# Quarter squats



## ECKSRATED (Feb 16, 2018)

For strength training u see guys doing board press or block pulls with weights heavier than their max. How come u never see guys doing quarter squats with the same thing in mind?? Heavier percentages but let's say half the range of motion? I know guys overload with bands and chains but I'm talkin raw weight. What u guys think? I think it would carry over well if used properly in your training. Kinda like static holds with heavier weight so u get yiur CNS used to those loads. 

Discuss


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## tinymk (Feb 16, 2018)

I do practice some walkouts with weights over my max and feel they really prioritize getting tight under the bar.   Damn tight. Literally, for some reason I cannot do a quarter squat.  I go to the floor and back up.  I have tried to many times and found it humbling. For me and my situation and injuries I stick to a full depth squat except walkouts.


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## snake (Feb 16, 2018)

I always did 1/4 squats the last 4-6 weeks before a meet. They are great for breaking through plateaus too! They get your body acclimated to taking out that heavy stuff. Gives you that, "Yeah, I got this" feeling when you have to Max out. 

You ever see some dude take a single out and get those saucer eyes? He should have been doing 1/4 squats.


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## Uncle manny (Feb 16, 2018)

1/4 squats can be useful. Just like you said. I’ve used them on a couple young atheletes. You never see a basketball player doing a full squat to get a rebound. Of course we train full rom but we throw in 1/4s aswell.


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## Jin (Feb 16, 2018)

Is there any other kind of squat?


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## PFM (Feb 17, 2018)

FD 1/4" pokes his significant other's pooper, but when all you got is 1/4".........................


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## Seeker (Feb 17, 2018)

For you as a  powerlifter I can't see where 1/4 squats would benefit your overall maxes % wise compared to what you're doing now and some of the other options you've mentioned above.  I can see where  certain athletes in specific sports using moderate weight might benefit from it. Using a box jump for example. I think it's a retarded exercise for the typical lifter that produces no benefit whatsoever for progress. But for a small group of athletes in specific sports it can be useful. Plus overloading a bar with just raw weight where you can only manage a 1/4 squat is probably more risky than worth any reward you might get out of it.


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## Metalhead1 (Feb 17, 2018)

tinymk said:


> I do practice some walkouts with weights over my max and feel they really prioritize getting tight under the bar.   Damn tight. Literally, for some reason I cannot do a quarter squat.  I go to the floor and back up.  I have tried to many times and found it humbling. For me and my situation and injuries I stick to a full depth squat except walkouts.



Agreed 100%. Walkouts were the first thing that came to my mind. 

I haven't personally tried them yet, but I would think top range heavy partial squats would be an alternative to the quarter squat


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## SFGiants (Feb 17, 2018)

This is done on a box, both low and high.

We don't wanna teach our non box to go to low or high and is why a lot of teams give up commands.

You need to feel the sweat spot without a box but on a box go high and low.


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## DocDePanda187123 (Feb 17, 2018)

It also has to do with where the sticking points are.


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## SFGiants (Feb 17, 2018)

Training quarets squats teaches you how to get red lights.

Anyone serious in powerlifting knows how hard it can be prior to a meet getting depth at times and becomes a focal point.

Wanna teach yourself a bad habit that can be hard to correct teach yourself how to cut short your squats and then see how hard it is to regain that feel of just getting enough depth for whites.

Reason it's ok on a box is the box isn't like squatting without one, you sit way more back on a box and go wider.


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## SFGiants (Feb 17, 2018)

Quarter Squats for Bodybuilding has proven for many to be money, powerlifting it's taboo.


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## Seeker (Feb 17, 2018)

SFGiants said:


> Quarter Squats for Bodybuilding has proven for many to be money, powerlifting it's taboo.



Money for bodybuilding? Not that I've ever heard or seen.  Just slightly above parallel or parallel for quad focus but quarter?


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## ECKSRATED (Feb 17, 2018)

Some good points for sure. Injury is probably the biggest con so far. I think if used occasionally it could Def benefit certain lifters. If u have problems hitting depth then it's probably not a good tool to implement into your training. Ray Williams is one of the best squatters EVER and barely ever hits depth in the gym and never has a problem on the platform. He's one of a kind tho.


