Ass to
Grass
SQuating to depth
I often chuckle when I hear your proverbial “meat head”
explain why he is adding an extra plate on top of the stack
on the leg extension machine saying “to get diamond cut
quads maaan” while giving you the wink wink thumbs up, yet
squatting a weight that would be more suitable for a group
exercise class.
From a personal trainers perspective, one of the most painful
sites to see on the gym floor is the poor execution of a squat.
It’s no wonder there has been such negative connotations that
have been attached to such an important and highly effective
exercise whether you are an athlete, weekend warrior, or
post-rehab client.
There are many athletes and coaches that have recommended
against full depth squats (full depth being hamstrings touching
calves). In this article I will bust through this common myth that
has plagued the exercise community. Even though forces on the
connective tissues of the knee increase this does not lead to
injury when squatting with proper form. Commonly, inadequate
26.
movement preparation (balance and stability training, static/
dynamic stretching) usually is the cause to the discomfort in
2 main principles that explain why squats won’t cause injury
to the knee come from simple laws of physics applied to
biomechanics; the law of shearing forces and the law of
compressive forces.
Shearing forces act “sideways” on a joint. In the case of the
knee, they would be loads acting cross-wise on the tibia (chin
bone) and femur (leg bone). Exercises like leg extensions
and leg curls have a large “grinding” affect acting on two main
ligaments, the anterior cruciate ligament ACL and the posterior
cruciate ligament PCL, which are largely responsible for front
and back knee stability.
Compressive forces act more vertically on a downward force.
These forces act along the length of a bone like the squat.
The bones themselves are designed to accept this kind of
force especially the tibia (chin bone) and femur (leg bone).