Speed of descent on squats?

LatsMakeTheMan · 07-19-2005, 06:15 PM

How quickly do you guys descend while squatting?

I don't really think about it much, but I typically take a good 2-3 seconds from a standing position until I've reached my lowest point. I always go down as far as I can. I then pause for a split second to eliminate momentum, then explode up. None of this is really thought out or planned....my body has learned to just naturally do it this way.

I was wondering if any of you guys use a similar technique, or if you find that a quicker descent works better. I developed the slow descent because I wanted to use absolutely no momentum to get back up, but I'm wondering if maybe I'd get better results from going down a bit faster and utilizing muscles' "elasticity" to explode back up.

Thoughts?

Apootheosis · 07-21-2005, 12:47 AM

2 seconds

**powerman2000** · 07-21-2005, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LatsMakeTheMan

How quickly do you guys descend while squatting?

I don't really think about it much, but I typically take a good 2-3 seconds from a standing position until I've reached my lowest point. I always go down as far as I can. I then pause for a split second to eliminate momentum, then explode up. None of this is really thought out or planned....my body has learned to just naturally do it this way.

I was wondering if any of you guys use a similar technique, or if you find that a quicker descent works better. I developed the slow descent because I wanted to use absolutely no momentum to get back up, but I'm wondering if maybe I'd get better results from going down a bit faster and utilizing muscles' "elasticity" to explode back up.

Thoughts?

I now take a good 4-5 seconds to descend. I feel like I need to go that slow to protect myself now. My back and my knees. You can't be too careful at my age. Having said that, if you want to squat with a more explosive thrust from the bottom of the movement then you should descend a bit faster and try to take advantage of your momentum. A little bounce at the bottom is good for your explosiveness, but its not good for your knees.

Dan · 07-21-2005, 02:00 PM

Once again... what he said...

Apootheosis · 07-21-2005, 03:28 PM

this of course would conflict with time spent on eccentric motion- i wouldnt sacrifice that to be more explosive, because most of us here arent powerlifters.

LatsMakeTheMan · 07-21-2005, 04:24 PM

Thanks guys.....I might try to go down a little faster next time and just see how it works.

**johnsbod** · 07-21-2005, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LatsMakeTheMan

Thanks guys.....I might try to go down a little faster next time and just see how it works.

Hey bro, I just checked out your myspace page. My sister also graduated from Lycoming College, but she graduated the year before you started there. :bigthumbu

LatsMakeTheMan · 07-21-2005, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnsbod

Hey bro, I just checked out your myspace page. My sister also graduated from Lycoming College, but she graduated the year before you started there. :bigthumbu

Really? That's cool. It's such a small school most people have never heard of it

**Peaked_18** · 07-21-2005, 05:40 PM

I try and make it quick, 1-2 seconds, go all the way down.

Right when I hit down, I go right back up.

**powerman2000** · 07-22-2005, 07:36 AM

:topic: :loveys:

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnsbod

Hey bro, I just checked out your myspace page. My sister also graduated from Lycoming College, but she graduated the year before you started there. :bigthumbu

**BigZeke** · 07-23-2005, 12:14 AM

Wow, you guys descend slow on squats. I do mine pretty quick I suppose.

sword chucks · 07-23-2005, 03:46 AM

my coach told me i was going a bit fast so I slowed it down- it is a lot better this way- I am gonna be starting a 5X5 for squats next time too to work on form a lot

LatsMakeTheMan · 07-23-2005, 04:22 PM

After reading everyone's responses, I think I'm going to speed mine up a little bit. The way I've been doing it seems to work well enough, but it limits the amount of weight I can use. I'm going to allow myself to use a bit more "recoil" at the bottom to push heavier weight, and see how that goes.

**Keith Wassung** · 07-23-2005, 04:37 PM

I guess this depends on whether you are doing a parallel or a full squat. Using the full squat as example, you want to descend as "rapidly" as possible, while still maintaining complete and total control (ie, if a buzzer went off signalling you to stop the downward movement, you could literally do it within a split second and it would have minimal jarring effects on the body) I have found that when I went a bit slower it fatigued me and.....it gave me more time to "think" ( ie worry, fret) over the squat itself, which is a form of negative energy

ok, puttting that aside....

The speed of the downward movement should not be the same throughout the entire movement-it will tend to be a bit quicker at the start of the movement and a bit slower at the bottom-imagine a strong coiled spring and you are attempting to push it down-the closer you get to completion the slower the movement becomes-this is similar to the way you hit the squat. You go down, coiling your body into a tight spring and then you explode all the way up. You can go all the way down-without bouncing and still explode up, since the stretch reflex lasts about 2 seconds ( in most people)

KWW

LatsMakeTheMan · 07-23-2005, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith Wassung

I guess this depends on whether you are doing a parallel or a full squat. Using the full squat as example, you want to descend as "rapidly" as possible, while still maintaining complete and total control (ie, if a buzzer went off signalling you to stop the downward movement, you could literally do it within a split second and it would have minimal jarring effects on the body) I have found that when I went a bit slower it fatigued me and.....it gave me more time to "think" ( ie worry, fret) over the squat itself, which is a form of negative energy

ok, puttting that aside....

