Correct form for squats

fionav3

I'm sorry if this has been posted before but I couldn't see it anywhere on the board.

I know this is going to sound quite daft but, what's the correct form for squats? I know it's all about slow controlled, movements but I still don't feel I'm doing it right...mostly because I'm not feeling them at all. I started several weeks ago with ten reps x 2 and when I found that too easy, I upped it to 3 reps. Again, found it too easy so started doing 15 reps x 3 but I'm still not feeling 'the burn' so to speak. I know I shouldn't hurt after exercise but surely I should feel some leval of strain? I must be doing something wrong...are my feet too close or too wide apart or am I not coming down enough into the squat? What exactly am I supposed to be doing?

Any advice would be much appreciated. Cheers.

TommyKnocker

Hi Fiona

Can I ask what you mean when you say you don't feel the burn? Is it that you are not sore next day?

Also can I ask what weight you a squatting with (if any) and are you using a bar, dumbbells or kettlebells etc?

Here is a reasonable demonstration of a back squat

Best Regards,

M

baaaa

I just started doing them also,it's easy to find basic instructions on the squat but it appears there are many little nuances that must be adhered to so that you get the full effect and more importantly don't screw up your knees.
I started doing full deep squats the other day with an empty bar and promptly hurt my skinny knees.I think because they had never done anything like that before,I think I'll have to do one and 2 legged bodyweight variations just to build up my knees for a while before trying them again.
From what I gather:
-depth is very important and this can be determined by how much flexibility is in your hams and glutes.
-knees should be alligned with feet and should not be protuding beyond toes(when you look down)
-wide stance seems more comfortable for me
-apparently the position of the bar on your back makes a difference,I'm thinking with balance?
-you're meant to push off you heels and not toes
And I also think that once you are able to maintain correct form that you're meant to be doing the lifts quickly and explosively as possible.

fionav3

B-Builder wrote: »

Hi Fiona

Can I ask what you mean when you say you don't feel the burn? Is it that you are not sore next day?

Also can I ask what weight you a squatting with (if any) and are you using a bar, dumbbells or kettlebells etc?

Best Regards,

M

I guess what I mean is that I'm finding the squats too easy. And I don't actually use any weights when doing them, aside from not realising that I had to I'm not really in a position financially to join a gym. Is there anything I could substitute from home?

Thank you for posting that video link by the way, I'm definitely not going low enough into my squats!

fionav3

baaaa wrote: »

I just started doing them also,it's easy to find basic instructions on the squat but it appears there are many little nuances that must be adhered to so that you get the full effect and more importantly don't screw up your knees.
I started doing full deep squats the other day with an empty bar and promptly hurt my skinny knees.I think because they had never done anything like that before,I think I'll have to do one and 2 legged bodyweight variations just to build up my knees for a while before trying them again.
From what I gather:
-depth is very important and this can be determined by how much flexibility is in your hams and glutes.
-knees should be alligned with feet and should not be protuding beyond toes(when you look down)
-wide stance seems more comfortable for me
-apparently the position of the bar on your back makes a difference,I'm thinking with balance?
-you're meant to push off you heels and not toes
And I also think that once you are able to maintain correct form that you're meant to be doing the lifts quickly and explosively as possible.

Thank you Baaa, much appreciate the advice.

ray jay

fionav3 wrote: »

And I don't actually use any weights when doing them, aside from not realising that I had to I'm not really in a position financially to join a gym. Is there anything I could substitute from home?

you could pick up a pair of dumbells in argos and do them like this. Even a backpack filled with something heavy (books, water bottles, etc) would be a good way to add some weight. Another alternative to make them tougher is split squats

d'Oracle

OP
So you are doing unweighted squats at home you say?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOdwETDQXCw

Is this the kind of thing you are looking for?

TommyKnocker

Hi Fiona

You have already received some good advice for adding weights to your squatting from the other posters, but personally if funds allow I would plumb for you picking up 1 or 2 Kettlebells.

These can be used in the same fashion as dumbbells for weighted squats. You could also do Goblet Squats with either a dumbell or Kettlebell

But I would prefere KB's for all round conditioning workouts.

If you wanted instruction on using KB's correctly and how to get the most out of them, you could check out either

• Wild Geese MA which is around the Pearse St area.
• Buy Kettlebell Dublin who run workshops in Bridge St or RAW gym (South Richmond St)

Also you could try Tabatha Air squatting 20 seconds, do as many squats as possible, 10 seconds recovery, wash and repeat for 4 minutes or 8 hard periods. Also Youtube will give you losts of squat variations to help mix things up a little.

Final point I would encourage you to work on your flexibility so you can increase the depth of your squats, so you get the most out of your squatting.


Best Regards,

M

Hanley

d'Oracle wrote: »

OP
So you are doing unweighted squats at home you say?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOdwETDQXCw

Is this the kind of thing you are looking for?

Wouldn't mind being in the middle of that double-mint.

d'Oracle

Hanley wrote: »

Wouldn't mind being in the middle of that double-mint.

That is most certainly not Zone/Paleo

Hanley

d'Oracle wrote: »

That is most certainly not Zone/Paleo

It'd be f*cking caveman sh!t anyway.

d'Oracle

Annie Sakamoto is bloody brilliant though.

fionav3

Okay, all of those videos were seriously helpful. Thanks so much guys. *heads off to work on squat*