It might sound pathetic but I can't do any more than 1 or 2 chin-up/pull-ups without breaking form. Is it more beneficial for me to do 1 or 2 without assistance or use assistance and do sets of 8-10 and gradually work my way up to where I can do them without assistance? Also are chin-ups better or worse than pull-ups or do they just work different muscles?
When using creatine, is it necessary to use a loading phase (4 times a day) or is it just as beneficial to use it once a day from the get go?
I noticed that when doing squats on my descent, my right knee sort of turns or buckles in. Is this a problem that could cause injury? Is this just a result of me trying to squat too much weight?
Thanks in advance and sorry for the rambling, unrelated questions...
1a. You can benefit from either. If your goal is to increase your # of reps, I'd say doing more reps with assistance or doing multiple sets of singles without assistance would help. So, either way you choose could help.
1b. I assume you're using the word "chin-up" to mean with an underhand grip and "pull-up" to mean with an overhand grip. Both are good exercises. "Chin-ups" tend to be easier for most people because the biceps can take some of the load away from the other muscles. They're a good answer for a lot of people training for cosmetic reasons who want "big biceps" but don't want to waste time with a Muscle & Fiction styled workout.
extra Something that often helps with pulls/chins is losing any excess bodyfat through proper diet and workouts like Taku's intervals.
I don't know.
It doesn't sound normal to me, so it couldn't hurt to cut the weight back and concentrate on your form. Do you feel any pain or discomfort when squatting?
Two biggest form tips when squatting: keep your back straight (your chest should be thrust out like you're Superman trying to show off the "S") and don't look down. I would add, "try to keep your knees from going past your toes," but that causes a lot of people to want to look down to check it.