I can't do a freaking squat

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  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,931 Member
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    You want them inline with your feet in the direction of your toes, but they don't have to stay behind your toes. That's just proportions.
  • mathjulz
    mathjulz Posts: 5,514 Member
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    mathjulz wrote: »
    Learned something today! Thanks to @ninerbuff @LolBroScience and @SideSteel (and others). My squat form has been okay, but I'm working on teaching my teenagers lift, and it's good to know what to watch for and what is okay. :smile:

  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    Preventing the knees from going past the toes requires you to push your hips back further. Depending on segment lengths it may require you to push your hips back quite a bit further.

    You are exchanging forces on the knee for forces on the low back.

    Whether or not this is a good idea is going to depend on the individual.

    For me, it's a very, very bad idea.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Packerjohn wrote: »
    Nice article from Bret Contreras on bodyweight squats to help form.
    https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-do-a-deep-bodyweight-squat-daily

    I need to work on that range of motion
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    edited December 2015
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    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    Nice article from Bret Contreras on bodyweight squats to help form.
    https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-do-a-deep-bodyweight-squat-daily

    I need to work on that range of motion

    Frequent, light goblet squats also seem to help a ton.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Thanks SS ..I will add them in
  • Upstate_Dunadan
    Upstate_Dunadan Posts: 435 Member
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    SideSteel wrote: »
    Not arguing this point.

    If you squat heavy at all, and let your knees go way past your toes, you're asking for trouble. There may be people where it's anatomically not possible, but I think that's not nearly as common as some of you are making it sound.

    I can squat with poor form (with my knees going way out past my toes) in both front and back squat, and I can squat with good form (where they do not). It has nothing to do with human Kinesiology, it has to do with how well I hinge my hips, keep a strong core, and control my descent (i.e. all of the above).

    When I use what I call poor form, I can definitely feel it in my knees afterwards.

    Would you say the same for front squatting?

    Why or why not?

    Not sure the question, but, with poor form my knees can go well past my toes on both a front and back squat. In either position, if your first movement is your knees going forward, I think you're going to have a problem unless it's followed real close with a good hip hinge.
  • Upstate_Dunadan
    Upstate_Dunadan Posts: 435 Member
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    SideSteel wrote: »
    Preventing the knees from going past the toes requires you to push your hips back further. Depending on segment lengths it may require you to push your hips back quite a bit further.

    You are exchanging forces on the knee for forces on the low back.

    Whether or not this is a good idea is going to depend on the individual.

    For me, it's a very, very bad idea.

    I'd say the opposite. I think it's more than your lower back fighting the force of the bar - it's your core, lower back, lats, etc. I'll take the force there as opposed to my knees every time.

    As mentioned as well, poor mobility in the ankles and hips is going to make it hard for someone to hinge properly and then yes, they may have knees forced over toes, but to me that's a mobility issue, not a bone length issue.

    If we're talking front squats, on top of ankles and hips, poor mobility in the shoulders (and wrists to a lesser degree) is going to keep most people from having any type of good form since they're probably not able to get into a good rack position, and without that, they're going to be standing straight up and down and knees are bound to go forward (at least with any type of heavier weight).
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    SideSteel wrote: »
    Preventing the knees from going past the toes requires you to push your hips back further. Depending on segment lengths it may require you to push your hips back quite a bit further.

    You are exchanging forces on the knee for forces on the low back.

    Whether or not this is a good idea is going to depend on the individual.

    For me, it's a very, very bad idea.

    I'd say the opposite. I think it's more than your lower back fighting the force of the bar - it's your core, lower back, lats, etc. I'll take the force there as opposed to my knees every time.

    As mentioned as well, poor mobility in the ankles and hips is going to make it hard for someone to hinge properly and then yes, they may have knees forced over toes, but to me that's a mobility issue, not a bone length issue.

    If we're talking front squats, on top of ankles and hips, poor mobility in the shoulders (and wrists to a lesser degree) is going to keep most people from having any type of good form since they're probably not able to get into a good rack position, and without that, they're going to be standing straight up and down and knees are bound to go forward (at least with any type of heavier weight).

    How many front squatters have you seen who can squat heavy and keep the knees behind the toes?

    You're aware that the barbell needs to be over the midfoot and that torso positions in the front squat are quite upright to prevent the bar from rolling off?

