This has probably been done before, but I couldn't find anything in the search. So how do you all do squats, olympic-style or parallel? I've heard that the olympic style doesn't develop strength well, parallel is bad for the back, olympic is bad for your knees, parallel with a wide stance is bad for...something...well anyway, what are everyone's opinions on this?
I personally squat wide, below parallel because that is the easiest on my knees. Although there is a ton of proof for deep narrow squatting being good for the knees, it just doesn't help me. Powerlifting style suits my body more anyway. You have to find what is right for you, I would love to be more suited to olympic squatting.
Both are good. As long as you break parallel its fine. I do olympic b/c wide parallel ones hurt my knees. Like Adam said, do what suits you. Squats will develop great strength regardless of stance.
I do them just below parallel because they squat rack I use is designed for bench pressing so if I go any lower I hit the support bar for the bench that usually sits in it.
Adam, where do your feet point when you squat? I squat wide with my feet pointing straight forward, but I find that I can't go below parallel unless I turn my feet out more.
Point outwards. It spreads the stress on the knees and allows for more power development. I've read about people advocating DLing and squatting wide with feet forward, but I personally don't like it. You have to find what you are comfortable with and stick with that, most people go about 30 degrees out.
I've just recently changed my feet stance from hip width to shoulder width and spotted the difference easily. I get much greater ROM for starters, so I'm getting much better muscle usage. Do the same, play, have fun with em
Oh mate, they're possible, gumby as all hell, and now looking back on them, I think all they did was restrict movement.
Front squats make less use of the back and are an olympic lift. A wide stance allows use of more muscles in the leg but shoulder width or less don't really use the inner leg that much. Back Squats use the lower back more and are more effective imo as a compound.
To parallel, generally wider than olympic squats. Westside uses a super wide stance (probably as wide as they can spread their legs ). But most powerlifters use a a little wider than shoulder to parallel.
