How should I squat?

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alondrakayy
alondrakayy Posts: 304 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have bad knees. I always have had bad knees. When I was younger, if I sat down in a movie theater too long my knees started to hurt (this still happens). It's gotten worse since I started lifting and doing squats. A man in the gym I guessed watched me when I was doing BB squats and noticed how I had to put on those knee hugger things (I can't remember the name) and when I was done he said that if I have issues with my knees, that I don't have to go all the way down when I squat. That I should go parallel or just under parallel and it would really help me out.

I really don't want my knees (specifically my right one) to get worse and I also don't want to give up barbell squats because I love them so much. Any advice?? Does the gym guy have a point?
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  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    What kind of shoes are you squatting in?
  • alondrakayy
    alondrakayy Posts: 304 Member
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    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    What kind of shoes are you squatting in?

    Good question. I don't squat wearing shoes. Just wear socks.

  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    alondrakayy wrote: »
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    What kind of shoes are you squatting in?

    Good question. I don't squat wearing shoes. Just wear socks.

    Try putting your heels on 5 lb plates, and then squatting. See if that helps your issues. If it does, you'll probably want to get some squat shoes.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    A video of you squatting would help most. We can't diagnose what we can't see. Have you played with stance width, toe out position? Are your hips moving back first, before your knees bend? How's your hip & ankle mobility? Knees tracking in line with your toes? So many things to evaluate
  • adhocNC
    adhocNC Posts: 4 Member
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    Shoes help with ankle mobility which most people have a problem with. Be sure that you are staying over the middle of your foot. Most people when they lack the ankle mobility go on their toes.

    As others have said, there is a lot to evaluate. Knees tracking over toes is the big one for knee problems.

    Speaking of which do you know exactly what is wrong with your knees? I have a partially torn meniscus in one of my knees. Running is very hard for me as the joint isn't very stable. However, as long as I squat regularly my knee is much better as the muscles around it are stronger which keeps the joint more stable. It does mean I don't go as heavy on squat as I do on other things, but it is also perfectly safe as long as my form is good.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
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    i have bad knees and i squat. make sure you are properly warmed up before you start adding weight. I get my knees very warm, i even start warming up on the TRX which is easier when my joints are cold Not being warmed up is a knee killer. I do wear knee sleeves for compression and warmth. I also make sure my form is perfect and having a wider stance helps because it gets the movement more in my hips and less in my knees. I just break parallel when i am heavy, not any lower. Sometimes when i'm warming up i go atg but thats just to get warmed up and loose.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    I don't really squat below parallel...no reason to really unless you're going to do a power lifting meet.

    In regards to your knees, I used to have the same issue with sitting in a theater or on a plane, etc...I always thought it was bunk knees, but it turns out I had IT band syndrome. I started rolling and hitting my hip flexors with the foam roller and doing other exercises for my hip flexors and it has pretty much alleviated the issue.
  • jessef593
    jessef593 Posts: 2,272 Member
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    Id find out what's actually wrong with your knees. It could just be from weak ligaments and muscles. Or something much more severe. I'll second the going to parallel. Just ensure you're warmed up. People rarely squat the same.

    I do a just inside shoulder with squat with toes and knees flared out. The closer stance helps take the strain away from my hips(old work injury) and directs the majority Of the lift onto my quads and knees which are my strong point. You have to adjust your lifts to you. The majority of lifting and getting stronger is about becoming more efficient at the lifts and honing in your form.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
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    Low bar squats is way easier on knees than high bar.

    Use knee sleeves to at the minimal keep your knees warm.

    Make sure your knees are tracking your foot direction.

    Lifting shoes are more than likely a good idea.
  • alondrakayy
    alondrakayy Posts: 304 Member
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    Thank you all!

    I know a video would of been a great addition to the post but it was more packed than usual yesterday and I hate to record when others are around (because I hate to be recorded without permission). I will try to get a video when the gym is empty.

    Squat shoes - will have to invest in some now. I always heard that going barefoot (socks only) works just as great.. but maybe that was only for those who don't have any pain when squatting.

    My stance is pretty wide. I do this because I'm 5 ft 7 in tall and feel odd when my stance isn't wide enough and also because of my knees.

    Y'all are great. It's nice to have a community to go to who don't mind giving their advice.
  • wipgirl81
    wipgirl81 Posts: 1 Member
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    Hi! I also have knee problems but I know squats and lunges are so helpful to build the legs and even hips/core so I've been curbing my avoidance and sure enough it does work great for strength and stability!
  • IzzyBooNZ1
    IzzyBooNZ1 Posts: 1,289 Member
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    are you warming up your glutes beforehand ?? Have you been to see a physiotherapist or osteopath ?
  • jusjoking
    jusjoking Posts: 56 Member
    edited April 2017
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    google for "low bar squats" or 'powerlifting squats'

    basically you are going to want the butt to move backwards as the first move in the squat....as opposed to the knees shooting forward

    the butt will go back and you will get some forward torso lean for balance and the weight will be on the HEELS of your feet (or at least from the middle of the foot back)