  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
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    SideSteel wrote: »
    Preventing the knees from going past the toes requires you to push your hips back further. Depending on segment lengths it may require you to push your hips back quite a bit further.

    You are exchanging forces on the knee for forces on the low back.

    Whether or not this is a good idea is going to depend on the individual.

    For me, it's a very, very bad idea.

    I'd say the opposite. I think it's more than your lower back fighting the force of the bar - it's your core, lower back, lats, etc. I'll take the force there as opposed to my knees every time.

    As mentioned as well, poor mobility in the ankles and hips is going to make it hard for someone to hinge properly and then yes, they may have knees forced over toes, but to me that's a mobility issue, not a bone length issue.

    If we're talking front squats, on top of ankles and hips, poor mobility in the shoulders (and wrists to a lesser degree) is going to keep most people from having any type of good form since they're probably not able to get into a good rack position, and without that, they're going to be standing straight up and down and knees are bound to go forward (at least with any type of heavier weight).

    I would be so curious to see videos of your "good form"....
  • Upstate_Dunadan
    Upstate_Dunadan Posts: 435 Member
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    SideSteel wrote: »
    SideSteel wrote: »
    Preventing the knees from going past the toes requires you to push your hips back further. Depending on segment lengths it may require you to push your hips back quite a bit further.

    You are exchanging forces on the knee for forces on the low back.

    Whether or not this is a good idea is going to depend on the individual.

    For me, it's a very, very bad idea.

    I'd say the opposite. I think it's more than your lower back fighting the force of the bar - it's your core, lower back, lats, etc. I'll take the force there as opposed to my knees every time.

    As mentioned as well, poor mobility in the ankles and hips is going to make it hard for someone to hinge properly and then yes, they may have knees forced over toes, but to me that's a mobility issue, not a bone length issue.

    If we're talking front squats, on top of ankles and hips, poor mobility in the shoulders (and wrists to a lesser degree) is going to keep most people from having any type of good form since they're probably not able to get into a good rack position, and without that, they're going to be standing straight up and down and knees are bound to go forward (at least with any type of heavier weight).

    How many front squatters have you seen who can squat heavy and keep the knees behind the toes?

    You're aware that the barbell needs to be over the midfoot and that torso positions in the front squat are quite upright to prevent the bar from rolling off?

    Due to the core and back strength required, along with pain (wrists) if you don't have good mobility, not all that many. That's the point.

    Also, I didn't say knees behind toes, I said knees should not go way past toes if you wanted to avoid knee problems.
    Ankle and hip mobility can really hurt your squat form. I'm not getting into the whole knees over toes thing. Say what you want, but if your knees are going way past your toes (with or without your heals coming up) you are asking for knee problems. Granted there may be some people who do to length of bones, etc. just can't do it, but I'm guessing most people whose knees go (well) past their toes have a form issue.

    If you're one of the few not built to do this, or can't, then maybe it's not the best exercise for you. Or just don't worry about your knees.
  • Upstate_Dunadan
    Upstate_Dunadan Posts: 435 Member
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    SideSteel wrote: »
    Preventing the knees from going past the toes requires you to push your hips back further. Depending on segment lengths it may require you to push your hips back quite a bit further.

    You are exchanging forces on the knee for forces on the low back.

    Whether or not this is a good idea is going to depend on the individual.

    For me, it's a very, very bad idea.

    I'd say the opposite. I think it's more than your lower back fighting the force of the bar - it's your core, lower back, lats, etc. I'll take the force there as opposed to my knees every time.

    As mentioned as well, poor mobility in the ankles and hips is going to make it hard for someone to hinge properly and then yes, they may have knees forced over toes, but to me that's a mobility issue, not a bone length issue.

    If we're talking front squats, on top of ankles and hips, poor mobility in the shoulders (and wrists to a lesser degree) is going to keep most people from having any type of good form since they're probably not able to get into a good rack position, and without that, they're going to be standing straight up and down and knees are bound to go forward (at least with any type of heavier weight).

    I would be so curious to see videos of your "good form"....

