T Nation

Mental Cues for Flat-Footed Squatters?

#1

Hi everyone. I don’t know if anyone else has this problem, but sometimes I have trouble pushing my knees out when I squat. When I have trouble, my knees hurt the next day. The pain usually goes away after a day, however.

I think some of this trouble has to do with my flat feet. When I stand up, my knees naturally tilt inward. So I have to push out extra to conpensate for having no arch in my foot. When I remember to push my knees out, my squat feels absolutely fantastic. But when I don’t, it sucks the next day. Do you guys have any mental cues I could possibly use to remember to push my knees out?

#2

Hi mate,

Sorry I’m late to this. Hope you see it and give it a go as a warm up.

Foam Roll:
Hip Flexors, Adductors, Calves- 30s hold on tender or tight areas

Stretch:
Hip Flexors, Adductors, Calves- 20-30s

Activate:
Side lying leg abductions 2x12
Glute bridge (BW) 2x12
Wall supported toe raises (for Tibialis Anterior) 2x12

Integrate:
Overhead squat (BW) 1x12

Squat Cues:
Lift arches of feet (feel glutes).

Pretend you’re stood of the lids of some jam (Jelly if you’re from the US) jars. You want to open these jam jars with your feet, by rotating them outward. Essentially you’re trying to screw your feet into the floor (not actually rotating feet outward). Feel your glutes and take note of what is happening at your knees.

Pretend your wearing a belt (one to hold your trousers up), tilt your belt buckle up toward the roof (neutral hips) squeeze your glutes.

You may also want to invest in a mini band or hip circle, if your gym doesn’t already have them. Wear this around our knees for your warm up sets or try some 60% of 1RM pause squats whilst wearing it after your working squat sets.

Hope all of this makes sense.