Goodbye ATG Squats

[Outlier]

I have been doing atg squats for several months. I have managed to work my way up to 435x5 for 5 sets and then I hit a plateau. However, I began noticing that my recovery time for quads began increasing. I typically train legs every 7th day and by day 4 I'm fine. That hasn't been the case with ATG squats. In fact, I typically have some residual soreness on day 7, 8, 9. I skipped leg day last week, which gave me two weeks off from any kind of quad training. Went to the gym this am to do ATG squats and during my warm up, I noticed that my quads actually 'ached' a little. My knees were fine but my quadriceps felt like shit. I have noticed similar feelings as I stand up from a seated position or get out of bed.

The rest of my body is fine. I could very easily hit chest, delts tris, back, biceps biweekly and recover fine. At this point, I'm switching to front parallel squats. Anyone else experience this with ATG squats or have any insight?

 

[ickyrica]

How much mobility work do you do? When I started hitting squats like a boss my mobility went to shit. ALL of my issues with squats were centered around mobility. Could be the case here, maybe not.

 

[Evom1]

How much sleep are you getting?
How is the quality of your sleep?
Are you on cycle? If so what, if not do you have recent blood work?
What is your diet?
What is your water intake?
Are you drinking an intra workout drink?
How much soft tissue work are you doing? E.g foam rolling, deep tissue massage, Graston, cupping etc

All of these play a roll in recovery

 

[Roger rabbit]

More than likely your hip flexors are tight and you have developed a slight pelvic tilt.

Nothing some good focused, specific stretching can't fix.

Switching your squat to parallel won't fix the underlying issues.

 

[ickyrica]

To expand on what can happen with tight hips all you need to do is take a look at my workout log. I tore an adductor and fractured my hip (avulsion fracture).

Mobility is paramount.

 

[Brolloks]

Do you do box squats too?

 

[Outlier]

Sleep is good, about 7-9 hours per day, cycle tren a 100mg EOD, test e 250mg weekly, EQ 500mg weekly, 2units of hgh daily. Sadly one gallon of water per day, clean diet 40/40/20. No intra workout drink. No soft tissue work.

How much sleep are you getting?
How is the quality of your sleep?
Are you on cycle? If so what, if not do you have recent blood work?
What is your diet?
What is your water intake?
Are you drinking an intra workout drink?
How much soft tissue work are you doing? E.g foam rolling, deep tissue massage, Graston, cupping etc

All of these play a roll in recovery

 

[Outlier]

I've put on 25lbs over the past 4 months with about 10lbs being water. GH has helped me lean out as well. The downside, I've lost quite a bit of flexiblity, including my upper body

More than likely your hip flexors are tight and you have developed a slight pelvic tilt.

Nothing some good focused, specific stretching can't fix.

Switching your squat to parallel won't fix the underlying issues.

 

[Evom1]

Sadly one gallon of water per day, No soft tissue work

Fix these.

Soft tissue work. I can understand if you can't afford therapy work, but at least foam roll and use a lacrosse ball for 10-20mins daily on your hips glutes and legs. Stretch after, and also stretch after training

I know that's not the fun stuff, but it's so important

 

[Outlier]

No. But I may look into that exercise

Do you do box squats too?

No

 

[ickyrica]

Good numbers btw...

 

[Tmisatix]

I gave up squats long ago due to the pain and tightness, traded for the hack squat/leg press. My quad development has been pretty good, but the thickness bb squats add is like no other. Even smith machine squats. It just hits every fiber within the legs. Nothing can trade heavy squats.

Without squats, I am forced to do more accessories.

 

[TideGear]

Fix these.

Soft tissue work. I can understand if you can't afford therapy work, but at least foam roll and use a lacrosse ball for 10-20mins daily on your hips glutes and legs. Stretch after, and also stretch after training

I know that's not the fun stuff, but it's so important

You got any links or vids on how to do this? I find it uncomfortable to put on my shoes in the morning when I'm hitting legs hard and it's tough to touch my toes. I'm not very limber. Never done LAX ball work or any other soft tissue work on my hips

 

[Docd187123]

Not everyone can do proper ATG squats. Most people will lack the mobility or anthropometry to do them properly. What ends up happening is to get depth, you must relax the hamstrings out of contraction. You end up losing out on a lot of force production from them. What’s the next muscle group that takes over the added load? Your quadriceps.

 

[Oldschool]

You got any links or vids on how to do this? I find it uncomfortable to put on my shoes in the morning when I'm hitting legs hard and it's tough to touch my toes. I'm not very limber. Never done LAX ball work or any other soft tissue work on my hips

Check out @Docd187123 log. He posted a video of some nice hip stretches that have helped me a ton.