Knees pushing in when squatting. Way to correct this?

[sword_]

My friend noticed this and I sometimes do this when I get into higher sets in my squat routine. For some reason my knees start to go in so I can generate more power to push the weight up when I squat.

One of my buddies told me that I am not pushing through my heels when doing this and that is wrong. One method he suggested was to put plates under your heels to force yourself to do the correct for.

Does anyone else have this problem sometimes when doing legs and what methods have you used to correct it?

[Mindi912]

My friend noticed this and I sometimes do this when I get into higher sets in my squat routine. For some reason my knees start to go in so I can generate more power to push the weight up when I squat.

One of my buddies told me that I am not pushing through my heels when doing this and that is wrong. One method he suggested was to put plates under your heels to force yourself to do the correct for.

Does anyone else have this problem sometimes when doing legs and what methods have you used to correct it?

No he is not right at all - and no do not put plates under your heals. I love guys who think the remedy for all squat problems is to stick plates under your heals.

Your adductors are weak and need strengthening. You could some form of sumo dead or squat to help strengthen this or you could try tying a band around your knees so it's tight when your legs are hip/squat width apart at the start of your squat and the aim would be to keep that band tight throughout the entire movement. If your knees go in it will slip and defeats the purpose of the exercise.

[XPredatorX]

that same thing happens to me, well on the last couple of reps if the weights heavy. I put me feet a little wider than they were, and pointed my toes slightly out and it fixed the problem. I thought it was the weight at first, but turned out to just be the position of my feet. Hope it helps...

[lukew55]

No he is not right at all - and no do not put plates under your heals. I love guys who think the remedy for all squat problems is to stick plates under your heals.

Your adductors are weak and need strengthening. You could some form of sumo dead or squat to help strengthen this or you could try tying a band around your knees so it's tight when your legs are hip/squat width apart at the start of your squat and the aim would be to keep that band tight throughout the entire movement. If your knees go in it will slip and defeats the purpose of the exercise.

if your aDductors are weak, would the aBductors take over and keep the legs from collapsing inwards? or is it that the aBductors are so exhausted at the end that the weaker aDductors kick in to pull the knees in...?

sry just kinda confused.

[Mindi912]

if your aDductors are weak, would the aBductors take over and keep the legs from collapsing inwards? or is it that the aBductors are so exhausted at the end that the weaker aDductors kick in to pull the knees in...?

sry just kinda confused.

Sorry i get this wrong as well, it's actually that your aBductors are weak which is causing your knees to fall in because they can't hold them out.

Does that help.

Sorry again for the confusion, I do get those two mixed up.

however this could be true also - or is it that the aBductors are so exhausted at the end that the weaker aDductors kick in to pull the knees in...?

[monatu]

easiest way is simply to lower the weight, ensure a solid wide stance, weight on the heels - and spend a week or two focusing on pushing your knees out every single rep

[Mindi912]

easiest way is simply to lower the weight, ensure a solid wide stance, weight on the heels - and spend a week or two focusing on pushing your knees out every single rep

yep this is definitely a solution.

I would personally use this option.

[lukew55]

Sorry i get this wrong as well, it's actually that your aBductors are weak which is causing your knees to fall in because they can't hold them out.

Does that help.

Sorry again for the confusion, I do get those two mixed up.

however this could be true also - or is it that the aBductors are so exhausted at the end that the weaker aDductors kick in to pull the knees in...?

i think both situations are possible but first is probably more common.

thx for the clear up

[Mindi912]

i think both situations are possible but first is probably more common.

thx for the clear up

Yes the first is definitely the more common issue - no prob's and thanks for questioning because as I said I always get mixed up.

[sword_]

easiest way is simply to lower the weight, ensure a solid wide stance, weight on the heels - and spend a week or two focusing on pushing your knees out every single rep

It only happens in the last few sets, its not consistent.

[entropy1]

possibly weak adductors, i had a similar problem, i corrected it with wide squats and the adductor machine (good girl machine)

heres my thread about it http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=112575681

[-Lucifer]

It only happens in the last few sets, its not consistent.

Yes, that's because of your weak abductors like Mindi said.

This machine is awesome - http://img.quamut.com/chart/531/51_abductor_2.jpg

[entropy1]

Yes, that's because of your weak abductors like Mindi said.

This machine is awesome - http://img.quamut.com/chart/531/51_abductor_2.jpg

thats an aBductor machine, not aDductor

[Mindi912]

thats an aBductor machine, not aDductor

That's what you want to strengthen your aBductors not your aDuctors.

from my previous post - your aBductors are weak which is causing your knees to fall in because they can't hold them out.

