free weights transition

• airgrinder

  14 Oct 07, 22:21

  hey.
  
  I do free weights for chest, back etc, except squat.
  
  Am thinking of transition to the barbell squat rather than the machine one. But I dun have any spotter.
  
  Do u think it's advisable?
  
  I'd got left knee injury, supposely wear and tear of meniscus (soft bone)
• davidche

  14 Oct 07, 22:56

  How about asking your doctor if your knee injury can withstand a squat with a barbell on top.
  
  No pun intended.
• galapogos

  14 Oct 07, 23:09

  You don't need a spotter for squats. Squat in a rack/cage with safety pins. How bad is your injury. Have you fully recovered yet?
• eagle

  14 Oct 07, 23:24

  i would say try with an empty bar first and decide
  
  most importantly, go very slow on increasing the weights. Have patience.
• airgrinder

  15 Oct 07, 00:25

  Originally posted by davidche:

  How about asking your doctor if your knee injury can withstand a squat with a barbell on top.
  
  No pun intended.

  doc sure say cannot one lah. Wait they say can, i injure they scare i blame them.
  
  knee injure thats why need to train the knee to make it strong
  
  thanks 4 concern
• airgrinder

  15 Oct 07, 00:29

  galapogos, eagle
  
  Cannot recover one. It's heavy wear and tear, faster than a normal person. Guess army chiong sua too much. haha
  
  Had been doing squats with dumbbells. Had tried doing it with the supported bar machine (dunno what's it called), but movement like very restricted. That's why thinking of doing with barbell, but am afraid especially of the balancing issue. That's y thinking need spotter.
• galapogos

  15 Oct 07, 20:32

  AFAIK a weak/damanged meniscus will prevent you from going ATG on squats due to limited knee ROM. It can be improved. I know people in the national weightlifting team that have had ACL/meniscus knee injuries/surgeries and are still competing in the team.
• airgrinder

  16 Oct 07, 00:17

  Originally posted by galapogos:

  AFAIK a weak/damanged meniscus will prevent you from going ATG on squats due to limited knee ROM. It can be improved. I know people in the national weightlifting team that have had ACL/meniscus knee injuries/surgeries and are still competing in the team.

  I only squat till thighs are parallel to the ground and then a bit more.
  
  And the acronyms u used, all very chim, had to spend some time looking for the meaning. but thanks.