When I squat, I try to do the movement quite slow down do about halfway, then “drop” down and “bounce” up again. The thing is that I have a hard time doing the same with knee-wraps and a squat-suit on, is this an experience-question only? or is there special things that i should consider while doing squats? I have only been doing squats for 2-3 months, so my technique isn’t perfect, far from it really, but i try to widen my stance while using equipment and put the bar a bit further up towards the neck… any other tips?
Bro, you have only been squatting for 2-3 months and you are already using a suit and wraps? Lose them now. Or at least put them up until you get some time under the bar. I don’t think you should be dropping down fast and bouncing. It is probably not too good on the knees. Try to descend under control and explode up. I would say to do box squats, but you would probably bounce off of it and that wouldn’t be good. I could type how to have good form, but if you search the site you will find some great articles. Try Squatting Head to Toe by Dave Tate and 10 tips for a Sexy Squat by Mike Robertson. These two guys know their shit and both article are a must read. In fact print them out and save them to your hard drive. Good luck.
JOe
I agree with Joebob…you’ve got the cart in front of the horse here. Ditch the suit and wraps until, maybe forever. If you plan on becomming a powerlifter, wait until you can squat 405 raw before you start venturing into support gear.
[quote]Adamsson wrote:
When I squat, I try to do the movement quite slow down do about halfway, then “drop” down and “bounce” up again. The thing is that I have a hard time doing the same with knee-wraps and a squat-suit on, is this an experience-question only? or is there special things that i should consider while doing squats? I have only been doing squats for 2-3 months, so my technique isn’t perfect, far from it really, but i try to widen my stance while using equipment and put the bar a bit further up towards the neck… any other tips? [/quote]
http://unixgen.com/~thul/kneboy.avi ← my first lift with a suit.
And to respond: I started lifting in a powerlifting gym from day 1 basically, and they thought it was best to get used to the equipment right from the start. the bench-shirt and the deadlift is ok, mostly the squat-suit too, it just drags me around a bit and it is hard to keep the form correct all the way
(and yeah, I’m a bit shallow in the clip… 
)
Do you plan on doing a contest soon? If you don’t plan on competing soon, work on your raw numbers first. Get your raw technique down. Then start adding a belt, suit, wraps, etc. as meet time gets closer.
beef
I’m doing my first competition in three weeks, hence the equipment-training, after that it is 12 weeks to till the nationals (if i qualify in this meet). After that I’m doing 10-12 months of more equipment-free training to build mass, support-musculature and to fix my technique.
Sounds like you are using the old “Bridges Bop” technique. This consists of dipping fast below parallel after taking the descent slow to an inch or two above parallel. This uses the stretch reflex of the muscles and suit to pop you up. I squat with this same technique and it has worked well after about a year of honing it. I find this works well for lifters who utilize their stretch reflex well along with polyester suits. (The canvas offers more stopping power and it has more of a box squat feel.) This technique is not harsh on the knees given you stay tight and just don’t collapse. Think of pulling yourself down with your hip flexors to keep the all important lordodic curve, which aids in keeping the erectors tight and pre-stretches the hamstrings correctly to insure a strong reflex. A point on gear: Ed Coan said once, “When in Rome do as the Romans do.” But be smart about it, training in gear takes a progressive skill effort. Louie Simmons said: " Don’t start driving in a formula one when you haven’t driven in a cart." Just to give you my experience: First two meets was done in frantz double poyester suit (no briefs) and bench shirt (I could touch the bar with it). Next meet added briefs. Second year, Used metal pro squatter and frantz briefs and frantz bench DD shirt. End of second year Used metal pro squatter and briefs along with Metal pro bencher. Current meet, Metal pro viking suit and brief along with viking pro bencher/ Rage X doble backless.
Pete Arroyo
APF powerlifter
Thanks for the time! Sounds like good advice. I think Ill focus more on technique and get some more fitting equipment after this first meet. I’m not using equipment in my DL and the bench-shirt is quite comfortable… the squat-suit is the main problem since it is 1 or 2 sizes too tight for a beginner and I have to have “the day” and hit “the lift” if you know what i mean? I can hit anything between 370lbs and 440lbs with the equipment on, but anything less than 370 and i won’t come down and more than 440 my setup (getting out with the bar and all) gets unstable and I have a hard time doing things right… comes with experience i guess!
So I’m going to get a bigger squat-suit and calm down on he equipment-use after these two meets.
again: thanks for the tips guys! 