Squats: All The Way OR Just Below Parallel ??

Marv said:

Hi,

I've been reading up a lot about squats in this group and a lot
of people have propagated "[censored] to the grass".

My question is, which one, out of these two is the best way to
optimize maximum gains.

1. Just a few centimeters below parallel OR
2. All the way, till you can't go any further.

I'd appreciate your feedback.

Thanks in advance.

Hobbes got me started doing ATTG squats. I'll always appreciate that. I
think it's actually better for my knees.
--
-Larry

"The troll hasn't been born who can troll us worse than we troll
ourselves." Hugh Beyer

"Marv" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I've been reading up a lot about squats in this group and a lot
of people have propagated "[censored] to the grass".

My question is, which one, out of these two is the best way to optimize
maximum gains.

1. Just a few centimeters below parallel OR
2. All the way, till you can't go any further.

I'd appreciate your feedback.

Thanks in advance.

If you are going to go, why not go all the way.

--
------
Dr. Dickie
"Let be be finale of seem.
The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream."
-- Wallace Stevens

On 29 Aug 2005 22:17:45 -0700, "Marv" <[email hidden]> wrote in
misc.fitness.weights:

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I've been reading up a lot about squats in this group and a lot
of people have propagated "[censored] to the grass".

My question is, which one, out of these two is the best way to optimize
maximum gains.

1. Just a few centimeters below parallel OR
2. All the way, till you can't go any further.

I'd appreciate your feedback.

Thanks in advance.

It depends. I do them both ways. If you compete, you'll want to do
them an inch or so below parallel most of the time.

On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 22:39:41 -0700, "Larry Hodges"
<[email hidden]> wrote in misc.fitness.weights:

Quoted message said:

Marv said:

Hi,

I've been reading up a lot about squats in this group and a lot
of people have propagated "[censored] to the grass".

My question is, which one, out of these two is the best way to
optimize maximum gains.

1. Just a few centimeters below parallel OR
2. All the way, till you can't go any further.

I'd appreciate your feedback.

Thanks in advance.

Hobbes got me started doing ATTG squats. I'll always appreciate that. I
think it's actually better for my knees.

My knees only hurt after I do ATTG squats.

In article <[email hidden]>, John Hanson

Quoted message said:

On 29 Aug 2005 22:17:45 -0700, "Marv" <[email hidden]> wrote in
misc.fitness.weights:

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I've been reading up a lot about squats in this group and a lot
of people have propagated "[censored] to the grass".

My question is, which one, out of these two is the best way to optimize
maximum gains.

1. Just a few centimeters below parallel OR
2. All the way, till you can't go any further.

I'd appreciate your feedback.

Thanks in advance.

It depends. I do them both ways. If you compete, you'll want to do
them an inch or so below parallel most of the time.

Compete in powerlifting. You forgot the other half.

If you don't compete in powerlifting ro do compete in almost any other
sport, you'll want to do them ATTG, most of the time.

Or if you compete in olympic weightlifting, ATTG virtually all the time.

--
Keith

In article <[email hidden]>, John Hanson

Quoted message said:

On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 22:39:41 -0700, "Larry Hodges"
<[email hidden]> wrote in misc.fitness.weights:

Quoted message said:

Marv said:

Hi,

I've been reading up a lot about squats in this group and a lot
of people have propagated "[censored] to the grass".

My question is, which one, out of these two is the best way to
optimize maximum gains.

1. Just a few centimeters below parallel OR
2. All the way, till you can't go any further.

I'd appreciate your feedback.

Thanks in advance.

Hobbes got me started doing ATTG squats. I'll always appreciate that. I
think it's actually better for my knees.

My knees only hurt after I do ATTG squats.

Because you only go to parallel most of the time. You haven't strengthened
the ligaments in the knee.

--
Keith

On Tue, 30 Aug 2005 06:59:25 -0600, [email hidden] (Hobbes) wrote
in misc.fitness.weights:

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, John Hanson

Quoted message said:

On 29 Aug 2005 22:17:45 -0700, "Marv" <[email hidden]> wrote in
misc.fitness.weights:

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I've been reading up a lot about squats in this group and a lot
of people have propagated "[censored] to the grass".

My question is, which one, out of these two is the best way to optimize
maximum gains.

1. Just a few centimeters below parallel OR
2. All the way, till you can't go any further.

I'd appreciate your feedback.

