Bro, you're gonna hurt your knees squatting that low!

SteveHunt113

I was practicing this (*kitten* to the grass) last night with no weight. I can keep my feet flat, but I notice that as my thighs get slightly past horizontal, my lower back wants to curve out. To me this is a cause for concern. I spent some time looking on line to get some ideas. I won't tell you how many people are saying to stop at horizontal!!

Anyway, should I be concerned by this curving out? I don't want to injure myself. Maybe I'm too far back on my heals?

lakersfan4life

As has already been said, every body is different. I can feel *kitten* to grass putting strain on my knees. With a heavy weight it would be risky.

On a more general level though, I suspect the "Don't go below parallel" advice is less to do with the depth of the squat and more to do with "bouncing" at the bottom of the rep, which IS bad for your knees. You can't bounce if you go to parallel; it's very tempting if you go all the way down. But most people who have good form and control the weight with no bouncing will probably have no problems.

that natural bounce you get when going "*kitten* to grass" is bad for your knees? The stonglifts 5x5 guy says its ok.......

Silverkittycat

I was practicing this (*kitten* to the grass) last night with no weight. I can keep my feet flat, but I notice that as my thighs get slightly past horizontal, my lower back wants to curve out. To me this is a cause for concern. I spent some time looking on line to get some ideas. I won't tell you how many people are saying to stop at horizontal!!

Anyway, should I be concerned by this curving out? I don't want to injure myself. Maybe I'm too far back on my heals?

In my over-the-internet opinion, no.
I know nothing about you though, so I'll go with what I've experienced teaching yoga. Have to make sure I'm not liable, my insurance company frowns upon internet advice.

Most likely lifelong habits for functioning within limited lengths and ranges of motions have developed in your ankle joints, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. One of the best practices for correcting an incapacity for flexion is simply sitting in a squat for a few minutes daily. At first you can squat with your feet well apart and toes angled out widely enough for your heels to reach the floor, after you've acclimated to that gradually bring your feet closer together and parallel.
Good luck to you.

http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20411908,00.html
It's often used to relieve back pain.

Smuterella

I know from my studies to instruct yoga that I am no longer able to squat like that kiddo with my *kitten* all the way down and not have my heels lift. Weighted or not. Even though I badly want to and have tried. A lot. I can get past parallel but not far. It makes me sad and makes me blame a lifetime of sitting in chairs which is not a natural position but kiddo's squat above is natural. But then I sound like a nut if I keep talking like that.

So my point is only have patience with yourself or others if them going as deep as possible isn't as deep as they'd like.

I'm the same, tried it last night and just can't get that low. It is going to take a lot of practice.

jetscreaminagain

Wow, Silverkittycat, thanks for sharing that. That is exactly the pose that flummoxed me. I appreciate your explanation of why, which is better than mine (you don't sound like a crazy person at all, while I can sometimes sound like a conspiracy theorist about the evils of chairs) and you indicated some stuff we could do, which is very helpful. I am more mature now, I will try again. Thank you! Meantime, the program I'm doing says squat to parallel, so that's what I'll do, but I certainly wouldn't tell an ATGer that they're doing it wrong or will hurt themselves. That would be silly.