    I'll bet. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I know when my knees are going too far over my toes and when they are not. I work on it every time I squat, clean, or do similar movement.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    edited December 2015
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    My knees always go slightly past my toes and never once had knee issues except the one time an uneducated cardio instructor corrected my squat form in step class telling me I should never let my knees pass my toes. I stupidly tried that for a few heavy sets later that day and ouch instant knee pain so I went back to my old form.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    edited December 2015
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    SideSteel wrote: »
    Preventing the knees from going past the toes requires you to push your hips back further. Depending on segment lengths it may require you to push your hips back quite a bit further.

    You are exchanging forces on the knee for forces on the low back.

    Whether or not this is a good idea is going to depend on the individual.

    For me, it's a very, very bad idea.

    I'd say the opposite. I think it's more than your lower back fighting the force of the bar - it's your core, lower back, lats, etc. I'll take the force there as opposed to my knees every time.

    As mentioned as well, poor mobility in the ankles and hips is going to make it hard for someone to hinge properly and then yes, they may have knees forced over toes, but to me that's a mobility issue, not a bone length issue.

    If we're talking front squats, on top of ankles and hips, poor mobility in the shoulders (and wrists to a lesser degree) is going to keep most people from having any type of good form since they're probably not able to get into a good rack position, and without that, they're going to be standing straight up and down and knees are bound to go forward (at least with any type of heavier weight).

    I would be so curious to see videos of your "good form"....

    I'll bet. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I know when my knees are going too far over my toes and when they are not. I work on it every time I squat, clean, or do similar movement.

    No, but seriously... I'd like to see video of what you are determining to be "good squat form" with no knee travel over toes, even if it isn't you performing it. I'm honestly mind blown right now. Unless, you're just doing a poor job of describing the degree of distance the knee is traveleling over the toes.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    "Way" is way too subjective of a term for this conversation. Also, I just keep thinking

    200_s.gif

    tumblr_mxx7e6WjAW1rcoly3o2_250.gif
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    SideSteel wrote: »
    Preventing the knees from going past the toes requires you to push your hips back further. Depending on segment lengths it may require you to push your hips back quite a bit further.

    You are exchanging forces on the knee for forces on the low back.

    Whether or not this is a good idea is going to depend on the individual.

    For me, it's a very, very bad idea.

    I'd say the opposite. I think it's more than your lower back fighting the force of the bar - it's your core, lower back, lats, etc. I'll take the force there as opposed to my knees every time.

    As mentioned as well, poor mobility in the ankles and hips is going to make it hard for someone to hinge properly and then yes, they may have knees forced over toes, but to me that's a mobility issue, not a bone length issue.

    If we're talking front squats, on top of ankles and hips, poor mobility in the shoulders (and wrists to a lesser degree) is going to keep most people from having any type of good form since they're probably not able to get into a good rack position, and without that, they're going to be standing straight up and down and knees are bound to go forward (at least with any type of heavier weight).

    I would be so curious to see videos of your "good form"....

    I'll bet. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I know when my knees are going too far over my toes and when they are not. I work on it every time I squat, clean, or do similar movement.

    No, but seriously... I'd like to see video of what you are determining to be "good squat form" with no knee travel over toes, even if it isn't you performing it. I'm honestly mind blown right now. Unless, you're just doing a poor job of describing the degree of distance the knee is traveleling over the toes.

    would be curious to see this also ….
  • mammtech2013
    mammtech2013 Posts: 1 Member
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    Stick your butt way out. If it feels like it's sticking out too much, or ya feel like you look silly, then you're probably doing it right.
  • Upstate_Dunadan
    Upstate_Dunadan Posts: 435 Member
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    ndj1979 wrote: »
    SideSteel wrote: »
    Preventing the knees from going past the toes requires you to push your hips back further. Depending on segment lengths it may require you to push your hips back quite a bit further.

    You are exchanging forces on the knee for forces on the low back.

    Whether or not this is a good idea is going to depend on the individual.

    For me, it's a very, very bad idea.

    I'd say the opposite. I think it's more than your lower back fighting the force of the bar - it's your core, lower back, lats, etc. I'll take the force there as opposed to my knees every time.

    As mentioned as well, poor mobility in the ankles and hips is going to make it hard for someone to hinge properly and then yes, they may have knees forced over toes, but to me that's a mobility issue, not a bone length issue.

    If we're talking front squats, on top of ankles and hips, poor mobility in the shoulders (and wrists to a lesser degree) is going to keep most people from having any type of good form since they're probably not able to get into a good rack position, and without that, they're going to be standing straight up and down and knees are bound to go forward (at least with any type of heavier weight).

