I've seen some attachments for straight barbells that turn them into cambered bars.

If you go that route, since you'll likely only be using it to train technique and not move heavy weight, they could likely hold up to what you're asking them to do. I wouldn't go and try to squat 3 plates on them or anything.

CC09LawAg said:

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I've seen some attachments for straight barbells that turn them into cambered bars.

If you go that route, since you'll likely only be using it to train technique and not move heavy weight, they could likely hold up to what you're asking them to do. I wouldn't go and try to squat 3 plates on them or anything.

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I think the gym I go to has one actually.

Not sure If Im going to go that route. Since I don't plan on competing in any way and just looking to get a little stronger (with some bigger legs and glutes)...I may just be happy with my parallel, but continue to work on getting lower.

If those are your goals and you want to work in some ass to grass squats, put some wedges under your feet. I do that on my high bar squats and can get my butt to my heels, can't even get close without them.

I usually don't enjoy my squat days, however the one part of it I do like is seeing my depth improve. Definitely makes overall weight I am putting on the bar go much slower but that's ok. I know everyone's created differently but if you can't squat deep I would argue the best thing to do is address the mobility issue if possible.

CC09LawAg said:

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If those are your goals and you want to work in some ass to grass squats, put some wedges under your feet. I do that on my high bar squats and can get my butt to my heels, can't even get close without them.

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Im not even in the stratosphere of getting ATG! LOL this would be a disaster!

Im slowly getting better. Its just taken me freakin months. Now that I have some knee pain...its actually helping me a bit. Its a very tactical cue to stay out of my knees and quads and focus more on the hips. This has been incredibly frustrating to me.

You'd be surprised how much squatting on wedges helps you get ATG. I bought the 15 degree ones from Rogue and it makes a huge difference.

When I started last year, I could barely get parallel without it causing me lower back pain. It took me months of adjusting the angle of my feet, the width of my stance, switching between high bar vs low bar, doing box squats, doing "third world squats" and holding them, different mobility drills for warmups I found on Squat University, working on ankle mobility...

Just constant little things. I'd say it took almost exactly a year for me to be comfortable that I am getting parallel on most of my reps.

Just stick with it and try to do one thing every lower body workout that is meant to improve your mobility (other than the squats themselves) and I think you'll notice some small incremental changes.

CC09LawAg said:

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You'd be surprised how much squatting on wedges helps you get ATG. I bought the 15 degree ones from Rogue and it makes a huge difference.

When I started last year, I could barely get parallel without it causing me lower back pain. It took me months of adjusting the angle of my feet, the width of my stance, switching between high bar vs low bar, doing box squats, doing "third world squats" and holding them, different mobility drills for warmups I found on Squat University, working on ankle mobility...

Just constant little things. I'd say it took almost exactly a year for me to be comfortable that I am getting parallel on most of my reps.

Just stick with it and try to do one thing every lower body workout that is meant to improve your mobility (other than the squats themselves) and I think you'll notice some small incremental changes.

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I wear the Nike Romaleo (sp) 4 shoes. So about 3/4 inch lift.

Man...Thank you. This is really encouraging. (And that Im not a total moron for not being able to do this right away...I get parallel, but not IPF depth).

Dumb question but isn't not being able to get ATG usually an ankle mobility issue? If so it seems like the wedges are kind of giving a "false ATG", for lack of a better term, no?

Yes, that is exactly it. The wedges help eliminate the issues caused by a lack of ankle mobility. It also helps to shift the weights more on to your quads, so it's more of a hypertrophy exercise for me than a pure strength builder.

Another thing that was kind of a "light bulb" moment for me was watching a Squat University video (I think) where it was discussing your hip sockets and how that impacts your squat depth. It was a huge eye opener for me.

If I try to keep my feet straight forward and squat down, I am lucky to get half as deep as I can if I open up my stance wider and point my toes outwards. It's really just trial and error for your body type and finding what works for you.

Makes sense, thanks. I am lucky to have really good flexibility and ankle mobility but I think I'll try the wedges for some accessory squat work. Would love to get some more quad work from them.

I actually just got some wedges last week because I've been doing some knees-over-toes guy work.

For anyone looking for wedges to do KOT stuff, I picked up a commercial rubber door stop off Amazon a while back that was cheap and seems like it does everything an actual squat wedge does.

Good suggestion, but how much is "cheap"? I got these for $30 last week and they seem good quality…

Squat Wedge Slant Board for Squats Non-Slip Squat Wedge Blocks Improve Squat and Strength Performance Calf Stretcher for Physical Therapy Foot Stretcher https://a.co/d/12kYxh4

That's actually a decent deal. I might have paid $10 but those you got are probably better.

Go buy a half foam roller. Put it under your heels. Make sure you feel comfortable, not too much weight in the heels. Start with low weight and progress. This is one of the best training techniques for squats.

The best way to start your squats is to use one of the half foam rollers and hold dumbbells in your hands. Even though, I have functional hip and calf mobility along with good psoas (hip flexor) flexibility, I still do these squats occasionally with the 100# dumbbells.

Most people and in particular guys focus on weight. When you squat (and it can be a light weight), you should feel it in your butt. If you feel the quads before butt, you're most likely doing it wrong.

