Does the full squat (ass ~8" above floor for me) hit the hamstrings well??
I hear that it does involve them, but I never really get sore hams from squats. I do stiff leg deads, which seem to hit the hamstrings well, but as a sprinter I need a lot of focus on that posterior chain.
[quote]KiloSprinter wrote:
Does the full squat (ass ~8" above floor for me) hit the hamstrings well??
I hear that it does involve them, but I never really get sore hams from squats. I do stiff leg deads, which seem to hit the hamstrings well, but as a sprinter I need a lot of focus on that posterior chain.[/quote]
Hope this helps:
J Strength Cond Res 2002 Aug; 16(3): 428-32
The effect of back squat depth on the EMG activity of 4 superficial hip and thigh muscles.
Caterisano A, Moss RF, Pellinger TK, Woodruff K, Lewis VC, Booth W, Khadra T.
*** The following study showed that if you wish to exercise the glutes, then a full depth squat is highly recommended.
The purpose of this study was to measure the relative contributions of 4 hip and thigh muscles while performing squats at 3 depths. Ten experienced lifters performed randomized trials of squats at partial, parallel, and full depths, using 100-125% of body weight as resistance. Electromyographic (EMG) surface electrodes were placed on the vastus medialis (VMO), the vastus lateralis, (VL), the biceps femoris (BF), and the gluteus maximus (GM). EMG data were quantified by integration and expressed as a percentage of the total electrical activity of the 4 muscles.
Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey post hoc tests indicated a significant difference in the relative contribution of the GM during the concentric phases among the partial- (16.9%), parallel- (28.0%), and full-depth (35.4%) squats.
There were no significant differences between the relative contributions of the BF, the VMO, and the VL at different squatting depths during this phase. The results suggest that the GM, rather than the BF, the VMO, or the VL, becomes more active in concentric contraction as squat depth increases.
Soreness is not an indication of how well a muscle is involved in an exercise.
You have already answered your own question (for you)
[quote]KiloSprinter wrote:
Does the full squat (ass ~8" above floor for me) hit the hamstrings well??
I hear that it does involve them, but I never really get sore hams from squats. I do stiff leg deads, which seem to hit the hamstrings well, but as a sprinter I need a lot of focus on that posterior chain.[/quote]