I am having flexibility issues going into deep back squats. If I go much past thighs parallel I begin to tilt forward or feel like I am falling backwards. I know it is a flexibility issue, but I don’t know where. Please help me out so I can get a deeper squat.
Thank you all!
-Bulwark
Try a wider stance. Also, your back angle is supposed to change throughout the movement, towards the bottom you will need to lean forward more. Also, your knees shouldn’t go much past your toes. Maybe an inch or so. Hope this helps.
[quote]elano wrote:
Try a wider stance. Also, your back angle is supposed to change throughout the movement, towards the bottom you will need to lean forward more. Also, your knees shouldn’t go much past your toes. Maybe an inch or so. Hope this helps.[/quote]
Well I’m assuming it is an Olympic style squat, so his back angle should stay almost the same, and his knees should go waaay past his toes.
OP, work on the flexibility of your calves (soleus/gastroc), hams/glutes, IT band, and quads. Foam rolling would help also. Secondly, work on ankle and hip mobility. Search articles for how to do a dynamic warm-up (look for stuff by Mike Robertson, Eric Cressey, and Nick Tumminello).
Here are two articles that have helped me greatly to improve my hip mobility:
If you’re really serious about this, you might want to get the “Magnificent Mobility” DVD by Eric Cressey.
The usual culprits: muscles around the hip and ankle mobility.
Are your quads, adductors, groin, hamstring, glutes, calves etc flexible enough?
Are your ankles mobile enough?
A video of yourself squatting will be good.
Sounds like an ankle and hip mobility problem coupled with lack of technical skills.
How long have you been squatting deep OP?
Do you have a video of your form?
Without knowing too much about your current skill level, everytime your squat think about rotating your hips back and keeping your weight firmly on your heels as you squat.
Outside of squatting do hip mobility drills and ankle mobility drills.
Unforunately this isn’t a problem that can be fixed over night and will take months of consistent practice.
Sit in the asian squat daily. Grab a pole in front of you and manuever around in the bottom of the squat to get comfortable. It takes time, but with enough effort, you will be squatting atg no problem.