Simply put, these lifters trained their quads similarly with a powerlifting style squat and a traditional squat. The knee "moment" is the demand on the quads. This counterintuitive finding is even more interesting when considering that these lifters maintained an average knee moment similar to the traditional (knees-over-toes) squat form. One biomechanics study showed that experienced lifters were able to perform powerlifting-style squats (sitting back, knees behind toes) while maintaining relatively upright torso angles. Perform 2-4 sets of 10-12 reps near the beginning of your workout. Load this exercise sub-maximally (40-60% 1RM). Set up cones or vertical foam rollers in front of your feet. The name of this drill ("knee-break squat") is a bit tongue-in-cheek. An effective way to break old movement habits and learn new ones is through the use of external focus of attention. If you learned to avoid the knees-over-toes movement, revamping your squat might be challenging. Less hip flexion and less trunk lean occur, resulting in a more upright squat. By driving the knees forward, the backward movement of the hips is minimized. (7) These athletes struggle to rebuild their quads, setting them up for higher re-injury risk. In fact, sitting back into the squat is a compensation commonly seen on the previously injured limb of athletes who've had ACL reconstructions. Not good if you're trying to put some meat on your drumsticks. Sitting back is a surefire way to off-load the quads. Although this technique might decrease compressive loading at part of the knee joint and might even allow some lifters to handle more weight if performed within a powerlifting-style squat), sitting back into the squat increases hip flexion and increases the forward pitch of the torso. Lifters were taught to sit their hips back into the squat – way back. We're not dating.)Ī generation of trainers and physical therapists instructed lifters to avoid knees-over-toes during the squat. "I'm not supposed to let my knees go past my toes when I squat!" If I had a dollar for every time I've heard that, I'd take you all out to dinner. If you're trying to straighten up your forward lean – or if you simply want to optimize your squat form – here are six solutions: Yes, individual anthropometrics undoubtedly influence movement patterns, but there's always something that lifters with "long femurs" can do to improve their squat. Some lifters blame their anatomy for their forward-leaning squat. Too much forward lean sets the stage for needlessly failed reps. But if you want big quads and robust knees, straightening up your squat is worth the learning curve.Īlso, consider this: During a failed squat, which direction do barbell and body invariably fall? Forward. (5,7) Sure, if your goal is to squat with max load, a bit more forward inclination might be a great option. Leaning forward during the back squat may help some lifters to move more weight, but too much forward lean deemphasizes the quads and might compromise the low back and hips of at-risk lifters. It represents either a technique fault or a mismatch between a lifter's body proportions and the chosen squat variation. Squat Form: Fix Your Excessive Forward LeanĮxcessive forward lean is a common squat error.
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