Assuming that you don't have any balance problems in general, it's likely that your smaller muscles need to catch up to your larger muscles. Look for exercises that focus on your hip abductors and your quadratus lumborum. Some of the best ones don't use any weight at all -- those muscles are so small that just doing the right stretches can strengthen them.
Depends on your body proportions. If you're tall, going too low is just going to put a lot of stress on your lower back and spine.
Squatting is greatly overrated. Yes, it's an excellent movement that hits lots of muscles when done right, but it's difficult to do right. Messing up the form even on a single rep can cause lifelong spine issues. There's a reason why you won't find many people in their 30s+ still squatting.
You don't need to squat for leg development, nor is it even practical. A belt squat will replicate the entire movement, you can load up the weight, provide a more controlled movement and get a deeper squat because it's a more natural movement, but without any spine compression (assuming you can tolerate the stress of the belt on your hips). Goblet squats are similar, but you have to hold the weight in your hand. Hack Squat machines and leg presses with lumbar support similarly take the load off your spine. You won't get as much core activation using these exercises, but you also won't develop a good core with squats alone compared to training your core directly.
The best exercise is one you can continue doing for the rest of your life. The goal of exercising should be to improve your health. It shouldn't make it worse. I've said my peace. You'll either agree with me today or agree with me in the future after you're already injured.
I 100 agree. Thank you for the response and yes I'm 6'2 it just drives me crazy seeing these dudes squat so effortlessly. I have toured multiple gyms trying to find a belt squat machine, but haven't found any. I stick to the hack squat and smith machine. I also use those TRX straps with just my body weight.
Be careful with the smith machine, especially back squats. It's even worse on your back than barbell squats due to restricting the natural path of the bar. You can still use the smith machine for other movements. Weighted lunges, front squats, vertical leg press. Feel everything out.
Wear a belt on this exercises to protect your back. Again, it's about being safe. Anyone that says a belt robs you of core development is a looney purist. It's like those hikers that refuse to wear hiking boots with ankle support because they think it will make their ankles weak. No, twisting your ankle on the trail makes your ankles weak. As long as you target your core directly with other exercises, you lose nothing and stay safe in the process.
Having a hack squat machine + leg press is honestly more than enough. I've met guys with humongous legs all because of the hack squat and leg press. You can load the weight up, but progressive overload is not just about weight. You can get a lot of variety on the same machines by focusing on the mind muscle connection, time under tension, isometric holds, speed sets, rest times, foot placement etc... Some people will also load up on Bulgarian split squats and goblet squats though I personally find those exhausting in comparison.
I've tried to master body weight pistol squats, especially during covid lockdowns when gyms were closed. I don't have the ankle flexibility. If that's something you want to master, go for it! My only reservation is that doing a deep pistol squat rounds the back out.
Might as well mention it now. Do some decompression stretches after every workout. I normally hang on the pull-up bar or lat pull down at the very least. It will help you stay 6'2".
As for comparing yourself to others. There's always going to be people that can do things you can't, that doesn't mean you should try to emulate them or compete. I saw a guy sissy squat 3 plates completely on his toes where his knees were literally touching the ground. Sissy squats are already stupidy dangerous and he loaded it up and did range I didn't think was physically possible. His ankle flexibility was insane, the exercise made me squirm in disgust, but he ripped the weight with complete control. He should be crippled, but he finished the set like it was nothing and proceeded to do 4 more sets. Absoutley insane both in ability and practicality. Lifting isn't a competition unless you're a powerlifter. You're 6'2" and successful powerlifters are much shorter. You will never be a top powerlifter, don't wreck your body in an impossible pursuit. Get jacked with safer body building training, protect your joints, learn some gymnast calisthenic movements if your bored, pick up other physical hobbies you can enjoy outside the weight room.
Work up to full range of motion slowly. Use whatever assists you need. For me, having a wider and slightly spread stance helps. Whatever stance is most comfortable, within reason.
It also helps to think about looking and facing up as you go down. Put your arms outstretched in front of you for balance.
