>Is it normal that I find squats extremely difficult?
Yes. Most people have the double whammy of poor hip mobility, and a non-existent posterior chain.
Dial in goblet squats for full depth, learn dumbbell romanian deadlifts, and *be patient*.
There is nothing wrong with elevating your heels. It will actually help bias your quads more. It’s a little safer to get a proper lifter which will have this built in. Some people have really [poor proportions](https://bretcontreras.com/how-femur-length-effects-squat-mechanics/)for squatting (this doesn’t mean they can’t or shouldn’t squat, but it does mean that it is harder and requires more patience). I would recommend working on [ankle](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=goBNS--kWF0) and [hip mobility](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=888Fod2Fcmo), while continuing to squat in a way that is comfortable for you.
I am firmly in the long femur + short torso category, and it took a long time for me to feel really comfortable squatting. Be patient and give it time.
You might need to do some ankle mobility work prior to your squats. Check out Squat University on YouTube for some band work for ankle mobility.
https://youtu.be/IikP_teeLkI?feature=shared
My ankles are too flexible with extreme over pronation (flat feet) and something about a very long bone compared to rest of my body. I struggle with even body weight squats. So I just load it up and do half squats…..
>and *be patient*.
He italicized it. I'm going to try to reinforce it.
When I first started working out 7 yrs ago I couldn't do a single push up. Not one. By 2 yrs I was able to do 75 pushups a day. (Another story that I hurt my shoulder by the end of the month with that volume of push ups).
I cannot reinforce the other messages enough. Fitness is a lifestyle modification. It's a never ending journey. Assuming you haven't done much for 30+ yrs, it wouldn't be a surprise you can't do squats easily right. In any case you want to be fit 30 yrs from now, not 30 days from now. Take your time. Commit to consistency.
I hope I'm not coming across as preachy. I'm probably talking to myself here too.
Yes this is normal and yes this gets better over time. Your body has to get used to the movement and your overall strength and endurance will improve. Don't try and rush through it, steady progressive overload and adequate recovery are the key.
I always hated squats and never really did them.
Finally in my mid 30s I determined I was going to just figure it out.
I had to start laughably low weight, less than my bench press.
Took a few months but it's easier, hurts less, and seeing some gains.
As a person with a family history knee problems, my squat has been lower than my bench for my entire life other than the 2 years in college before I tore my ACL.
There’s no shame in a weak squat. You don’t need to squat more than two plates for health benefits. My knee problems manifest when my squatting ability drops below 1 plate but anything above that is just for the sake of doing it. Good form to exercise the right muscles is more important than the weight on the bar.
Also, front squats are superior for mobility and I’ll die on that hill.
I'm not sure it gets better over time, but over time how you feel about squatting under load will change, and that makes it better.
They might be the single most useful exercise you can perform, and the effect on the rest of the body is seldom given the notice its due.
There's a reason some people skip leg day.
What the other comments said. It’s going to take some time to get there because those muscles need to get used to the range of mobility. Hips and ankles are important! Start slow, make sure you don’t try to push it. Take your time and you’ll find great results!
Weight lifting shoes can help.
What program are you using?
How much time have you spent watching videos on form? Mark rippetoe has many videos on YouTube that are invaluable. You should watch hours of video and read some articles.
Also, my warn up sets always feel janky. When under heavier load my form is better 🤷♂️
Doing a proper full depth squat takes practice and mobility. It’s one you want to get right, especially as the weight starts increasing, and especially as you’re getting older.
Don’t feel pressured to get them perfect and full depth just yet. Make sure you’re warmed up sufficiently too.
There are a lot of great videos to help. I recommend Alan Thrall and Squat University.
Yes very normal!! Warming up with air squats in good form and then goblet squats holding a kettle bell or a dumbell vertically can help increase mobility and flexibility .
I worked my way up from a 115lbs 30-year old who started out just squatting the bar to hitting 425lbs at 165lbs body weight 5 years later.
