How wide is your squat stance and what is your foot angle?

[EliKoehn]

This is something that I still don't quite have a natural feel for. Most of the time, I place my feet just outside of shoulder width and pointed outward approximately 45 degrees each, so that the imaginary line between them forms a hypotenuse with the right angle of my tailbone at depth, and aiming to keep my knees tracking near vertically with the toes until lockout at the top. I'd say that's a fairly wide stance and it is my norm, but interestingly, the few times I've deliberately experimented with something quite narrow (feet nearly straight and parallel, just inside the shoulders), that seems to work fine as well, albeit in a different way with different points of stress.

I'm unsure which (or whether) there's an ideal stance for my leverage mechanics, but I'd like to find out and stick with it. It's just a bit confusing because both kind of work and I would like to know in advance if possible which to invest time and effort honing; and if one ends up sending me onto a plateau earlier, I'd rather not have to "unlearn" any subpar habits associated with it.

Also, what stance/posture do you all tend to find to be the most successful for you?

[paulinkansas]

Before I became a feeble little old man, I would put my heels on a pair of 10 pound plates when squatting. Reagan was in the White House back then.

[TolerantLactose]

I low bar squat with a shoulder width stance, toes pointed about 15 degrees out. I used to squat pretty wide but after time, I developed a sharp pain in my left hip when I hit parallel with weights above 275lb.

[BeginnerGainz]

I don’t squat lol

[GeneralSerpant]

I don’t squat lol

Not surprised. Jk.

Close and straight.

Edit: Eli I would raise or lower the weight from whatever you feel like doing in the moment, and establish a small range of intensity. Not for p overload obviously, but just to establish the range of width and the range of angle and see if you can modulate your regular execution

[Camarija]

I don't do Squats anymore, but I do squat movements in machines

Like the Hack Squat, Leg Press, Pivot Press, Front Squat Machine, etc.

I try to make it as quad focused as possible, letting the knees fall over my toes on the descent

As close and straight as possible while getting ass to grass without letting my lower back round

Some days my flexibility just isn't there and that means wider stance feet pointed further out

On leg press machines if I'm tight I'll slide up in the seat to make it easier on my hips and lower back

[jademonkey]

Personally squat low bar, feet a bit more than shoulder width apart, maybe 35 degrees or so out. It's just most comfortable for me.

[GeneralSerpant]

On leg press machines if I'm tight I'll slide up in the seat to make it easier on my hips and lower back

Are you using the handle bars?

[SuicideGripMe]

I'm a big believer in box squats so I typically do a bunch of warm ups with just the bar to find what's most comfortable that day (given what bar or style I'm using too).

[Camarija]

Are you using the handle bars?

Depends on the machine but not normally

*edit*

I think I understand what you mean.

Maybe you thought I slide up on the seat by accident or as a result of tightness

But I purposefully set up a little higher up and it helps me out with reduced lower back rounding by limiting my range of motion

[GrouchyUSMC]

High bar and a narrow stance, due to weightlifting. Even when I dabbled in powerlifting I still squatted the same way. Even in my 40s I can still hit the bottom position any time of the day and rest there without any issues because of it.

This might help.

[Xpiro]

Roughly shoulder width or possibly a tad narrower, feet angled out about 40 degrees. Just a visual guesstimate. The wider I go and the more narrow my foot angle, the less depth I get. I can still hit parallel, but I prefer to shove my hams into my calves. Too narrow of a stance, though, and I’m setting myself up for a lot of low back flexion at the bottom. Also less angled out feet = very awkward with knee pain. All of this is high bar, I ditched low bar some time ago.

[MyEgoProblem]

Comp lowbar is 22" heel distance with about 15' flare.

Box squat is usually toes under rack

Anything else (free or machine) varies because why would i limit my growth and push quicker towards over reaching and over use issues.

[GeneralSerpant]

Depends on the machine but not normally

*edit*

I think I understand what you mean.

Maybe you thought I slide up on the seat by accident or as a result of tightness

But I purposefully set up a little higher up and it helps me out with reduced lower back rounding by limiting my range of motion

Yeah I follow. The ergonomics are most likely situated for practical use unless the machine is notably outdated.

