Hey guys, I started lifting weights about 5 months ago.
I’d really like to start doing full squats, or even parelell squats for that matter, but my hips just can’t go down that far.
When I lie on my back and try to bring my knees to my chest area, just past parelell I feel as if my femur bone is running into something…There seems to be a block there, and I just can’t go past it.
Do you guys think this is just a genetic trait, or is there a way around it?
Thanks:)
its a simple issue with a simple solution.
Do more squats
search the website for “third world squat”, and follow it.
Can you bring your knees to your chest with your knees bent in? (like fetal position)
grayman19: I’m going to read that article ASAP, thanks man:)
kostresa: I should have been more clear, I can’t bring my knees anywhere near my chest even with my knees bent:(
Thanks guys:)
Edit:
Just read “The Third World Squat” article, and im trying to go as deep as possible while holding onto the door knob. I still feel the pressure on my hips though, but im going to keep doing this as long as it doesn’t get too painful.
Thanks again
It’s feeling very uncomfortable so far:( I can’t even get to parelell with my hands out in front of me.
Stretch, inflexible hip flexors is pretty common among people not use to exercising that area.
Start by stretching your hamstrings alot, maybe warm up first with a run or something, stretch, then grab an empty bar and just try and get down there and hold it, if not able to do it with the bar, try grabbing onto a pole or something and just sit yourself down in the “hole” position and really try and arch your back, and keep your butt down there.
The Squat RX series addresses many of these issues, it should almost be a sticky at the top they are so important.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=squat+rx&search_type=&aq=f
Start with the 1st Squat RX and watch them all, they are great!
The only problem is, I don’t feel like im actually stretching, it feels more like bone against bone or something:(
Yeah, when you said that you couldn’t even do the fetal, it sounds like your joints have a problem. I haven’t read the book, but Magnificent Mobility might deal with that sort of stuff. If not, Pavel has a book on joint mobility.
Thanks for the input:)
I can bring my knees pretty close to my chest if if i tilt them out quite a bit. If I keep my knees at shoulder width with an arch in my back, I can’t bring them anywhere close to my chest.
For the last 4 days or so, I’ve been stretching my glutes, hams, quads, groin, and hip flexors. I’ve also been practicing body weight squats as far down as I can go.
I should also mention that i can squat a tad below parelell if I keep a wide stance with my toes pointing outwards…But it still feels really stiff, sore, and unnatural:(
Could it be my hips were never meant to do this? Should I get an X-ray or something?
It’s frusturating, because I really want to squat!
Also, I’ve been stretching my hip flexors with a hurdler’s Stretch, but I don’t know how this will help my hips get deeper in the squat. It’s the opposite direction?
I have tried all the different feet positions and widths, and it helps me go quite a bit deeper if i keep a wider than shoulder width stance with my feet pointing out, but I still feel the block, and the pain if i try to go anywhere past parelell.
I’m having a hard time putting this into words, but let me give it another shot. When I try to do a bodyweight squat or any movement that drives my femur bone towards my chest area, I imediately feel like there is a heavy block of some sort right on my hip joint. It’s not painful at all, until i try to push further.
I used the “lying on my back and trying to bring my knees to my chest area” to try to give you guys a better understanding of what I’m feeling.
When I lay on the floor and try to pull my knee towards my chest…Just when my femur bone goes just past vertical, it hits a block, and I can’t for the life of me move it any further without heavy pressure and pain.