Squat form problem - Exercise & Fitness Message Board

Omskakas · 03-05-2003, 02:54 PM

I've been lifting weights for two months now and I've made some steady progress in it. However, there is something wrong in my squat which prevents me from using heavy weights and hitting my thighs hard.

With no weight or just a little weight my squat form is good. But when I increase weights I can't keep my knees slipping over my toes (this, I heard, should not happen). And sometimes my knees clap together during a squat.

To me it seems that there is a "weak link" (a muscle) somewhere that hasn't got strong enough to support my squats. Has anyone had this kind of problem and or do you know what kind of excercise would help me to strenghten the "weak link"?

My gym is really small and I don't have any fancy schmancy equipment there. Only things that I have there that can work legs are free weights and leg extension machine.

Any ideas?

Naxis · 03-05-2003, 03:24 PM

You should be standing with feet about shoulder width apart... your knees should *not* be touching. Increase weight slowly. If you cannot maintain good form with heavier weight, don't use heavier weight. Squats are one thing you don't wanna get wrong. Too easy to hurt yourself if you're not careful. Stay at a weight that you can still maintain form with and increase reps until you're strong enough to safely up weight. Maybe use dumbells/sled/hack squat machine for 1-leg squats to build them independently, preventing overcompensation of one leg for another...

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Keep your body lean, your blood clean and your mind sharp. -Rollins

185lb lineman · 03-05-2003, 04:55 PM

no worries this is a simple problem. it happens to the best of us. this can be caused by
1-your stance is to wide or since your knees clap sometimes to thin.
2- you might be going down to low. back in my freshman days of squatting when i had a sucky coach(last yr) he had us go down to about 3-4 inches off the floor this can also be why youre doing that. go down only 90 degrees.

try out these things usually the weight doesnt affect it in my experiences. and stay off of leg extension machines they suck unless your your workin the hammies
-james

CanadianConvict · 03-05-2003, 08:01 PM

Point you toes slighly outward. This will fix your problem.

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~If your not going to give 110% at the gym then why bother going at all~

[This message has been edited by CanadianConvict (edited 03-05-2003).]

Omskakas · 03-06-2003, 02:07 AM

Ok, thanks all.
I will try these things. Oh, and if these won't work, I'll come back blaming you from bad advices.