SLS/PE1 Deck squats. Are the arms/hands active?

Hi,

 

I was checking te video and the pictures and I was wondering about the "rules" SLS/PE1 Deck squats.

 

- Do you have to touch the floor in front of you every time you go down?

- Is it allowed/forbidded to grab your knees? (either when going down, or when going up to accelerate the speed)

 

Thanks!

Mike.

 

 

EDIT:

And last question about the legs when rolling, I saw they are always tuck when rolling.

When training with a teacher, I always did it stretching the legs at the end of the back-roll, and keeping the legs straight when going down untill the very last second to go for standing. What is the difference? theoretically is it easier by stretching the legs like that?

Hi Mike,

 

I think the hands touching is just a way to ensure that you are getting low enough in the squat before sitting back to roll. As such, I would imagine it is more of a secondary cue; if you are getting low enough anyway, then you might not need to touch. I would not recommend grabbing your knees, and for the purposes of testing mastery at PE1, keep your legs tucked. (You could roll up into a candlestick position as a variation, but that is just a little different of an exercise.)

 

Best,

Chris

mike_ross said:

Hi,

 

I was checking te video and the pictures and I was wondering about the "rules" SLS/PE1 Deck squats.

 

- Do you have to touch the floor in front of you every time you go down?

- Is it allowed/forbidded to grab your knees? (either when going down, or when going up to accelerate the speed)

 

Thanks!

Mike.

 

 

EDIT:

And last question about the legs when rolling, I saw they are always tuck when rolling.

When training with a teacher, I always did it stretching the legs at the end of the back-roll, and keeping the legs straight when going down untill the very last second to go for standing. What is the difference? theoretically is it easier by stretching the legs like that?

Mike,

 

As Chris said, touching the floor is like a checkpoint to make sure you are low enough, though it's not the main focus of the exercise if you don't touch the floor with your hands.

 

Avoid grabbing the knees especially on the roll up.  Grabbing the knees is the body's way of using the arms to compress the body into a full squat which is a compensation for lack of full squat range of motion.  The idea of the deck squat is not to improve bicep strength by holding the knees.  It is to work the ankles, knees, and hips (and spine) in a full range of motion.  At first, using a bit of momentum and speed in the "roll up" phase may be necessary.  As your range of motion and strength improve, decrease the amount of speed you use.

 

If you are finding that you are not able to mimic the athlete in the video, try finding an elevated surface to perform the deck squate on.  Stand with your back to a few mats stacked up to a comfortable height.  Over time, decrease the height of the surface until you roll on feet-level ground.

 

Hope this helps

Thanks, interesting focus points.

 

I can do it, but maybe not all sets/reps for mastery yet and got also confused into many little variations (habits from other trainings). I will try today again with this new things.

 

Thanks!

By the way, a general question.... even if it may vary between people and it is also a mix of different points... which point do you think it is more critic to get a full range of motion of the squat?

ankles? hamstrings?

Im having such problems with this one, too big a belly i think, as i can deep squat over 520pounds :-P

mike_ross said:

By the way, a general question.... even if it may vary between people and it is also a mix of different points... which point do you think it is more critic to get a full range of motion of the squat?

ankles? hamstrings?

for deck squats definitely the ankle. For ATG with a straight back, I've noticed it's ankle, and adductors (anything you stretch in the pancake stretch really) and piriformis. Hamstrings don't change length too much during squats so unless you can't even bend over they won't be affecting you that much.

Ankle, knee and hip joint. Also the ability to keep the lumbar spine flexed whilst moving. There really is no hiding with this exercise and it will expose limitations that are different for each of us.