I need tips to help me from leaning forward when I squat!
_rachel_k
Posts: 243 Member
I thought I was getting better with my squats but I'm not. I'm leaning forward too much. My bf tried to help me but I just couldn't figure it out. Once my knees start bending, I start leaning
How do I retrain myself to do squats properly? I understand what I am SUPPOSED to do. But I don't know how to correct it
How do I retrain myself to do squats properly? I understand what I am SUPPOSED to do. But I don't know how to correct it
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More than likely you're trying NOT to let your knees pass your toes. This would usually cause a forward bend. It's okay to let your knees go past your toes.
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
If you imagine your pelvis is a bowl of tea you cannot spill, that may help.0
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The bar needs to be lower. I would venture to guess you have the bar sitting on top of your traps.0
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Keep your weight on your heels if you are not doing so. And think of the top of your head raising up rather then thinking of pushing off and up with your legs. I don't know if this is helpful but thought I'd mention it.0
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Try doing squats facing a wall, with your toes a few inches from the wall. Do the squat, don't touch the wall.
Also, lead the squat with your butt. It's literally like sitting down on a chair. Sit on an imaginary chair. If you need to, get a short stool or something of the appropriate height and put it behind you, and then *almost* sit on it.0 -
I try to remember to 'put my weight on my heels.'0
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In for the wisdom. I'm still struggling with this a little too. I also tend to want to lift up on my toes as I stand...0
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The goal is to have a vertical bar path. So the bar travels in a straight vertical line as you squat down and back up.
When you set up, get nice and tight, take in a full breath into your belly and hold it. This helps keep a tight core.
Start your squat by breaking at the hips and pushing your butt back. This helps keep the vertical bar path and keeps your weight on your heels.
If you don't stay tight and push your butt back, the weight will move forward and the leverage it creates will try to bend you over under the weight and you will end up with more of a "good morning" exercise.
And yes, don't go too crazy over keeping your knees behind your toes. We all have different body geometry, so if they come forward a little bit that's OK, but the exercise should not be all knees and you shouldn't feel knee pain. Also remember to push your knees outward during the exercise so your knees track your feet. Letting your knees cave inward can lead to injury.
Good luck!0 -
It may sound silly but I found doing front squats helped me correct this. Havin the weight in front of me made me feel less like sitting back with a straight back would topple me over backwards.0
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The goal is to have a vertical bar path. So the bar travels in a straight vertical line as you squat down and back up.
When you set up, get nice and tight, take in a full breath into your belly and hold it. This helps keep a tight core.
Start your squat by breaking at the hips and pushing your butt back. This helps keep the vertical bar path and keeps your weight on your heels.
If you don't stay tight and push your butt back, the weight will move forward and the leverage it creates will try to bend you over under the weight and you will end up with more of a "good morning" exercise.
And yes, don't go too crazy over keeping your knees behind your toes. We all have different body geometry, so if they come forward a little bit that's OK, but the exercise should not be all knees and you shouldn't feel knee pain. Also remember to push your knees outward during the exercise so your knees track your feet. Letting your knees cave inward can lead to injury.
Good luck!
Good advice here!!
Also found that box squat helps. Wall sits, hold in the "hole" position, will all help with hip mobility as well, which will make it easier for that dept.0 -
There are a number of potential problems, but it is hard to pinpoint the issue without seeing you lift. If you could post a vid that would assist greatly.
That being said, I think the most likely cause is simply that the weight is too heavy for you and you need to scale back to dial in your form. There is a weak link in your muscular development and with forward lean it is often a lack of core strength. Are you bracing properly - with a big breath of air and squashing your abs (as if someone is going to hit you in the stomach)?
The other possibility is a lack of mobility. I have seen a few people with poor range of motion in their ankles (dorsiflexion) causing people to lean forward too.
My main recommendation would be to cut the weight back down to a point where you are comfortable with your form, and work on increasing reps at that weight to get your motor patterns set before you go any heavier. Then increase the weight slowly and always pay attention to form.0 -
Or, maybe your individual body's geometry dictates a forward lean. I work with a trainer and he doesn't feel the need to force me to stop leaning forward despite my initial preoccupation with it. My weight's in my heels; I just have a tiny torso and stilt legs. Physics dictates that keeping the weight (bar) over midfoot requires that my torso comes forward.0
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If you imagine your pelvis is a bowl of tea you cannot spill, that may help.
