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knees and squat variations

2fingers Posts: 166 Joined: 2005/02/23	2006/04/06, 01:19 PM First, I posted this here since I am trying to gain strength from these exercises. I have been doing ATG for a while with feet shoulder width and knees perpendicular to waist. (I just hit 235 ATG with a pause before ascent - I am stoked b/c no bouncing here). I tried doing box squats with wide stance and knees closer to 45 degree angle instead of straight out in front of me. I've seen pictures of heavy lifters doing this. My knees were killing me (ligaments or tendons I'm guessing). Why is this? Am I stressing the connecting tissue in a different way than ATG? Thanks.
bigandrew Posts: 5,146 Joined: 2002/10/21	2006/04/06, 01:24 PM usually for boxes squating with a wide stance is rough at 1st. Raise the box some. too parallel or maybe a lil higher, you should be able to sit on the box a little easier. Whats ATG? -------------- Get your bicep curling, cut off shirt, matching workout outfit wearing,flexing in mirror "toned" wanna-be ass , out of my squat rack! People don't reach thier true potental, only those who seek it.
wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2006/04/06, 02:51 PM ass to grass. Don't do an olympic style squat on a box. Instead, focus on breaking at the hips and sitting back, rather than down. -------------- Iron and chalk. Pain is only temporary, it is in your mind. If you can still walk, then you can still run.
7707mutt Posts: 7,686 Joined: 2002/06/18	2006/04/06, 02:57 PM explain the difference wrestler....please! -------------- Less Talk, More Chalk! The Men and Boys are Separated by one thing: The Squat Cage! 7707mutt@freetrainers.com
wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2006/04/06, 04:08 PM Olympic squats you break at the knees first, and sit down in between your legs, basicly ass to heels. The torso is more upright, and there is emphasis on quad and vastus medialis activation. With a powerlifting squat, the focus is on breaking at the hips first, sitting back. Torso is at about 45 degrees, and knees do not travel forward significantly.
2fingers Posts: 166 Joined: 2005/02/23	2006/04/06, 04:40 PM Are you saying to use my normal stance as stated above if I do box squats? normal stance = "I have been doing ATG for a while with feet shoulder width and knees perpendicular to waist. " With ATG, my hams are touching my calves. I am assuming this is fine since I have felt no pain going this deep?
wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2006/04/06, 07:30 PM I use a slightly wider stance, but the main difference should be how you break and how you sit. Sit back with a powerlifting squat (this is what I recommend for box squats) and down with an ATG squat. The reason I say this, is that it will allow you to recruit your posterior chain better. A box squat olympic style will put a large sheering force on the knee. -------------- Iron and chalk. Pain is only temporary, it is in your mind. If you can still walk, then you can still run.
bigandrew Posts: 5,146 Joined: 2002/10/21	2006/04/07, 02:05 PM look at a o lifters catch....they catch torso vertically so they can "rack the weight" .....thats the squat he is talking about I believe. And the way most "rookies" try to do them by sitting straight down. O lifter can't push back, cause they'd loose the lift. My hams and hips arnt that flexable -------------- Get your bicep curling, cut off shirt, matching workout outfit wearing,flexing in mirror "toned" wanna-be ass , out of my squat rack! People don't reach thier true potental, only those who seek it.