SQUATS: Light and Deep OR Heavy half reps - UK-Muscle Body Building Community

David Lloyd · 10-05-2007, 02:21 PM

what the title says

what do u think is best for quad development

i know DB uses girly weights and goes as deep as possible (they are particularly girly weights though)

i go ass to grass for the first couple of sets then i like to add more weight and not go down quite so far

i still go down to parrallel on these though -
but this one dude in our gym sticks on 220Kg and just does half reps

says it keeps the tension on the quads and stops him from gettin a big @rse

opinions?

DB · 10-05-2007, 02:28 PM

nice thread Gaffa,

i personally like to go really deep and use moderate (not girly) and my legs are pretty resonable but would they be better from more weight and less depth

now if u work it out mechanically

work done = distance x weight (or similar been a long time since i did maths!)

so that would prob mean deeper with a moderate weight would = more work done by your legs.. however u then have to look into yoru glutes and hams kicking in on the bottom of the lift...

but for over all development??

Clydefrog · 10-05-2007, 02:58 PM

I used to do heavy/mdium depth, now lighter/lower. Plenty of people will say that going heavy but shallow is for posing, but I think it definitely has it's place, especially for saving your knees. Nothing wrong with a mixture I say, although I would put the emphasis on going deep(er).

**big** · 10-05-2007, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DB

work done = distance x weight (or similar been a long time since i did maths!)

And to think, you have a degree in engineering

**big** · 10-05-2007, 04:16 PM

Full depth all the way IMO; none of this partial squat nonsense - it's a squat, not a curtsy! ;)

**Robsta** · 10-05-2007, 04:30 PM

^^^^lol

**Robsta** · 10-05-2007, 04:31 PM

I used to go up to 180-200 as deep as I could but my back started going as I got heavier, now I just go up to 120 for deep reps, then stack the leg press for my heavy sets.....best of both worlds imo....

alex.p · 10-05-2007, 06:11 PM

Just to throw my hat in, like robsta9 suggested I do what I can for full reps and then load up the leg press for partials. Im sure everyone responds differently. I didn't get good growth till I went full but I know plenty who've built big legs with partials.

Nine Pack · 10-05-2007, 06:40 PM

This is all sounding remarkably familiar. We had the ass to grass vs parralel debate recently & we could'nt agree then, so what's the chance of this ending different?

Each to his own, but the deeper you go, the greater the risk of injury, that is a fact & not an opinion. I have built my legs just fine going parralel & no further & never had a proper injury.

Jock · 13-05-2007, 09:01 AM

A combination of the two works best for me, although I go to parrallel which I wouldn't describe as a half rep.

Baggio · 28-05-2007, 01:55 AM

i was taught that there is no extra benefit to going further than parallel & it just puts extra stress on the ligaments, tendons etc. & thats how i teach it

Ultimax · 28-05-2007, 03:07 PM

Every gym I visit I get a PT to spot me on my last 2 sets on squats if no-one else around - and it is SO DAMN OFF-PUTTING when you rack the bar after the first assisted set and turm round and he says 'You know mate, you dont need to go to parallel... just go halfway...'

So my last set is done halfway (I mean prob 15% off parallel) and it feels like a waste of time... I would say yes, go parallel with heavy bar, or deeper with a moderate weight... I believe the keep-fit instructor half 'HEY, I LOOK LIKE MAX WALL DOING HIS FUNNY WALK' squats methodology evolved from the following (if you dont know who max wall was he was a 70's comedian who did a funny chicken walk, with his butt sticking out!)

1. Concern over deep/ parallel squats placing far too much stress on the knees
2. The biomechanical argument that says quads are only involved in the squat for the upper range of the movement - which I dont agree with

Also... I know this has nothing to do with the topic.. but if you do heavy squats, make sure you know the guy who's spotting you.... and that he knows how to spot on squats...

I dont have a training partner cos my training is so erratic, so on squats day if I see someone I know, Ill ask for help on the last heavy set.. but if the gym is half empty and no-one about, you gotta find some guy and ask him politely if he knows how to spot on squats, and then briefly explain the posture etc... 'of course' he responds....then you glance at him as you're on your 3rd rep... where is he????? about 2 feet behind you looking at the f***ing TV screen, and then on rep 6, as you struggle on rep 6, he steps forward and grabs the bar with a barbell curl positioning and pulls it down onto the squat rack......

that kinda unhelpful / 'wasnt listening to you' or 'cant be bothered' attitude makes me....

MAD!!!!.. aaaargh....ROAR!!!!

Squat = Correct form + Deep heavy reps + GOOD SPOTTER!!!

NOt knoacking what you said baggio...... The PTs I see tell me not to go even as far as parallel.