    I would be so curious to see videos of your "good form"....

    I'll bet. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I know when my knees are going too far over my toes and when they are not. I work on it every time I squat, clean, or do similar movement.

    No, but seriously... I'd like to see video of what you are determining to be "good squat form" with no knee travel over toes, even if it isn't you performing it. I'm honestly mind blown right now. Unless, you're just doing a poor job of describing the degree of distance the knee is traveleling over the toes.

    would be curious to see this also ….

    I took a quick look out on You Tube, I'd consider what you see here good form, and for the most part good advice on set-up and execution -

    https://youtu.be/tlfahNdNPPI
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,339 Member
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    ndj1979 wrote: »
    SideSteel wrote: »
    Preventing the knees from going past the toes requires you to push your hips back further. Depending on segment lengths it may require you to push your hips back quite a bit further.

    You are exchanging forces on the knee for forces on the low back.

    Whether or not this is a good idea is going to depend on the individual.

    For me, it's a very, very bad idea.

    I'd say the opposite. I think it's more than your lower back fighting the force of the bar - it's your core, lower back, lats, etc. I'll take the force there as opposed to my knees every time.

    As mentioned as well, poor mobility in the ankles and hips is going to make it hard for someone to hinge properly and then yes, they may have knees forced over toes, but to me that's a mobility issue, not a bone length issue.

    If we're talking front squats, on top of ankles and hips, poor mobility in the shoulders (and wrists to a lesser degree) is going to keep most people from having any type of good form since they're probably not able to get into a good rack position, and without that, they're going to be standing straight up and down and knees are bound to go forward (at least with any type of heavier weight).

    I would be so curious to see videos of your "good form"....

    I'll bet. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I know when my knees are going too far over my toes and when they are not. I work on it every time I squat, clean, or do similar movement.

    No, but seriously... I'd like to see video of what you are determining to be "good squat form" with no knee travel over toes, even if it isn't you performing it. I'm honestly mind blown right now. Unless, you're just doing a poor job of describing the degree of distance the knee is traveleling over the toes.

    would be curious to see this also ….

    I took a quick look out on You Tube, I'd consider what you see here good form, and for the most part good advice on set-up and execution -

    https://youtu.be/tlfahNdNPPI

    Thankyou!
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
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    ndj1979 wrote: »
    SideSteel wrote: »
    Preventing the knees from going past the toes requires you to push your hips back further. Depending on segment lengths it may require you to push your hips back quite a bit further.

    You are exchanging forces on the knee for forces on the low back.

    Whether or not this is a good idea is going to depend on the individual.

    For me, it's a very, very bad idea.

    I'd say the opposite. I think it's more than your lower back fighting the force of the bar - it's your core, lower back, lats, etc. I'll take the force there as opposed to my knees every time.

    As mentioned as well, poor mobility in the ankles and hips is going to make it hard for someone to hinge properly and then yes, they may have knees forced over toes, but to me that's a mobility issue, not a bone length issue.

    If we're talking front squats, on top of ankles and hips, poor mobility in the shoulders (and wrists to a lesser degree) is going to keep most people from having any type of good form since they're probably not able to get into a good rack position, and without that, they're going to be standing straight up and down and knees are bound to go forward (at least with any type of heavier weight).

    I would be so curious to see videos of your "good form"....

    I'll bet. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I know when my knees are going too far over my toes and when they are not. I work on it every time I squat, clean, or do similar movement.

    No, but seriously... I'd like to see video of what you are determining to be "good squat form" with no knee travel over toes, even if it isn't you performing it. I'm honestly mind blown right now. Unless, you're just doing a poor job of describing the degree of distance the knee is traveleling over the toes.

    would be curious to see this also ….

    I took a quick look out on You Tube, I'd consider what you see here good form, and for the most part good advice on set-up and execution -

    https://youtu.be/tlfahNdNPPI

    Except his using something that is probably around 30% of his 1RM, with the path of the barbell behind his foot.... take a guess what would happen if that were a much heavier load.

    I take it these are bad squats then right, since they break at the knees first and their knees track over toes?

    https://youtu.be/fUZ_f3WgIlg

    https://youtu.be/ErJ8eyyqWVE?t=40s