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## ECKSRATED (Feb 17, 2018)

Seeker said:


> Money for bodybuilding? Not that I've ever heard or seen.  Just slightly above parallel or parallel for quad focus but quarter?



He's probably talking abut constant tension on the muscles.


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## Seeker (Feb 17, 2018)

ECKSRATED said:


> He's probably talking abut constant tension on the muscles.



Then don't lock out on top. Just like any other exercise when trying to keep constant tension on a muscle during reps. Same applies for squats. As I do when focusing specifically on quad development. Hit just above or parallel


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## SFGiants (Feb 17, 2018)

Seeker said:


> Money for bodybuilding? Not that I've ever heard or seen.  Just slightly above parallel or parallel for quad focus but quarter?


Donte was big on them with his Dogshit program.

Maybe in between quarter and parallel

I call all high squats quarter squats lol


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## Seeker (Feb 17, 2018)

SFGiants said:


> Donte was big on them with his Dogshit program.
> 
> Maybe in between quarter and parallel
> 
> I call all high squats quarter squats lol



haha I had a feeling we  might have been referring to something  similar


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## NbleSavage (Feb 17, 2018)

x2 on practicing walk-outs to get acclimated to the heavier weight - I do this when in a strength-building meso-cycle.

Another vote for yer box squats with > 1RM load so as to avoid compromising comp squat form.


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## snake (Feb 17, 2018)

SFGiants said:


> Training quarets squats teaches you how to get red lights.
> 
> Anyone serious in powerlifting knows how hard it can be prior to a meet getting depth at times and becomes a focal point.
> 
> ...



That's completely wrong.


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## SFGiants (Feb 17, 2018)

snake said:


> That's completely wrong.



Show me any pro or decent powerlifter that quarter squats intentionally.

Not wanting to argue but I know how I was taught for over a decade.

You won't see guy like Dan Green agreeing with you, sorry brother but we just don't do it because of muscle memory.

Now we do squat high but only because we missed depth.


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## SFGiants (Feb 17, 2018)

You won't see a powerlifters train quarter squats but you will see them go narrow with different box heights or no box, front squat and even leg press.

We use contrast and boxes and never compromise with intent cutting short a squat unless we just can't get it to depth.

A few guys leg press like Brain Carroll and his team.

I know of many lifters that trained way too often off a high box only to bomb out on squats majority or the time.

Depth for lights is tricky you gotta break but not wanting to go too low because the lower you go the heavier it gets.

We train was we compete to have a great self conscious feel of depth and still many will use an up command during prep and competition

During prep we know we are going to attempt a weight we have never got under and a lot of times weeks out weight below that is hard to get depth but we also know we will be fresh and stronger at the meet and the weight will feel much better.

The body and mind is tricky on what we teaches it, in any sport athletes focus on technique to not generate bad habits and when a bad habit arises slumped start to happen and is why there is a bench and like in MLB a minor league system.

I'm strictly talking powerlifting and what has been taught to me by people you all watch break records at the highest level.


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## Arslan (Feb 17, 2018)

right


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## snake (Feb 17, 2018)

SFGiants said:


> Show me any pro or decent powerlifter that quarter squats intentionally.
> 
> Not wanting to argue but I know how I was taught for over a decade.



Na, no argument; you know I do things a little differently than most.

I was actually never really taught by anyone over my years so I was forced to learn. Trust me, you would change your mind if you opened it. Give me a chance, all your efforts and at that point, if you still disagree, I will accept that. You really have nothing to lose.

That offer is open to anyone.


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## kittensandkilos (Feb 18, 2018)

I would just be worried about aggravating a tendon or something being in such a prime position for too long. Box squats or pin squats could be really good for that. 

Piggy backing off this thread, do you think you could potentially perform iso squats in the same way you could do iso pulls and see some carry over?