SportDr · 28-05-2007, 03:13 PM

Go deeper and you do of course use your quads but you are hitting your glutes very heavily here and who wants a J Lo bootie?

Taking squats below parallel increases shearing forces on the knee but ATG squatters will argue that the ACL/PCL are lax at parrallel and not supporting the knee so its a bad place to stop.

This arguement gives us all a regular headache lol

I would do both, but do them safely and use a spotter and rack plus wraps and belts when needed.

SD

Ultimax · 28-05-2007, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SportDr

Go deeper and you do of course use your quads but you are hitting your glutes very heavily

Hey...aint nothing wrong with a big bootie.. to a degree...

!

Baggio · 28-05-2007, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ultimax

that kinda unhelpful / 'wasnt listening to you' or 'cant be bothered' attitude makes me....

MAD!!!!.. aaaargh....ROAR!!!!

Squat = Correct form + Deep heavy reps + GOOD SPOTTER!!!

NOt knoacking what you said baggio...... The PTs I see tell me not to go even as far as parallel.

i f*ckin hate bad spotters, i also dislike most PTs, im not your usual PT, im a man's man

i won't argue, just merely state that i generally prefer paralell & have been 'told' there is no extra benefit to going any further. But what does that mean lol (f*ck all) i have no biological evidence to back it up. But i love to extend my knowledge :lift:

10-05-2007, 02:21 PM	#1 (permalink)
David Lloyd obsessed is a word lazy people use to describe the dedicated Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kingston Posts: 379	SQUATS: Light and Deep OR Heavy half reps what the title says what do u think is best for quad development i know DB uses girly weights and goes as deep as possible (they are particularly girly weights though) i go ass to grass for the first couple of sets then i like to add more weight and not go down quite so far i still go down to parrallel on these though - but this one dude in our gym sticks on 220Kg and just does half reps says it keeps the tension on the quads and stops him from gettin a big @rse opinions?

10-05-2007, 02:28 PM	#2 (permalink)
DB UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: SW London Posts: 11,223	Re: SQUATS: Light and Deep OR Heavy half reps nice thread Gaffa, i personally like to go really deep and use moderate (not girly) and my legs are pretty resonable but would they be better from more weight and less depth now if u work it out mechanically work done = distance x weight (or similar been a long time since i did maths!) so that would prob mean deeper with a moderate weight would = more work done by your legs.. however u then have to look into yoru glutes and hams kicking in on the bottom of the lift... but for over all development?? __________________ DB To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. often imitated never duplicated To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. DB sleeps with a night light. Not because DB is afraid of the dark, but the dark is afraid of DB. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

10-05-2007, 02:58 PM	#3 (permalink)
Clydefrog Gym Addict Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 490	Re: SQUATS: Light and Deep OR Heavy half reps I used to do heavy/mdium depth, now lighter/lower. Plenty of people will say that going heavy but shallow is for posing, but I think it definitely has it's place, especially for saving your knees. Nothing wrong with a mixture I say, although I would put the emphasis on going deep(er).

10-05-2007, 04:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
big UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Beer me Posts: 5,276	Re: SQUATS: Light and Deep OR Heavy half reps Full depth all the way IMO; none of this partial squat nonsense - it's a squat, not a curtsy! ;) __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

10-05-2007, 04:30 PM	#6 (permalink)
Robsta UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: In The Shire Posts: 5,313	Re: SQUATS: Light and Deep OR Heavy half reps ^^^^lol __________________ Robsta

10-05-2007, 04:31 PM	#7 (permalink)
Robsta UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: In The Shire Posts: 5,313	Re: SQUATS: Light and Deep OR Heavy half reps I used to go up to 180-200 as deep as I could but my back started going as I got heavier, now I just go up to 120 for deep reps, then stack the leg press for my heavy sets.....best of both worlds imo.... __________________ Robsta

10-05-2007, 06:11 PM	#8 (permalink)
alex.p Newbie Trainer Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 26	Re: SQUATS: Light and Deep OR Heavy half reps Just to throw my hat in, like robsta9 suggested I do what I can for full reps and then load up the leg press for partials. Im sure everyone responds differently. I didn't get good growth till I went full but I know plenty who've built big legs with partials.

10-05-2007, 06:40 PM	#9 (permalink)
Nine Pack Shouldn't be let out loose.... Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Manchester Posts: 1,720	Re: SQUATS: Light and Deep OR Heavy half reps This is all sounding remarkably familiar. We had the ass to grass vs parralel debate recently & we could'nt agree then, so what's the chance of this ending different? Each to his own, but the deeper you go, the greater the risk of injury, that is a fact & not an opinion. I have built my legs just fine going parralel & no further & never had a proper injury. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. ''I reject your reality and substitute my own'' Adam Savage.

