Hip Feels "Out" When Squatting

The one thing I do is that I actually “tell” my right hip to tilt posteriorly rather than anteriorly like one is supposed to in a squat (squeeze the right glute, actually flatten the back a little on the right side). I’ve found that this keeps my right hip joint protected from whatever stresses cause the pinching movement I will get from the hips back cue. This is something that requires mind-muscle connection, so will take practice.

A quick way to achieve this is to think of doing the “humping” motion to set your hips before descending in the squat. But when the issue is just one side, it is not the optimal cue.

If you look, most (all the videos I see) people rotate their foot more on their dominant side when in the squat position (so usually the right foot is turned out more since most people are right handed). Imo, rotating the foot more places more stress on the hip joint, so right off the bat you have that when squatting. So I kind of disagree with people recommending rotating the foot out more. I don’t go full Kelly Starrett, but I think a straighter foot is better if one is worried about hip impingement.

In general, I think people need to learn to rotate/tilt their hips anteriorly and posteriorly, rather than arch the back or flatten the back. Semantics maybe, but…

Here are some dumb visuals I saved. Maybe nothing, maybe worth 1000 words.

download

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Here’s a quote from Chad Waterbury. Its not exactly applicable, but it talks about “Neuro logical Parking Breaks.”

The Link Between Core Stability and Mobility
There’s a relationship between core stability and hamstring mobility.

The nervous system acts like a parking brake that’s partially engaged on your muscles. So use a handful of neural tricks such as supramaximal holds to release the brake the nervous system puts on your muscles.

The potentiation from a supramaximal hold may be due to enhanced core stability from the super-heavy load. After all, holding a deadlift near lockout with more load than you could lift for a single rep is very challenging to the core!

I worked with a world-champion point karate fighter who had a problematic low back and hamstrings that were tighter than guitar strings. He’d spent years stretching and getting massage and chiropractic adjustments to correct his back and hamstrings problem. Nothing helped.

First, I had him perform a standing toe touch test. He could barely reach past his knees. Then I had him perform just one set of the dying bug with wall push and one set of the leg curl with single-leg balance.

I retested his standing toe touch and he increased his range of motion by five inches! Keep in mind, this was after just one set of those two exercises. There was no additional stretching involved.

I’ve witnessed this same benefit with athletes who have a notoriously tight quads (rectus femoris or tensor fascia latae). If you’ve been impaired with overly-stiff hamstrings or quads, work on strengthening the deep core muscles. You’ll be surprised how quickly they’ll release once you activate the core.

Try it for yourself. Do a standing toe touch test. Then perform one set of the previous two core exercises and retest your toe touch attempt.

Even better, this type of core training results in a permanent increase in mobility after just a few weeks of daily training. Stretching is rarely the answer to lower body stiffness. It’s just a temporary Band-Aid.

Usually there’s a lack of stability strength at the spinal level that’s causing the nervous system to lock up the muscles as a protective mechanism.

I know I have a very weak core so I’m going to try and activate it before I squat now instead of doing core work after , but my hamstrings are extremely flexible. My physio told me I had more flexibility than his ballet dancer patient hahha .Is there any merit to over stretched hamstrings and the negative effect it has on the abs and lower back curve like in your photo ?

Oh ya that’s another thing weird about my issues is that I’m an extremely flexible person and have been my whole life. I used to watch tv with my foot behind my head and still could if I wanted to be a werdio . I’m like that pretty much with all my stretches I could stretch them much farther than most.
What if I’m over stretching

Being overly lax or flexible is definitely not optimal for strength work.

Have you tried actually doing your weighted squats with the hip circle on? As a means to keep your glutes engaged properly throughout.

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No I have not for working sets or anything. Nothing beyond warm ups anyway . Will give that a shot

Ok new form sorta ??

I think you did a great job.

To me it looks like you’ve figured how to get some tension off your back, and on to your legs. Like you have more weight on your heels, so you’re more “even” on your feet. And as a result, you can use more muscles to squat.

What do you think? To me, it looks like you’re pushing the side of your feet out the sides of your Chucks, just like you’re supposed to. Like you’re already more “Up and Down” and less “Front to Back.”

Do your other Glute exercises feel different?

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Yay I’m so glad you think it’s improved!! Squats feel a lot easier now and this is becoming more natural . Hip thrusts are still iffy. I find it’s really hard to feel my glutes regardless of weight , but I haven’t had any hip pain twinge shit since I changed my squat form so I know I’m heading in the right direction :grinning:

If they feel iffy, Why are we Doing Them?

Slim Shady doesn’t do stuff because he saw it on Instagram!

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LOL cause I need more glute accessory. Seriously sumo deadlifts made my hip super messed . Even my chiro said don’t do them unless I want to see him right after hahha. Other suggestions of quality glute accessory ?

oh and i want to add its only the right hip like I can feel hip thrusts good on my left and sumo deadlifts don’t hurt the left hip at all. I am just trying to find stuff that I can feel in both glutes

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That’s the fun part! You’ve got to find the one that’s best for you.

You are Aware of your right hip. Try some stuff! When you find the correct exercise it will feel good, both and glutes hips will feel the same.

Move towards symmetry instead of getting more crooked.

Maybe

Or

Sometimes easy is good
side-plank-on-knees

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Maybe just try and get your elbow a bit further under the bar to help keep your chest up but other than that it looks good to me, echo what @FlatsFarmer said.

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What about Pull Thrus on the cable? If you make an effort to keep your legs straight, it takes lots of hips/glutes to drive your feet out and stay tight.

You start at the top, so you only have to go as far “down” as your hip can take while staying “tight.”

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Yes pull throughs almost always feel good and effective . I just felt like I needed another barbell important thing to go with my squats or I feel lazy haha . But I don’t want to waste time anymore so if it’s just simple stuff that feels right it’s better than anything else

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