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Why Can't Everyone Do the 'Asian Squat'?

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Re: Why Can't Everyone Do the 'Asian Squat'?

#91

Post by noobly »

vladTheInhaler wrote: post #89
noobly wrote: post #41

For those in the thread looking for advice, I recommend performing overhead squats. Just use a broom handle with a wide grip. It's almost impossible to squat incorrectly when doing overhead squats and imo this makes it an excellent intro. Additionally, it feels amazing once you get stretched and comfy. I trained in Olympic weightlifting for a bit (non-competitively) and this is how they started inflexible people and…

I think it's important not to push the broom handle/PVC pipe practice further than necessary. People can hold a broom handle in all sorts of positions that would be impossible with even an empty bar, possibly ingraining bad habits.

>People can hold a broom handle in all sorts of positions that would be impossible with even an empty bar, possibly ingraining bad habits.

Just to be clear I wasn't intending my comment above to be used as a stepping stone for weighted overhead squats. I just find that keeping a bar overhead forces proper shoulder, spine and hip posture that enables one to squat properly down the road. For some, it causes that "aha" moment when it comes to squatting properly.

Re: Why Can't Everyone Do the 'Asian Squat'?

#92

Post by noobly »

sethammons wrote: post #85
noobly wrote: post #41

For those in the thread looking for advice, I recommend performing overhead squats. Just use a broom handle with a wide grip. It's almost impossible to squat incorrectly when doing overhead squats and imo this makes it an excellent intro. Additionally, it feels amazing once you get stretched and comfy. I trained in Olympic weightlifting for a bit (non-competitively) and this is how they started inflexible people and…

It works when it works :) I've seen my fair share of folks pick up Olympic lifting. While many eventually "get" it, the overhead squat does not force good form. People lean forward, or pick up their heels. After shoulders, hips, and ankles eventually gain flexibility, then, yeah, the overhead squat ensures good form because you can't support much weight on the bar otherwise. If you can overhead squat a solid amount o…

It creates good form because it forces your shoulders, spine and hips to be in the proper positions for a real squat. Of course, there are ways around this (such as inflexibility as you mentioned) but I've found it's a great teaching method for transferring into real back squats. In general it's much harder to screw up an overhead squat than it is a back squat, and often (in my experience) people struggle to kinematically understand even a weightless body squat.

If you've ever spent a couple evenings trying to teach someone proper back squat form, you may know the struggles involved. In my experience a quick lesson on overhead squats speeds this process up greatly. And just to be clear, I'm not advocating anyone try weighted overhead squats, I just thought I'd share what I felt was a great intro/supplement into this "Asian" squatting.

Also, 125 is a solid overhead squat!

Re: Why Can't Everyone Do the 'Asian Squat'?

#93

Post by graeme »

LeifCarrotson wrote: post #60
pnathan wrote: post #16

After reading the prior discussion & spending some time at the gym doing deadlifty things with a trainer, I experimented with doing the squat. What I found was that while I can do a squat in, e.g., gym shorts, I simply can not do them with my jeans: the jeans constrain my movement substantially. And, the other thing I found, is that a bit of fat on the belly inhibits it as well. I can't speak for everyone, but jeans…

Ugh, jeans. I hate the constricting feel of straight slim solid denim. But I recently discovered that they now make stretch denim, with spandex in the knit. It sounds like an energy drink, but Lee Extreme Motion jeans look normal but feel like running tights. And they look great, perhaps better than normal jeans because they fit better. Levi 541 and stretch 514 are good too, but have half the spandex content of the L…

Thanks! Just bought a pair. These look great. They have slacks too.

Re: Why Can't Everyone Do the 'Asian Squat'?

#94

Post by skookum »

huffmsa wrote: post #68

Everyone can, all toddlers do it. They don't bend over to pick things up, they squat down. Having long tibia and short femurs help getting the angle right, but that's really only important for olympic weightlifting (smaller angles to change => faster transitions between the pull and the catch). tl; dr - most of us westerners are fat and lazy and could do the 3rd world squat if we didn't prefer chairs.

> Everyone can, all toddlers do it.

