I once feared squatting...

Something that many do not know about me is my fear of squatting. Given I am a person who lift weights, and believe in compound movements, squatting is a no brainer.

You thought wrong.

Since I started training in 2007 up until April 2011, I never A) properly back squatted, B) ditched squatting for more than a year.

Why? The idea of having weight on my back and going deep enough scared me. I never had someone to spot me, didn't trust anyone to do it, and most of all feared being stuck in the bottom position with no idea how to bail out.

I occasionally, well less often than not, "attempted to squat", by doing half squats. I told myself doing those would workout my quads... who cared about my hamstrings and glut muscles, my deadlift will take care of that!

Wrong, again. Realizing I was not going to get away with half squatting. I decided you know what? The hell with squatting, it was not for me, I HATED it.

But in April 2011, things changed. One day I walked into something called a "box"  (i.e. http://crossfitlifesparkdubai.com/), where all I saw was barbells, plates...and a number of squat racks. The first thing my current coach, Candice Howe, asked me to do back then was... show her my squat. I did. It was any coaches' nightmare! I did not know how to SQUAT!...and by that time my half squats where at 50kgs.

50kgs, my a$$!

Since that day, she and I have worked hard to "re-program" my squats. We started with body weighted squats (trust me, they ain't easy still!), box squats, with 10kgs, 15kgs...etc, until we reached a bodyweight squat with 50kgs with depth just a couple of months ago.

However, this past weekend, all the hard work paid off....

Seven months later since April this year.... I still fear squatting, but I still squatted 65kgs. So now I will leave you to enjoy watching the video.

 

See how I got stuck coming up? Instead of calling for help...I fought to get it. That's progress. 

Yours truly,

Gym Freak @999fitness

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.