- LETTING YOUR KNEES FALL IN WHEN MOVING
I have always been of the thought pattern ‘knees out, glutes on’ and there are many studies that support this notion.
One thing that I always refer to is that it is a lot smarter for an individual to use bigger, stronger muscles as opposed to weaker muscles when moving through exercises.
This is a huge reason as to why I teach the squat technique a certain way. Again, there are many ways to skin a cat, but I work the way I work because it’s helped me and my clients not only the squat heavier but relieve pain around the knees and hips.
We have a gluteus maximus, gluteus minimus and gluteus medius. The functions of these muscles include extension, abduction, external rotation and internal rotation of the hip joint. The gluteus maximus also supports the extended knee through the iliotibial tract (or ITB). This is largely why I have found that people who suffer from ITB tightness tend to suffer from weak or poorly activated glute muscles.
Why I feel that ‘knees falling in’ when moving through the eccentric and concentric phases of the Barbell Back Squat (or any variation of a squat) is something we should avoid at all costs is simply because we put our body in a weakened position.
Doing this under load is NOT a smart move. It leaves the door open to injury. In my opinion, I associate knees caving in as poor technique especially if it’s something that is consistently done and not addressed.
However, I want to make it clear that slight movement of the knees internally is not something to be alarmed about but I would highly recommend (if you’re not doing this already), to make a conscious effort to PUSH the knees out as a way of avoiding this from becoming worse and inhibiting you from having every chance of developing a strong, technically sound squat and avoiding potential injury.
Yours in Health,
Coach Kassis
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