Squat Stance Width Round 2

Hey guys this is the second time I’ve posted a video asking for some feedback regarding the width of my stance. For some reason I just gravitate to the wide setup as the weights get heavy, but all I read is that the narrow-medium stance is superior for raw squatting. I feel like I’m relatively long, so I guess this doesn’t look too “unnatural.” Also, keep in mind I actually tried training with the narrower style a few months back and the only thing that happened is that my squat went down steadily for 6 weeks, and shot back up once I went back to my normal width. How does everyone think I look here? This is something I just can’t stop thinking about for whatever reason. Thanks everyone.

Forgot to post the vid.

That’s about the same as my stance and I squat raw. It’s no big deal honestly. Use what yields the best results.

I don’t see that as a terribly wide stance. If your hips can take it and you lift more weight that way, there’s no reason not to squat wide raw. I’m not sure I’d go that wide in Oly shoes though. In my mind wide has always gone hand in hand with flat soled shoes and medium or narrow stances with shoes that have a heel.

[quote]burt128 wrote:
I don’t see that as a terribly wide stance. If your hips can take it and you lift more weight that way, there’s no reason not to squat wide raw. I’m not sure I’d go that wide in Oly shoes though. In my mind wide has always gone hand in hand with flat soled shoes and medium or narrow stances with shoes that have a heel.[/quote]

I actually should have mentioned the shoe situation…I actually used to squat in chuck taylors like most guys do, but the thing i notice about using the Oly shoes with the wide setup is that they still really help to hit depth. Did a lot of trial and error, troubleshooting, analysis on camera, etc., these shoes seem to be helping with depth right now tremendously. Otherwise i completely agree with you.

[quote]JLederach wrote:

[quote]burt128 wrote:
I don’t see that as a terribly wide stance. If your hips can take it and you lift more weight that way, there’s no reason not to squat wide raw. I’m not sure I’d go that wide in Oly shoes though. In my mind wide has always gone hand in hand with flat soled shoes and medium or narrow stances with shoes that have a heel.[/quote]

I actually should have mentioned the shoe situation…I actually used to squat in chuck taylors like most guys do, but the thing i notice about using the Oly shoes with the wide setup is that they still really help to hit depth. Did a lot of trial and error, troubleshooting, analysis on camera, etc., these shoes seem to be helping with depth right now tremendously. Otherwise i completely agree with you.[/quote]

Makes sense. I squatted wide and mostly raw for a long time. Used chucks the whole time. Eventually my hips couldn’t take it anymore and I switched to a medium stance and a shoe with a slight heel. If the Oly shoes work for you with a wide stance that’s great.

does anyone think i could benefit from carrying the bar lower by looking at its positioning here?

You could probably benefit from lowering the bar in the rack. Looked like you had to stand on your toes to even unrack the weight.

Stance is fine!

Just get some better hip mobility so the knees stay out more to allow for a more upright torso. This will also make it so depth isnt a problem because I think depth is iffy right now.

LOL depth is fine. if you think that’s iffy then you don’t know much about squatting.

If you go to CPU or USAPL nationals or other high level IPF competitions then that would not get 3 whites every time. So in my eyes, yes the depth is iffy. Perhaps the first rep was fine, but the 2nd and 3rd were probably high.

Before you comment on my ability or knowledge of squatting perhaps you should check my log…

if you pause the video at the bottom my hip joint is below my knee every time. i checked the log. should i be impressed? i mean numbers are solid…but my question is how are your squats any deeper than mine? LOL

Nationals Prep Week 2 Sunday.wmv - YouTube!

you know what you’re talking about man that’s no question im just saying my depth is fine

Video from the side at the level where a ref sits. Then you can determine definitively. Very difficult to call depth from the angles you’ve posted.

if we must continue arguing about this…here’s me with 455 the week before just doing a double.

[quote]JLederach wrote:
if we must continue arguing about this…here’s me with 455 the week before just doing a double.

No doubt about those.

Pfff… 1/4 squats. Very nice squats actually. Depth is obviously not a problem. You might want to think about cleaning up the walkout though. Might find it helps.

I squat raw and I think my stance is wider than yours. I think you’re good.

[quote]arramzy wrote:
Pfff… 1/4 squats. Very nice squats actually. Depth is obviously not a problem. You might want to think about cleaning up the walkout though. Might find it helps.[/quote]

What do you mean? is it too fast or too many steps?

[quote]JLederach wrote:

[quote]arramzy wrote:
Pfff… 1/4 squats. Very nice squats actually. Depth is obviously not a problem. You might want to think about cleaning up the walkout though. Might find it helps.[/quote]

What do you mean? is it too fast or too many steps? [/quote]

He’s Canadian don’t listen to him :wink:

I actually like ur walkout, sure you coulda maybe not taken those two little steps, but overall you had a purpose to your walkout, speed was awesome no thinking just business.

As far as your OP, my personal experience is this. I started out and went many years with a stance like yours, the reason being that I could handle more weight and it felt comfortable. As I got older my hips started hurting, and I started experimenting with not only a closer stance, but my feet pointed more forward, well what happened is that I have no more hip pain and I am able to squat more weight as well. Soooo I would say just keep doing what ur doing, you’ll figure it out!