Squating advice
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You are currently reading a thread in /adv/ - Advice
You are currently reading a thread in /adv/ - Advice
I started the Starting Strength routine a while back but I really lack in my squats, I can never seem to get them right. Which leads me to my question, what are some ways I can practice getting the motions correct before I fuck myself up in a squat rack? Someone in the gym recommend that I should practice with either with a box or a bench with the rack, but the mental image of doing that gives me that gym anxiety thought of everyone looking at me. This is a smaller gym too.
>>17328314
I would never believed I could do squats. My gym has this "machine" which is basically a bar isolated on a track so it runs up and down on a perfect vertical. I have no idea what it's called, but it's what me and my gym buddy do squats on and he says he likes it better than free squats because it allows you to get lower without having to worry about the bar getting away from you.
Maybe find one of those.
Practice at home without any weights. Watch a video to see proper form. Be very mindful of your posture and think about what you're doing while you're doing. Squats are pretty easy to get the form down on.
You don't need to be squatting like 200 lbs either as a beginner. Hell you can squat 100 lbs to start. With all exercises getting the proper motion down is incredibly important to prevent injury. So practicing form with really light weight or no weight isn't something strange. Everyone starting out should do it.
The box squat does help with form and is a common exercise. However I have long legs and that form doesnt allow me to get parallel. Getting parallel (or even slightly lower) iis crucial to develop all the muscles. Dont attempt bigger weight and sacrifice form. THAT is an amateur move.
>>17328336
It's called a Smith machine.
Power Racks are nice too. It's what I use at home. You can safely practice alone and drop tons of weight on the safety bars if you fail a lift. You can adjust how high/low so you can cater it to your form or needs.
>>17328314
box squats are a decent tool at teaching a beginner to "sit back" during the movement. the most common mistake people make when learning to squat is they think of lowering their body by bending at the knees. this is a completely unnatural method of lowering oneself into a sitting position. if you were to ask someone to "take a seat" and observe you would see something akin to a squat motion. you ask someone to squat onto a chair and you'll watch that same person fuck it all up with too much focus directed towards bending the knees first instead of sitting back.
practice with an empty bar and onto a box. your gym may have some stackable plastic "boxes" that you can cater to your desired height. set the boxes to a height that you would have a parallel squat. if that doesn't work then you can drag an adjustable bench and use that.
>>17328336
>>17328356
also don't use a smith machine.
they're terrible at teaching/drilling proper movements.
