TUBOW question

[neilc]

Hi,

I was surprised to see on page 56 the reference to the TUBOW and the associated direction to not only break at the knees and allow them to come forward, but break there first and finish the knee movement during the first half to third of the movement.

Up to that point in the book everything had been "sit back as far as possible and shove your knees out" with the posterior chain being emphasized in hip dominant squat with a de-emphasis on the quads. I was (mis) interpreting that and not breaking at the knees until I had sat so far back that I had to about half way down. My knees were actually going back with my hips during the first half of the movement and then breaking and coming forward during the last half.

So, just to be clear, the knees and hips break at the top at roughly the same time with the knees never going backwards of their original position but coming forward to a point that may even go slightly past the toes?

So, not really that much different than a high-bar squat other than the bar position and the associated changes that naturally forces.

Thanks
Neil

[Adam Skillin]

So, just to be clear, the knees and hips break at the top at roughly the same time with the knees never going backwards of their original position but coming forward to a point that may even go slightly past the toes?

Knees and hips break at the same time. Knees may go slightly past the toes depending on the stats of the lifter.

So, not really that much different than a high-bar squat other than the bar position and the associated changes that naturally forces.

The diagnostic angles are different, because of the need to keep the bar over the mid-foot balance point. This means the musculature involved is different (more posterior chain in low bar SS style), and that hip drive is possible in the low bar squat.

You read this yet?

http://startingstrength.com/articles/squat_rippetoe.pdf

[neilc]

Thanks for that feedback.

I actually did read that thread (a couple of times) and I've read the book thorougly a few times too. THis may be a case of over-compensation/interpretation on my part. I was REALLY sitting back as far as I could from the top which brought my knees back with the hips. I thought the whole TUBOW section seemed odd as it seemed to contradict what I had interpreted to that point, so I really hadn't paid attention to it. After having problems (and injuries) I re-read it and see that I may have over-done the hips-back thing. Obviously hips going back and knees going forward are two ends of the same bone (femur) so I guess it more of a balance between the two.