow feet path push knees out like a frog .


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## ausbuilt (Nov 22, 2010)

pea head said:


> Ass to the floor
> 
> 22 years training,still no knee problems.touch wood. :thumbup1:


similar for me, squatting since 18, and i'm in my 40s... with no joint issues anywhere...



eezy1 said:


> would u say the chances of blowing out a knee are the same with par and A2G squats


you don't "blow" your knee out from squatting ass to grass, unless you never have, and then decide to max out that way- your tendons are not stretched/flexible enough, and neither are your hams/glutes.

What you need to do is in your warm ups go ass to grass, and gradually go lower on your heavier sets before you increase the weight on your working sets.


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## eezy1 (Dec 14, 2010)

will give A2G a shot on afew warm up sets then. even if its just the oly bar


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

Agree with the consenus in the thread that an oly style squat going as deep as your ankle flexibility and thigh to shin length ratio allows is by far the best and safest squat style for a bodybuilder.

I also think that squats are best in the higher rep range for size - my legs respond far better in the 12-15 reps a set range than going heavier and lower rep. Do some heavy lower rep stuff too, but for hypertrophy I'd say never skip the higher rep stuff. Regular squatting in that rep range increases your lactic acid threshold and anaerobic fitness a ton too.


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## pea head (May 28, 2008)

I have found over the years to squat last in my workout,everything is warm with extra blood in there.

I dont need to go as heavy and do reps in the range of 15 +


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## kingdale (Nov 2, 2010)

Going to start squatting for higher reps a bit more i reckon.


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