Squat doubt - when to squeeze glutes

paprad

After many months of squatting, I find my right knee has started twinging a bit. I am going below parallel, and from what I can see, my form is okay. However, I suspect I am not effectively squeezing my glutes. Could that be the cause of the extra pressure on the knees?

I am also finding contrary information on the net - some say to squeeze glutes before descending into the squat, others to squeeze while getting out of the hole - any insights?

Also, is there any technique to glute-squeezing? Is it just tightening or is there something more to be remembered as a cue?

Thanks

paprad

help?

rawstrongchick

I've no idea whether this is right or not so I totally stand to be corrected, and I can't answer re the knee issue. But I engage my core before descending into the squat and then squeeze my glutes and re check my core before making my way up, with an extra glute squeeze at the top.

Hendrix7

help?

I would have to say most likely it has nothing to do with with squeezing your glutes.

I would post a video of your form, take a few days off squatting and foam roll your quads and IT band,...see if that helps.

Sarauk2sf

help?

I would have to say most likely it has nothing to do with with squeezing your glutes.

I would post a video of your form, take a few days off squatting and foam roll your quads and IT band,...see if that helps.

^^this

dinosnopro

You may be starting to have piriformis muscle / IT band issues. When mine flare up they radiate to my knee pretty bad.

But, form video would help.

paprad

Thanks all, I'll upload a video of my form

ChristyU74

Bumping for any future posts on this. I also have a twingey knee when I squat lately.

paprad

Will video my form - but in the meanwhile - what's the advice on glute squeeze anyway? It may not be the cause of my knee pain but I realize I haven't understood that well - pored over Rippetoe and Mehdi advice on the net and from what I got, I should see that the hip is extended at the top, and that should involve a glute squeeze. Is that only to ensure the hip is not narrow while hinging? In another place there is advice for squeezing while squatting up. I am a tad confused by this - at the bottom, it is not possible to be tight-glute, is it? Or should that be a conscious effort

Sarauk2sf

Sorry - just realized that you had a remaining question so bumping to the top to answer tomorrow

servilia

According to some DVDs I've done, you squeeze at the top of your squat.

paprad

Sorry - just realized that you had a remaining question so bumping to the top to answer tomorrow

Thanks Sara

Sarauk2sf

You need to ensure that your glutes are engaged, but that does not not actually involve squeezing them. I am not sure how you would actually do that without losing your core integrity on the descent. On the ascent, then activating your glutes is important and squeezing at the top can help the final lockout.

To be honest, I have never actively thought about squeezing my glutes as such.

I am not sure how not doing do would cause knee pain.

Where did you see to squeeze glutes on the way down? Maybe you could link it and we can understand the logic better.

paprad

Thanks Sara, I'll look for the link.

As I recall, it said something about how tightening the glutes would automatically cause the quads to get activated - am doing that as I type, hoping I can translate the sensation into words. If I do the French Legionnaire manoeuvre (pretending there's a coin clenched that will fall if you stop tightening the glutes!) then my quads immediately tense and also flare out slightly. Perhaps the logic was to keep that flare, so that the knees track toes?