Doing squats/lunges correctly

So there are a counter of things. Women normally have a wide-q angle which can cause the patella to track in an odd manner. Your knees going over your toes is not necessarily a bad thing, it is more important for your knees to track over your feet as you squat. When lunging you should aim to keep the knee off the floor (on the back leg) and behind the toes on the lead leg.

How long ago did you start lifting and doing both squats and lunges in the same workout?

I had that same feeling in the same place - both knees actually - when I first started with just body weight lunges and squats. As I've continued on and progressed into weighted squats and lunges, I don't get the feeling anymore. I think in my case, it was just muscle/tendon weakness since prior to when I started in February, I'd basically never done those exercises consistently before. I can do tons squats and lunges now without that part of my knees bothering me.

Try adjusting your stance. I had a similar feeling at first when using a narrow stance and toes straight forward. After reading some of these forums, I played around with my stance and found that a wider stance with my toes slightly turned out was so much more comfortable. Also, my IT band was super tight when I first started which I think may have contributed to some of the twinges.

Your knees may be caving toward the center. Concentrate on pushing them outward and push the butt back. Also visualize a straight bar path.

cnbbnc wrote: »

I'm getting a slight twinge in one knee right above the kneecap when I'm doing them. It isn't necessarily painful (nor is it every time) but I can feel a pulling there, which then makes me back off a bit because I'm afraid of straining something.

I looked it up and everything says its improper technique. I'm now making sure I'm keeping my weight on my heels so I can wiggle toes. I saw that I wasn't squatting deep enough before, and this week started going lower. I don't let my knees go over my toes. Twinges aren't any worse going lower, just still there....

The same happens with lunges but I don't know if that's because I tend to do both in a workout.

Anyway, do you think I'm still doing things incorrectly based on what I described, or am I not stretching properly first?

It is hard to say without seeing you squat. Anecdotally I would say your weight is shifting towards your toes; even in a correct squat your knees will likely be in-front of your toes, the important thing is where is the weight balanced. If your weight is more towards your toes you are adding more stress to your knees and your glutes and hamstrings aren't engaging correctly and they are very important muscles in the squat.

When lunging you should aim to keep the knee off the floor (on the back leg) and behind the toes on the lead leg.

Why that suggestion for the lunge? Most references I've seen have the knee pretty much touching the floor and the knee behind the heel by a few inches. I think doing it knee of the floor and behind the toes is limited in range of motion and could probably push the weight more forward on the individual. I'm in work slacks otherwise I'd try it but that doesn't sound comfortable to me. Here are some pic's from NASM for an idea on positioning.

Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »

cnbbnc wrote: »

I'm getting a slight twinge in one knee right above the kneecap when I'm doing them. It isn't necessarily painful (nor is it every time) but I can feel a pulling there, which then makes me back off a bit because I'm afraid of straining something.

I looked it up and everything says its improper technique. I'm now making sure I'm keeping my weight on my heels so I can wiggle toes. I saw that I wasn't squatting deep enough before, and this week started going lower. I don't let my knees go over my toes. Twinges aren't any worse going lower, just still there....

The same happens with lunges but I don't know if that's because I tend to do both in a workout.

Anyway, do you think I'm still doing things incorrectly based on what I described, or am I not stretching properly first?

It is hard to say without seeing you squat. Anecdotally I would say your weight is shifting towards your toes; even in a correct squat your knees will likely be in-front of your toes, the important thing is where is the weight balanced. If your weight is more towards your toes you are adding more stress to your knees and your glutes and hamstrings aren't engaging correctly and they are very important muscles in the squat.

When lunging you should aim to keep the knee off the floor (on the back leg) and behind the toes on the lead leg.

Why that suggestion for the lunge? Most references I've seen have the knee pretty much touching the floor and the knee behind the heel by a few inches. I think doing it knee of the floor and behind the toes is limited in range of motion and could probably push the weight more forward on the individual. I'm in work slacks otherwise I'd try it but that doesn't sound comfortable to me. Here are some pic's from NASM for an idea on positioning.

This is anecdotal but our S&C guys keep up from touching, we stop just above the ground. The reason is because there have been several people the coaches have worked with that have come down too rapidly during weighted squats and caused patella injuries. That should not scare any one from doing lunges. it is anecdotal.

But try it out, I have never not been below parallel and still keep the knee just off the ground (I mean barely off) and my lead knee behind my toes.

rileyes wrote: »

Your knees may be caving toward the center. Concentrate on pushing them outward and push the butt back. Also visualize a straight bar path.

This!! And use a wider stance if necessary. I have issues with one of my hip flexors and if I am not perfectly wide enough and consciously pushing outwards, then my knees cave in to compensate.

When squatting is it key to keep your back straight?

rileyes wrote: »

@Sam_I_Am77 I barely tap the ground (if that) when lunging. I do walking lunges in timed circuits on hard surfaces.

It takes practice. You can use a mat or towel below the knee to learn how far to go before banging your knee. Static lunges are a great way to get used to the movement.

It may have been John Meadows or Dave Tate, but somebody with a training program wrote in regards to lunges that if the back knee doesn't touch the ground the rep doesn't count.

bronizzle wrote: »

When squatting is it key to keep your back straight?

You want to keep as neutral of a back position as possible.

Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »

rileyes wrote: »

@Sam_I_Am77 I barely tap the ground (if that) when lunging. I do walking lunges in timed circuits on hard surfaces.

It takes practice. You can use a mat or towel below the knee to learn how far to go before banging your knee. Static lunges are a great way to get used to the movement.

It may have been John Meadows or Dave Tate, but somebody with a training program wrote in regards to lunges that if the back knee doesn't touch the ground the rep doesn't count.

Sadistic wishes? IDK but I like my knees. They have been very good to me. They are strong. And I don't want any trouble from them.

On a previous workout routine I used to do high position barbell squats and I did get knee pain very similar to the OP especially when doing a narrow stance. Using a wider stance and having my toes pointed at a 10-to-2 angle helped a little. Now though I use dumbells held at my thighs and I get barely any discomfort even though I'm using the same equivalent weight as what I had on my back. I think it's probably because using dumbells helps keep my centre of gravity in at my core so my weight is less likely to creep forward over my toes.
I did find some success with a narrow stance when doing ball squats against a wall, again probably because my weight was naturally kept back over my heels. I even managed to add weight to that too by holding a dumbell to my chest.

unrelentingminx wrote: »

bronizzle wrote: »

When squatting is it key to keep your back straight?

Not necessarily. My instructor told me it's more important to keep the chest up throughout which means as you squat, the back will naturally arch inwards at the base slightly. If you was to stand facing a wall while you squat, your upper chest should remain parallel to the wall throughout. If you didn't allow the back to arch, you'd end up headbutting the wall.

That's not exactly correct. Arching the back is a compensation pattern for lack of hip and possibly ankle mobility. With a load on your back you want your spine to compress straight down and not at an angle. So keeping your chest up should mean keeping an upright posture through the entire core.

Before the heat comes, this is more of a "high-bar" squat. But even with a low bar position there should be little flexion or extension of the spine. A nuetral spinal position is what you should strive for.