Knees Caving When I Squat

When I squat(more when I do front squats) my knees tend to cave in depending how much weight I’m using(not all the time though) .I was wondering if anyone had any tips that could help me out with thisbecause I just don’t know what to do to fix this. Thanks

edit:Somewhat like the girl in the 320X10 video but not every rep like her

[quote]redsox21 wrote:
When I squat(more when I do front squats) my knees tend to cave in depending how much weight I’m using(not all the time though) .I was wondering if anyone had any tips that could help me out with thisbecause I just don’t know what to do to fix this. Thanks

edit:Somewhat like the girl in the 320X10 video but not every rep like her[/quote]

the knees cave in typically when the weight gets in front of your hips. the body naturally transfers the weight to a muscle group that will handle the weight. when the knees cave in the stress is then placed on the quads.

there are a couple things you can do to keep this from happening-

  1. be sure to keep the weight centered over your hips. placing the bar lower on the traps and getting your elbows under the bar will keep the bar over the hips.

  2. when you set your feet, turn your feet out slightly and force your knees out. this technique is known as spreading the floor. you pretend that you are trying to spread the floor in half with your feet. to do this you push out with the outsides of your feet and at the same time push your knees out to the sides. you keep forcing your knees out as you decend into your squat and then also on the way up. this will keep the stress in the hips during your squats.

these two techniques should help with your problem.

Thank you for the advise and will defintley try it put out next session.

[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
things you can do to keep this from happening-

  1. be sure to keep the weight centered over your hips. placing the bar lower on the traps and getting your elbows under the bar will keep the bar over the hips.

[/quote]

Could you explain exactly what you mean by this about the weight centered over the hips. I don’t really understand what you mean, sorry. Weights on the heel of the foot?like that?

[quote]redsox21 wrote:
When I squat(more when I do front squats) my knees tend to cave in depending how much weight I’m using(not all the time though) .I was wondering if anyone had any tips that could help me out with thisbecause I just don’t know what to do to fix this. Thanks

edit:Somewhat like the girl in the 320X10 video but not every rep like her[/quote]

Push on the outside of your feet when you are coming up. Assuming you are squatting olympic style this should solve it.

In addition to trying to consciously pushing your knees out, you should work on strengthening and mobility/flexibility of your adductors.

[quote]IrishMarc wrote:
redsox21 wrote:
When I squat(more when I do front squats) my knees tend to cave in depending how much weight I’m using(not all the time though) .I was wondering if anyone had any tips that could help me out with thisbecause I just don’t know what to do to fix this. Thanks

edit:Somewhat like the girl in the 320X10 video but not every rep like her

Push on the outside of your feet when you are coming up. Assuming you are squatting olympic style this should solve it. [/quote]

It usually only happens front squatting but thanks for the advise.

[quote]PB Andy wrote:
In addition to trying to consciously pushing your knees out, you should work on strengthening and mobility/flexibility of your adductors. [/quote]

Thanks and the flexibilty mobility probably has something to do with it as my adductors have been a weak point for me

[quote]redsox21 wrote:
PB Andy wrote:
In addition to trying to consciously pushing your knees out, you should work on strengthening and mobility/flexibility of your adductors.

Thanks and the flexibilty mobility probably has something to do with it as my adductors have been a weak point for me[/quote]

Yeah, my adductors can get pretty tight, so I do static stretching at night for them usually, and I often do side-to-side leg swings or over-unders (using a Smith bar) for mobility before lifting.

quads being overly dominant compared to your glutes and hamstrings can cause your knees to cave in. work on your hammys and glutes and try to keep your knees pointed between your big toe and your little toe and before you know it you wont even have to think about what your knees are doing.

[quote]redsox21 wrote:
IrishMarc wrote:
redsox21 wrote:
When I squat(more when I do front squats) my knees tend to cave in depending how much weight I’m using(not all the time though) .I was wondering if anyone had any tips that could help me out with thisbecause I just don’t know what to do to fix this. Thanks

edit:Somewhat like the girl in the 320X10 video but not every rep like her

Push on the outside of your feet when you are coming up. Assuming you are squatting olympic style this should solve it.

It usually only happens front squatting but thanks for the advise.
[/quote]

Assuming you are front squatting deep then it will work just the same.

Give it a go you will be surprised how easy it is to fix some squat issues.

What everybody else is saying about tracking your knees over your toes is also spot on.