Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below Ok well before I started the 5x5 I rarely squatted heavy or frequently. Use to get my leg work on leg press, extensions, and so on. Well i found the missing link to make my legs grow, thats for sure! My knees must not be used to the movement. I've been told by numerous educated lifters that my form on the squat is very good. I go below parallel and love it. The problem is my knees. First I had pain in my left inner knee area now I have it on the right side. I don't want to fuck my knees up and i definitely don't want to lay off the squatting. After doing the 5x5 I can't imagine not squatting when going into the gym. It's a way of life now. Any advice would be appreciated.
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Knees and squating
- Thread starter UFC22
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ghettostudmuffin
New member
Make sure your kness aren't bowing inward as you descend or ascend.
Also look for shaking knees.
Sit back to start the squat. Same thing as when you're about to sit and read a magazine on the crapper. Don't break at the knees first.
When rising up from the bottom, try to keep the weight of your body pressed into your heels or even distributed and not on the balls and/or toes of your feet.
Don't use plates to stand on.
Don't bounce in the bottom and don't relax there either.
Where flat soled shoes with minimal arches. Converse Chuck Taylor's are best. With a little practice you can do full athletic squats in them. Or buy a pair of olympic shoes.
Rest up your knees. High rep, lightweight squats and bodyweight only squats are good rehab if you are just sore and not really injured or feeling real pain.
Hope that helps.
Also look for shaking knees.
Sit back to start the squat. Same thing as when you're about to sit and read a magazine on the crapper. Don't break at the knees first.
When rising up from the bottom, try to keep the weight of your body pressed into your heels or even distributed and not on the balls and/or toes of your feet.
Don't use plates to stand on.
Don't bounce in the bottom and don't relax there either.
Where flat soled shoes with minimal arches. Converse Chuck Taylor's are best. With a little practice you can do full athletic squats in them. Or buy a pair of olympic shoes.
Rest up your knees. High rep, lightweight squats and bodyweight only squats are good rehab if you are just sore and not really injured or feeling real pain.
Hope that helps.
Protobuilder
New member
ghettostudmuffin said:
Good advice.
Unless you're doing a high-bar, deep squat. What is described above is a typical powersquat style. Inapplicable if you're doing more of an olympic style squat.
Agree w/ Tweakle re: overuse. How long have you been squatting? How many days per week? Could simply be some tendinitis. Rest a bit. Ice. Some ibuprofen maybe.
iceman7230
New member
Try some knee wraps!
Lifting N Tx
New member
I have usually done the high bar, oly style squat as mentioned by Protobuilder. I found that doing those, and going ATG (hams on calves) was easier on my knees. That said, there is a place for different types of squats.
If you're doing the more PL style squat, yes, sit back and break first at the hips. However, if doing the wider, PL style squat I find that going too deep puts a lateral strain on my knees. So if you're doing 'em that way you may need to limit depth. Hard to say without more description and/or a video.
Just saying that you've been told that your form is very good isn't enough as there are different types of squats.
To elaborate on what Proto said, this post has a description of the differences. Which type of squat are you doing?
If you're doing the more PL style squat, yes, sit back and break first at the hips. However, if doing the wider, PL style squat I find that going too deep puts a lateral strain on my knees. So if you're doing 'em that way you may need to limit depth. Hard to say without more description and/or a video.
Just saying that you've been told that your form is very good isn't enough as there are different types of squats.
To elaborate on what Proto said, this post has a description of the differences. Which type of squat are you doing?
coolcolj
New member
bring up your hamstring strength - squats are very quad dominant and the imbalance will cause knee pain
stretch your calves, hip flexors and rectus femoris a lot - this will also cause knee pain if they get tight and they will from squats.
external hip rotor strength and mobility/flexibility - lacking in these will cause knee pain
do some single leg work
read - it tells it all, it works I speak from persopnal experience
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do;jsessionid=63D45B49624F33BA112A15CD98B27AEF.hydra?id=1127149
stretch your calves, hip flexors and rectus femoris a lot - this will also cause knee pain if they get tight and they will from squats.
external hip rotor strength and mobility/flexibility - lacking in these will cause knee pain
do some single leg work
read - it tells it all, it works I speak from persopnal experience
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do;jsessionid=63D45B49624F33BA112A15CD98B27AEF.hydra?id=1127149
ghettostudmuffin
New member
What I described can be applied to basically any squat style.
I squat heels shoulder width with moderate toe flare which is not quite olympic style, but an athletic squat. I do not do powerlifting style squats as I go ass to calves and this method work fine. If I do olympic style squats I still break backwards, but immediately lean forward a slight amount as I descend.
I know a true olympic squat pretty much breaks at the knees, but unless a person really understands the mechanics of a squat I think they are better off doing athletic squats with a break to the rear.
I squat heels shoulder width with moderate toe flare which is not quite olympic style, but an athletic squat. I do not do powerlifting style squats as I go ass to calves and this method work fine. If I do olympic style squats I still break backwards, but immediately lean forward a slight amount as I descend.
I know a true olympic squat pretty much breaks at the knees, but unless a person really understands the mechanics of a squat I think they are better off doing athletic squats with a break to the rear.
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