Squats
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It is perfectly fine for your knees to go beyond your toes. For some people (their body mechanics), it can not be avoided. The key point is keeping your spine straight and neutral.
Ideal footwear is either weightlifting shoes, or thin sole shoes (like converse chucks, and such) or even barefoot. Less ideal footwear would be running shoes, trainers and such, as these shoes do not provide a firm sole (too spongy) and not very stable when squatting.0 -
How is your bar placement? Placing the bar too high would push me forward as I went down.0
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What shoes are you wearing? If runners they can be built up in the heel and off- balance you
But yes practice form
I didnt consider this either, I wear nike trainers to the gym and I havent seemed to have any other problems using them but its all I know as far as shoes for the gym too
A lot of people lift barefoot or in socks at my gym.0 -
I am having trouble as I want to go to the barbell(freeweight) to do my squats and not use the smith machine. I went to do a squat over the weekend with just the bar and about fell over, I tried to correct then and I was leaning way too far forward. With my new routine I do squats every otherday and dont want to use the smith machine, any suggestions on how to correct my form? or get it so that it feels better doing it correctly? I have obvioulsy been relying on the machine too much!!
If you're about to fall over with just the bar I'm going to assume it's probably not your shoes. Here's the thing and there's nothing wrong with it either, but not everybody is ready for a barbell squat. It sounds like you need to develop some other musculature and possibly even improve mobility so you can squat correctly. You should be able to unrack the bar and stand completely upright with it. Do your knees rotate internally at all (cave-in aka knee valgus?).
This a general recommendation because I can't perform a movement assessment on you.
1. Do Goblet Squats and make sure you're sitting back into it. Your knees may endup in front of your toes, and that's okay, what you don't want is your weight shifting forward to your toes as that is too strenous for your knees.
2. Do Step-Ups and use a bench or box that forces you to start with your leg at a 90-degree angle.
3. Do high-rep Back Raises on a 45-degree bench to improve your lower back, glute, and even hamstring strength, shoot for 50 total reps
4. Core work: Squats are excellent for your posterior core stabilizers & core movers but not so great for your anterior core stabilizers movers. You should do 1 to 2 exercises to build strength in your Abs and Obliques. If you have access to an ab wheel give it a whirl as that's one of the best I've seen for those muscles.0 -
Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »I am having trouble as I want to go to the barbell(freeweight) to do my squats and not use the smith machine. I went to do a squat over the weekend with just the bar and about fell over, I tried to correct then and I was leaning way too far forward. With my new routine I do squats every otherday and dont want to use the smith machine, any suggestions on how to correct my form? or get it so that it feels better doing it correctly? I have obvioulsy been relying on the machine too much!!
If you're about to fall over with just the bar I'm going to assume it's probably not your shoes. Here's the thing and there's nothing wrong with it either, but not everybody is ready for a barbell squat. It sounds like you need to develop some other musculature and possibly even improve mobility so you can squat correctly. You should be able to unrack the bar and stand completely upright with it. Do your knees rotate internally at all (cave-in aka knee valgus?).
This a general recommendation because I can't perform a movement assessment on you.
1. Do Goblet Squats and make sure you're sitting back into it. Your knees may endup in front of your toes, and that's okay, what you don't want is your weight shifting forward to your toes as that is too strenous for your knees.
2. Do Step-Ups and use a bench or box that forces you to start with your leg at a 90-degree angle.
3. Do high-rep Back Raises on a 45-degree bench to improve your lower back, glute, and even hamstring strength, shoot for 50 total reps
4. Core work: Squats are excellent for your posterior core stabilizers & core movers but not so great for your anterior core stabilizers movers. You should do 1 to 2 exercises to build strength in your Abs and Obliques. If you have access to an ab wheel give it a whirl as that's one of the best I've seen for those muscles.
ok will try those suggestions....
On my lunch I took off my shoes and did just a body weight squat and really tried keeping my heels down and staying off my toes..... fail to say the least....Its like I cannot be on my heals and my hips allow me to squat low I dont know if I need to really stretch muscles out or what my issue is here. Dont laugh but I put my heals on and did one and could go ATG. Its got to be something with flat foot- Also I cannot put my heals all the way down in the downward dog position in yoga poses....which would be same type of bending at ankle0 -
I'm quite new to this but I would suggest lowering the weight with a free bar to get technique right the gradually add the extra weight
Good luck0 -
Its like I cannot be on my heals and my hips allow me to squat low I dont know if I need to really stretch muscles out or what my issue is here. Dont laugh but I put my heals on and did one and could go ATG. Its got to be something with flat foot- Also I cannot put my heals all the way down in the downward dog position in yoga poses....which would be same type of bending at ankle
Okay, it could be part strength and part flexibility.
