I can't do a freaking squat
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What's the coach's name? Because I'd like to know why they instruct that way.Keep a straight back, and the top of your head pointing skyward, so straight neck and facing forward. Feet should be hip width apart and pointed forward parallel to each other. Hope that helps, also I generally put my hands into a fist formation in front of me to keep centre
Sorry but that is horrible advice.
Your head should be forward or slightly down and feet should be turned out about 45 degrees or slightly less...
I learnt from my coach, who also coaches in the olympics...
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Kinesiology would disagree though. Opinions don't actually override skeletal geometry and muscular anatomy. There several experts on instruction on squat technique and I've never heard one ever state that knees going past toes is incorrect.Upstate_Dunadan wrote: »Ankle and hip mobility can really hurt your squat form. I'm not getting into the whole knees over toes thing. Say what you want, but if your knees are going way past your toes (with or without your heals coming up) you are asking for knee problems. Granted there may be some people who do to length of bones, etc. just can't do it, but I'm guessing most people whose knees go (well) past their toes have a form issue.
I would Google ankle and hip mobility and watch some You Tube videos on exercises and stretching you can do to help. Kelly Starrett has some great mobility videos.
Also, when squatting, what happens first? Do your knees go forward or does your butt go back? If you're not leading with your butt, that could be the problem. Think "sitting on the toilet".
You may have heard it from fitness people, but so many (especially female cardio instructors) have incorrect knowledge on actual squat technique.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Kinesiology would disagree though. Opinions don't actually override skeletal geometry and muscular anatomy. There several experts on instruction on squat technique and I've never heard one ever state that knees going past toes is incorrect.Upstate_Dunadan wrote: »Ankle and hip mobility can really hurt your squat form. I'm not getting into the whole knees over toes thing. Say what you want, but if your knees are going way past your toes (with or without your heals coming up) you are asking for knee problems.
You may have heard it from fitness people, but so many (especially female cardio instructors) have incorrect knowledge on actual squat technique.
Ninerbuff is correct. Whether or not your knees go over your toes when squatting is entirely a result of the length of your tibia/fibula vs. your femur -- and these are highly variable -- and the width of your stance. There was a time when most trainers encouraged you to keep your knees from passing your toes. That time ended when internet access became commonplace and ignorance less acceptable.
The important thing is to squat from your heels rather than your toes, and to see it as a hip movement rather than a knee movement. There's an excellent video explaining all this on Youtube.0 -
Try to spread your legs out farther apart. I know ots simple but it helped me a ton.0
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What's the coach's name? Because I'd like to know why they instruct that way.Keep a straight back, and the top of your head pointing skyward, so straight neck and facing forward. Feet should be hip width apart and pointed forward parallel to each other. Hope that helps, also I generally put my hands into a fist formation in front of me to keep centre
Sorry but that is horrible advice.
Your head should be forward or slightly down and feet should be turned out about 45 degrees or slightly less...
I learnt from my coach, who also coaches in the olympics...
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
It was the chick she got in to teach all the girls for Cross Fit... So to be fair, what I just described is different than what I normally do... Anyways not getting into this haha0 -
walterm852 wrote: »With many athletes, ankle mobility is an issue since it can effect the entire kinetic chain. I really like this guys video, see if it helps and good luck.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZYo1gLFv_c&index=11&list=FLeAdOJU2Wfk-_PLK_KFrKjA
Thanks for this one! I was reading the thread for a different reason, but this video might help me too. I dance and I do have issues with ankle mobility in both directions, so this video might help with one direction.0 -
I recommend doing front squats first, it will help with keeping yourself in a good form position.0
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WHEN I HAD MY KNEES REPLACED THAT MADE ME DO SQUATS. THEY WOULD PUT A CHAIR BEHIND EM AND HAVE ME LOWER LIKE I WAS SITTING THEN THEY REMOVED THE CHAIR. WAS MUCH EASIER FOR ME TO DO THEM
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Kinesiology would disagree though. Opinions don't actually override skeletal geometry and muscular anatomy. There several experts on instruction on squat technique and I've never heard one ever state that knees going past toes is incorrect.
You may have heard it from fitness people, but so many (especially female cardio instructors) have incorrect knowledge on actual squat technique.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
For the love of God preach brother preach. Too many people post responses to exercise mechanics that don't understand human Kinesiology.0 -
antennachick wrote: »Try to spread your legs out farther apart. I know ots simple but it helped me a ton.
Yep you can practice with a wider stance squat.. But all in all the knees going over the toes is normal. As a matter of fact if mine did not cross over the toes I am not doing the squat justice.