13-05-2007, 09:01 AM	#10 (permalink)
Jock LEAGUE LEGEND! Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: UK Posts: 3,039	Re: SQUATS: Light and Deep OR Heavy half reps A combination of the two works best for me, although I go to parrallel which I wouldn't describe as a half rep. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

28-05-2007, 01:55 AM	#11 (permalink)
Baggio 21 years old Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 388	Re: SQUATS: Light and Deep OR Heavy half reps i was taught that there is no extra benefit to going further than parallel & it just puts extra stress on the ligaments, tendons etc. & thats how i teach it __________________ qualified personal trainer & sports massage therapist

28-05-2007, 03:07 PM	#12 (permalink)
Ultimax Finest quality sports supplements at unbeatable prices! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Cheshire Posts: 65	Re: SQUATS: Light and Deep OR Heavy half reps Every gym I visit I get a PT to spot me on my last 2 sets on squats if no-one else around - and it is SO DAMN OFF-PUTTING when you rack the bar after the first assisted set and turm round and he says 'You know mate, you dont need to go to parallel... just go halfway...' So my last set is done halfway (I mean prob 15% off parallel) and it feels like a waste of time... I would say yes, go parallel with heavy bar, or deeper with a moderate weight... I believe the keep-fit instructor half 'HEY, I LOOK LIKE MAX WALL DOING HIS FUNNY WALK' squats methodology evolved from the following (if you dont know who max wall was he was a 70's comedian who did a funny chicken walk, with his butt sticking out!) 1. Concern over deep/ parallel squats placing far too much stress on the knees 2. The biomechanical argument that says quads are only involved in the squat for the upper range of the movement - which I dont agree with Also... I know this has nothing to do with the topic.. but if you do heavy squats, make sure you know the guy who's spotting you.... and that he knows how to spot on squats... I dont have a training partner cos my training is so erratic, so on squats day if I see someone I know, Ill ask for help on the last heavy set.. but if the gym is half empty and no-one about, you gotta find some guy and ask him politely if he knows how to spot on squats, and then briefly explain the posture etc... 'of course' he responds....then you glance at him as you're on your 3rd rep... where is he????? about 2 feet behind you looking at the f*ing TV screen, and then on rep 6, as you struggle on rep 6, he steps forward and grabs the bar with a barbell curl positioning and pulls it down onto the squat rack...... that kinda unhelpful / 'wasnt listening to you' or 'cant be bothered' attitude makes me.... MAD!!!!.. aaaargh....ROAR!!!! Squat = Correct form + Deep heavy reps + GOOD SPOTTER!!! NOt knoacking what you said baggio...... The PTs I see tell me not to go even as far as parallel. __________________ Pure Whey Protein and core Bodybuilding Supplements! FAST n' FREE UK Delivery on everything! Pure unsweetened Whey Protein from 6.25/Kg Delivered! L-Carnitine fat burners - 20% Off CREAPURE Creatine Monohydrate 500g - Europe's Lowest Price!!! L-Glutamine and BCAAs - Check Site for latest prices Price Beater Guarantee on ALL Products For an additional 10% OFF on your first order, please use the discount code ULTIMAX** during checkout To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Refer a friend and you can save even more - check website for details Try before you buy - for a FREE SAMPLE of unflavoured whey protein, simply PM us with your name and address, or drops us an email with your username and delivery details to To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. . Last edited by Ultimax; 28-05-2007 at 03:13 PM.

28-05-2007, 03:13 PM	#13 (permalink)
SportDr Getting HUGE! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: E-Sussex UK Posts: 2,623	Re: SQUATS: Light and Deep OR Heavy half reps Go deeper and you do of course use your quads but you are hitting your glutes very heavily here and who wants a J Lo bootie? Taking squats below parallel increases shearing forces on the knee but ATG squatters will argue that the ACL/PCL are lax at parrallel and not supporting the knee so its a bad place to stop. This arguement gives us all a regular headache lol I would do both, but do them safely and use a spotter and rack plus wraps and belts when needed. SD __________________ I don't like Sports and I am not a Doctor! You expressed and challenged yourself, startled the dozing muscles and welcomed the sweet pain of gain. Boredom begets mediocrity. Enemies both, they deserve swift eradication. Let's hit the weights and build some muscle. Race ya to the bench press. Dave Draper A goal casually set and lightly taken will be freely abandoned at the first obstacle. Zig Ziglar Any advice given is for information only, always seek the advice of your medical practitioner. Use this My Protein refferer code and get a 5% DISCOUNT on your first order! MP2819 Last edited by SportDr; 28-05-2007 at 03:23 PM.

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