Thanks in advance.

It depends. I do them both ways. If you compete, you'll want to do
them an inch or so below parallel most of the time.

Compete in powerlifting. You forgot the other half.

Forgot? Really?

Quoted message said:

If you don't compete in powerlifting ro do compete in almost any other
sport, you'll want to do them ATTG, most of the time.

Or if you compete in olympic weightlifting, ATTG virtually all the time.

On Tue, 30 Aug 2005 07:00:31 -0600, [email hidden] (Hobbes) wrote
in misc.fitness.weights:

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, John Hanson

Quoted message said:

On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 22:39:41 -0700, "Larry Hodges"
<[email hidden]> wrote in misc.fitness.weights:

Quoted message said:

Marv wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I've been reading up a lot about squats in this group and a lot
> of people have propagated "[censored] to the grass".
>
> My question is, which one, out of these two is the best way to
> optimize maximum gains.
>
> 1. Just a few centimeters below parallel OR
> 2. All the way, till you can't go any further.
>
> I'd appreciate your feedback.
>
> Thanks in advance.

Hobbes got me started doing ATTG squats. I'll always appreciate that. I
think it's actually better for my knees.

My knees only hurt after I do ATTG squats.

Because you only go to parallel most of the time. You haven't strengthened
the ligaments in the knee.

Where did I say that? I didn't because it isn't true. I go ATTG more
than just below parallel.

In article <[email hidden]>,

John Hanson said:

On Tue, 30 Aug 2005 07:00:31 -0600, [email hidden] (Hobbes) wrote
in misc.fitness.weights:

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, John Hanson

Quoted message said:

On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 22:39:41 -0700, "Larry Hodges"
<[email hidden]> wrote in misc.fitness.weights:

>Marv wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> I've been reading up a lot about squats in this group and a lot
>> of people have propagated "[censored] to the grass".
>>
>> My question is, which one, out of these two is the best way to
>> optimize maximum gains.
>>
>> 1. Just a few centimeters below parallel OR
>> 2. All the way, till you can't go any further.
>>
>> I'd appreciate your feedback.
>>
>> Thanks in advance.
>
>Hobbes got me started doing ATTG squats. I'll always appreciate that. I
>think it's actually better for my knees.

My knees only hurt after I do ATTG squats.

Because you only go to parallel most of the time. You haven't strengthened
the ligaments in the knee.

Where did I say that? I didn't because it isn't true. I go ATTG more
than just below parallel.

You said,

"It depends. I do them both ways. If you compete, you'll want to do
them an inch or so below parallel most of the time."

1. You compete.

2. I read 'most of the time' to mean the majority.

:^?

--
Keith

Marv said:

Hi,

I've been reading up a lot about squats in this group and a lot
of people have propagated "[censored] to the grass".

My question is, which one, out of these two is the best way to optimize
maximum gains.

"Maximum gains" are already "optimized" by definition.

Quoted message said:

1. Just a few centimeters below parallel OR
2. All the way, till you can't go any further.

I doubt anyone has any hard evidence to support either method. I
don't lift much any more, but I tended to use parallel as my "primary"
method, but also did sets with more depth.

But I think everyone would agree that good form trumps everything
else. Some people have trouble going very deep without their back
rounding, for example. Don't go deeper than you can go with good
form.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi
http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Hobbes said:

Compete in powerlifting. You forgot the other half.

If you don't compete in powerlifting ro do compete in almost any other
sport, you'll want to do them ATTG, most of the time.

Why ?

(-; most powerlifters seem to believe that everyone should squat like a power
lifter, but I've yet to hear a very good reason.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi
http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

In article <[email hidden]>,

Donovan Rebbechi said:

Hobbes said:

Compete in powerlifting. You forgot the other half.

If you don't compete in powerlifting ro do compete in almost any other
sport, you'll want to do them ATTG, most of the time.

Why ?

(-; most powerlifters seem to believe that everyone should squat like a power
lifter, but I've yet to hear a very good reason.

More activation and closer motor pattern to those used in jumping and
starting in sprints. Also studies show that in terms of strength you can
increase strength in a partial ROM by working the full ROM, but not vice
versa.

In other words the carry over from full to partial is 100%, so if you
add 10% in the ATTG squat you get a 10% increase in your parallel squat.
But the converse isn't true. You can add 10% to your parallel and only
get 2-3% in your ATTG.

