knees and hitting the big numbers

[t3c]

When I was doing max effort box squats, my knees were hurting. I was squating 185...now i know many of you aren't up to those big numbers yet but has anyone expirenced this when squatting?

How can I avoid this?

 

[benchmonster]

Without watching you do it, I can't speak with certainty, but, my guess is that you have your feet too close together and you are attempting to quad squat, rather than properly squatting with your hips, hams and glutes.

My knees hardly ever experience any pain whatsoever when squatting on a box. I take a very wide stance and sit back as far as possible, and this seems to take the pressure off my knees.

When you squat, do your knees tend to go in, or out? I bet they are going in and if that is the case, you need to widen your stance and/or actively push your knees out as you stand up off the box.

And regarding the big numbers, get the form down first. Numbers will come. Everyone has to start somewhere. The main thing at this point is to get your form down to perfection. This allows you to get as strong as possible, and it keeps you from getting hurt.

B.

 

[t3c]

Hmmm maybe I should widen my form now that I think about it...I'm gonna have pictures and movies next time I squat which will be monday.

Oh yeah...i was being sarcastic with the big number thing, being that I can't squat much lol

 

[benchmonster]

Yeah, I picked up on that. But I was being very serious regarding form.

B.

 

[bigokie]

Have someone watch you. When you go down tell them to watch your knees. If they go forward you're putting too much stress on them. This causes pain. And it can cause the patella to seperate, and people that have had this will tell you it's not much fun. I've only known one person who did this, and they told me it's horrible!! So in short, watch your form and sit BACK!!!

 

[IrishPower]

some people are more prone to knee pain and injuries then others. you have to know which one you are. i would say if you are having knee pain at 185, you should really try and learn the proper hip-squatting, wide-stance form that is employed by westside lifters. if done properly, it will move much of the stress off of your knees.

that being said, they still take some heavy weights on ME days on a low box, with a narrow stance. the key is just not too often.

now that i have started using bands in training, i am also taking every 4th week off or very light to give those knees and tendons a rest.

train hard.
/irish

 

[p03t1c]

i found westside after my gf tore her left knee. she now has 4 metal screws in it. we couldn't lift anymore. anything that required that knee was totally out of the question. i had to look somewhere. i had to find something that would work. since we have found this method of training (wide stance, knees never past parallel), i have not once heard her complain about any knee pain. just keep working on that form.