Why can I squat but can't lift it?

E

exercise forever

Cathlete
Right now I can't do any squats on account of a hurt foot. A couple months age I was using a barbell to do squats etc.. I wanted to post this then but I felt kind of dumb telling anyone this. I would put on weights and tried to hoist it over my head and couldn't, but I could squat it. I got it over my head once barely, and had the darnest time getting it down. When I told my husband he just laughed at me. Boohoo!

I decided to ask this after reading some of the post and women squatting all this weight. Is it because I weak in my upper body? I want to sometime in the future to be able to do this without all these weights falling down on me.

I know some of you knowledgble girls can help.

kim
 
Kim, I know some of the gals have bought weighted vests so they don't have to hoist the weight over their head. That might be an option or use a squat rack. that way you can get UNDER it without lifting it from the floor. Good Luck and be careful!
Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH (AKA "Den Mother Debbie")http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif[/img] If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
 
Hey Kim!

I have trouble getting the weight over my head when I go really heavy for squats. Sometimes I modify by using heavy dumbbells that I hold at my sides. Other times, I hold the bar across my hips to keep the weight centered on my lower body. I've been thinking of buying a weighted vest. That way I can wear the vest and use a lighter barbell that will be easier to raise above my head. Here's a link to the vest I want to order:

http://www.thexvest.com/

Now, if I can just come up with $200 for one! :)

Hope that helps.

Lunacat

ETA: Debbie, you're really on top of things!
 
> I decided to ask this after reading some of the post and
>women squatting all this weight. Is it because I weak in my
>upper body?

This is normal. After all, you're using the strength of your shoulders to get the bar up, and they are rather small muscles, while you are using the strength of your entire lower body to do a squat, and those are big, strong muscles.

If the weight is just a bit more than you can easily hoist, you can do a clean and press (Cathe does these in Muscle Endurance) to get the weight on and off your shoulders. That move uses the momentum in your entire body, including the strong leg muscles, to get the weight moving upward. However, it is an advanced technique, and not the safest.

I don't feel I can safely lift more than 45# over my head (some days only 40#) to get the bar into squat position, so when I need more weight than that, I put on a weighted vest (goes up to 20#) or a weighted belt (two ankle weights hooked together for up to 10#). If I need or want to squat over 60# at home, I used my Rockit (a Soloflex machine that does squat/leg press moves) and can safely press up to 200#.

When you read about people squatting very heavy weights, in all likelihood, they have some sort of squat rack at home that holds the weight in a position that allows them to get under it without having to hoist it overhead.

(And instead of laughing, DH could act as a spotter and help you place a barbell that's just a bit too heavy for you to lift on your own.)

Whatever you do, don't continue to try to hoist a weight that is too heavy. You can set yourself up for some shoulder injury. Instead, use some of the tips we've given you hear.
 
The only way I can get more than fifty pounds over my head is to use a squat rack. Before my husband made me a squat rack, though, I used to use a few homemade items to add more weight. I filled the pockets of his hunting vest with weight plates, which added 30 or 40 pounds. I also latched onto one of his leather and canvas tool belts (one with a very sturdy buckle) and filled it with weights in the back. This added another 20 pounds or so. The squat rack is even better, though.

Shari
 
A squat rack is a necessity if you want to get serious about lower body lifting. I routinely use it for anything over 65 lbs.
 
Thanks girls I thought I was the only one with this problem. So I will definitely get DH to build me a rack, as soon as I can use my foot to even to a squat. maybe this would be the excellent time for him to start on it.

kim
 
I don't have a squat rack, but when my SO is home and I do squats with heavy weight, he helps me lift it on and off. I can squat with more weight than I can lift over my head. There's nothing like that feeling of standing there with a barbell on your shoulders thinking "okay, now how the heck do I get this thing off?":p
 
Well to tell you something funny when I was trying to get it off of my head, I hit the mess out of my forehead. Ouch! I didn't tell anyone in the house about that.
So when I able to do squats again I will have figured something out.

Thanks
kim
 
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