AHHHHHHHH IT BURNS IT BURNS!!
Why did you tell me to spill hot tea on my pelvis?!!?!?!?0 -
If you imagine your pelvis is a bowl of tea you cannot spill, that may help.
AHHHHHHHH IT BURNS IT BURNS!!
Why did you tell me to spill hot tea on my pelvis?!!?!?!?
It's okay, it's okay! Don't panic! Imagine my glutes are ice-packs! Hurry!!!!0 -
Look up some videos (i.e., do an internet search) on: Eric Goodman Foundation Training
and watch the video of how to do "The Founder" which is a kind of a squat.
That helped me. It also helped me that my yolaties teacher said to keep your weight on your heels. Once and a while, lift your toes up to make sure your weight is on your heals.0 -
If you imagine your pelvis is a bowl of tea you cannot spill, that may help.It may sound silly but I found doing front squats helped me correct this. Havin the weight in front of me made me feel less like sitting back with a straight back would topple me over backwards.
that's not silly at all. front squats are a great way to help prevent excessive forward lean during back squats. many benefits to front squats.0 -
One thing that helped me correct this was to increase the angle of my feet outward, and then as I moved down, I focused on pushing my knees out to the side, so they were inline with my toes. Google around and find some stuff where Mark Rippetoe talks about squat form.
The front squat accessory work is solid advice too.0 -
Go to India and use squat toilets for months, it taught me how to squat!!0
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arms out in front of you, bum backwards like you're sitting on a chair.0
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One thing that helped me correct this was to increase the angle of my feet outward, and then as I moved down, I focused on pushing my knees out to the side, so they were inline with my toes. Google around and find some stuff where Mark Rippetoe talks about squat form.
The front squat accessory work is solid advice too.
Completely agree with opening the angle of the feet which opeans the pelvis as you track your need over your toes. Find the angle that let's you sit straight down.
Squat down with out any weight and find the angle that is comfortable, with your chest up and weight in your heals.0 -
arms out in front of you, bum backwards like you're sitting on a chair.
How do you hold the bar?0 -
Here's how I teach people to do squats correctly:
Pretend your heels are at the edge of a cliff. At the bottom of the squat, pretend you're trying to poop over the edge of the cliff without hitting your shoes.
Taaa-daaaah0 -
I guess I could just be another person to tell you some pointer on how to do squats, but I would suggest it is likely a flexibility issue. Work on your hip flexibility and you will likely crack this nut!!0
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A friend posted this yesterday and it's an excellent squat technique how-to
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw8Q4yxHG7Q 0 -
I do squats in the Smith rack. That holds the bar in the vertical "slot" and helps with your posture. Might help you?0
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I'm not an expert or anything- but I had this problem and discovered that my footwear was actually part of the issue. I typically wear running shoes to the gym, thicker heels that push your weight forward to your toes. Most real lifters have squat shoes that are perfectly flat. Once I took my running shoes off and started squatting in my sock feet, I noticed a huge difference with being able to balance back on my heels.
Just a thought
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It may sound silly but I found doing front squats helped me correct this. Havin the weight in front of me made me feel less like sitting back with a straight back would topple me over backwards.
also for me front squats with lighter weights helped me correct my form0 -
Get a step up box (about 18" high) stand directly in front of it and perform squats by sitting down on the box and then standing back up. Use lighter weight initially. This will train you to stay through your arches and drive up through your glutes this should be all you need to correct the issue0
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I'm not an expert or anything- but I had this problem and discovered that my footwear was actually part of the issue. I typically wear running shoes to the gym, thicker heels that push your weight forward to your toes. Most real lifters have squat shoes that are perfectly flat. Once I took my running shoes off and started squatting in my sock feet, I noticed a huge difference with being able to balance back on my heels.
Just a thought
also this! really too much people lift in running shoes and that's not good 0
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