Group: Strength & Powerlifting

Created: 2012/01/01, Members: 39, Messages: 16459

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squat stance

bigandrew
bigandrew
Posts: 5,146
Joined: 2002/10/21
United States
2007/04/27, 06:20 PM
Ok, for awhile (4 weeks or so) I have been doing wide stance squats, also doing some sumo pulling before that. I was thinking my hips are maybe weak, and maybe it would help my squat.


I find I can't use my hams when squatting this wide, I seem to can't engage my abs and lower back as well...and it just plain hurts half the time. And i want to topple over. I don't have the most flexable hips....but if I set in a stradle I can get my elbows abotu 1in from the floor somtimes touch.

So here's my question, other day I went back to squatting normal....which to me is right at about shoulder width stance..and i'm fine...everything feels good.

I see alot of wide stance squatting...but i just seem to can't physically do it.

I'm thinking it's because of my short stumpy legs....My inseam is only like 29in or so....

any ideas?



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\\"The eight laws of learning are explanation, demonstration, imitation, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, and repetition\\"

You have to learn to follow, before you can lead.
coolnatedawg
coolnatedawg
Posts: 813
Joined: 2005/03/09
United States
2007/04/27, 06:34 PM
well with the sumo work, are you gettin hip drive or are you just tryin to stand upright? you have to drive the hips forward. i know i read that if you turn your feet out, it helps to activate hips more. Dave Tate article somwhere... so try that out, get wide and point your toes more towards the plate (for DL). for `squat, i tend to have my feet at about 45 or 60 degree angle...

i have problem with reg squat cuz im not used to it... but Cressey said i have weak ankles with little to no flexibility so i have to work on that. im switching to olympic for a month or 2 oncei start bulking again

retrofish
retrofish
Posts: 118
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United States
2007/04/27, 07:53 PM
I don't know if you should worry too much about not being able to squat very wide if it doesn't feel comfortable to you. Look at Fred Hatfield, he squatted 1014 with about a shoulder width stance.
coolnatedawg
coolnatedawg
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Joined: 2005/03/09
United States
2007/04/27, 08:05 PM
this is true also... but i believe if you are not capable of doing it, then there is a definite flexibility issue or something that you should solve... which in the end should help you out more than you know...
bigandrew
bigandrew
Posts: 5,146
Joined: 2002/10/21
United States
2007/04/27, 10:13 PM
i'm not the most flexable person...but i'm def. more comfortable closer in....shoulder width or so.

Thing is I can't feel my hamstring help any wide stand squats?




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\\"The eight laws of learning are explanation, demonstration, imitation, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, and repetition\\"

You have to learn to follow, before you can lead.
jaytori129
jaytori129
Posts: 657
Joined: 2006/11/14
United States
2007/04/27, 10:16 PM
oh they do trust me i do wide stance squats...feel my hammys every time I do point my toes out a little also not like 45 degrees maybe like 70 I found it put less stress on my kness and I could go lower

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Jason Fox 6\'1\" 374 lbs-personal records- DL-315x2, BOR-265x3, Bench-225x2, One Arm rows 106x8, Military-205x3, squats-305x4
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bigandrew
bigandrew
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Joined: 2002/10/21
United States
2007/04/28, 02:17 PM
I don't, all I feel is it in my hips.

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\\"The eight laws of learning are explanation, demonstration, imitation, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, and repetition\\"

You have to learn to follow, before you can lead.
coolnatedawg
coolnatedawg
Posts: 813
Joined: 2005/03/09
United States
2007/04/28, 03:38 PM
are you sittin back far enough? try doing box work with wide stance for a bit and see how that works... i think if you try that out it should help.
bigandrew
bigandrew
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Joined: 2002/10/21
United States
2007/04/28, 06:45 PM
I did that i can do it on boxes....but not free

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\\"The eight laws of learning are explanation, demonstration, imitation, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, and repetition\\"

You have to learn to follow, before you can lead.
bigandrew
bigandrew
Posts: 5,146
Joined: 2002/10/21
United States
2007/04/29, 11:42 AM
but even then I didn't feel it in my hams...as I do a closer stance.

