Anybody have a preference on squats

[Superman]

Wondering what some of the powerlifters opinion on olypmpic squats, vs. traditional just below/above parallel power squats was? I personally like to go ass to grass on an olympic style squat and I feel this has a much better carry over to my deadlift... Any opinions appreciated!

 

[blubbard]

Wondering what some of the powerlifters opinion on olypmpic squats, vs. traditional just below/above parallel power squats was? I personally like to go ass to grass on an olympic style squat and I feel this has a much better carry over to my deadlift... Any opinions appreciated!

I'm old and stiff, fuck that shit.

I'll do a close stance low box squat once in a while, but the dive bomb way below parallel squat is something I view as not conductive to my training.

 

[PillarofBalance]

It's about mechanics and how you are structured. I can't oly squat for shit... Spend time training both to find what works for you.

My squat form developed out of necessity. First time I ran Sheiko by week 3 I kept standing wider and wider and going more and more shallow. Until one day I was squatting below parallel for reps and with a 3 count pause at the bottom with my old max.

 

[Superman]

It's about mechanics and how you are structured. I can't oly squat for shit... Spend time training both to find what works for you.

My squat form developed out of necessity. First time I ran Sheiko by week 3 I kept standing wider and wider and going more and more shallow. Until one day I was squatting below parallel for reps and with a 3 count pause at the bottom with my old max.

DAYUMM! That is a crazy improvement, I tried last night a wide squat way below parallel and found I got substantially better glute/ham activation than with a typical olympical style sqaut. I actually may squat like this from now on, I was still moving explosively through out the entire range but felt like I had significantly more hip drive as opposed to just legs.

 

[BrotherIron]

Olympic Squats are VERY different than PLing Squats and it's not the depth that makes them different. PLing squats utilize your posterior chain (hams, glutes, etc) and Oly Squats are quad dominant. Two totally different ways of squatting. I would say if you want to hit your quads, do Oly Front Squats. That is another quad dominant movement and vastly superior imho. You'll also come to find it have a great deal of carry over to conventional deadlifts.

 

[BrotherIron]

As for preference it all depends on if you want to squat more or not. You recruit more muscles when you squat PLing style and therefore you'll be able to move more weight.

 

[PillarofBalance]

I can feel and even see what you're saying about quad activation... But! Louis Simmons claims that he has been a part of University Testing that showed no difference in muscle fiber activation in wide vs narrow stance squats.

Have I ever seen said data? Nope.

 

[Superman]

Olympic Squats are VERY different than PLing Squats and it's not the depth that makes them different. PLing squats utilize your posterior chain (hams, glutes, etc) and Oly Squats are quad dominant. Two totally different ways of squatting. I would say if you want to hit your quads, do Oly Front Squats. That is another quad dominant movement and vastly superior imho. You'll also come to find it have a great deal of carry over to conventional deadlifts.

I realize they are vastly different Was just curious what your personal preference was. But that is some good insight, I don't have any lagging muscle groups as of right now. I am just trying to catch my squat up to my deadlift!

 

[PillarofBalance]

DAYUMM! That is a crazy improvement, I tried last night a wide squat way below parallel and found I got substantially better glute/ham activation than with a typical olympical style sqaut. I actually may squat like this from now on, I was still moving explosively through out the entire range but felt like I had significantly more hip drive as opposed to just legs.

The hip activation was key for my improvement. Exactly as how you describe it. If you need to work on depth, best advice (and I'm no champion) is to play with toe angle. If you can't get deep without too much strain on the inner thighs, bring the toes in and it will allow for more depth. Just make sure you foam roll your IT Bands routinely. Toe in can cause them to tighten. I haven't figured out why though lol...

Do you pull sumo? If so be sure to give yourself a break here and there from that. Squatting wide and pulling wide will wear out your hips.

 

[BrotherIron]

I can feel and even see what you're saying about quad activation... But! Louis Simmons claims that he has been a part of University Testing that showed no difference in muscle fiber activation in wide vs narrow stance squats.

Have I ever seen said data? Nope.

When those shins move forward and the knees get close to the toes or pass them the stress is shifted to the quads and taken of the hams, glutes, etc.

 

[Superman]

The hip activation was key for my improvement. Exactly as how you describe it. If you need to work on depth, best advice (and I'm no champion) is to play with toe angle. If you can't get deep without too much strain on the inner thighs, bring the toes in and it will allow for more depth. Just make sure you foam roll your IT Bands routinely. Toe in can cause them to tighten. I haven't figured out why though lol...

Do you pull sumo? If so be sure to give yourself a break here and there from that. Squatting wide and pulling wide will wear out your hips.

I always pull conventional, I squat wide toes out! I always go ass to grass whether I am oly squatting or squatting for power!

 

[porky little keg]

I squat wide because I can work my squat gear better that way. I've been going WIDE, like toes touching the monolift, but I've moved back in a few inches to where I did my best lifts in the past.
This also lets me keep more upright, taking the strain out of my lower back so by the end of a meet I am able to deadlift with a fresh back.

I agree though that the oly squats help the deadlift. I've been doing narrower stance front squats to get the same effect though and it's been working, while taking less weight to be effective which saves my knees.

So, what's better?



Whatever you squat more with to competition depth. You don't get extra white lights for going deeper than parallel.