“ALWAYS DO FULL SQUATS
Partial squats are never good. They neglect the hips and hamstrings. When an athlete stops above parallel his knee joints are forced to halt the downward momentum.
But once the athlete goes below parallel that stress is transferred to the more powerful groups in the hips, hamstrings and adductors.
Full squats keep all these muscle groups proportionately strong.”
Bill Starr
Strength Coach
John Hopkins University
Sept. 1997
I like the CrossFit Canmore Logo!!!
I was talking to a client (who is on the national alpine team) about squats. Her new weight training coach has them go below 90 degrees and all the way down to the heels with squats. His belief is that when ski racing there are times when you get caught in the back seat and have to have the power to pull yourself forward and back into aggressive race position again. Below 90 degrees you have less power and have to recruit other muscles. She says it is brutally hard.
But I think the trainer is right about being sport specific, however a little harsh on the knees.