Scooting the posterior forward helps articulate the spine, but it’s an impractical move if you’re able to use your traps and abs instead of your hip externals.

[Camarija]

unless the machine is notably outdated.

I get workouts in where I can, and some gyms seem to buy less expensive foreign market clones that aren't quite right.

Maybe the machines are made for average smaller height people, or maybe something about the machines is just off.

Leg extension clones are the worst, normally leaves my shins bloodied

[BeginnerGainz]

Edit: worked up to a heavy triple SSB squat today.

Stance is maybe a hair wider than shoulder with, about 15’ flair. I used to have to be a lot wider and more foot flair to hit depth.

“Depth” being below parallel as confirmed by my spotter.

[EliKoehn]

Before I became a feeble little old man, I would put my heels on a pair of 10 pound plates when squatting. Reagan was in the White House back then.

Which part of the foot did you elevate? And the era of the clanky metal plates. Wish I belonged to that...

I low bar squat with a shoulder width stance, toes pointed about 15 degrees out. I used to squat pretty wide but after time, I developed a sharp pain in my left hip when I hit parallel with weights above 275lb.

It seems to put the QL more at risk. So a narrower stance mitigated this problem for you, even at the same weights?

Not surprised. Jk.

Close and straight.

Edit: Eli I would raise or lower the weight from whatever you feel like doing in the moment, and establish a small range of intensity. Not for p overload obviously, but just to establish the range of width and the range of angle and see if you can modulate your regular execution

Interesting. Why would raising the weight be a good idea to experiment with form, though? I'd think going to @6 or something would be the best way to "get a feel" without ensuing body English.

I don't do Squats anymore, but I do squat movements in machines

Like the Hack Squat, Leg Press, Pivot Press, Front Squat Machine, etc.

I try to make it as quad focused as possible, letting the knees fall over my toes on the descent

As close and straight as possible while getting ass to grass without letting my lower back round

Some days my flexibility just isn't there and that means wider stance feet pointed further out

On leg press machines if I'm tight I'll slide up in the seat to make it easier on my hips and lower back

With the Smith or Hack, since balance isn't an issue, you could technically put your feet adjacent to and touching each other if you're going for as close and straight as possible. Have you ever tried doing that, and what was your reaction to it?

I'm a big believer in box squats so I typically do a bunch of warm ups with just the bar to find what's most comfortable that day (given what bar or style I'm using too).

Does the box squat affect the width you would otherwise have, or are you just speaking in general?

High bar and a narrow stance, due to weightlifting. Even when I dabbled in powerlifting I still squatted the same way. Even in my 40s I can still hit the bottom position any time of the day and rest there without any issues because of it.

This might help.

Great resource as always, thanks.

Did you find this more efficient than wider, or was it something you intentionally went for because it's more "purely" a squat?

Roughly shoulder width or possibly a tad narrower, feet angled out about 40 degrees. Just a visual guesstimate. The wider I go and the more narrow my foot angle, the less depth I get. I can still hit parallel, but I prefer to shove my hams into my calves. Too narrow of a stance, though, and I’m setting myself up for a lot of low back flexion at the bottom. Also less angled out feet = very awkward with knee pain. All of this is high bar, I ditched low bar some time ago.

Yeah, the wide flare of the feet seems to be the only way to go if it's not a narrow stance. Interesting that you have more lumbar flexion with narrow, as that seems to be a better way of reducing back involvement overall (but what do I know about this lift anyway...).

Comp lowbar is 22" heel distance with about 15' flare.

Box squat is usually toes under rack

Anything else (free or machine) varies because why would i limit my growth and push quicker towards over reaching and over use issues.

What difference does the foot angle make overall, would you say? Does it really matter, if you go wide, whether your feet are relatively straight or flared out? When I got 405, my feet were probably 45 degrees out.

Edit: worked up to a heavy triple SSB squat today.

Stance is maybe a hair wider than shoulder with, about 15’ flair. I used to have to be a lot wider and more foot flair to hit depth.

