Reactive Training Systems

JordanLinteris · Senior Member

Knees come in while squatting...

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

Just concentrate on it with lighter weights especially. It's not real bad, so I don't think it's dangerous at this point, so simply concentrating on it might help. Can you do it with light weights?

JordanLinteris · Senior Member

I had a guy watch me last time I squatted and he said my form was identical with 225 and up. 225 is extremely light, so I guess I cant.

JordanLinteris · Senior Member

It feels 100% right though when I squat. I dont actually know that my knees are coming in. I havent known this until I started taking video clips.

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

right, but you'll feel a difference when you push them out.

Tony Parrella · Senior Member

work on your hip abductor strength. lunges and the abductor machine will help fix this. my buddy DJ had the same problem and these helped to fix it.

JordanLinteris · Senior Member

Tony,
I cannot go into the gym and let the guys see me doing lunges... eek!! Maybe I will get a key and go at 2am when the gym is closed. Ha no that is probably a good idea. Mike I have tried pushing my knees out on the bottom. I forgot the write that earlier. My 225 set was my thinking about knees out before the set even started, lift off, walkout, and negative, all with knees out in my mind. That was the whole point to my squatting that day. Still didnt fix it.

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

Not on the negative so much as even on the way up.

How strong are your hips? How is your sumo pull?

Dano · Veteran Member

How close is your stance? Olympic lifters do this(deliberately most of the time) recovering from the clean as it helps get you past a sticking point. I did it and it works...for cleans.

I've seen a few PL do it but their stance was closer like an Olympic lifter. I know a multiple time world champion lifter(Priscilla Ribic, she used to train with us) that actually recommends doing this. If it is extreme, it isn't good. If its mild, it helps some lifters. You have a video??

JordanLinteris · Senior Member

Dano, I have a new vid from today on my training log. One with 600, and one with 625. Mike, my sumo is good. Conventional is still somewhat new to me. I pulled sumo for years and only started pulling conventional when I started RTS. Do you think I should try using sumo pulls as assistance work to verufy hip strength?

BobW · Senior Member

One thing I've heard some guys doing to fix this habit: loop a mini-band around your knees when you squat, as you fight the band pulling your knees in, you learn how to keep those knees pushed out.

Date: Mar 29, 2009

That is worth giving a shot Bob!

Dano · Veteran Member

What Bob said(with the bands) and Mike said(just working on keeping your knees out).

Mark Rippetoe talked about this being an adductor (not abductor) issue in his book, "Starting Strength". It seems counterintuitive since adductors are responsible for bringing the legs in, but once you look at the anatomy it makes sense.

Either way, great lifting! Hell, I'm only squatting in the low-400's with belt/wraps(@165 pounds)...I got some catching up to do.

Landon Evans · Member

Adductors are also hip extensors. People sometimes simply display larger valgus at the knee to utilize the adductors to help with hip extension because their hamstrings and glutes (medius and max (max is a external rotator of the hip as well)) are weak.

Overall, the issue seems to be:

1) Poor technical practice with the specific activity. If you were taught right the first time (or have been doing it right the first time), you wouldn't really have an issue. Your strength right now in squatting will not be able to be displayed immediately with this "new technique" as strength is specific to the movement itself. Having your knees out inline with your feet is going to be new.

2) Weak glute complex, hamstrings.

JordanLinteris · Senior Member

I agree with you in the fact that it is poor technical practice. Better late than never though. I am the only powerlifter in my town and have been self-trained on every movement. Until I recently started posting vids I never knew that I actually had a problem. I hope the strength loss isnt there. It is a new excercise, but only a light modification. I think keeping my knees out will actually add, since I am not losing energy with the knees coming in.....haha that is what I hope anyways.