Squat Shoes for Gangly Bastards

[tweakxc03]

Rip:

I currently have your lifting shoe with the 0.5" heel. I understand the reasoning behind having a shorter heel thereby taking some of the slack out of the hamstring and engaging more of that muscle in the lift.

With that being said, if a lifter is taller with a short torso and long femurs, the back angle has to become more horizontal at the bottom of the squat, which makes me think more hamstrings and low back and less quads than a more vertical back position (just like in the deadlift).

So, would it make sense for a tall, goofy bastard like me to squat with a little bit thicker heel to include more quads and a little less stress on the lower back?

[Mark Rippetoe]

It might. Try it.

[kel]

Well, I'm 6'3 and I find my .75 inch heel shoes quite comfortable to squat in. Although I would say I am pretty normally proportioned with regards to my legs and torso.

[Mark Rippetoe]

That might be true too.

[Alex Willess]

I wonder if Rip is trying some variation of Magic 8 ball answers for this thread. I would like to see how an entire week of 8 ball answers would turn out.

[Mark Rippetoe]

It might be interesting. Or not.