The most important thing is to have glute engagement. If you can't feel your glutes, then lunge. Forget the traditional lunge (back knee down). Take a big step forward. Keep the back leg straight, and don't let the loaded quad go below your knee. Your hips have to move in 3 planes of motion effortlessly. Stretch the psoas!

Glute engagement and hip flexor mobility are keys to no back pain and good posture.

Breakthrough!

I'm finally...finally...able to semi-consistently hit depth. I finally have the checklist that I mentally go through on the way down and up. The key, is right when I think I've gone as low as I can, push back one final time with the hips (bracing in the core to not lose the chest...and leaned over more).

That's great! It's an amazing feeling when something like that finally just clicks.

CC09LawAg said:

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That's great! It's an amazing feeling when something like that finally just clicks.

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Yup. And thanks to everyone on the thread who suggested a few things.

Im not 100 percent there, but I now have my "process" of how to do it.

Hit 360 for a single on squats tonight. 35 pound PR since my last high was 325x5.

I think I'm going to like 531 since I can work in singles once a month. There's a huge difference in knowing you can do 5 reps of a certain weight and seeing what you can do for a single rep.

Just want to thank the random gym bro who offered to spot me on bench yesterday.

I went up in weight (was doing 5x3), and hit a PR for 4. The dude saw it, and was like...lets go, that's easy, one more.

CC09LawAg said:

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Hit 360 for a single on squats tonight. 35 pound PR since my last high was 325x5.

I think I'm going to like 531 since I can work in singles once a month. There's a huge difference in knowing you can do 5 reps of a certain weight and seeing what you can do for a single rep.

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From what I understand, training for a heavy single is a different traning style than going for fives.

I have been very inconsistent with my lifting lately. But I got out there Saturday morning and tried some landmine squats for the first time. I have to say it felt great compared to back barbell squats. In the days following, I have been ridiculously sore.

Does anyone have any thoughts, opinions, tips, etc. on the lift?

Got back into the gym after vacation. Deadlifts I did okay but overhead press was a mess. Good to be back out there.

I feel like my overhead press is a mess no matter what I do. I never feel like I have a single rep where I have great form. On every other lift, every once in a while I will have a lift that I know my form is just perfect by the way the bar moves. Never happens on overhead press.

CC09LawAg said:

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I feel like my overhead press is a mess no matter what I do. I never feel like I have a single rep where I have great form. On every other lift, every once in a while I will have a lift that I know my form is just perfect by the way the bar moves. Never happens on overhead press.

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You doing strict or the hip flex version?

What is the difference?

CC09LawAg said:

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I feel like my overhead press is a mess no matter what I do. I never feel like I have a single rep where I have great form. On every other lift, every once in a while I will have a lift that I know my form is just perfect by the way the bar moves. Never happens on overhead press.

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Full body shake? I got that down.

bagger05 said:

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What is the difference?

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I think he's referring to push presses. Essentially where you bend slightly at the knees/hips as you lower the bar and the push with your legs to use some momentum to get the bar up. I will sometimes do push presses once I hit failure for another rep or two or more.

Strict. I sometimes use my legs to get the first rep off my chest but try to not use them.

Look at what Starting Strength calls "Press 2.0" - they recommend starting at the bottom with some hip extension (NO KNEE BEND) to get a bit of bounce out of the bottom.

OHP is probably my favorite lift. I'm no expert nor am I extremely strong in it, but always enjoy getting after it. This morning managed 4x155, last rep was somewhat shaky.

I will typically wear a belt at about 145 and above to help proper bracing. Have also learned that squeezing the glutes and activating helps tremendously with core and whole body stability. I have never tried push presses; always strict. IMO anything else just isn't staying true to the lift. I also think grip placement is overlooked.

Accessory work I do a lot of rotator cuff cable work and also like Z Press. Can also never do enough face pulls.

Edit…squeeze the glutes, not the flutes ha ha

I think my grip placement is one of my main issues. I feel like on my heavier sets I'm either feeling pain in my shoulder if it's too wide or I don't have enough strength if it's too narrow. And it seems like the sweet spot changes from workout to workout.

bagger05 said:

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What is the difference?

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Its essentially an "Olympic" press. You don't bend your knees (that's a push press). But you are pushing your hips forward to get a bit of a "bounce" and then up. Its a little tricky at first, but once you get it, its alot of fun.


Starting Strength calls this Overhead Press 2.0.

A strict press certainly focus on the shoulders, the Olympic press can hit a few more muscle groups (at the expense of strictly shoulders) all up and down the kinetic chain.

Typically ideal is just outside of shoulder width.

One tip I got way back - whether on bench or doing OHP - was to torque your hand into position.

I don't know anything about this guy but just was trying to find an example of what I am trying to do with my hands prior to unracking either on bench or press.

CC09LawAg said:

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I think my grip placement is one of my main issues.

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I'm 6'5". I place my hands where my pointer finger is right at the beginning of the knurling on the bar (normal, Texas strength power bar), then torque it in like they are describing in the video.

Unless you have a HUGE wingspan, that grip and width will probably work for you.