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Are you able to squat properly without weight? For me it took some time to learn the prior movement and get increased range of motion and depth in my squats. I found that a sumo stance worked well for me and maybe it's something to try for you. I found it very helpful to have the movement down solidly before I started adding weight to my squats and now I'm ATG with weight but it definitely took time and mindfulness if your movements. Don't sacrifice form for weight. You'll get hurt. That said I'm not a trainer and I'm not sure if any of this made sense but I hope it was helpful.karwowski1992 wrote: »I really wish I could post a video but it's pretty this: I can't squat and go really low without my knees going over my toes and I can't make my knees NOT go over my toes unless I don't squat low enough. It's really frustrating and any advice on how to fix this or get better would be so appreciated.karwowski1992 wrote: »I really wish I could post a video but it's pretty this: I can't squat and go really low without my knees going over my toes and I can't make my knnees NOT go over my toes unless I don't squat low enough. It's really frustrating and any advice on how to fix this or get better would be so appreciated.NeonStrikeVi wrote: »What's helping me at the moment is practicing without any weights, and holding the squat at the bottom for a set amount of time.
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Doesn't it depend on your leg and feet length as well? Everyone has different depending on thier body however the standard has always been watch your knee so it wont cause an injury. Just a thought...
Also when I started squating with weight and getting super low, I found out I had limited ankle flexibility. There are certain stretching that helps with that. Probably can youtube it. Also weight lifting shoes are wonderful if you are doing weight because it gives you a little heel plus more support.0 -
I am currently studying on this topic now, so i'll have to confirm what i've seen from others. The knees going over the toes is not an issue as long as your knees are not buckling inwards or causing a disrupt in the kinetic chain.
Essentially you could have weakened muscles, muscle imbalances, and muscle inflexibility (specifically in the glutes, hamstring, and calves) which could be limiting range of motion.
Here's a direct picture from my Textbook. You can see even her knees go over her toes.
I suggest you start with medicine ball squats and work on your flexibility, strength, and stabilization.
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Also (not that many gyms allow) no shoes is the most natural way, lucky I only have a home gym so I can do this.0
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Not arguing this point.
If you squat heavy at all, and let your knees go way past your toes, you're asking for trouble. There may be people where it's anatomically not possible, but I think that's not nearly as common as some of you are making it sound.
I can squat with poor form (with my knees going way out past my toes) in both front and back squat, and I can squat with good form (where they do not). It has nothing to do with human Kinesiology, it has to do with how well I hinge my hips, keep a strong core, and control my descent (i.e. all of the above).
When I use what I call poor form, I can definitely feel it in my knees afterwards.0 -
I'm by no mean an expert on physiology, but I am pretty good at thinking and logic and such...
"proper" form will vary slightly from person to person based on a number of factors. I only skimmed this thread, but I think that's what ninerbuff was getting at. Things like bone structure, mobility issues, proportions, etc will impact what you can/can't, should/shouldn't do. We can all make general recommendations, but they should be taken as such.
Additionally, once you have a feel for what proper form means for you, there is some acceptable margin for error within that proper form. That margin might be pretty slim for someone with a history of injury or working at high, maximal weight, etc... but it's still there. I think some people get stuck in "perfect form or else" mode.0 -
Learned something today! Thanks to @ninerbuff and @SideSteel (and others). My squat form has been okay, but I'm working on teaching my teenagers lift, and it's good to know what to watch for and what is okay. 0
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Upstate_Dunadan wrote: »Not arguing this point.
If you squat heavy at all, and let your knees go way past your toes, you're asking for trouble. There may be people where it's anatomically not possible, but I think that's not nearly as common as some of you are making it sound.
I can squat with poor form (with my knees going way out past my toes) in both front and back squat, and I can squat with good form (where they do not). It has nothing to do with human Kinesiology, it has to do with how well I hinge my hips, keep a strong core, and control my descent (i.e. all of the above).
When I use what I call poor form, I can definitely feel it in my knees afterwards.
Would you say the same for front squatting?
Why or why not?
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Upstate_Dunadan wrote: »Not arguing this point.
If you squat heavy at all, and let your knees go way past your toes, you're asking for trouble. There may be people where it's anatomically not possible, but I think that's not nearly as common as some of you are making it sound.
I can squat with poor form (with my knees going way out past my toes) in both front and back squat, and I can squat with good form (where they do not). It has nothing to do with human Kinesiology, it has to do with how well I hinge my hips, keep a strong core, and control my descent (i.e. all of the above).
When I use what I call poor form, I can definitely feel it in my knees afterwards.
Them Oly lifters need to learn how to squat.0
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