“Depth” being below parallel as confirmed by my spotter.

Was the narrower stance something you intentionally worked towards or just something that naturally happened as you got more adept at it?

[keyboardworkout]

Wide with toes out. But I do have a 38" inseam.

[BeginnerGainz]

Was the narrower stance something you intentionally worked towards or just something that naturally happened as you got more adept at it?

Dunno, TBH.

Might have had something to do with taking leg presses seriously and building up them quadzz

[EliKoehn]

Dunno, TBH.

Might have had something to do with taking leg presses seriously and building up them quadzz

I'm going to start taking leg isos more seriously. Yesterday I squatted 4 x 6 at 315 but also burned out the hip ab/adductors (plus calf raises and machine extensions) on those machines. I think having even just a mobility weakness could be a huge Achilles heel. Wonder if as I build that up the form will correct more naturally.

[BeginnerGainz]

I'm going to start taking leg isos more seriously. Yesterday I squatted 4 x 6 at 315 but also burned out the hip ab/adductors (plus calf raises and machine extensions) on those machines. I think having even just a mobility weakness could be a huge Achilles heel. Wonder if as I build that up the form will correct more naturally.

Leg press isn’t an iso, but I see what you’re getting at.

[EliKoehn]

Leg press isn’t an iso, but I see what you’re getting at.

I wasn't referring to leg press. I did heavy barbell back squats and deadlifts and then static holds to depth at bodyweight, then seated calf raise, both of the hip flexor machines, and then the leg extension machine (all with a one count pause). The last four are isos, no?

[GeneralSerpant]

Interesting. Why would raising the weight be a good idea to experiment with form, though? I'd think going to @6 or something would be the best way to "get a feel" without ensuing body English.

Trialing a weight at the lower end you think works good with the tested stance.

[BeginnerGainz]

I wasn't referring to leg press. I did heavy barbell back squats and deadlifts and then static holds to depth at bodyweight, then seated calf raise, both of the hip flexor machines, and then the leg extension machine (all with a one count pause). The last four are isos, no?

My bad, I thought you were implying leg presses are isolation movements as well.

Been dealing with that a lot lately. Mostly having to do with people calling chest supported rows isos and I was like “uh it is a row, all rows are compounds”

“bUt It Is A MuHsHeEn!”

*face palm*

[Camarija]

With the Smith or Hack, since balance isn't an issue, you could technically put your feet adjacent to and touching each other if you're going for as close and straight as possible. Have you ever tried doing that, and what was your reaction to it?

I think those are called frog pumps or Platz Squats?

I decided to try the Smith today, heels together feels fine with my feet placed further in front of me, not under me

I found my natural stance is feet under me, feet about shoulder width apart, feet about facing forward

Hit sets of *285 lbs x 5 reps with a few reps in the tank

Could definitely have pushed it harder but unfamiliar with the machine so not looking for injuries

* unloaded smith bar is 15 lbs, not 45 lbs

Just tried it again... if i put my feet underneath me with heels together and toes facing out, my lower back was fine ass to grass, but my knees would have long term issues 100%

[MyEgoProblem]

What difference does the foot angle make overall, would you say? Does it really matter, if you go wide, whether your feet are relatively straight or flared out? When I got 405, my feet were probably 45 degrees out.

Feel for me.
How it suits your body.
I cant go full width with toes forward, joints just can't.

Kelly starett would say im broken but eh 😂 not about that supple leopard bs.

[BeginnerGainz]

Feel for me.
How it suits your body.
I cant go full width with toes forward, joints just can't.

Kelly starett would say im broken but eh 😂 not about that supple leopard bs.

Do you even couch stretch, bro?

[MyEgoProblem]

Do you even couch stretch, bro?

I lay on my couch and occasionally stretch when im a bit tired? 🏃‍♂️

[BeginnerGainz]

I lay on my couch and occasionally stretch when im a bit tired? 🏃‍♂️

Good answer lol

Something something hip flexors tight

[paulinkansas]

Which part of the foot did you elevate?

My calcaneus.