[entropy1]

That's what you want to strengthen your aBductors not your aDuctors.

from my previous post - your aBductors are weak which is causing your knees to fall in because they can't hold them out.

you sure, i thought the legs were moving in to a stronger postion for the adductors. i reread my thread and every person says the alternate. anyway, i'm tired and confused, goodluck sword. probably just train both

[Mindi912]

you sure, i thought the legs were moving in to a stronger postion for the adductors. i reread my thread and every person says the alternate. anyway, i'm tired and confused, goodluck sword. probably just train both

I know i get confused but think about it like this - if adductors were it would cause your knees to move outwards because the job of your adductors are to hold the knees together/in.

If the abductors are weak then it will cause the knees to fall inwards because the job of the abductors is to hold your knees apart.

[entropy1]

I know i get confused but think about it like this - if adductors were it would cause your knees to move outwards because the job of your adductors are to hold the knees together/in.

i thought it was the adductors are weak, so they need to move into a stronger postion mechanically, ie closer

[Mindi912]

i thought it was the adductors are weak, so they need to move into a stronger postion mechanically, ie closer

Nope you don't want them moving closer together as that's the whole part of the problem. If your knees are caving in then your adductors are stronger than your abductors and they pull the knees in. You need to work on the muscle that holds them apart, this would be your abductors.

[iSkinny]

Valgus is generally caused by bad proprioception, so they don't know they're doing it, or weak abductors, so the load is to high. The solution is relatively simple: lower the load and make sure they concentrate on pushing the knees out, which can be helped by placing a resistance band around the knees initially and then progressing to around mid shin level and then the ankles. You can also slightly externally rotate their feet and tell them to push their knees in the direction of their toes.

Just so you know - research has shown that in a flexed knee and hip relative ACL strain is significantly higher (4-6x higher if I remember correctly) during Valgus movement.

[-Lucifer]

thats an aBductor machine, not aDductor

Yeah, I was talking about just that - the ABductor.

Abduction is a movement which draws a limb away from the median (Sagittal) plane of the body.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abduction_(kinesiology)

So if your ABductors are weak, they won't be able to stabilize the weight and your knees will buckle inwards.

[low blow]

fock mang just think of it as abduction like you're kidnapping somebody and all will be sweet.

[knassbruckles]

that same thing happens to me, well on the last couple of reps if the weights heavy. I put me feet a little wider than they were, and pointed my toes slightly out and it fixed the problem. I thought it was the weight at first, but turned out to just be the position of my feet. Hope it helps...

wider stance, toes out...

[lukew55]

fock mang just think of it as abduction like you're kidnapping somebody and all will be sweet.

exactly how i memorised it

[Krunchy]

My friend noticed this and I sometimes do this when I get into higher sets in my squat routine. For some reason my knees start to go in so I can generate more power to push the weight up when I squat.

One of my buddies told me that I am not pushing through my heels when doing this and that is wrong. One method he suggested was to put plates under your heels to force yourself to do the correct for.

Does anyone else have this problem sometimes when doing legs and what methods have you used to correct it?

It's already been said, but it sounds like your adductors are overpowering your abducters. This also means your glutes aren't firing properly in the deep portion of the squat. Drop the weight, widen your stance a bit, and focus on breaking at the hips first and sitting down and back into the squat while simultaneously cuing yourself to keep your knees out.

[low blow]

How about you look up exercises to treat Trendelenburgs sign/gait - they are specific to glute max/med/min and doing some of those before your workout should help increase their contraction during squats

[Caracalla]

i hate to admit it but i use the abductor machine all the time and my knees stopped moving in on me. definetly try it

[Bluerain]

Watch this video it's really good..it will explain how to resolve this problem along with other things...just keep watching the video.


http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...81301858251744

[sword_]

Using the hip abductor machine has been helping me out a lot lately. Thanks for the advice again.

[Kiknskreem]

Regarding ABduction and knees out in the squat... someone asked the same question on Strength Mill.....

The deal with knees out is that the external rotators of the femur -- all three glutes, obturator, inf. and sup. gemellus, and piriformis -- are holding the femur in external rotation, and this is responsible for the knees-out position. It's also responsible for placing the adductors in a position where they can do the work of hip extension. The vag-o-saurus machine only works the abduction function of the TFL, so it doesn't help.

So the leg doesn't actually abduct... you can actually bring your feet together, toes ahead, then point your toes out (with heels still touching) and squat and your knees will be out... all you have done is externally rotated the femur.

[-Lucifer]

Using the hip abductor machine has been helping me out a lot lately. Thanks for the advice again.

Good to hear.

Now rep me, brah.