Squattin

[Trozzle]

Unfortunately, using the smith machine when you're inexperienced will only serve to ruin your form

Freeweight squats, or leg press for those who are UNABLE

Stepped my squats up over the weekend, slowly but surely. Up to 132.5kg for a minimum of 4 sets of 5 reps, ATG of course lol

oh also

Hi Team,

I have been doing squats for about 6 Months now, but I'm getting really sore knees. I'm only doing about 90 - 100kgs in a squat rack with guides. Is there anyway to protect knees?

Thanks

specifically WHERE on your knees do you experience pain? Personally I'm getting some pain on the top of my patella, around about where I'd assume any ligaments are attached. Primarily on my right knee, on the right hand side of the patella. Hurts a bit if I rub the spot I get the pain, kinda as if I bashed my kneecap on the edge of a desk or something.

It's definitely not an internal thing, so I'm not overly concerned there (though it's still pain, so I'm slightly concerned nonetheless). Anybody got any ideas on this one? I'm thinking ligament(s) being over-stressed, or possibly something similar to the underside of the same kneecap - when I was MUCH younger and playing soccer, whenever I'd go through a growth spurt of sorts the muscle between the bottom of my patella and the top of my tibia would actually tear away at the tibia, causing abnormal bone growth at the site as well as a very similar pain.

[Trozzle]

Hi Team,

I have been doing squats for about 6 Months now, but I'm getting really sore knees. I'm only doing about 90 - 100kgs in a squat rack with guides. Is there anyway to protect knees?

Thanks

specifically WHERE on your knees do you experience pain? Personally I'm getting some pain on the top of my patella, around about where I'd assume any ligaments are attached. Primarily on my right knee, on the right hand side of the patella. Hurts a bit if I rub the spot I get the pain, kinda as if I bashed my kneecap on the edge of a desk or something.

It's definitely not an internal thing, so I'm not overly concerned there (though it's still pain, so I'm slightly concerned nonetheless). Anybody got any ideas on this one? I'm thinking ligament(s) being over-stressed, or possibly something similar to the underside of the same kneecap - when I was MUCH younger and playing soccer, whenever I'd go through a growth spurt of sorts the muscle between the bottom of my patella and the top of my tibia would actually tear away at the tibia, causing abnormal bone growth at the site as well as a very similar pain.

[Birds]

lol Troy I have the exact same injury/issue on my right knee and I have no idea what caused it. It doesn't hurt horrible but enough to concern me. That knee I also have to crack every morning for it to get full mobility. Have been for a couple years now, but a bit more frequently these days.

[Trozzle]

Hmm, you sure it's the same? Maybe I didn't explain mine properly, but it's a pain on the absolute extremity of the patella....if yours "cracks" then that'd suggest it's internal, no?

[Birds]

OK Thanks guys, I'll give the free weights a go. I just thought the machine would be OK as I'm inexperienced and it would help my form. I'll drop back to around 70KG and go from there.

Do it empty bar first. You likely won't do 70kg off the bat coming from the smith machine. You need to get your form right and it is very different without the smith machine bar to stabilise yourself. Once you can do it deeply with an empty bar, then start adding weight.

[Birds]

Hmm, you sure it's the same? Maybe I didn't explain mine properly, but it's a pain on the absolute extremity of the patella....if yours "cracks" then that'd suggest it's internal, no?

The cracking is internal, but the pain is literally in between where the quads end and the knee cap starts. It just feels like it's bruised, like as you said , I've whacked it on a table a couple days ago and still a little sore.

Maybe from squatting too deep? Or leg press? Also my right hip seems to very slightly click when I walk. It's only just noticeable, but I wonder if it resonates from the knee cap or if it's it's own issue. 2 week break from gym in Singapore hopefully fixes these.

[Trozzle]

Ah ok fair enough, separate issues

Squatting........too deep? YOU BEST BE TROLLING NIGGA! heh, strangely mine seems to "flare up" or at least become noticeable only when NOT going full depth. Only leg exercise I do consistently enough to be a contender for my problem would be squats. Initially presented itself when I was hammering the incline leg press in place of squats, so perhaps it's the ultimate cause for me. Meh.

Doesn't seem to hurt at all when doing leg extensions though, however they seem to target the vastis medialis (I didn't have to Google that fancy shit....I swear ) mostly in my experience.

Slightly back on topic, MY GOD I CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE MY OWN FKN CAGE SET UP AT HOME!!! Will be outside (under cover), so my neighbours and any f**ker walking down the laneway is gonna cop an earful of over the top completely unnecessary grunting and moaning LOL

[jangles]

Knees moving too far forward can put stress on the area I think youre explaining.

[Trozzle]

That sounds about right for me lol

[bozodos]

rippetoe reckons that the problem is when you don't squat deep enough.

[Trozzle]

Definitely not my issue lol

[L33SH]

I've had 3 people comment lately on how deep I squat, I'm wondering if I'm squatting too deep

[Trozzle]

No such thing! (unless of course it's causing form degradation )

[bozodos]

I do too, but I look at other people squatting (usually in the smith machine), and they don't even hit paralell let alone below!

[Birds]

IMO you can never squat too deep unless it's somehow causing you injury. Bigger range of motion = more useful power over a longer range. Take someone who only squats to parallel and watch them struggle with even half their normal weight going to the ground!

[Yo-Yo]

new PB for me today

got to 100kg set managed 6 reps before it felt like I wouldn't be able to push up anymore, I couldn't get quite down to parallel at 100kg so just gotta keep working at away at it.

entire session went;

1X 40kg 10 rep

1X 60kg 10 rep

2X 80kg 8 rep

1X 100kg 6 rep

Ultimately I'd like to start off at 80kg then 100kg max, probably scale back on the reps too at the higher weights.

I'm thinking 5 sets 6 reps each: X2 @ 80kg X3@100kg

100kg squats are my goal, don't want to push further than that.

Anything else I should consider set wise? I'm always open to suggestion

[Birds]

Yes...put in some singles / 1RM somewhere.

[Yo-Yo]

Yes...put in some singles / 1RM somewhere.

care to elaborate pls? I'm not hip with all the linggo

[The Bogan]

specifically WHERE on your knees do you experience pain? Personally I'm getting some pain on the top of my patella, around about where I'd assume any ligaments are attached. Primarily on my right knee, on the right hand side of the patella. Hurts a bit if I rub the spot I get the pain, kinda as if I bashed my kneecap on the edge of a desk or something.

It's definitely not an internal thing, so I'm not overly concerned there (though it's still pain, so I'm slightly concerned nonetheless). Anybody got any ideas on this one? I'm thinking ligament(s) being over-stressed, or possibly something similar to the underside of the same kneecap - when I was MUCH younger and playing soccer, whenever I'd go through a growth spurt of sorts the muscle between the bottom of my patella and the top of my tibia would actually tear away at the tibia, causing abnormal bone growth at the site as well as a very similar pain.

Found this a while ago, the IT band roll nearly made me vomit it hurt so much.

http://learntosquat.com/7/7.6.howtocurekneepain.html Some stretches to fix some forms of knee pain.

Also if you point your knees in you can hurt your knee

[Birds]

care to elaborate pls? I'm not hip with all the linggo

At the end of your last set, do one more set...just a single rep of say 110 or 120 kg. Increase this set by 2.5kg each week.