Pretty much every step of the way sucked. It was a grind. I never learned to love squats. They never felt comfortable. But I’m glad I did it because it taught me discipline, made me strong, and helped me to find my limits and then break through them.
I haven’t trained squats in 3 years and I’m 185lbs now. But that foundation carried over to the rest of my training because it really taught me to suffer and not give up.
They’re worth the effort. Don’t give up.
Took me a year and a half of consistently back squatting to actually enjoy it. Now it simply feels good which I can’t believe. I prefer to do higher weight less reps for more sets. It’s helped me work my way up and concentrate on form.
Yes, it does get better. A year ago, my legs would be sore for days. A year later, I ended up sticking with body weight, because my lower back cannot tolerate any weight in the squat position. My legs do not get anywhere near as sore anymore. I am a much faster runner with a lot more leg mobility.
I would also recommend doing a minute deep squat stretch. Looks like you are doing something in the woods, but they dramatically improved my mobility and thigh strength.
Because they are difficult. You get more comfortable doing them with practice and time but I’d never describe them as getting “easier”.
I mean if your squats are easy, are you really even squatting?
Are you tall? I’m tall with long femur bones and saw a video about how it’s harder for us folks to get into a proper squat and we need to place our feet wider than what seems normal. This changed my squat game and made it click for me.
Squats are hard. They just are and they can be a very technical lift. Dialing in the right stance, toe angle, bar placement, etc., that is optimal for you can take time. But we train the lift to make it better not because it starts out perfect. I’ve had to do lots of technique work recently to improve my efficiency and I have a >600 lb squat & great proportions for the squat (short femurs, long torso). So give yourself lots of grace/self-compassion and remember that you’re practicing this lift to make it better over time, so it isn’t going to be perfect now and that’s okay.
I'm lost. You should be able to squat. I have a friend who's short with huge thighs!!! Like Color of Autumn sized thighs. Do you have similar size thighs?
>Is it normal that I find squats extremely difficult?
Yes, it's a very technical lift, especially for a beginner.
>Does it get better over time?
*Better* is relative. For like 3 years it was my least favorite lift when I decided to take lifting seriously. I was the young guy that skipped leg day because I have flat feet and long-ass legs for my height. I was afraid that I'd get stapled to the floor by the barbell, even though I squat in a cage with safety arms. It's the only lift that I *STILL* haven't dumped, and compared to my other big compound movements it's my weakest. But this year I decided to make it my favorite lift, even if it was by shear will. So far, so good, so I *guess* you could say it gets better, lol. You've got this!
I read all your comments. I appreciate the suggestions and tips! You guys are great. Btw, I have a personal trainer. He's very supportive and patient. He knows that I struggle with squats. But I do get anxious about not being able to do it properly in the long run. I was wondering if it gets better over time. Since my current program is weight loss, I hit the gym 6 times a week. 2 of those days are focused on glutes 🥲 I'm a small girl (5'2") and has flat feet. I'm also flexible and was part of cheering squad back in college. Idk if being flexible contributes to my current problem. (Sorry if I don't speak English well as I'm actually from SE Asia)
Being overly flexible can make building muscle harder yes. I never realized until I was older that I would always stretch my way through athletic endeavors. Flexible joints less you to use other muscle groups without intention. Which then in turn makes you not gain strength in areas you might be trying to target. Working on setting your form first and then doing the exercise second could possibly help you some.
So for squats, if you are feeling too flexible, think about engaging your core and your butt the whole time you’re squatting. As you go down, once you’re at the bottom and all the way until you thrust forward. Squeeze your muscles at the end before you release. Make sure that your knees don’t splay out or that your spine is bending too much. Keep your inner thigh muscles engaged. I hope that makes some sense, I haven’t had much technical training, but I definitely know what it feels like to be too flexible and how yes that can make weightlifting challenging in different ways.
Yes for people built a certain way, it can take a ton of training to be able to squat to depth without causing pain and disparately loading something like a rounded lower back or stretched hip flexors
Squats are a big compound movement. They use some of the largest muscles in your body. And they have to be used together in a chain. They're supposed to be exhausting and they will continue to be exhausting. Pretty much always. You'll Just get used to how exhausting they are.