That's faulty logic. Toddlers' bones and cartilage aren't fully developed and as a result their skeletal system is more pliable. They have more bones than an adult (270 vs. 206 per wikipedia) with areas of cartilage in between that allow for flexibility which diminishes when the maturing bones fuse in place.

Re: Why Can't Everyone Do the 'Asian Squat'?

#95

Post by MiddleEndian »

LeifCarrotson wrote: post #60
pnathan wrote: post #16

After reading the prior discussion & spending some time at the gym doing deadlifty things with a trainer, I experimented with doing the squat. What I found was that while I can do a squat in, e.g., gym shorts, I simply can not do them with my jeans: the jeans constrain my movement substantially. And, the other thing I found, is that a bit of fat on the belly inhibits it as well. I can't speak for everyone, but jeans…

Ugh, jeans. I hate the constricting feel of straight slim solid denim. But I recently discovered that they now make stretch denim, with spandex in the knit. It sounds like an energy drink, but Lee Extreme Motion jeans look normal but feel like running tights. And they look great, perhaps better than normal jeans because they fit better. Levi 541 and stretch 514 are good too, but have half the spandex content of the L…

I will say that I've had good luck with American Eagle jeans with "stretch flex technology." I can squat down to my feet and throw kicks at head height in their slim fit jeans.

Re: Why Can't Everyone Do the 'Asian Squat'?

#96

Post by graeme »

mercer wrote: post #40

I think a big part of this is very much a psychological issue. Because squatting isn't 'common' for many people, it is experienced as more uncomfortable than it really is (even when it's done right - where there's no permanent tension from balance on your toes, for example). Another example would be sitting cross-legged (or whatever that one leg over the other thing is called) as a man. I find that I and many guys I…

I'm not sure. I can't do a squat with proper form. And I have reason to want to do one, for barbell lifts.

I'm working on unloaded squats now. I can get down comfortably with my heels on the ground. But, my back isn't great, it rounds.

Whereas I can easily get off the ground cross legged, as I've been doing that motion sonce childhood. Squatting, I only tried a few years ago.

Re: Why Can't Everyone Do the 'Asian Squat'?

#97

Post by MachinShinn- »

pnathan wrote: post #16

After reading the prior discussion & spending some time at the gym doing deadlifty things with a trainer, I experimented with doing the squat. What I found was that while I can do a squat in, e.g., gym shorts, I simply can not do them with my jeans: the jeans constrain my movement substantially. And, the other thing I found, is that a bit of fat on the belly inhibits it as well. I can't speak for everyone, but jeans…

Neither jeans or belly fat are the cause of your issue. As someone who wears jeans and has a lot of belly fat, doing a full squat (and resting in that position) is no issue. I suspect it just has to do with flexibility with the hip muscles, built over a lifetime of squatting in most developing countries.

Re: Why Can't Everyone Do the 'Asian Squat'?

#98

Post by bryanrasmussen »

I'm pretty tall 6'4 (193 cm) and a lot of that height is in my legs and always had difficult doing the full range of squat without losing balance - at best I could get 50% of the way without falling over. Then I had my knee damaged and my ankle broken in 3 places on my right leg (on two separate occasions) and no I really cannot go more than 25% of the way down. If I hold on to something I can get to 50% of the way down. But that is not an actual squat, feels pretty uncomfortable and not exactly sure it isn't damaging.

Re: Why Can't Everyone Do the 'Asian Squat'?

#99

Post by bryanrasmussen »

bryanrasmussen wrote: post #98

I'm pretty tall 6'4 (193 cm) and a lot of that height is in my legs and always had difficult doing the full range of squat without losing balance - at best I could get 50% of the way without falling over. Then I had my knee damaged and my ankle broken in 3 places on my right leg (on two separate occasions) and no I really cannot go more than 25% of the way down. If I hold on to something I can get to 50% of the way d…

really what I can manage is not 50% of a squat but more 50% of a sumo stance as it is called elsewhere.

Re: Why Can't Everyone Do the 'Asian Squat'?

#100

Post by barking »

dugmartin wrote: post #78
barking wrote: post #56

I can only squat on my toes but if I do it for any length of time the blood goes out of my head when I stand up and I fell faint for a moment

That may just be low blood pressure. A friend of mine has to take medication because even standing quickly causes him to feint.

Could be, better than high blood pressure if it is, I suppose
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