squats

hey guys i was just browsin around and found this very helpful website, i was wondering if you guys could give me some advise on my squat, im 16 (almost 17) 155lbs, and have been lifting for around 2 years and have had great improvements on every lift except my squat. i just maxed out at 320 two weeks ago and ive stuck around 300 for about a year. this is strange to me becuz of my larger gains in bench and power clean over the year. in my school weights class i do 3 sets of 8 or 10 of around 60% of my max twice a week. ive even been trying to get myself to stop using this cheater neck pad that the bar sits on while u squat. its kinda sad to be in my weights class and as a junior see sophomores that are new to the class do more than you lol.
Do you guys have a routine that i might be able to follow to help increase my squat?
thanx, Jake

Do you happen to use a spotter when you squat? And are you dong them in a squat rack with a bar or using a Smith machine? Twice a week? Once a week is good enough. More and you don't allow the muscle to recover. I know this sounds odd, but doing less will actually get you more. How many times a week do you train the other body parts?

320 lbs when you are almost 17 is pretty sweet.

Welcome to DB yotafool!

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

ya i do have a spotter and i use a squat rack. here is my routine now, day 1 is usually (bench 3x8@165, incline bench 3x8@115, bar curls 3x8@75, wrist dumbell curls 3x8@30) day 2 is usually (squat 3x10@205, power clean 3x5@185), then we start over again on day 3 to day 1 workout. if this routine is not the greatest i can always lift light in class then go after school for a serious workout. lol but my squat is becoming really frustrating to me. Are there other leg exercises that i can do to help myself with squat?

also is there some secrets to getting big calves?

"Pain is weakness leaving the body" (Marines)

How's the range of motion on the squats?

As far as increasing the weight you can do.. Try putting on the heavy weight and going lower in reps. Say.. 4-6 reps per set. For pure strength, try the 3 rep range. Careful though. Many a person has gone below that and gotten injured. But for me, the best way to increase the weight is simply lower the reps and go for the weight. Of course, this all assumes this is in good form and failure means the last rep you can do without sacrificing good form.

I've gone for benching 185 lbs to 280. Of course, I do 3 reps at 280 but I did increase my bench press.

As far as calves. That's genetic. Hit em' hard and hit them 1x a week. Heavy weight, 4-6 rep range. They will get stronger for sure. Maybe bigger. I know a guy at the gym that does no calf work at all.. and yet his calves are as big as Ronnie Coleman. No joke. Genetics. Do the best you can with what you have.

Have you by chance read the Max-OT guide in the Training forum? Not that you have the time in class.. maybe you do? But the principles will most certainly help you increase the weight as your strength will be helped by this program.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

ya i just got done reading the whole thing and im gonna try it out, sounds like an awesome routine, id like to do it after school and maybe just do light weight in my class cuz my weights teacher might get pissed if i stop his program to try another you know. as for squats i go just barely below a 90 degree angle. i can rep max at 320 but i cant put 315 on the bar and go all the way down with it or ill drop it.

"Pain is weakness leaving the body" (Marines)

also on the squat, im tryin to stop using the cheater pad, ill take it off and say im gonna do my squats without it. i get under the bar and lift it off then start doin some squats and its quite painful, i dont know if im putting it in the wrong place on my back or just need a little time to get used to it

"Pain is weakness leaving the body" (Marines)

If you do that.. you might want to put the bar lower. Have the rear delts support it. If you do this, you will place more of the weight centrally. Meaning, it's more of a powerlifting movement. Better for glutes. Maximal quad overload is when the weight is higher up on the shoulders. Traps would be supporting it.

Now you can take off the cheater (you mean the blue Manta Ray?) and use the pad. Or wrap a towel around the bar. If you do it without.. it will take getting used to. And you will need to build up some tolerance to it.

I've seen towels on the bar, cheater pad, full pads and nothing. Whatever it takes to do the weight in good form.

At least 2 guys I know who squat pretty heavy use no pads. But another guy I respect does. And I use that blue Manta Ray cheater thing because I don't like the bar on me at all.

Whatever works. But personally, I had the bar in the correct position with good form and it still hurt. Meaning, it will take some getting used to. It might hurt as in.. damn this bar puts a lot of pressure on a muscle or ouch those little grips are rough.. but not.. OMG I'm gonna die hurt. Or several scrapes and any bleeding. I found it uncomfortable but not painful in a bad way.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

i can rep max at 320 but i cant put 315 on the bar and go all the way down with it or ill drop it.