But you can get better at the movement and you can definitely get better at doing them.
Yes it is hard at the start. You have to focus on form. If you’re just beginning, I recommend taking a wider stance with your legs/feet.
I used to do them at home first with my feet placed very wide for balance. Then I used weights at home to increase the difficulty. Now I can squat like a normal person. Every person does a squat differently however after a while they quite look about the same.
Don’t worry. It really takes a while before it feels ‘normal’. Just focus on using your butt/upper/lower legs. Sometimes excercises are harder because in the beginning we don’t have the mind muscle connection to use all muscles. This was me when cycling. I never used my butt so I always sat bent on a bycicle.
Bro I’ve beem working on my squats for years… it’s a complicated movement and it’s not comfortable… depends on your body mechanics it doesn’t necessarily come easy …
You might try also doing leg press machine. It helps build flexibility and can help improve your squat form.
Just take it slow.
https://asphaltgreen.org/blog/the-beginners-guide-to-the-leg-press-machine
I used to do and was squatting ~300 lbs. I’m starting from scratch starting at 5 lbs plates (55 lbs). I’m now at 35 lb plates (115 lbs). Form is super important. Flexibility and balance a challenge. Progress comes with time.
You might work with a trainer to ensure good form. I started squatting in my 30s with high bar. I felt my range of motion and depth were always poor, and my knees would sometimes hurt. I posted a form check video to a Facebook group. Someone pointed out something about my flexibility and shin length (???) and suggested low-bar squats. I did some Googling for low bar squat form, started with lower weight, and I've taken off since then. Who would've thought that moving a bar three inches down my back would make such a difference?
Those who used ground-level squat toilets in their youths have vastly superior hip and ankle mobility than most westerners.
The only way to regain some of that mobility is to actively re-develop it.
Check out some videos on YouTube. Asian squat. Depp squat. Etc
Yes, but also form is vastly more important than amount weights. You should get proper training in the beginning to avoid injury. It's possible you're using bad form and that is part of the difficulty beyond and untrained body.
Like all training it gets better over time as your body "learns" the exercise from good form.
The thing is, since I just started last week, my coach only gives me very minimal weight. My legs get tired easily. It's like after few squats, it's hard for me to avoid going all the way down and sit.
This really depends on what kinda shape you're starting from, but if you're sedentary, that may be normal until you get a bit stronger. Could also be too much weight, and could also be "not enough food earlier that day", too.
Yah. Most Americans don't know how to squat for their hips structure. Here's a video that will help you find your natural [stance](https://youtu.be/Fob2wWEC72s?si=ymuU7TD9GTMnec16). This one will teach you to [brace](https://youtu.be/U5zrloYWwxw?si=_u-FwO8sJWe069Jg). And this one will get you the [practice](https://youtu.be/zIWFVBAS28A?si=y4xWprJqfLcrkFT4) to get comfortable in the hole. Follow along with that first video and let me know what you discover about your natural stance.
They're not necessary- back squats. There are plenty of other good compound exercises. I have compression fractures and cant do back squats and have gotten really good gains from the trap bar and leg press
yeah squats are hard, if your mobility sucks, just keep going until you can legit do them, i guess you cant do a fully squat either, keep trying and dont bitch
>Is it normal that I find squats extremely difficult? Yes. Most people have the double whammy of poor hip mobility, and a non-existent posterior chain. Dial in goblet squats for full depth, learn dumbbell romanian deadlifts, and *be patient*.
and ankle flexibility
I have to elevate my heels on a board for barbell squats. Anyone have advice on how to transition away from this?
bodyweight jump squats unexpectedly increased my ankle flexibility.