    Just keep pushing the butt back, along with some forward torso lean for balance and keep the weight more on the heels of the feet. The shins are going to pretty much stay vertical, they shouldnt be leaning forward too much. Walla....all the stress is OFF your knees

    if you do this correctly, the bar will pretty much just move in a straight line up and down

    then of course to come back up you squeeze with the big leg muscles but you also have to keep the body tight and be pushing back against the bar. you DONT want your hips to come up even an inch or two while the bar sort of stays in place, because this sort of throws you all out of position and the weight gets forward etc. So keep the body tight when you start coming up and push back against the bar as you also drive with the legs etc




    and the opposite would be exactly what you DONT want to do. All of these would tend to place MORE stress on the knee
    1) bar way high up on the traps
    2) very erect body posture
    3) knees shooting way forward over the toes
    4) weight going to the front/toes of the foot
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    edited April 2017
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    some unconnected-to-each-other thoughts . . .

    not saying don't buy squat shoes. just saying they're a solid chunk of change, and not everyone needs or likes them or benefits from using them. so try the plates-under-heels things first to find out if they'll even be relevant to what you're trying to fix. personally, i wear them because of an ankle restriction, but there are times when i have to remind myself not to let their slope pitch me downhill 'into' my knees when i squat. so they could even be the opposite of what you want atm.

    however, i agree with teh person who said you need to know what's actually up with your knees before you start experimenting. or at least: having SOME idea of what/where the problem is can streamline the process of figuring out what is wrong.

    i'm not a trainer or any other kind of bodywork professional, but i think if i had your struggle i would ditch the barbell and start out just looking for a way to get comfortable with the basic bodyweight form first. adding weight to an existing problem doesn't usually fix the problem. at least that's been my experience over the past three years.
  • JB035
    JB035 Posts: 336 Member
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    alondrakayy wrote: »
    Thank you all!

    I know a video would of been a great addition to the post but it was more packed than usual yesterday and I hate to record when others are around (because I hate to be recorded without permission). I will try to get a video when the gym is empty.

    Squat shoes - will have to invest in some now. I always heard that going barefoot (socks only) works just as great.. but maybe that was only for those who don't have any pain when squatting.

    My stance is pretty wide. I do this because I'm 5 ft 7 in tall and feel odd when my stance isn't wide enough and also because of my knees.

    Y'all are great. It's nice to have a community to go to who don't mind giving their advice.

    If the inside of your knees are hurting your stance could be too wide.

    Do your knees bother you when you do air squats?



  • FaeryLove18
    FaeryLove18 Posts: 41 Member
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    Definitely needed this thread. I have major knee pain and with every squat my knees crack loud. I have no idea if I am doing them correctly. I just squat, not using weights, and to ten. Then a break and another ten, and my knees are shaking they hurt so much. Just immediate sore feeling. I just push on. I do wear sneakers, but they arent that good quality. What kinds of shoes should you have? And what's the best kind of squats to do when you're a beginner?
  • gen39
    gen39 Posts: 36 Member
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    Pause squats (where you pause at the bottom for a moment before rising out of the hole) tend to be easier on my knees than standard squats where you use the stretch reflex to 'bounce' out of the hole.
  • IzzyBooNZ1
    IzzyBooNZ1 Posts: 1,289 Member
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    FaeryLove18 wrote: »
    Definitely needed this thread. I have major knee pain and with every squat my knees crack loud. I have no idea if I am doing them correctly. I just squat, not using weights, and to ten. Then a break and another ten, and my knees are shaking they hurt so much. Just immediate sore feeling. I just push on. I do wear sneakers, but they arent that good quality. What kinds of shoes should you have? And what's the best kind of squats to do when you're a beginner?

    I would get my knees checked out first, physiotherapist or similar, not your regular GP. Do squats with them so they can check your form

    make sure you are warming up glutes beforehand. Look up glute activation exercises.
  • FaeryLove18
    FaeryLove18 Posts: 41 Member
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    IzzyBooNZ1 wrote: »
    FaeryLove18 wrote: »
    Definitely needed this thread. I have major knee pain and with every squat my knees crack loud. I have no idea if I am doing them correctly. I just squat, not using weights, and to ten. Then a break and another ten, and my knees are shaking they hurt so much. Just immediate sore feeling. I just push on. I do wear sneakers, but they arent that good quality. What kinds of shoes should you have? And what's the best kind of squats to do when you're a beginner?

    I would get my knees checked out first, physiotherapist or similar, not your regular GP. Do squats with them so they can check your form

    make sure you are warming up glutes beforehand. Look up glute activation exercises.

    Definitely considering that. I understand now why they recommend seeing your doctor before starting a fitness program or a new exercise routine. My mind is willing but the knees.
  • FaeryLove18
    FaeryLove18 Posts: 41 Member
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    gen39 wrote: »
    Pause squats (where you pause at the bottom for a moment before rising out of the hole) tend to be easier on my knees than standard squats where you use the stretch reflex to 'bounce' out of the hole.

    Thats a good idea, something to do to ease the stress on the knees. Gonna try that way next go round.

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