Squat Problem (hamstring imbalance)

[Deciever]

After watching my contest videos uploaded to IrishPowers website, i realized one distinct thing about my squat.

I still favor my right side when squatting. If you watch the video of my 300 squat, you can see me lean more onto my right leg and push more with that leg to straighten myself out.

I think this is from my hamstring injury from football season where i screwed up the hamstring tendon, and i guess the two hamstrings arent equal in strength and i am still favoring it. Back when i was re-habbing my leg i would even favor it with just my bodyweight.


http://207.202.218.110/training/others/deciever/300squatNOGOOD.mpg

notice how once i break parallel my right leg begins to dominate.. . i think that if i didnt havea this problem, i could add maybe an extra 10-20 lbs on my squat..

So i was wondering, what are some exercisees i could do to bring the strength of my left hamstring back up to par w/ my right hamstring.

 

[FREAK19]

Well you can do one-legged leg curls. Hamstrings are very important in the squat. I would work extra hard on getting that Hamstring to catch up. But definitley do one legged leg curls. try and adjust the arm on the leg curl to where you can stand up and do them. if not you can do them lying down.

 

[Deciever]

nice suggestion, although i heard that leg curls were not very good for developing strength... im not sure thogh.

Its not a huge difference, but it would not hurt a bit to get it stronger, and it would help my squat... that extra force used by my right leg could be used to push up more weight, instead of making up for my left hamstring weakness.

 

[FREAK19]

That might be someones personal preference, I think that leg curls are really good. They really focus on your hamstrings, and if you use heavy weight, its gonna get strong.

 

[IrishPower]

other cool hamstring exercises:

stiff legged deadlifts

partial reps (lockouts) using a smith machine (i know i know... blaphemy).

 

[p03t1c]

i did stifflegged deadlifts for a while but i totally ditched them because my deadlift form went to hell. i was so used to pulling that way that i forgot how to pull the normal way. when i went to max out on the deadlift, it ended up being a stiffleg. if you do these i dont recommend doing them all the time.

 

[ZZuluZ]

Good question.

I wouldn't recommend leg curls, I don't see how that would carryover to squatting at all.

The only solution may be to watch your form.

I legged squats? I really don't know....

-Zulu

 

[Arioch]

What part of the hamstring was injured, the semitendinosus, semimembranosus, or biceps femoris?

The semi- are worked through hip flexion (squat, dead, good morning, rev hyper, etc) and the biceps femoris is worked through knee flexion (ham-glute raise, leg curls). Find out what part is injured, and train it accordingly.

You actually can do pulls balanced on 1 leg. I know a guy with one leg who does this.

If you try it, be prepared to be embarassed. I sure was.

 

[Screwball]

Okay, this is what I think. I don't neccesarily believe that you have a hamstring imbalance. I watched the video and the bobble that occured happens frequently to lifters squatting near their maximal weights. I personally believe the bobble happens because of inefficient muscle group firing (intermuscular coordination). Another cause could be weak hips. Upon firing out of the hole the hips need to come up and forward but if there is a weakness then the typical sticking point occurs and the stall occurs.

A sign of weak hamstrings in the squat is when a lifter gets stuck at the very bottom of the squat and can't get the bar moving at all. You had no problem firing out of the hole. In fact you were very fast.

How do you fix the problem? Continue to squat and box squat and your CNS will become more efficient at firing your muscle fiber in the correct order and at the correct time. You will gain strength, coordination and stability. As far as technique, make a mental note to fire out of the hole, keep your chest & chin high and throw those hips forward as you rise. Breaking the bar over your back can really help you complete the lift if you get stuck. When you do this it forces your elbows down, your chest up and your hips forward. Give it a try and good luck!

 

[Adam MacKinnon]

My freind used to have the same problem of leanin to one side during the squat. We tried many different things to fix it and the only thing that did was making sure i watched his setup on every squat and had to verbaly remind him to make every rep perfect. It took about 6 squat workouts then he was squating fine.