End of the debate? How low do you go?

[DocJ]

http://www.mindandmuscle.net/mindandmuscle/magpage.php?artID=68

For the record, I go low b/c I want my squat to work my hams/glutes/adductors as well as my quads.

 

[huskyguy]

Lower than sitting on a bench--so pretty low

 

[DocJ]

I've never heard of the reasoning he uses for 60 degrees. There's other studies that show people who have to squat down deep repeatedly for their work have less knee problems than people who do more shallow lifting for their jobs.

 

[BigRonWannabee]

Not bottomed out (calves on hams) but low enough so that you'd say - thats deep.

 

[pretty ricky]

deep is the only way to go!you train deep you never have a problem getting the red light for depth.

 

[mister69]

deep squat over here.

 

[MANOWAR]

Till my balls teabag the floor

Nah not that low, ass to grass.
Sometimes when I'm going really heavy I'm kind of unaware on how low I went because I'm just so exhausted with the weight on my back
Happen to anyone else?

Most of the time ass to grass, sometimes not that low, but I have no idea cuz my eyes are somewhat closed when going heavy

 

[AngryMuscles]

until you feel your head and belly are going to implode. actually,not all can go ATG. some takes a long time to get flexible.

 

[BigRonWannabee]

I believe when he says "for looks" hes assuming quad activation is the only area of interest. Also, there is a lot more to deep squatting than just muscle group activation, especially for the clean lifter.

 

[Double3]

I go as low as I can

 

[silver_shadow]

i wonder if that guy even works out. and what does 60 deg mean? does that mean your quads are at 60 degrees to the ground while being over parallel? so he says if you workout for vanity then do some 1/4 reps?! that sounds like crap to me - i don't care if he's got some scientific research that proves it.

this may be anecdotal evidence but...
there are times when i'm going heavy (for me). so i do maybe 2 reps nice and deep breaking parallel by a good distance. on those reps i feel my back arch correctly and my hip muscles get activated to stop and change directions. now, occasionally i feel like throwing in a 2nd or 3rd rep when i'd originally planned to do 1 or 2. so on the extra rep, when i'm going down, i realize the fatigue maybe too much if get too deep. so i slow down and pull out (stupidly i may add) when i'm at parallel just cause i'm being a pussy (no spotter). whenever i've done this i've noticed the amount of force on the knee required to stop and change directions increase greatly. i think i'm experienced enough to recognize that breaking parallel is far more efficient (read less stressful on joints) than parallel or above that. this IS because of greater hip involvement in the former case.

 

[TPH76]

the question never seems to be how low I can go...but how the hell I can get up again

I go pretty low...somewhere between sitting down on a bench and on the ground.

 

[roccodart440]

I'll assume we're talking RAW here?

 

[ManOfMuscle]

Lower than anyone else I've ever seen in person.

 

[silver_shadow]

I'll assume we're talking RAW here?

i am

 

[adidamps2]

Lower than anyone else I've ever seen in person.

.

 

[wood78221]

if i had no shorts on, my nuts would touch the ground

 

[Melbourne]

I only started doing squat this year. Prior to this I was working out with weights for almost 10 years (with all the usual excuses for not doing legs properly or at all). After weight training for that time I learned the importance of good form so when I started doing squats it was with just the bar and as far down as I could go. Head up, back always arched, pushing through the heels, feet about shoulder width basically facing frowards.

I don't know whether guys are just kidding when they say ATG or balls to the floor etc. Do you literally mean that your backside comes into contact with the floor before you ascend?

The furthest I get is for my thighs to start to come into contact with my calves and I stop.

As for the collateral benefits of doing squat I can say everything you've heard is true. It has improved my core strength. It has helped me to rebuild upper body size and strength after shoulder surgery, while I have been very limited in the amount of upper body work I can do. I have developed thicker hips, waist and back. Reduced body fat (ok cardio helps there). And of course, my legs are thicker and stronger.

 

[jocktheglide]

I dont see no point going lower than 90 degree leg form other than that you mind as be in indian stance style and then sqaut from there to show off to fellow gym members how low you can truely go.

 

[AngryMuscles]

try front squat.

box squats are nice for those who can't go low yet.