My quads are killing me!!
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arharris00
Posts: 5 Member
I am having a difficult time with my squat form. I keep transferring the weight from my heels to balls of my feet... this is doing a real number on my quads. Ouch! (Sorry, I don't have a form check video but I can try on my next workout.)
I grabbed one of the trainers at my gym today to do a form check because I know I am doing something wrong. Everything looks great EXCEPT that I keep transferring the weight forward instead of keeping it in my heels to activate my glutes and hamstrings.
The trainer really couldn't offer much. We tried the weights on the floor to elevate my heels but I felt like that made me fall forward even more. He ended up suggesting that I work the leg press in to my squats as a super set while I lower my squat weight from 115lbs to 65lbs to work on form.
( He also suggested that I focus on squatting parallel instead of ATG. FYI: I was able to successfully active my glutes and hamstrings with the leg press and can easily see the weight climbing pretty quickly (current 90lbs.)
Has anyone else ever experienced this persistent forward motion? Any ideas what to focus on to correct it?
My poor quads are killing me!!
I grabbed one of the trainers at my gym today to do a form check because I know I am doing something wrong. Everything looks great EXCEPT that I keep transferring the weight forward instead of keeping it in my heels to activate my glutes and hamstrings.
The trainer really couldn't offer much. We tried the weights on the floor to elevate my heels but I felt like that made me fall forward even more. He ended up suggesting that I work the leg press in to my squats as a super set while I lower my squat weight from 115lbs to 65lbs to work on form.
( He also suggested that I focus on squatting parallel instead of ATG. FYI: I was able to successfully active my glutes and hamstrings with the leg press and can easily see the weight climbing pretty quickly (current 90lbs.)Has anyone else ever experienced this persistent forward motion? Any ideas what to focus on to correct it?
My poor quads are killing me!!
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Replies
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What shoes are you squatting in? I experienced this when I used to squat in my running sneakers.
Since I started lifting again, I am either barefoot (workout at home) or wear chucks. The flat bottom helps.
I dont know much about personal training, but that trainer seems flakey. Elevating your heels on plates with a loaded up bar on your back sounds like an automatic faceplant.0 -
Given what you've tried, I'd say
1. Goblet squats. Having a counter balance forward will give you more "insurance" so to speak to push your weight back on your heels. Thus you'll more easily keep your upper body as upright as possible .
2. Box squats. Find a box/bench that is a little lower than knee height (heck, a giga medecine ball works, too), place it a few inches behind where your heels will be, and with a lighter weight than you're used to, do your squat as you normally would and try to touch your butt to the box. (Don't sit back on the box. Use it as a marker/safety, but as much as possible keep all your weight on your heels).
Leg presses won't really help you figure out your center of gravity. With the goblet squats you'll get used to keeping your core really tight during the lift. The box squats will aloow you to play around with stance width and bar position to see where you're the most stable without the fear of sprawling down on the floor
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Could be a matter of shoes, but the mechanics tend to point at the hips rising faster than the torso. This will cause both the weight to shift forward and the weight will be pushed to the balls of the feet.
I agree with Krok about gobbet squats and box squats, but I would recommend doing some sets of the box squats where you do sit all the way down. I've been doing these with Strong Curves and it helps teach proper muscle activation coming out of the hole while letting you work on keeping the weight on your heels. The weight you start with will need to be greatly reduced. I had trouble doing them at first, but it really did mean I had to keep things tight and rely on activating the right muscles.0 -
9 times out of 10 x if someone has forward lean it's because they have tight hip flexors (Quads). The reason your Quads are hurting you is because they're doing all the work the your Glutes and Hamstrings should be doing. So they're tight and need to stretched good on a daily basis. Meanwhile, you need to work on strengthening your Glutes and Hamstrings - Barbell Glute Bridges and Lunges (preferably weighted) are both excellent exercises for increasing Glute and Hamstring strength.
Tell your trainer that all putting weights under your heels will do is compensate for a lack of Hamstring flexibility, which I don't believe is the case if you're not having problems getting proper depth (i.e. squatting below parallel)0 -
Wow thanks everyone! I'll give those moves a try and see how things go. I hope to see some great improvement because I happen to love squatting and I know I'll like it even more once I get my form right. (Although my quads are lookin' pretty fine.) Haha.
I lift in Keds because it's all I have other than running shoes. I noticed a marked improvement in my stability when I switched to the Keds.
I think I'll talk to a different trainer next time. I"ll post a form check video asap!0 -
I had a similar issue. I ended up deloading by about half and lifting my toes off of the floor while I squatted. It took some getting used to but it helped me get a feel for exactly how the weight was balanced.0
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For me to check it I did what llama does...lift my toes.
I also lift barefoot (I workout at home so that is an option) if it's not for you try in sock feet or chucks.
I also agree with the box squats...I did those for my first deload and they helped a lot.0 -
I don't know how long you have been squatting, but I think you can count on it getting better fairly soon. I helped my partner start SL a couple months ago and it took several weeks, but his flexibility has gradually improved and his form is much, much better now. He is resistant to any "helping" exercises or stretching, so I know its just from squatting.
I remind myself to break at the knees first when I go down and that helps start me off on my heels. I think doing lots of air squats with different leg/food/arm positions has helped me find my center of balance no matter what. I also like to visualize that I am a big tree, rooted to the ground. It helps more than you'd think. 0 -
Mine were killing me Tuesday night, did some stretches. Just lifted the first time this week today, my last time for last week was on Sunday, and Tuesday morning I had (first half of) a scaling, every 10 years or so, I was too beat Tuesday night and my quads hurt, then the next day I woke up sick (wonder if bacteria from scaling)? Who knows, but this afternoon I started to feel a little better, got an energy burst so I got up and went downstairs and lifted, squatted 125 today. Burned a huge amount of calories, I don't know why, did longer warmup/cooldown and some dumbbell and other exercises, foam roller and stuff like that besides the lifts...guess it was more than I thought, I burned over 500 according to my watch, it us usually in the 200's but 80-100 of it is warmup/cooldown. I don't eat back my exercise calories anyway, so guess it doesn't matter.
So anyway, sorry for the tangent...I feel your pain. Guess only lifting 2 times this week, try to get back on track next week.0 -
I wear sneakers but really flat ones, walking shoes.For me to check it I did what llama does...lift my toes.
I also lift barefoot (I workout at home so that is an option) if it's not for you try in sock feet or chucks.
I also agree with the box squats...I did those for my first deload and they helped a lot.0 -
9 times out of 10 x if someone has forward lean it's because they have tight hip flexors (Quads).
This was my issue with leaning forward. Stretch stretch stretch 0 -
some good advice
. I just started and mine are killing me too!! I will work more on stretching 0