Parallel (90 degrees) is great. Full range of motion. None of that quarter squat or half-squat stuff. Sounds like you are going full range to me.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

i guess ill just have to play around with it, and ya its the blue manta ray, i just thought id start to get used to not using it if im not really gonna have it after school, Marines probably wont have those luxuries

"Pain is weakness leaving the body" (Marines)

I love the manta ray..

You could always buy one for like $50.. but..

You are right. I think it's a luxury like gloves but I wouldn't classify it as a necessity. Heck, you could wrap your shirt about the bar for added comfort. But like I said, I've been plenty of guys do it bare without any problems whatsoever.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

haha, i love the manta ray too but u know.., and i also know people that do heavy weight without anything on the bar too, a senior who plays middle linebacker on our football team maxed out with 495 (5 plates on each side "dwamn") on the bar for a grand total with reps to somewhere around 550, lol i dont see how he does it without any cusion

"Pain is weakness leaving the body" (Marines)

How much did he weight? He might have a lot of muscle cushion, fat cushion or he's 18 and you know.. invincible.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

he's 6'5 250lbs, probably gonna play for KU next year at middle linebacker, he tosses and knocks people around on the football field like ragdolls lol

"Pain is weakness leaving the body" (Marines)

Pretty impressive. He probably doesn't need cushion. He's used to it. Maybe his delts can support that and it doesn't hurt. And maybe he's never used a pad or manta ray and so the weight of the bar is no big deal.

If I never used gloves, then not using them would not be a big deal. But I use gloves and I use a pad on the bar. So when I don't, it's a big deal.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

ya..i hear you, what do you squat now anyways

"Pain is weakness leaving the body" (Marines)

Between 315 and 365 lbs. Depends on how many reps I want to get. 315 I can get 7-8 good reps. 365 and I'm bordering on 4. I tend to mix it up. I go lower in weight when I get concerned with how low I'm going. Hard to tell sometimes. I'm usually at parallel. Sometimes a bit lower.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

Hey yotafool- What about your eating? It seems to me that you're lifting some nice weights for someone who weighs 155, but it sounds like you need to bulk up some- The right nutrition plan will make a world of difference, if you're not on one already.
It sounds to me like you definitely have the intensity down, keep that up and the rest will fall in place.

Right now eat about 4 meals a day and take whey protein shakes. I know that im probably not taking in the right amount of everything that i should be, but im not very educated in this aspect of bodybuilding such as how many calories and grams of carbs and protein. Could u guys tell me what would help put some pounds on me and what would be good to be eating and taking? Ive heard good things about N-large weight gainer. What do u guys think?

"Pain is weakness leaving the body" (Marines)

For the right foods and stuff, check out the nutrition threads- As for the weight gainers, stay away from them. Personally, I eat every two hours or so during the day, basically trying to make sure I get good protein and carbs each meal. Two of my meals each day consist of protein shakes and a snack, at the end of the day I've eaten six good clean meals. If you get the nutrition straight, you'll probably find it's the missing piece to your workout .

Right now i really cant eat too many meals because most of the day im at school and my mom isnt the type of person that really stocks up on food (cant even find snacks a lot of times), so i thought a weight gainer like N-large could replace some well needed calories, carbs, and protein.

"Pain is weakness leaving the body" (Marines)

Today i forced myself to do my squats without the manta-ray pad, whohoo! although it didnt tickle. In a way it almost made my squats feel lighter because i was more concerned with the pain in my upper back, traps, then i was with my legs. I dont know if thats a good thing or not, haha.

"Pain is weakness leaving the body" (Marines)

It's called distractions. And if you did more weight then hey.. as long as you don't have an injury or anything.

Some people listen to music to distract them and help them do the motion rather then focus on how heavy a weight is. Others meditate. Others stop using the cheater pad.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

Consider wrapping a towel around the bar- It's not as effective as a pad in my opinion, but it does cut down on the pain a bit. Personally, I use a towel because I'm worried about pinching a nerve or something like that. Also, when it comes to the extra meals, instead of a weight gainer go for a protein shake and a healthy snack.