Hip flexibility & Squats

[Zander1983]

When squatting, I find that my hips are my weak link. They are very poor in terms of flexibility and it limits my squats. I've found a lot of good information about hip mobility drills, but they all seem to require hurdles. And there's only so much stretching of the hip flexors that you can do for static flexibility.

I guide my younger brother through his weights workouts, and he simply cannot squat below parallel, no matter how hard he tries. He's 14 and a talented athlete, so I want the best for him. I've got him following a thorough static stretching program daily, at the least. However, it doesn't seem to be making all that much of a difference. His posterior chain flexibility seems to be excellent (judging from his sit and reach test), and when I watch him squat it looks like it is his hips that are the problem.

His problem is much like mine, but I can get past parallel and his is much more severe. We both have very lose joints and with good mobility, with the exception of our hips.

Anybody have any ideas?

 

[Broli55]

i had the same problem when i first started doing squats all that i know is that when i opened my stance a little wider i got a lot more deeper, and if that don't work lighten your weight up and practice getting lower. The last thing i can say to try is do hack squats with no weight on the sled. that should be enough to get you lower.

 

[jesus 2]

it could be that he is not pushing his hips far enough back. i'm not sure about your training experience, but i remember when i first started squatting, i never got my hips as far back as i should. it also limited the amount of weight i squatted.

 

[Zander1983]

I think my own squat form is fairly good these days, but can always be improved. I've only been training properly for about a year (three years previously, but not intelligently and well-informed), and I've had to take many breaks from lower body work because of groin injuries. I'll check my form re: my hips getting back far enough and see what difference it makes. Generally, I still think I have "weak" hips. I spend a lot of my day sitting down, which is a problem. I'm either studying or driving my car (my job requires a lot of driving).

For my brother, next time we squat I'll make sure he tries to get far back enough. We've done a lot of experimenting with his stance, but it never has made a big difference - wide or not. Again, we'll spend more time on form...

Thanks guys. Any other ideas?

 

[PolishHammer1977]

When squatting, I find that my hips are my weak link. They are very poor in terms of flexibility and it limits my squats. I've found a lot of good information about hip mobility drills, but they all seem to require hurdles. And there's only so much stretching of the hip flexors that you can do for static flexibility.

I guide my younger brother through his weights workouts, and he simply cannot squat below parallel, no matter how hard he tries. He's 14 and a talented athlete, so I want the best for him. I've got him following a thorough static stretching program daily, at the least. However, it doesn't seem to be making all that much of a difference. His posterior chain flexibility seems to be excellent (judging from his sit and reach test), and when I watch him squat it looks like it is his hips that are the problem.

His problem is much like mine, but I can get past parallel and his is much more severe. We both have very lose joints and with good mobility, with the exception of our hips.

Anybody have any ideas?

box squats

 

[rjl296]

Re: Re: Hip flexibility & Squats

box squats

ditto

 

[gettinlarger]

Re: Re: Hip flexibility & Squats

box squats

I was thinking the same thing.

Also, quick question ... What's your/his stance like? I can go ATF with a shoulder-width-or-narrower stance, but it's tough to get down past parallel when I go much wider.

 

[PolishHammer1977]

Re: Re: Re: Hip flexibility & Squats

I was thinking the same thing.

Also, quick question ... What's your/his stance like? I can go ATF with a shoulder-width-or-narrower stance, but it's tough to get down past parallel when I go much wider.

Feet about 3-5 inches outside of my shoulders. It's allhips when I am ATF. My hips were a weak point for me but I am working them out now
It is tougher to go wider for me too. I haven't done shoulder width squats in a long time. Soon I will.

 

[Zander1983]

My normal stance is similar to PolishHammer's, and I can get ATF. My brother's stance is a bit narrower than mine, closer to shoulder-width.

We will try some box squats. We're both the same height (5'8), so what size box is best? If I remember correctly, just past or close to parallel?

 

[spatts]

Box squats

Kneeling squats

ATF Zercher Squats

Pullthroughs

Hip thrusts