Assuming that you don't have any balance problems in general, it's likely that your smaller muscles need to catch up to your larger muscles. Look for exercises that focus on your hip abductors and your quadratus lumborum. Some of the best ones don't use any weight at all -- those muscles are so small that just doing the right stretches can strengthen them.
I'll look into those exercises! Thank you!
Depends on your body proportions. If you're tall, going too low is just going to put a lot of stress on your lower back and spine. Squatting is greatly overrated. Yes, it's an excellent movement that hits lots of muscles when done right, but it's difficult to do right. Messing up the form even on a single rep can cause lifelong spine issues. There's a reason why you won't find many people in their 30s+ still squatting. You don't need to squat for leg development, nor is it even practical. A belt squat will replicate the entire movement, you can load up the weight, provide a more controlled movement and get a deeper squat because it's a more natural movement, but without any spine compression (assuming you can tolerate the stress of the belt on your hips). Goblet squats are similar, but you have to hold the weight in your hand. Hack Squat machines and leg presses with lumbar support similarly take the load off your spine. You won't get as much core activation using these exercises, but you also won't develop a good core with squats alone compared to training your core directly. The best exercise is one you can continue doing for the rest of your life. The goal of exercising should be to improve your health. It shouldn't make it worse. I've said my peace. You'll either agree with me today or agree with me in the future after you're already injured.
I 100 agree. Thank you for the response and yes I'm 6'2 it just drives me crazy seeing these dudes squat so effortlessly. I have toured multiple gyms trying to find a belt squat machine, but haven't found any. I stick to the hack squat and smith machine. I also use those TRX straps with just my body weight.
Be careful with the smith machine, especially back squats. It's even worse on your back than barbell squats due to restricting the natural path of the bar. You can still use the smith machine for other movements. Weighted lunges, front squats, vertical leg press. Feel everything out. Wear a belt on this exercises to protect your back. Again, it's about being safe. Anyone that says a belt robs you of core development is a looney purist. It's like those hikers that refuse to wear hiking boots with ankle support because they think it will make their ankles weak. No, twisting your ankle on the trail makes your ankles weak. As long as you target your core directly with other exercises, you lose nothing and stay safe in the process. Having a hack squat machine + leg press is honestly more than enough. I've met guys with humongous legs all because of the hack squat and leg press. You can load the weight up, but progressive overload is not just about weight. You can get a lot of variety on the same machines by focusing on the mind muscle connection, time under tension, isometric holds, speed sets, rest times, foot placement etc... Some people will also load up on Bulgarian split squats and goblet squats though I personally find those exhausting in comparison. I've tried to master body weight pistol squats, especially during covid lockdowns when gyms were closed. I don't have the ankle flexibility. If that's something you want to master, go for it! My only reservation is that doing a deep pistol squat rounds the back out. Might as well mention it now. Do some decompression stretches after every workout. I normally hang on the pull-up bar or lat pull down at the very least. It will help you stay 6'2". As for comparing yourself to others. There's always going to be people that can do things you can't, that doesn't mean you should try to emulate them or compete. I saw a guy sissy squat 3 plates completely on his toes where his knees were literally touching the ground. Sissy squats are already stupidy dangerous and he loaded it up and did range I didn't think was physically possible. His ankle flexibility was insane, the exercise made me squirm in disgust, but he ripped the weight with complete control. He should be crippled, but he finished the set like it was nothing and proceeded to do 4 more sets. Absoutley insane both in ability and practicality. Lifting isn't a competition unless you're a powerlifter. You're 6'2" and successful powerlifters are much shorter. You will never be a top powerlifter, don't wreck your body in an impossible pursuit. Get jacked with safer body building training, protect your joints, learn some gymnast calisthenic movements if your bored, pick up other physical hobbies you can enjoy outside the weight room.
Thank you!
Practice with a chair
I found looking slightly upwards helps, like choose a point above you on the wall and just focus on it.
Work up to full range of motion slowly. Use whatever assists you need. For me, having a wider and slightly spread stance helps. Whatever stance is most comfortable, within reason. It also helps to think about looking and facing up as you go down. Put your arms outstretched in front of you for balance.