# Squats: Weight or ROM?



## justheretosnoop (Jun 15, 2012)

What do you class as being more important?

Now amended as per post 11: what do you see as correct ROM?


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## freddee (Mar 2, 2009)

I personally but form over weight but at the end of the day, you have too push enough to make a difference.

I see some guy's though that do pish little knee bends then have the nerv to finish that set and add more weight??.....


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## jordan_ (Mar 5, 2011)

I agree with freddee. I have bought a few of my exercises down in weight due to me thinking too much about weight and not enough about form.

Get the form right on that weight then move up only when you can do the reps you want with good ROM.


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## roadrunner11466868009 (Mar 28, 2011)

It's the same old thing most of use are guilty of at some time or other.

You have to remember to leave the ego at home, lift strict with good form and the weight will come.


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## mightymariner (Mar 16, 2010)

That is why I have moved squats to last in quad exercises. Keeps my weights down, form better and cancels out the ego.


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## andyboro1466867929 (Oct 31, 2006)

both IMO... smashing the muscle with lower ROM but higher poundages will still make you grow but its a case of getting more for less with a higher ROM for me.


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

i cant do full ROM so added weight and shortened ROM has been my saviour.


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## jakal2001 (Dec 18, 2010)

good qu.. interesting (yet inevitable answers), i actually was thinking this very thing this morning doing squats...


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## ShaunMc (Apr 28, 2008)

form without a doubt .. the amount of guys i see who bragg they can squat 200kg yet when you watch them they hardly bend their knees and have no leg development

i have brought my legs up by focussing on form and the weight naturally will rise as you get stronger ..currently can do 260kg for reps full range but had to go back to 100kg to get the form right 4 years ago


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## mightymariner (Mar 16, 2010)

Yep agree there, same with leg press. Guy in front of me the other day has full stack on. He looks new in gym so I watched. I move the stack more with calf presses!!!!!! WTF


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## justheretosnoop (Jun 15, 2012)

I always thought ROM was the only answer until reading a similar post to Cal's as above.

Ok, so amend the question slightly: what do you class as correct form?


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## ActiveTom (Nov 21, 2010)

I was squatting with knees to about parallel (but always feeling like I wasn't quite comfortable with the whole squat) until recently. I found a PT who specialises in biomechanics and spent a session with him dissecting my squat and why it never felt right.

So, now I've found out my calves were the culprit! Apparently my calves are much less flexible than they should be, but the rest is fine, so I need to stretch them a lot more so I can go low enough more comfortably and keep my centre of gravity in a good position. My calves really tightened up, especially under load, so when I went low they could tip me forwards slightly, making everything feel wrong. Ill be working on this issue and post how it goes in my log.


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## SpiTFirE1466867971 (Aug 6, 2009)

ActiveTom said:


> I was squatting with knees to about parallel (but always feeling like I wasn't quite comfortable with the whole squat) until recently. I found a PT who specialises in biomechanics and spent a session with him dissecting my squat and why it never felt right.
> 
> So, now I've found out my calves were the culprit! Apparently my calves are much less flexible than they should be, but the rest is fine, so I need to stretch them a lot more so I can go low enough more comfortably and keep my centre of gravity in a good position. My calves really tightened up, especially under load, so when I went low they could tip me forwards slightly, making everything feel wrong. Ill be working on this issue and post how it goes in my log.


you got the exact same thing as my mate, we sat for weeks trying to work out why each week he could get squatting right before finding out it was something to do with his calfs


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

may i suggest getting a wobble board theyre great for increasing flexibilty and warming up the calves.

ive had 1 client this year who could actually squat to parallel with good ro bad form with his working weight.

a few can ATG BW but not many...

you`d be shocked..

i have a chap who can squat an inch with the bar across his shoulders, any more he`s needing to go tip toes..

ways round that tho..


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## ronnie cutler (Dec 29, 2009)

i've often introduced newbies who struggle with squat form to box squats

theres nothing more natural in the world as sitting down

once they get that move right, the bench can be removed


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

hey ron being trying to get you to answer this..

in you 200kg deads vid your back is closer to horizontal than vertical and you were bouncing your body up and down via your knees...

oh you`ve done another..






and my trap bar lifts

240 on Vimeo

and

200x10 on Vimeo

soz it wont embed

i think my bar handles might be a lil higher that yours...

which makes it easier, but methinks you got 4+stone on me...

you are of course far stronger than me but cos of your height your at a disadvantage mechaniCALly.

so if i may suggest you try and increase your ankles/calves/hams n maybe lower back flexibility.

and until then try lifting in a cage or on blocks to decrease ROM.

i think if you lifted an inch below knee height as i do you`ll be in a position to give it more OOMPH but safely and without bouncing.

ron i am teasing you a bit but i aint having a pop i`m trying to be helpful.

i think you should be pulling 200+ from the lower handles at least and 300kg with high handles.

and you will. 

but you`ll c0ck that rock solid ox like back up if you dont change your form bud.


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## ronnie cutler (Dec 29, 2009)

deadlift is an exercise i like, but i don't feel i get the form right at maximum weight

too much back and not enought legs

thanks for your feedback and very helpful comments

i'm supposed to be signed off the gym at the mo with a groin strain, but with a few weeks on cycle left ... that ain't gonna happen!

the pain in my groin is keeping me up at night though 

i do wish we did have a video section on here or at least a video album on our profile's

i've seen your latest uploads on youtube ... i'm a subscriber :clap2:

if i was in a position to give constructive feedback to you i would


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

yeah its a pain the ass not being able to upload direct...

google wobble boards ron.

they strengthen ankles, stretch calves,work the core and best of all thouraghly warms up and strengthens the groin area.

i think theyre brilliant and find its highly addictve..

i was in fcuking awful shape in those vids.. 

soon as i`m back training i`ll stick some up in my new GSP condition...


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## 12 gauge (Jul 16, 2011)

Just out of interest, how much do you think I could pull with a trap bar (like crazy's) if my 1RM with a straight bar is 180kg?

As for the OP'S question I would definitely go for ROM rather than weight.Theres just something about ATG squats with a decent weight that I like.

I can do 140kg atg squats for a few reps and that draws attention at the gym where I train,people there aint use to seeing someone do a full squat with 3 plates, in fact I haven't seen anyone doing a full squat i.e all the way down pass parallel with any amount of weight at my gym.


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## ronnie cutler (Dec 29, 2009)

I have said in the past that I think you can lift around 25% more with a trap bar

So 180 x 1.25 = 225kgs 1RM?


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## 12 gauge (Jul 16, 2011)

ronnie cutler said:


> I have said in the past that I think you can lift around 25% more with a trap bar
> 
> So 180 x 1.25 = 225kgs 1RM?


Wow that much, there's a gym up the road from me that has a trap bar so I think Ill give it a go, thanks ronnie


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

its also down to technique tho 25% sounds good..

12 gauge

when you go ATG have a look at the stretch in your lower back(the last few inches)

think long term bud.


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