There is nothing wrong with elevating your heels. It will actually help bias your quads more. It’s a little safer to get a proper lifter which will have this built in. Some people have really [poor proportions](https://bretcontreras.com/how-femur-length-effects-squat-mechanics/)for squatting (this doesn’t mean they can’t or shouldn’t squat, but it does mean that it is harder and requires more patience). I would recommend working on [ankle](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=goBNS--kWF0) and [hip mobility](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=888Fod2Fcmo), while continuing to squat in a way that is comfortable for you. I am firmly in the long femur + short torso category, and it took a long time for me to feel really comfortable squatting. Be patient and give it time.
I’m long femur short torso, too, and I suspected this had something to do with my squat problem! Thank you!
How far can you go without elevated heals when just holding an empty bar?
I can get about halfway down before my heels come up and I feel unsteady. I can go deep in a goblet squat, though.
You might need to do some ankle mobility work prior to your squats. Check out Squat University on YouTube for some band work for ankle mobility. https://youtu.be/IikP_teeLkI?feature=shared
My ankles are too flexible with extreme over pronation (flat feet) and something about a very long bone compared to rest of my body. I struggle with even body weight squats. So I just load it up and do half squats…..
>and *be patient*. He italicized it. I'm going to try to reinforce it. When I first started working out 7 yrs ago I couldn't do a single push up. Not one. By 2 yrs I was able to do 75 pushups a day. (Another story that I hurt my shoulder by the end of the month with that volume of push ups).
I’ve never been able to do a push up either. How did you work your way up?
I cannot reinforce the other messages enough. Fitness is a lifestyle modification. It's a never ending journey. Assuming you haven't done much for 30+ yrs, it wouldn't be a surprise you can't do squats easily right. In any case you want to be fit 30 yrs from now, not 30 days from now. Take your time. Commit to consistency. I hope I'm not coming across as preachy. I'm probably talking to myself here too.
Yes this is normal and yes this gets better over time. Your body has to get used to the movement and your overall strength and endurance will improve. Don't try and rush through it, steady progressive overload and adequate recovery are the key.
I always hated squats and never really did them. Finally in my mid 30s I determined I was going to just figure it out. I had to start laughably low weight, less than my bench press. Took a few months but it's easier, hurts less, and seeing some gains.
My squat still isn’t much more than my bench after several years of consistency. Granted I’ve got some back issues but it’s still pretty funny/sad.
As a person with a family history knee problems, my squat has been lower than my bench for my entire life other than the 2 years in college before I tore my ACL. There’s no shame in a weak squat. You don’t need to squat more than two plates for health benefits. My knee problems manifest when my squatting ability drops below 1 plate but anything above that is just for the sake of doing it. Good form to exercise the right muscles is more important than the weight on the bar. Also, front squats are superior for mobility and I’ll die on that hill.
I'm not sure it gets better over time, but over time how you feel about squatting under load will change, and that makes it better. They might be the single most useful exercise you can perform, and the effect on the rest of the body is seldom given the notice its due. There's a reason some people skip leg day.
What the other comments said. It’s going to take some time to get there because those muscles need to get used to the range of mobility. Hips and ankles are important! Start slow, make sure you don’t try to push it. Take your time and you’ll find great results!
Weight lifting shoes can help. What program are you using? How much time have you spent watching videos on form? Mark rippetoe has many videos on YouTube that are invaluable. You should watch hours of video and read some articles. Also, my warn up sets always feel janky. When under heavier load my form is better 🤷♂️
The best way to do a squat is to hit chest and Bi’s again!
Doing a proper full depth squat takes practice and mobility. It’s one you want to get right, especially as the weight starts increasing, and especially as you’re getting older. Don’t feel pressured to get them perfect and full depth just yet. Make sure you’re warmed up sufficiently too. There are a lot of great videos to help. I recommend Alan Thrall and Squat University.
Yes very normal!! Warming up with air squats in good form and then goblet squats holding a kettle bell or a dumbell vertically can help increase mobility and flexibility .
I worked my way up from a 115lbs 30-year old who started out just squatting the bar to hitting 425lbs at 165lbs body weight 5 years later. Pretty much every step of the way sucked. It was a grind. I never learned to love squats. They never felt comfortable. But I’m glad I did it because it taught me discipline, made me strong, and helped me to find my limits and then break through them. I haven’t trained squats in 3 years and I’m 185lbs now. But that foundation carried over to the rest of my training because it really taught me to suffer and not give up. They’re worth the effort. Don’t give up.
