Foot positioning and squats

[muscledog95]

How important do you think foot positioning is in squating. For some reason I can never get my feet even with eachother. One might be slighlty pointing out. Could this be a problem down the road?

Thanks
Kevin

 

[spatts]

Westside says try to keep them forward. Another world record squatter told me to do what's natural because that's where I'd be strongest.

Mine point slightly out, because that's comfortable for me.

 

[needsize]

Mine are never totally even either, dont stress about it

 

[muscledog95]

good..was wondering if it was damaging to my knees

 

[spatts]

I think letting your knees come in (weak hips) is more of a concern than foot positioning.

 

[Liftbig]

i recently switched my foot placement in the squat, aside from widening my stance i have started to point my toes forward as opposed to before when i would point them out wards, i feel much more powerful this way then before.

 

[Lord_Suston]

I put them about shoulder width and even spacing. I also slightly pint them ot maybe 10 degrees, since my knees go right over my feet at this angle I feel really comfortable even when going past parallel.

 

[Citruscide]

I've always heard keep your feet pointing the same direction as your knees... if you have your feet pointing straight, and your knees are going out a bit... it might not be the sturdiest platform for doing squats...

But, I agree... comfortability should prevail over any given guideline.

C-ditty

 

[Debaser]

Foot placement, both distance between and the angle of your feet, is completely dependent on the person.

Just remember, in general, if you draw an imaginary line vertically from your toes, your knees should not go past that line.

 

[spatts]

Actually, it's ankles. Your knees shouldn't go past your ankles.

 

[Citruscide]

Actually, it's ankles. Your knees shouldn't go past your ankles.

You're the expert. Knees not going past the ankles it is!

C-ditty

 

[circusgirl]

afaik - it's a good idea to keep your knees and toes in the same line, to prevent force acting across rather than down the knee joint. This is what the PL folks at my gym told me - they said I was pointing my toes out too much and my knees were not in line, and this would wreck my knees...

 

[edgecrusher]

Toe position is not a real issue as far as torque on the knee. I really don't think, there is much research that shows how a squat can damage the knee. I think most knee injuries that occur while squatting are due to excessive loads that the individual should not be handling.

 

[spatts]

..or the things people do to themselves that cause a muscle to be a helluva lot stronger than the surrounding tendons and ligaments.