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\\"The eight laws of learning are explanation, demonstration, imitation, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, and repetition\\"

You have to learn to follow, before you can lead.
coolnatedawg
coolnatedawg
Posts: 813
Joined: 2005/03/09
United States
2007/04/29, 12:20 PM
hmm... well i was hoping wrestler would chime in by now, as im sure he knows more bout it...

only thing i can say is that i dont always "feel" it in my hams, as im not wide squattin for the feel. i know they are getting work tho. you could always try prefatigueing them first doing some Glute Hams or something and then try wide squats to see if you feel it more. again... i am goin more to move the weight than to get the feel when i squat wide. when i do close stance, thats when i go for feel, cuz i do oly then...
wrestler125
wrestler125
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United States
2007/04/29, 02:25 PM
While this is normally my area, it's tough to give rx without seeing the squat in question. I also wanted to see what you guys had to say.

All I can say is if you feel like you are going to topple over then you probably aren't sitting back enough.

Try doing some static stretching for your hip flexors and quads prior to squatting, and focus on making the first half of your squat like a good morning (sitting back). If you're not already, use a LOW bar placement.

Again, it's very hard to coach over the internet.


Andrew, what do you mean by feel it in your hips? Your hamstrings are generally considered hip muscles, unless you mean you feel it in your glutes.

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Pemdas
Pemdas
Posts: 973
Joined: 2004/07/22
United States
2007/04/30, 08:52 AM
Hey coolnatedawg,

How did Cressey conclude that you have weak ankles?

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Quoting from coolnatedawg:

well with the sumo work, are you gettin hip drive or are you just tryin to stand upright? you have to drive the hips forward. i know i read that if you turn your feet out, it helps to activate hips more. Dave Tate article somwhere... so try that out, get wide and point your toes more towards the plate (for DL). for `squat, i tend to have my feet at about 45 or 60 degree angle...

i have problem with reg squat cuz im not used to it... but Cressey said i have weak ankles with little to no flexibility so i have to work on that. im switching to olympic for a month or 2 oncei start bulking again


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coolnatedawg
coolnatedawg
Posts: 813
Joined: 2005/03/09
United States
2007/04/30, 09:24 AM
haha. well, he came to a seminar here, and i asked him about shin splints or something. he then had me do several things.

first, i stood about a foot away from a wall with a lunge like stance and tried to touch my lead knee to the wall without lifting my heal off the ground. i found as far as i could go with one leg, and then did the smae with the other, concluding my right ankle does not have the same ROM.

he then had me do overhead squat lunges across the room. somehow he was able to deduce (i guess by ankle rolling?) that my ankles were weak. i dont completely understand it all... but he is the man, so i trust his analysis. he insisted i get tennis ball and run under my feet for myofasical release in my foot, and also do the same on my shins and calves. i am also to do more unilateral work, and continue to work on felixibility too.

hope that makes sense...
bigandrew
bigandrew
Posts: 5,146
Joined: 2002/10/21
United States
2007/05/01, 12:18 PM
Hqard to explain but I feel it more in my hips, as in groin area. And I feel I can't "lower" the weight with my hams and glutes...like on normal or box squats.

I know I have tight hips....however still...it just doesn't feel right...

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Quoting from wrestler125:

While this is normally my area, it's tough to give rx without seeing the squat in question. I also wanted to see what you guys had to say.

All I can say is if you feel like you are going to topple over then you probably aren't sitting back enough.

Try doing some static stretching for your hip flexors and quads prior to squatting, and focus on making the first half of your squat like a good morning (sitting back). If you're not already, use a LOW bar placement.

Again, it's very hard to coach over the internet.


Andrew, what do you mean by feel it in your hips? Your hamstrings are generally considered hip muscles, unless you mean you feel it in your glutes.


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\\"The eight laws of learning are explanation, demonstration, imitation, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, and repetition\\"

You have to learn to follow, before you can lead.
drquack11223
drquack11223
Posts: 94
Joined: 2007/01/09
United States
2007/05/03, 11:16 PM
could it possibly be the amount of weight? maybe lower the weight down alot and get it down then. for some reason, when i got into my highweight low rep program my technique went way down the drain. i was probably going to heavy, so now im going on 3x10 with ligher weight so i can get my old good form back.