The speed of the downward movement should not be the same throughout the entire movement-it will tend to be a bit quicker at the start of the movement and a bit slower at the bottom-imagine a strong coiled spring and you are attempting to push it down-the closer you get to completion the slower the movement becomes-this is similar to the way you hit the squat. You go down, coiling your body into a tight spring and then you explode all the way up. You can go all the way down-without bouncing and still explode up, since the stretch reflex lasts about 2 seconds ( in most people)

KWW

I'm assuming that full squats are the same thing as ATG squats, right?

I agree with what you said about a slower negative giving you too much time to "think about it" which in turn makes it harder to get back up. I'm going to try going a bit faster so as to utilize the stretch reflex.

07-19-2005, 06:15 PM	#1
LatsMakeTheMan Pro Stature Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 185 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 5	Speed of descent on squats? How quickly do you guys descend while squatting? I don't really think about it much, but I typically take a good 2-3 seconds from a standing position until I've reached my lowest point. I always go down as far as I can. I then pause for a split second to eliminate momentum, then explode up. None of this is really thought out or planned....my body has learned to just naturally do it this way. I was wondering if any of you guys use a similar technique, or if you find that a quicker descent works better. I developed the slow descent because I wanted to use absolutely no momentum to get back up, but I'm wondering if maybe I'd get better results from going down a bit faster and utilizing muscles' "elasticity" to explode back up. Thoughts? __________________ Super Saiyan in training..... My MySpace account....come love me: http://www.myspace.com/eric2080

07-21-2005, 02:00 PM	#4
Dan Unpaid Trash Collector Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,725 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 26	Once again... what he said... __________________ Got an issue send a PM ... to anyone but me

07-21-2005, 04:24 PM	#6
LatsMakeTheMan Pro Stature Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 185 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 5	Thanks guys.....I might try to go down a little faster next time and just see how it works. __________________ Super Saiyan in training..... My MySpace account....come love me: http://www.myspace.com/eric2080

07-23-2005, 04:22 PM	#13
LatsMakeTheMan Pro Stature Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 185 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 5	After reading everyone's responses, I think I'm going to speed mine up a little bit. The way I've been doing it seems to work well enough, but it limits the amount of weight I can use. I'm going to allow myself to use a bit more "recoil" at the bottom to push heavier weight, and see how that goes. __________________ Super Saiyan in training..... My MySpace account....come love me: http://www.myspace.com/eric2080

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07-21-2005, 12:47 AM	#2
Apootheosis Pro Stature Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 625 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 10	2 seconds

07-21-2005, 03:28 PM	#5
Apootheosis Pro Stature Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 625 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 10	this of course would conflict with time spent on eccentric motion- i wouldnt sacrifice that to be more explosive, because most of us here arent powerlifters.

07-21-2005, 05:40 PM	#9
Peaked_18 a la commode Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 4,247 Recipes: 2 Rep Power: 96	I try and make it quick, 1-2 seconds, go all the way down. Right when I hit down, I go right back up.

07-23-2005, 12:14 AM	#11
BigZeke Bringing Lat Flares Back Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hell Raisin' and Girl Chasin' Posts: 2,365 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 71	Wow, you guys descend slow on squats. I do mine pretty quick I suppose.

07-23-2005, 03:46 AM	#12
sword chucks Pro Stature Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: in orange T-shirt Posts: 277 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 6	my coach told me i was going a bit fast so I slowed it down- it is a lot better this way- I am gonna be starting a 5X5 for squats next time too to work on form a lot

07-23-2005, 04:37 PM	#14
Keith Wassung Gold Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 84 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 6	I guess this depends on whether you are doing a parallel or a full squat. Using the full squat as example, you want to descend as "rapidly" as possible, while still maintaining complete and total control (ie, if a buzzer went off signalling you to stop the downward movement, you could literally do it within a split second and it would have minimal jarring effects on the body) I have found that when I went a bit slower it fatigued me and.....it gave me more time to "think" ( ie worry, fret) over the squat itself, which is a form of negative energy ok, puttting that aside.... The speed of the downward movement should not be the same throughout the entire movement-it will tend to be a bit quicker at the start of the movement and a bit slower at the bottom-imagine a strong coiled spring and you are attempting to push it down-the closer you get to completion the slower the movement becomes-this is similar to the way you hit the squat. You go down, coiling your body into a tight spring and then you explode all the way up. You can go all the way down-without bouncing and still explode up, since the stretch reflex lasts about 2 seconds ( in most people) KWW