squats in the basement

pwrhngry

New Member
Hey guys, I have a question about doing squats. I Have been lifting for over 18-20 months now but was going about it in a pretty uninformed manner until a couple of months ago. I was doing endless sets/reps, big 2 hour plus workouts etc. Added to that is when I started it was after having lost a BUNCH of weight (185 down to 140 @ 5'11'') in about 10 months rather unintentionally, after a nasty divorce and illness. Well I started training to stop the Wasting efffect that was becomming evident and soon became completely addicted to it. As I mentioned I went about it all wrong for the longest time though. Then I started to really become a student of all of the principles involved and whats really going on in there.
I now have read dozens of whole books about nutrition, training, physiology, biomechanics, kinesiology, etc. Ive decided to go for a degree in sports science when I can afford it in fact, lifting has so changed my life! Its like Ive found my niche!
 Any way, the upshot of all of this study is that about 10 weeks ago I squatted for the first time in my life, upon learning how pivotal it is. The problem is: My body seems to have EATEN MY LEGS! While most of yall seem to casually squat 3 times your body weight, my body weight (155 now) is my 5rm! I bench about what I squat! I know even that is weak by any of yall's standards, but I can kindof attribute it to being catabolic for about a year before lifting, coupled with my marathon 20-30 set workouts for the first year of lifting. 2-2.5 hours a day 6 days a week.
 My question though is, if Im now fixing my mistakes and misconceptions why is my squat not coming along like everything else seems to be? I know that Im still a few light years away from where I will one day be all around, but the other stuff (upper body, even D.L.,which is 220 5rm) are responding since I started to lift correctly.My squat however is still for squat!!!!!
P.S. I do, by the way ATG squats. No "stop at parallel stuff"
 
First of all we all have our own genetics so the responses vary per se. However if you bench the same as you squat then something is wrong. Legs should be the most powerful muscles in your body. Would you like to post your leg routine here so we can take a look.

You said you dont stop at parallel..have you tried? One possibility is that if you go all the way down you have a resting pause at the bottom of the movement. Also do you stop at the top of the movement? If you do, don`t
 
Hey Tcup, thanks again, I always know your willing to help me with my embarassing "hurdles" and dumb questions.
For the last 3 weeks I have been on the bill starr 5x5 dual factor program outlined by madcow2 @ elitefitness.com forums.
My leg routine today for instance was:
warm ups:barx10
100x5
130x5
140x5
work sets:150x3,then I missed one rep and got4,then last set I hit at 5
The only reason I can think of to explain the disproportionate relative strengths Ive got is that my body ate my legs alive during the drastic weight loss in the months before I started lifting. And maybe because squats are completely new to me (first time ever 3 months ago) while I have been benching consistently for 18-20 months.
As for going ATG I was under the impression that this was the best form for proper development?
Thanks again bro, I wont always be such a weakling ,lol
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (pwrhngry @ Sep. 07 2005,10:34)]The only reason I can think of to explain the disproportionate relative strengths Ive got is that my body ate my legs alive during the drastic weight loss in the months before I started lifting. And maybe because squats are completely new to me (first time ever 3 months ago) while I have been benching consistently for 18-20 months.
Self cannabilism
tounge.gif
Well i dont think that the reason is behind the eating disorder of your body :D You said that you are relative new in the squatting compared to the bench press. Then it`s easily seen why your legs are lagging behind...I do not know the bill star routine and therefore i`m not going to say if it is a good program or not. However three sets for legs per training is way too little. You have to add more volume in your training. Here is one leg routine you may try if you wish. Personally i had good gains. You said you were training in the basement so i don not know what equipment you have but still here`s the routine

Squat
3 sets rep range 8-12. Make it light, concentrating on the movement. Do it with your thighs! (The muscle dont know the amount of iron in your bar, it just knows the stress)

45 leg press
2 sets rep range 8-12. Concentrate doing the movement with your quads

Leg extension
2 sets rep range 8-12. Keep the weigh low that you make the peak concentration, but do not lock your knees

Leg curl
4 sets rep range 8-12. Do not use your body to move the weigh rack. Place yourself firmly on to the machine and remember peak concentration.

If you cannot do 8 reps you have too much weigh, if you do more than twelve then add more weight. With squats start with higher reps and work your way down. In other movements you can start with lower reps as your muscles are warm.

Hope this helps..
 
Tcup, I wasnt too clear I guess on explaining my leg woerkout today: I did 4 warmup sets ( barx5reps,100x5reps,120x5reps,130x5reps) then I did 3 sets of 5 with 150 then I missed one rep for 1 set of 4 at 150, then my final set of 5 I hit at 150 for 5.
Also, "squats in the basement" was not literal but referred to the fact that they are so low. Ido train at home however.
As far as my saying that my body ate my legs, I was referring to being deeply catabolic for months when I just wasnt eating hardly anything at all before I began training.
Thanks for the tips.
 
Ok...still i would suggest more reps as you havent had much stress on your legs lately and i also assume that you want to add more muscle mass rather than plain strenght?
 
pwrhungry don't worry. You started squatting pretty recently. As you continue to squat, you'll find your own "groove" for the lift, and you'll wind up progressing rather quickly. Just stick to the Dual-Factor 5x5 program for the time being. Increasing the load using in respectable rep ranges is going to help increase size, anyway. I don't know anyone who was eating excess calories who didn't come off the 5x5 with some weight put on them. 'sides, you're better off laying a strength foundation first, then switching over to HST. The change to the higher rep ranges along with all that strength will allow for a lot of load progression and large incretments, which will end in a lot of hypertrophy very quickly.
 
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