So with the ATTG you use less weight, strengthen ligaments and tendons
for a full ROM, place less stress on the knee because at amortization it
is supported by other hard structure (most natably the calf pressing
against the hamstring). To me those are compelling reasons to go ATTG.

As an alternative tho, I do like the wide stance box squat done for
speed. Which is a powerlifters exercise.

--
Keith

John Hanson said:

I'm also injured.

Sprained wrist again? That old "lonely guy" injury again? I'm telling
you [censored], if you stop whacking off, it'll get better, and that
swelling in your other shoulder from holding that magnifying glass,
will improve too.

TBR

"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and
more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day
the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the
White House will be adorned by a downright moron."
H.L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)
"Anyone with degrees from Yale and Harvard is presumed to be intelligent,
but George W. Bush has managed to overcome that presumption."

On Tue, 30 Aug 2005 07:58:00 -0600, Hobbes <[email hidden]>
wrote in misc.fitness.weights:

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

John Hanson said:

On Tue, 30 Aug 2005 07:00:31 -0600, [email hidden] (Hobbes) wrote
in misc.fitness.weights:

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, John Hanson
<[email hidden]> wrote:

> On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 22:39:41 -0700, "Larry Hodges"
> <[email hidden]> wrote in misc.fitness.weights:
>
> >Marv wrote:
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> I've been reading up a lot about squats in this group and a lot
> >> of people have propagated "[censored] to the grass".
> >>
> >> My question is, which one, out of these two is the best way to
> >> optimize maximum gains.
> >>
> >> 1. Just a few centimeters below parallel OR
> >> 2. All the way, till you can't go any further.
> >>
> >> I'd appreciate your feedback.
> >>
> >> Thanks in advance.
> >
> >Hobbes got me started doing ATTG squats. I'll always appreciate that. I
> >think it's actually better for my knees.
>
> My knees only hurt after I do ATTG squats.

Because you only go to parallel most of the time. You haven't strengthened
the ligaments in the knee.

Where did I say that? I didn't because it isn't true. I go ATTG more
than just below parallel.

You said,

"It depends. I do them both ways. If you compete, you'll want to do
them an inch or so below parallel most of the time."

1. You compete.

2. I read 'most of the time' to mean the majority.

:^?

I'm also injured.

Marv said:

Hi,

I've been reading up a lot about squats in this group and a

lot

Quoted message said:

of people have propagated "[censored] to the grass".

My question is, which one, out of these two is the best way to
optimize maximum gains.

1. Just a few centimeters below parallel OR
2. All the way, till you can't go any further.

I'd appreciate your feedback.

Doing squats is better than doing no squats; most don't do
squats.
Just go down to parallel or slightly below.

logger

"The Bill Rodgers" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

John Hanson said:

I'm also injured.

Sprained wrist again? That old "lonely guy" injury again? I'm telling
you [censored], if you stop whacking off, it'll get better, and that
swelling in your other shoulder from holding that magnifying glass,
will improve too.

TBR

LOL, Bill Rodgers thinks every guy is just like him! Get a life Whacker,
since you can't get a woman!

Thanks to all of you.

I'm switching to ATTG or all the way till my form is good.

By the way, the gym I go to doesn't have a squat rack or a cage, all
this while
I was using the smith machine, guess now I'll need some spotter to
heave the
weights on to the shoulder.
There are no other gyms in the vicinity, so I have no choice.

"The Bill Rodgers" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Wed, 31 Aug 2005 06:37:51 GMT, "Bill" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

LOL, Bill Rodgers thinks every guy is just like him! Get a life Whacker,
since you can't get a woman!

One minute you claim to have pics of a woman named "Heather" giving me
[censored], and the next that I can't get a woman. Seems you have either
A) mental problems. Or B) have no credibilty.
Which is it?

TBR

None of the above. Get a life Whacker!

Marv said:

Thanks to all of you.

I'm switching to ATTG or all the way till my form is good.

By the way, the gym I go to doesn't have a squat rack or a cage, all
this while
I was using the smith machine, guess now I'll need some spotter to
heave the weights on to the shoulder.

If it doesn't have a cage, it's not a gym. That said, overhead squats and front
squats are also interesting challenges, no rack required.

Quoted message said:

There are no other gyms in the vicinity, so I have no choice.

Squat racks and barbells are cheap, especially used; garage sales, craigslist,
ebay....