How to increase hip flexibility for squats??

[cjobson]

Hey guys...
I'm having a hard time hitting parallel when I squat over 100 lbs (yeah, lame). I feel like my hips just won't go past like 45 degrees above parallel. Even with just the barbell I can hit parallel, but I feel like I can't go much deeper than that.
I talked to a gym coach that I know about it...he said that me being tall with long legs and a short torso could make it more difficult for me to do so. But I know that that's not a good excuse. My other lifting buddy said you basically just have to push it, but I feel like if I do force myself deeper then I definitely won't be able to get back up.

Any exercises/stretches/etc that I could do to get more flexible???

Thanks.

[mtownballer20]

Stretch regularly. When warming up go deep as possible, and drop the weight until you hit depth on working sets.

[KillerB84]

If you can go deeper with an empty bar, than it's not a mobility issue, it's a strength issue.

[zezi25]

You can try to do the agile 8 or limber 11 warmups, they are very good for opening the hips, defenietly helped me! But if you are uncertain of your form just post a vid here.

[bsc77]

Lateral lunges with DBs and glute bridges work pretty well to increase hip flexibility.

[batman37]

Do pause squats and really sit in the hole.

[Jasonk282]

If you can hit depth with just the bar and not with the weight on...that's not a mobility issue.

[cjobson]

Thanks guys. I see what you mean about the strength issue being more of a possibility...I guess in that case I should lower back down to 100 and really make sure that I'm hitting parallel before moving up to 115+. I'm veryyy close with 115, so maybe I can try to force it with safety bars.
I still feel like it could be a flexibility problem too, though. I guess a combination of stretching and forcing it at 115 could work.

[godsamurai]

not all long legs are same though. Long leg with short calve are better with wider stance. Have you actually tried different stance? this may help to hit the parallel much easily. Long leg short torso sounds good for low bar squat.

[cjobson]

not all long legs are same though. Long leg with short calve are better with wider stance. Have you actually tried different stance? this may help to hit the parallel much easily. Long leg short torso sounds good for low bar squat.

I have both long thighs and long calves but yes, I actually forgot to mention, I do have an easier time with wider stances. The closer the stance is, the harder it is for me, unless I have assistance with the Smith machine which I really only use for chair squats.
I also have to do RDLs instead of SLDLs because of the leg problem. That could be from the hip flexibility problem too I guess, but even with the bar itself on a DL I have to bend my knees.

[TrettinR]

Doesn't sound like a hip mobility issue like others have mentioned. That being said working on hip mobility is generally a good thing. The stretches in this video along with a few others have helped me a lot.



Also, I saw your before picture. Looks like you've come a long way. Congrats.

[kaleida]

Please read this for long femur / short torso squat setup options...your gym coach is right, getting deep enough can be a challenge with those proportions but there are multiple options to work around it:

Squatting With Long Femurs

[JOoa0ky]

I have both long thighs and long calves but yes, I actually forgot to mention, I do have an easier time with wider stances. The closer the stance is, the harder it is for me, unless I have assistance with the Smith machine which I really only use for chair squats.
I also have to do RDLs instead of SLDLs because of the leg problem. That could be from the hip flexibility problem too I guess, but even with the bar itself on a DL I have to bend my knees.

Is there a reason as to why you don't want to stick with a wider stance then?

Unfortunately, some people can only squat ONE way while others luck out and have an entire treasure box full of squatting forms. Also, it'd be most helpful for everyone if you post a form video.

[kaleida]

Unfortunately, some people can only squat ONE way while others luck out and have an entire treasure box full of squatting forms.

So true. Just knowing all the options is a good start ...something that doesn't work now might work later.

[Jasonk282]

Is there a reason as to why you don't want to stick with a wider stance then?

Unfortunately, some people can only squat ONE way while others luck out and have an entire treasure box full of squatting forms. Also, it'd be most helpful for everyone if you post a form video.

^this. play around with stances and bar position to find what works best for you.

[Hundley52]

If you can go deeper with an empty bar, than it's not a mobility issue, it's a strength issue.

I Second this.

[cjobson]

Doesn't sound like a hip mobility issue like others have mentioned. That being said working on hip mobility is generally a good thing. The stretches in this video along with a few others have helped me a lot.



Also, I saw your before picture. Looks like you've come a long way. Congrats.

I'll give those a try and add them to my stretching routine..thank you!
Thanks for the input guys. I did try a wider stance and I have a MUCH easier time. I can actually go below parallel with sumo squats. So I guess I'll just have to stick to wide stances for now and see if I can get into a closer one...but hey if it works, it works.

[Caezar07]

I'll give those a try and add them to my stretching routine..thank you!
Thanks for the input guys. I did try a wider stance and I have a MUCH easier time. I can actually go below parallel with sumo squats. So I guess I'll just have to stick to wide stances for now and see if I can get into a closer one...but hey if it works, it works.

That Kelley Starrett video helped me squat deeper. Definitely add it to your stretch routine and check out his other videos. That said, take what he says with a grain of salt. He acts as if everyone's squat stance should be fairly narrow with your toes pointed practically straight forward.

Different people will tell you different things about this, but I believe that some people just aren't meant to squat with a shoulder width stance and toes straight forward. This would have to do with the proportion of your legs and the size/shape of your hip. I squat at slightly wider than shoulder width with my toes pointed out at almost 45 degrees. Doing this allows me to squat to parallel. The important thing about not getting injured when squatting is to not buckle your knees in, and to not goodmorning the weight up. You should be able to avoid doing those things and still do a wide/narrow or toes in/out foot stance that suits your proportions.

EDIT

Please read this for long femur / short torso squat setup options...your gym coach is right, getting deep enough can be a challenge with those proportions but there are multiple options to work around it:

Squatting With Long Femurs

Wow, great post...repped. This really explains things well. Kelley Starrett really teaches some good stuff about hip and ankle flexibility, but he doesn't mention anything about femur length, and I think your post provides the last piece of the puzzle as to why I cannot squat at shoulder width with my toes forward. I gave up trying to squat toes forward a while ago, even after practicing Kelley Starett's stretching routine for a few weeks (I still do them), but it's nice to see the mechanics of why I can't do it.

[PaulRivers]

You can try to do the agile 8 or limber 11 warmups, they are very good for opening the hips, defenietly helped me! But if you are uncertain of your form just post a vid here.

Yeah, it definitely helped me as well -
http://www.defrancostraining.com/ask...y-routine.html

[thegreatest911]

Joe DeFranco's "Limber 11" (flexibility routine): http://youtu.be/FSSDLDhbacc