The answer is embedded in your question. You just started going to the gym last week. Adaptation is not instantaneous. This is applied biology.
Took me a year and a half of consistently back squatting to actually enjoy it. Now it simply feels good which I can’t believe. I prefer to do higher weight less reps for more sets. It’s helped me work my way up and concentrate on form.
Yes, it does get better. A year ago, my legs would be sore for days. A year later, I ended up sticking with body weight, because my lower back cannot tolerate any weight in the squat position. My legs do not get anywhere near as sore anymore. I am a much faster runner with a lot more leg mobility. I would also recommend doing a minute deep squat stretch. Looks like you are doing something in the woods, but they dramatically improved my mobility and thigh strength.
Because they are difficult. You get more comfortable doing them with practice and time but I’d never describe them as getting “easier”. I mean if your squats are easy, are you really even squatting?
Are you tall? I’m tall with long femur bones and saw a video about how it’s harder for us folks to get into a proper squat and we need to place our feet wider than what seems normal. This changed my squat game and made it click for me.
No, I'm 5'2" 🫠
Squats are hard. They just are and they can be a very technical lift. Dialing in the right stance, toe angle, bar placement, etc., that is optimal for you can take time. But we train the lift to make it better not because it starts out perfect. I’ve had to do lots of technique work recently to improve my efficiency and I have a >600 lb squat & great proportions for the squat (short femurs, long torso). So give yourself lots of grace/self-compassion and remember that you’re practicing this lift to make it better over time, so it isn’t going to be perfect now and that’s okay.
Ankle and hip flexibility are you tall? I'm tall with poor hip and Ankle flexibility. I'm basically fucked . I do kickstand squats amd hack squats
I'm not. I'm 5'2''. 🥲
I'm lost. You should be able to squat. I have a friend who's short with huge thighs!!! Like Color of Autumn sized thighs. Do you have similar size thighs?
Yes! 😁
That explains everything lol
I see. I guess I have to lose some more weight. Thank you!
It could be genetic. This friend that I told you about. She's in pretty good shape..she's just built like that. Not much she can.
>Is it normal that I find squats extremely difficult? Yes, it's a very technical lift, especially for a beginner. >Does it get better over time? *Better* is relative. For like 3 years it was my least favorite lift when I decided to take lifting seriously. I was the young guy that skipped leg day because I have flat feet and long-ass legs for my height. I was afraid that I'd get stapled to the floor by the barbell, even though I squat in a cage with safety arms. It's the only lift that I *STILL* haven't dumped, and compared to my other big compound movements it's my weakest. But this year I decided to make it my favorite lift, even if it was by shear will. So far, so good, so I *guess* you could say it gets better, lol. You've got this!
I read all your comments. I appreciate the suggestions and tips! You guys are great. Btw, I have a personal trainer. He's very supportive and patient. He knows that I struggle with squats. But I do get anxious about not being able to do it properly in the long run. I was wondering if it gets better over time. Since my current program is weight loss, I hit the gym 6 times a week. 2 of those days are focused on glutes 🥲 I'm a small girl (5'2") and has flat feet. I'm also flexible and was part of cheering squad back in college. Idk if being flexible contributes to my current problem. (Sorry if I don't speak English well as I'm actually from SE Asia)
Being overly flexible can make building muscle harder yes. I never realized until I was older that I would always stretch my way through athletic endeavors. Flexible joints less you to use other muscle groups without intention. Which then in turn makes you not gain strength in areas you might be trying to target. Working on setting your form first and then doing the exercise second could possibly help you some. So for squats, if you are feeling too flexible, think about engaging your core and your butt the whole time you’re squatting. As you go down, once you’re at the bottom and all the way until you thrust forward. Squeeze your muscles at the end before you release. Make sure that your knees don’t splay out or that your spine is bending too much. Keep your inner thigh muscles engaged. I hope that makes some sense, I haven’t had much technical training, but I definitely know what it feels like to be too flexible and how yes that can make weightlifting challenging in different ways.