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## ToolSteel (Feb 18, 2018)

SFGiants said:


> This is done on a box, both low and high.
> 
> We don't wanna teach our non box to go to low or high and is why a lot of teams give up commands.
> 
> You need to feel the sweat spot without a box but on a box go high and low.


This is exactly what I was going to say. 18” box is awesome for overloading the bar weight. And much safer than squatting high in the air imo.


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## ToolSteel (Feb 18, 2018)

kittensandkilos said:


> I would just be worried about aggravating a tendon or something being in such a prime position for too long. Box squats or pin squats could be really good for that.
> 
> Piggy backing off this thread, do you think you could potentially perform iso squats in the same way you could do iso pulls and see some carry over?


Man.... I love some iso pulls when used properly. But idk if I hate myself enough to even consider iso squats :32 (18):


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## ECKSRATED (Feb 18, 2018)

ToolSteel said:


> Man.... I love some iso pulls when used properly. But idk if I hate myself enough to even consider iso squats :32 (18):



Ud probably blow out your asshole doing iso squats.


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## DieYoungStrong (Feb 18, 2018)

Sheiko prescribes paused squats with the pause coming at different sticking points the lifter might have rather then just in the hole. 

And yes I said prescribes....because Sheiko


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## SFGiants (Feb 19, 2018)

DieYoungStrong said:


> Sheiko prescribes paused squats with the pause coming at different sticking points the lifter might have rather then just in the hole.
> 
> And yes I said prescribes....because Sheiko



With light weight? Still wouldn't do it, contrast makes more sense.


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## ECKSRATED (Feb 19, 2018)

DieYoungStrong said:


> Sheiko prescribes paused squats with the pause coming at different sticking points the lifter might have rather then just in the hole.
> 
> And yes I said prescribes....because Sheiko



I did those before my last meet at my sticking point and it helped tremendously. Those and pin squats right at my sticking point.


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## ECKSRATED (Feb 19, 2018)

Fukk I just wanna squat again. That's all. Lol


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## Metalhead1 (Feb 19, 2018)

ECKSRATED said:


> I did those before my last meet at my sticking point and it helped tremendously. Those and pin squats right at my sticking point.



I was wondering if you'd tried pin squats. Makes sense to utilize them at your sticking point


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## ECKSRATED (Feb 19, 2018)

Metalhead1 said:


> I was wondering if you'd tried pin squats. Makes sense to utilize them at your sticking point



Yea I like pin squats alot. 

I didn't start this thread cus I think quarter squats are a good thing to do. I was just thinking outloud and wanted to see what u guys thought. And i got some good responses.


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## Metalhead1 (Feb 19, 2018)

ECKSRATED said:


> Yea I like pin squats alot.
> 
> I didn't start this thread cus I think quarter squats are a good thing to do. I was just thinking outloud and wanted to see what u guys thought. And i got some good responses.



It's definitely a good thread. I've learned quite a bit myself, and it's nice seeing two different schools of thought (i.e. snake and sfg)


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## ECKSRATED (Feb 19, 2018)

If I ever heal completely and can compete again I'm gonna try some quarter squats during prep. See what happens.


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## automatondan (Feb 19, 2018)

ECKSRATED said:


> If I ever heal completely and can compete again I'm gonna try some quarter squats during prep. See what happens.



Hang in there brother, you are going to heal... it just sucks waiting...


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## DieYoungStrong (Feb 19, 2018)

SFGiants said:


> With light weight? Still wouldn't do it, contrast makes more sense.



Yup. It's Sheiko so it's light weight with a bazillion reps. 50-60% for these. And the pause is always somewhere coming out of the hole ie 3/4 of the way up to lock out - so you should still always be hitting depth. There is never any reason to do a comp style squat and not at least intend to hit depth imo - we all know what happens during meet prep. Anyone who says they've gone a full peak without cutting some squats high is lying. But I can't imagine cutting a squat short on purpose can have any benefit. We are trying to groove a motor pattern.

I'm 100% on board with high box squats for overload. They are great for getting you used to handling heavy weights. Reverse bands are ok too, but I prefer the high box for my own training.


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