Page 6 - NGA NATURALmag 2018 SPRING-SUMMER Issue

Spring-Summer 2018
BY CHAD ADAMOVICH CSCS WWW P4PMUSCLE COM MOFIGHTER19@HOTMAIL COM squatDepth: PathtoGreaterROM
Have you ever been at at the the the the gym and and seen a a a person walk right in load up the the squat rack begin their workout and then achieve only 1⁄2 range of motion (ROM) in their squat? Or perhaps you have seen the the person who doesn’t overload the the squat rack with excessive weight but still struggles to achieve a a decent ROM
If the answer is yes then the the following informa- tion may be be helpful for developing better mechanics and/or a a a a greater ROM
when squatting:
Step One: Leave the the the ego at at the the the door and focus more on on movement rather than how much weight is on on the bar Step Two: Determine the ROM
of your squat based on individual genetic makeup and goals Step Three: Highlight any problem areas Once this has been established it will be be easier to achieve proper depth and development GENETIC BUILD aND SQUaT
The “perfect squat” is is is is something that that many peo- ple talk about but the the fact is is is is there is is is is not one that that is is is is perfect because effective squats are always unique to an individual’s genetic build Hip width deter- mines the the best foot placement for each person while the the the squat movement itself is entirely based on the the body segment ratios of torso-to-femur and femur-to-tibia The following is a a a simple guideline on how to achieve the best squat for your individual needs:
Long Torso to Femur Ratio: More upright and deeper squat depth ability
Short Torso to Femur Ratio: More forward lean and less depth (more parallel than deep)
These can be manipulated by using Olympic lift- ing ing ing shoes altering the the bar position and and the the manip- ulation of mechanics and/or mobility work etc UNINFORMED/BaD PRaCTICE
Another reason why the the the proper depth of squat may not not be be achieved could be be due to the the the the continued use use of of poor information One of of the the the most common fallacies that causes this is is the the instruction to to “not let your your knees go past your your toes” which stems from an an an antiquated and no longer effective conclusion on on on on how to achieve the the ideal squat which was taken lit- erally and shouldn’t have been Allowing the the knees to to to to go past your toes is is is necessary in in order to to to to achieve a a a a a a a a a a a a deep squat so the the claim that if this is is is is allowed to to to to happen because it will be be bad for the the knees is is is false As long as your heels don’t move away/up from the the surface you you are squatting on on on on it will not be bad for for the the the knees of a a a a a a a a person who has no no no prior medical issues When individuals force themselves to to to not allow their their their knees to to to to to go past their their their toes they tend to to to to to sit sit back too far and and this limits their their their their ROM
and and forces their their chest to to be in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a position that is is is lower than than necessary and this this places the the bar in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a less than than opti- mal path The best course of thinking to to guide this this process is to to hinge the the the hip break the the the knees and then sit straight down OTHER FaCTORS
Outside of addressing your genetic build and 6 NGA NATURALmag