Below parallel?

[Jim1954]

I'm sure this topic has been covered many times
before, and know it's probably controversial.
Some swear by going below parallel when doing
squats, and others say it can cause serious injury.
I'd like to hear some comments on this.

I'll also mention that I have started going below
parallel for now, only on the lighter sets, just to
see if I get better results.

 

[OceanDude]

I started going past parallel after reading some of the posts here too - also on the lower weights. I find I like it. It gives me a better stretch feeling and I am getting a much deeper burn and post workout good kind of sorness than I was getting with much heavier weights at parallel or slightly aboive parallel.

 

[jadakris31]

i cant squat for shit .. but when i was in highschool one of my best friends, who was really into football would touch his ass to the ground .. he was crazy .. he also squated 495 with no injuries.. besides a year later tearing his pec .. now he is fat

 

[Arnold]

I have always gone below parallel and I have never hurt myself.

If it bothers you to go below parallel than I would not recommend that you do so; we're all built a little bit different.

Also, you need to build up the flexability and strength, so begin with lighter weight and work your way up. Do not try and use the same weight that you have been using prior to going below parallel.

 

[rburton]

Going parallel has helped me--I think--to alleviate sore knees, plus I have found that my form is better, which has helped improve my legs.

 

[Jim1954]

Thanks for the replies on this topic.
It makes sense that if you go beyond parallel
you would get more range of motion.

I did the first couple of sets with lighter weight,
pretty far past parallel yesterday. So it will take
awhile to see what kind of difference it will make.
I am blessed with very good knees, never had any
problems with them.

I don't know how anybody could touch their ass to the
ground doing a squat, but I'm not going to say it's impossible.
We are all different, but for me it would be a physical impossibility.

I remember reading an article years ago, it might have been an
old Bob Hoffman magazine. The article was written by Paul Anderson,
it was titled "You've got to bend em". About all I can recall is that he would
do one legged squats on a sturdy table, and he would use a broom stick
for balance, and he would go way below parallel!

A lot of the old ways of weight training have gone by the way side, but
it's apparent that some people were ahead of their time.

 

[naturalguy]

Going below parallel is fine, there is a myth that it puts more stress on the knee however the truth is that once you break parallel the hamstrings and glutes get the extra stress not the knee. Leg extensions are much more dangerous for the knee than squats.