Proper squat form

[ATLRigger]

So I’m noticing a little more strain on my inner thighs when I squat today.
This is the same area that gets a little agitated whenever I do sumo deadlifts.
Is my form possibly suffering or are these underdeveloped muscles ?

A little background:
I started lifting with my dad when I was eight years old (and stayed consistent until I was about 21 years old.) He never let me do squats or deadlifts. I only started squatting and deadlifting 18 months ago.
I can go back to the gym to capture myself on video if that would help diagnose the problem.

 

[tinymk]

Yes, If you are able to post a video of your squats we will be able to tear it down and maybe help you out better.

 

[Seeker]

It could be that you're just using more of your adductor muscle when driving up from the hole.

 

[CJ]

I get just as much, if not more involvement from my adductors when squatting vs quads.

I have to take a slightly wider than shoulder width stance, because my hips run out of room if I keep my feel any closer. Wider you stand, the more adductors come into play. (They're heavily involved anyway, but even more so)

 

[Uncle manny]

Try stretching those adductors out good then warming up your Abductors before squating. Seems like the adductors might be a little hypertonic and medial glutes/abductors not firing or weak. Just throwing out a very common scenario...

 

[Gibsonator]

I dont get strains there but man I often wake up with the worst f'n cramps there.
Been stretching that area more often seems to be helping.

 

[BrotherIron]

Sounds to me like you found one of your weak links. A vid would definitely help.

 

[ATLRigger]

I just loaded up 135 for the video. I’m experiencing the strain when I do 185, 205, 225.

 

[Boytoy]

More apt to brake form under a load.

 

[snake]

It could be that you're just using more of your adductor muscle when driving up from the hole.

Right on the mark. Ot of the hole is a bitch there if you don't use wraps.

I dont get strains there but man I often wake up with the worst f'n cramps there.
Been stretching that area more often seems to be helping.

Oh Gibs! That hits me bad there even with 225 after a week off. Fuuker knots up fast!

 

[BrotherIron]

I wish I could see a 45 degree angle of the squat. I see a very arched back, some forward, knee travel. Forward knee travel is common with raw lifters but I would work on opening your hips more to minimize that.

 

[BrotherIron]

I dont get strains there but man I often wake up with the worst f'n cramps there.
Been stretching that area more often seems to be helping.

Muscle cramps can due to lack of ions, aka electrolytes. Be sure to take in enough calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, etc. Hell, I salt my water to make sure I get enough in daily.

 

[Uncle manny]

The the vid at 45 would give a better view. It kinda looks like your knees start to collapse/shift inward as soon as your coming out the hole. If that’s the case then like stated, They’re working out the hole due to your abductors being to weak to keep your knees out. This can be corrected if you work on your squat stance and change it up a little and of course strengthen the weak link, abductors.

 

[BrotherIron]

The the vid at 45 would give a better view. It kinda looks like your knees start to collapse/shift inward as soon as your coming out the hole. If that’s the case then like stated, They’re working out the hole due to your abductors being to weak to keep your knees out. This can be corrected if you work on your squat stance and change it up a little and of course strengthen the weak link, abductors.

An easy way to correct caving knees is to externally rotate the knees to lock into position before beginning the decent of the squat. That puts you in the strongest position to perform a squat. It also tensions the IT band giving you some internal pressure to help get up.

 

[brock8282]

like others said your adductors are tight and or weak. I would start rolling them for a while before a leg session. Maybe add in some adductor machine as well to try to strengthen them more.

As far as your form, its impossible to critique it until you state what your goals are with squats/ what you are trying to accomplish. As brotheriron stated, you have some forward knee travel which if you are going the powerlifting route/ just trying to squat as much as possible, then yeah you want to minimize that. But as a bodybuilder i would recommend working on your ankle mobility or even try to elevate your heels on 5 or 10 lb plates to allow the knee to travel farther forward when you squat to make it more quad dominant.

 

[Robdjents]

I'm no expert but yea your back is arched and your knees are traveling a lot...also i noticed you elbows come forward..keep your elbows back...they should be basically parallel with the angle of your back

 

[ATLRigger]

Ok I will get somebody to film me at a 45 degree angle.

I wish I could see a 45 degree angle of the squat. I see a very arched back, some forward, knee travel. Forward knee travel is common with raw lifters but I would work on opening your hips more to minimize that.

What do you mean 'open my hips'?
Re: lock my knees in an outward facing direction to prevent them from caving: ok I will try that.
Re: arched back: y'all mean my shoulders are adducted and protracted, so I should straighten it out to a more neutral spine position. Ok.

...working out the hole due to your abductors being to weak to keep your knees out. This can be corrected if you work on your squat stance and change it up a little and of course strengthen the weak link, abductors.

Wait, my abductors or adductors are likely the weak link here?

As far as your form, its impossible to critique it until you state what your goals are with squats/ what you are trying to accomplish. As brotheriron stated, you have some forward knee travel which if you are going the powerlifting route/ just trying to squat as much as possible, then yeah you want to minimize that. But as a bodybuilder i would recommend working on your ankle mobility or even try to elevate your heels on 5 or 10 lb plates to allow the knee to travel farther forward when you squat to make it more quad dominant.

Upper body I'm an intermediate lifter with very specific goals, but for legs I'm still a beginner; I'm just trying to squat like a grown up and become more well rounded as a lifter. I'd lean towards saying I'm just trying to increase my power. I'm a strong road cyclist in several clubs, so I get plenty of definition from that.
Re: standing with heels on nickels and dimes: ok I will try that. I pepper in some sets like that already for my deadlifts.

 

[John Ziegler]

Seeker woke up out of a dead sleep the second you posted this.

 

[Uncle manny]

Wait, my abductors or adductors are likely the weak link here?

Both! Lol but it different ways. In the case your knees collapse: your adductors (muscles that close your legs) could be tight but not necessarily strong. So they should be stretched and rolled prior to squating

Your abductors (muscles that open the legs) are weak and/or have a problem firing correctly to combat the slight inward collapse of the knees out the hole. So they need to be worked out with bands or the aBductor machine after you stretch the adductors.

You get the idea of how it works?

As for your squat stance, you squat high bar so your feet shouldn’t be wide. About hip width, with toes slightly pointed out. A little que I like to use... while your coming out the hole, screw your feet into the ground (right foot right, left foot left). This will help activate those abductors to keep the knees open.

 

[CJ]

What do you mean 'open my hips'?
Re: lock my knees in an outward facing direction to prevent them from caving: ok I will try that.

Best que that I ever got, and I've seen it work more often than not to keep knees from caving, is to screw your feet into the floor when coming up out of the hole.

So you'd actively be digging and trying to rotate your right foot clockwise, and your left foot counter clockwise.

They won't accually move of course, because they're planted on the ground, but it gets the big toes digging in and when the ankles are stabilized like that, it prevents the upstream joints from having to make up for it.