What would be the artifacts of an uneven floor in the squat?

[Xak]

I suspect the floor under the squat racks at the local gym is not level. It seems like the left side is lower than the right, though it is hard to tell visually. I plan to bring a level next time to verify, but what would you expect to happen to a squat on a floor that was only slightly uneven? Changes in squat form, and possible longer term effects of repeatedly squatting there?

I searched the forums with google for similar problems, but didn't find much . I considered that the symptoms would likely be the same as (or similar to) a leg length discrepancy, and a search does show some artifacts in the squat that would contribute to the nagging pains my training partner and I are both experiencing: left hip and knee issues. We both have experience squatting at other gyms without such problems.

Thanks for your time.

[Mark Rippetoe]

If you merely suspect the floor is not level, it's probably not bad enough to worry about. A shim would be indicated if it was.

[JJdd]

What about a floor that is definitely uneven, like maybe an inch or so between ends of the bar? I definitely notice it in the deadlift, so far my plan has been to switch which way I am facing each time, should I do that for squats too?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Read more carefully.

A shim would be indicated if it was.

[JJdd]

Sorry, I'm a different guy, I lift at home under a patio in back, there definitely is a minor slant. Just curious on what your opinion on it is, if it's a big deal or if I'm fine to proceed as is.

[Will Morris]

Sorry, I'm a different guy, I lift at home under a patio in back, there definitely is a minor slant. Just curious on what your opinion on it is, if it's a big deal or if I'm fine to proceed as is.

My garage is slightly slanted, and I haven't been able to correct my platform to accommodate it. I can definitely tell while lifting that something is off, and this is further proven by my immediate increase of working weights for squats when I train elsewhere. I generally can add about 40#.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Just curious on what your opinion on it is, if it's a big deal or if I'm fine to proceed as is.

Lets try this once more. If you merely suspect the floor is not level, it's probably not bad enough to worry about. A shim would be indicated if it was.

[sbhikes]

One of the squat racks at my gym has a brass outlet directly under where you want to put your right foot. It's very annoying and you can't shim your way out of it, unless I were to put a shim in my left shoe or something. They finally put a mat on top of it but you can still feel it. It doesn't seem to cause problems, but if at all possible I just try not to use that rack.

[Toasterleavings]

I squat uphill due to concreters who "helpfully" put a drainage cant on my lifting slab. With Adidas powerperfect 2.0s on my feet, I'm still slightly higher in the heels than flats but not by much. I've wondered about the effect of the bit of foot tilt that results, since my feet are out around 40 degrees, not straight ahead, so points on my outside foot are a tad lower than the corresponding points on the in-step. Haven't died yet - and lack of choice - so proceed spake Zarathustra. Lateral cant on the other hand - no way - time to hit the levelling compound.

[JJdd]

>Lateral cant on the other hand - no way - time to hit the levelling compound.

Yeah, that's what I have. It's a cheap concrete patio, easy to see when I'm deadlifting there's probably at least an inch difference from one end of the bar to the other. I doubt it's as bad as Will Morris' though as it seems I can lift as much here as elsewhere.