Problem with knees forward in squat

[Wolfram]

Rip,

I've been videoing my squats for a while and I have some friends who have done SS much longer than me comment on them. They all agree that my knees are traveling too far forward and that my weight needs to be more on my heels.

I've tried both toes-up and the TUBOW but if I set it closer to my toes I either knock it over or fall on my ass. Haven't tried box-squatting yet.

I'm tempted to think the cause of all this is my long limbs. I'm also battling a couple of spinal disc herniations and have pretty tight hammies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vkoTFjOXe8

Thanks,
Johann

[Mark Rippetoe]

This cue works pretty well in certain circumstances: keep the bar directly over your mid-foot. Visualize the place over the middle of the foot where you are in balance, then make a "slot" in the air directly over this point in a vertical line for the bar to travel within.

[timt]

Your knees don't travel that much, I've seen far worse form. However, you're breaking at your hips and at the knees at the same time, I've found breaking at the hips first allows you to sit back into the squat a lot easier and that will naturally bring your knees back so you activate your glutes/hams and use less quads.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Unless that results in a descent with vertical shins, at which point the knees will slam forward at the bottom. I have found more people have trouble with a hips-first unlock than a balanced descent.

[tnumrych]

Unless that results in a descent with vertical shins, at which point the knees will slam forward at the bottom. I have found more people have trouble with a hips-first unlock than a balanced descent.

The hips first squat that timt describes is the usual way people learn the squat in Exercise "Science" and such, which is probably perpetuated by every product of such program henceforth. It's the way I was taught but since have seen the light and the error in my former ways.

My training partner on the other hand can't get rid of the annoying habit. On work set weights he unlocks hips first and knees slide forward as he descends to the bottom no matter how much yelling is directed at him.

Maybe it is time to step up to a "beating stick", any recommendations Rip?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Pecan is an excellent wood, but I doubt it's available in the northeast.

[davew]

Rip,

I've been videoing my squats for a while and I have some friends who have done SS much longer than me comment on them. They all agree that my knees are traveling too far forward and that my weight needs to be more on my heels.

I've tried both toes-up and the TUBOW but if I set it closer to my toes I either knock it over or fall on my ass. Haven't tried box-squatting yet.

I'm tempted to think the cause of all this is my long limbs. I'm also battling a couple of spinal disc herniations and have pretty tight hammies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vkoTFjOXe8

Thanks,
Johann

Where are your knees when you do the squat stretch in SS:BBT? Do you place the block of wood in a position where that's where your knees contact or somewhere else?