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    • Shondell Baijoo
      Participant
      February 15, 2020 at 11:34 pm
      Post count: 3
      #18074

      So I’ve finally worked up the courage to record myself at the gym and noticed that my squat depth is not great. When looking at myself in a mirror with no weight I find that if I go to right below parallel it puts a ‘bad pain’ on my knees and ankles (bad as in it doesn’t feel like a typical “muscles working hard” pain-it feels unnatural). I tried widening my stance which felt better, but from that position my body wants to slip into a yoga squat. I’m bracing and rooting hard in the weightless experiments and not quite sure what else I can do to fix this. I’m very flexible so it’s unlikely a mobility issue. Is this type of thing normal for some people or should I restart from the basics and work on building strength in a wider stance? Thanks!

    • Matt
      Keymaster
      February 17, 2020 at 11:19 am
      Post count: 240
      #18075

      Shondell it would be very helpful to see a video.
      In the wider stance adding a bar (even a dowel) just to cue the bar to stay straight will help you from rolling under into a “yoga squat”.
      In the original stance are you sitting back for enough? While experimenting try holding a 5 or 10lb plate at arms length in front of you and really sitting back hard (the weight is a counter weight) and see if this feels better.
      If it does you might just need to dial in the squat form a little and do not have to restart anything.

    • Murph
      Keymaster
      February 18, 2020 at 9:51 am
      Post count: 918
      #18078

      Shondell,

      Great to have you here!

      I hope things are good for you in your new location.

    • Shondell Baijoo
      Participant
      February 18, 2020 at 11:55 am
      Post count: 3
      #18079

      Thanks, Murph!

      Here is the video I took (temporarily public):
      https://www.instagram.com/p/B8tyUAZh0-Z/?igshid=njmslr7x7r7m

      I tried the original stance with a counterweight and sitting back further and that felt better on my knees! Thanks 🙂

    • Matt
      Keymaster
      February 18, 2020 at 1:00 pm
      Post count: 240
      #18080

      Shondell, where this original stance or new stance?

      If the counterweight helped we know we need to sit back more regardless of stance, however, bringing your feet a little wider will help you sit back without being too leaned forward.
      Next time you are in try widening the stance a little and keep the weights lighter. Try to make the squat with the bar feel the same way on your legs as the squat with the counter weight.

    • Shondell Baijoo
      Participant
      February 18, 2020 at 1:10 pm
      Post count: 3
      #18081

      This video was of my original stance where I noticed I wasn’t going low enough. It’s slightly wider than hip width. Thanks Matt! I will try going a little wider and see how that feels.

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