Flexibility: Do some foam rolling or even a Lacrosse Ball on your piriformiss, hips, tensor fasciae latae, hamstrings, calves. Stretch the same muscle groups; do some mobility work before you train and on non-training days.
Strength: You need to build your glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and probably abs and obliques. I think Step-Ups are a highly underrated exercise for building strength in hip extension and just unilateral strength in-general.
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Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »Its like I cannot be on my heals and my hips allow me to squat low I dont know if I need to really stretch muscles out or what my issue is here. Dont laugh but I put my heals on and did one and could go ATG. Its got to be something with flat foot- Also I cannot put my heals all the way down in the downward dog position in yoga poses....which would be same type of bending at ankle
Okay, it could be part strength and part flexibility.
Flexibility: Do some foam rolling or even a Lacrosse Ball on your piriformiss, hips, tensor fasciae latae, hamstrings, calves. Stretch the same muscle groups; do some mobility work before you train and on non-training days.
Strength: You need to build your glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and probably abs and obliques. I think Step-Ups are a highly underrated exercise for building strength in hip extension and just unilateral strength in-general.
Ok! I do things such as lunges, leg press, abductors, ect and do back extensions and just started deadlifts but I havent done step ups in a long time, maybe I will try those vs. lunges. I am starting the ICF this week and I may just have to start with body weight... I dont want to give up the whole routine0 -
Squat in a cage if you aren't already. It could be just mind over matter. Knowing you have that extra safety lets you focus more on form than "what of I fall over....".0
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Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
On my lunch I took off my shoes and did just a body weight squat and really tried keeping my heels down and staying off my toes..... fail to say the least....Its like I cannot be on my heals and my hips allow me to squat low I dont know if I need to really stretch muscles out or what my issue is here. Dont laugh but I put my heals on and did one and could go ATG. Its got to be something with flat foot- Also I cannot put my heals all the way down in the downward dog position in yoga poses....which would be same type of bending at ankle
I have the same issue; I just naturally want to be on my toes. I had the hardest time ever doing squats without popping up on my toes until the trainers at my gym worked with me. Basically, I have to have both a wider stance and my toes turned outward a bit in order to be able to keep my heels down. You might want to experiment a bit to find the right angle and stance that works for you.0 -
sorry, not sure why my whole comment went into the quote.....0
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@LeslieB042812 Thank you, I will try that. I think a wider stance might be better for me!! I will try that as well0
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Try to keep your big toe lifted while doing a body weight squat (focusing on proper form). If you can do this, then you just have to gradually increase your weight. You'll find that with your big toe lifted, you HAVE to put all the weight on your heels to lift yourself up. If this is too difficult, then it is all in development of your form. To check that your form is good, at the bottom of the squat, you can literally wiggle your toes (at a minimum, your big toe).
You can still use the smith machine (for now) while concentrating on your form (do NOT lean back into the machine otherwise you aren't using your glutes) until your glutes are developed enough to handle your body weight. Then start gradually adding weight once you're off the smith machine. The step ups with your knees at 90 degrees is good, but concentrate on your form again. You need to activate those glutes to support you and the weight properly.0 -
What shoes are you wearing when you squat?
I ask because I used to squat in running shoes, and let me tell you.. Once I switched to super-flat Converse All Stars (until I can afford to shell out the money for real lifting shoes), it changed my entire squatting experience.
All of the sudden I had way more balance and control, it was like night and day.
I'd practice squatting at home barefoot (or in Converse if you have any), with a broomstick across your back, and watch your form in the mirror. (If you can, have somebody videotape you)
You definitely want to get that issue corrected before you graduate to heavier squats!0 -
@wkwebby and @mackenzies_frenzies that makes sense I have heard about the toe trick and I will try doing them at home, I have had others tell me to do wall squats. I dont think i realized how much i really was pushing back on the bar on the smith machine. Maybe I had my feet to forward and but because you can only go in one angle on the machine I didnt really notice! This is rather depressing as I feel every squat I have been doing in the smith machine has been a waste!!!
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practice with a PVC pipe at home (broom stick) and build strength with your kettlebell/goblet squats.
and just keep at it.0 -
U could start with imanginary chair sguats u act like u are sitting in a chair which helps balance and burns ur thighs then start with the weights0
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