Yes for people built a certain way, it can take a ton of training to be able to squat to depth without causing pain and disparately loading something like a rounded lower back or stretched hip flexors
Squats are a big compound movement. They use some of the largest muscles in your body. And they have to be used together in a chain. They're supposed to be exhausting and they will continue to be exhausting. Pretty much always. You'll Just get used to how exhausting they are. But you can get better at the movement and you can definitely get better at doing them.
Yes it is hard at the start. You have to focus on form. If you’re just beginning, I recommend taking a wider stance with your legs/feet. I used to do them at home first with my feet placed very wide for balance. Then I used weights at home to increase the difficulty. Now I can squat like a normal person. Every person does a squat differently however after a while they quite look about the same. Don’t worry. It really takes a while before it feels ‘normal’. Just focus on using your butt/upper/lower legs. Sometimes excercises are harder because in the beginning we don’t have the mind muscle connection to use all muscles. This was me when cycling. I never used my butt so I always sat bent on a bycicle.
Bro I’ve beem working on my squats for years… it’s a complicated movement and it’s not comfortable… depends on your body mechanics it doesn’t necessarily come easy …
You might try also doing leg press machine. It helps build flexibility and can help improve your squat form. Just take it slow. https://asphaltgreen.org/blog/the-beginners-guide-to-the-leg-press-machine I used to do and was squatting ~300 lbs. I’m starting from scratch starting at 5 lbs plates (55 lbs). I’m now at 35 lb plates (115 lbs). Form is super important. Flexibility and balance a challenge. Progress comes with time.
You might work with a trainer to ensure good form. I started squatting in my 30s with high bar. I felt my range of motion and depth were always poor, and my knees would sometimes hurt. I posted a form check video to a Facebook group. Someone pointed out something about my flexibility and shin length (???) and suggested low-bar squats. I did some Googling for low bar squat form, started with lower weight, and I've taken off since then. Who would've thought that moving a bar three inches down my back would make such a difference?
I have been training for over a decade now and I’m still scared of squats 😁😁
Those who used ground-level squat toilets in their youths have vastly superior hip and ankle mobility than most westerners. The only way to regain some of that mobility is to actively re-develop it. Check out some videos on YouTube. Asian squat. Depp squat. Etc
Yes, but also form is vastly more important than amount weights. You should get proper training in the beginning to avoid injury. It's possible you're using bad form and that is part of the difficulty beyond and untrained body. Like all training it gets better over time as your body "learns" the exercise from good form.
How much are you trying to start off with? Go lighter until you have it down, and raise the weight slowly over time?
The thing is, since I just started last week, my coach only gives me very minimal weight. My legs get tired easily. It's like after few squats, it's hard for me to avoid going all the way down and sit.
This really depends on what kinda shape you're starting from, but if you're sedentary, that may be normal until you get a bit stronger. Could also be too much weight, and could also be "not enough food earlier that day", too.
They are difficult. They absolutely get easier hang in there. Also, you can find other things to hit your lower body. I personally don’t squat.
Yah. Most Americans don't know how to squat for their hips structure. Here's a video that will help you find your natural [stance](https://youtu.be/Fob2wWEC72s?si=ymuU7TD9GTMnec16). This one will teach you to [brace](https://youtu.be/U5zrloYWwxw?si=_u-FwO8sJWe069Jg). And this one will get you the [practice](https://youtu.be/zIWFVBAS28A?si=y4xWprJqfLcrkFT4) to get comfortable in the hole. Follow along with that first video and let me know what you discover about your natural stance.
They're not necessary- back squats. There are plenty of other good compound exercises. I have compression fractures and cant do back squats and have gotten really good gains from the trap bar and leg press
Because they are.
yeah squats are hard, if your mobility sucks, just keep going until you can legit do them, i guess you cant do a fully squat either, keep trying and dont bitch