Are you really squatting?

While I was spending sometime researching on squats, proper techniques and different stances, I have come across this poem from this website

Down the road, in a gym far away
A young man was heard to say,
"No matter what I do, my legs won't grow!"
He tried leg extensions, leg curls, leg presses too.
Trying to cheat, these sissy workouts he'd do!
From the corner of the gym where the big guys train,
Through a cloud of chalk and the midst of pain,
Where the big iron rides high, and threatin' lives,
Where the noise is made with big forty-fives,
A deep voice bellowed as he wrapped his knees,
A very big man with legs like trees,
Laughing as he snatched another plate from the stack,
Chalked his hands and monstrous back,
Said, "Boy, stop lying and don't say you've forgotten!
Trouble with you is you aint been SQUATIN'!!"

- Jeff MADDOG, the ISSA strength coach for the university of North Carolina.

There are a lot of interesting "facts vs. myths" when it comes to exercising, fitness, and health in general. Sometimes it's really hard to distinguish what's true & what's not. When it comes to squatting, you'll hear a lot of different things. 

You gotta go parallel to the floor

Your knees shouldn't go over your toes

                          You should go lower than parallel to the floor

      It's okay if your knees goes over your toes, in fact it's safer. 

So one might wonder which one really is it? In my personal opinion from what I have seen and experimented. As long as I go parallel to the floor, as if I am sitting on a chair like this....

...I think it has been effective enough for me, at least. I also engage in deep squats (lower than parallel to the floor) when I do front squats as it feels like a natural movement for me, while if the weight is on my back - I just go parallel. 

There are also 1/4 and 1/2 of a squat which are used by advanced weight lifters and bodybuilders which hit the quads more than gluts & hams, but definitely not advisable for new lifters/beginners.

There is so much to mention about squats, their benefits, different techniques, the TYPE of squats out there; sumo, front, back, hack...and a lot of more than that - all for another post. 

But the question is, do you REALLY squat? If not, drop the weights & say bye bye to your ego, and squat properly with low weight and then add 'em plates once you've gotten the technique right. That's what I have done. 

Just Remember, squatting is known as "king" & it will definitely load you up with mass if done correctly. 

Yours truly,

GymFreak at 999Fitness.