squats

[ZGzaZ]

hey guys, I'm having some trouble with my squats lately...when doing moderate/heavy weights I seem to have some trouble coming up...I go ass to the floor, and when i come up, my knees seem to go a little inward trying to get the weight back up...could it be that maybe I'm leaning foward a little bit, placing a lot more stress on the knee and calves?? or any other suggestions?

 

[spatts]

Weak hips.

 

[ZGzaZ]

grrrrrrr Spatts dont discourage me...

 

[louden_swain]

Spatts,

Have you ever had a problem with weak hips? I cannot get comfortable with the wide stance, and I know this is hurting my hip strength. Box squats seemed to help eliminate this problem, but what can I do to develop flexibility and become comfortable squatting with a wide stance.

What are some good exercises for strengthening hips?

 

[shoichi]

Do some hip abductors/adductors. Or maybe the weight is just too heavy for you at this moment.

 

[louden_swain]

Do some hip abductors/adductors. Or maybe the weight is just too heavy for you at this moment.

I am able to squat heavy, but it is with a closer stance. . .say shoulder width. There is no way I could squat as wide as a powerlifter.

 

[Furg]

Louden, I am in the middle of switching from a closer stance over to a wider stance. I used to be more into BB, but after I started lifting with a buddy of mine who is a competitive PL'er and changing up my training, I am hooked on PLing. I plan on making my first meet some time this spring, but my hips are a bad weakness for me right now, so I posted this on the PL board about a week ago.

http://boards.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=211634

 

[Citruscide]

The wide stance, I can get more weight up, I feel... but I feel alot more pressure on my hips... if I bring my stance in, it HAMMERS my quads more... like I can feel it hard-core...

You just need to work your hips more... mine got really sore when I started doing the wider squats, but built up strength after a while, and I can handle the heavier weight now.

C-ditty

 

[spatts]

I haven't had a problem with weak hips/glutes, although that probably has something to do with 17 years of sprinting, not squatting. I suppose they will always be weak in the sense that they can't ever be TOO strong.

I like kneeling squats, hip thrusts, pull throughs, dip squats...

Keep in mind that if your core (lower back/back/abs/obliques) is weak, your hips are going to try to compensate, thus making it feel harder on your hips.

On a side note, Becca Swanson squats well over 700 pounds with a narrow stance. Try telling her she "should" squat wide.

 

[ZGzaZ]

from a bodybuilding standpoint then, should one squat with a more narrow stance? It seems that way from the opinions here...powerlifting = wider, bodybuilding = narrow..? And if so, what is considered narrow? shoulder width?

 

[leatherface]

I like kneeling squats, hip thrusts, pull throughs, dip squats

explain!(what they are) please

 

[Citruscide]

On a side note, Becca Swanson squats well over 700 pounds with a narrow stance. Try telling her she "should" squat wide.

Strong hips

C-ditty

 

[spatts]

Z...the more compound the better, IMO. It doesn't really matter. You will use your quads in a wide squat, just not as primary movers. You will have more recruitment in a wide stance, and then you can superset, preexhaust, or follow-up with extensions to really hammer the quads.

 

[b fold the truth]

On a side note, Becca Swanson squats well over 700 pounds with a narrow stance. Try telling her she "should" squat wide.

When did she break 700? Last time I talked to her, couple months ago, she was still striving to do it in the gym...was getting 635 (I believe) for a couple reps and nearing in on 680 or so.

B True