Clarification on TUBOW

[quikky]

Coach,

Is the use of TUBOW (touch the block, don't knock over the block) to correct forward knee travel identical for different anthropometries? Is there a slightly different acceptable level of forward knee travel for various anatomical proportions?

Several depictions in the book show the knees going past the toes. For example, there is a picture of two stick figures, one with long legs, both squatting; the one with the long legs, in the squat position, has his knees significantly past the toes, and the comment says that both positions are correct.

[veryhrm]

The designated position is something like an inch or two beyond the toes. If you had really long femurs compared to your torso then it would be hard to make depth while keeping the knees there because the hips would be pushed WAY back and your back angle would have to be very horizontal in order to keep the bar over mid-foot. So then you'd have to go with knees more forward.

OTOH, if you have a long torso compared to your femurs your back angle will be more vertical at the same knee position (more like a front squat) so you might want the knees further back to engage more hamstrings.

However, if you set your feet at the width and angle specified and constrain yourself to maintain your femurs aligned with your feet you'll find that that fully defines your bottom position. (Though it invites the question of whether you should adjust your feet to achieve a given knee position or whether you should accept the knee position dictated by the originally established foot position... and i'm not feeling like searching the text to see if there's a canonical answer. perhaps someone else will)

[Gunnhild Bruno]

Coach,

Is the use of TUBOW (touch the block, don't knock over the block) to correct forward knee travel identical for different anthropometries? Is there a slightly different acceptable level of forward knee travel for various anatomical proportions?

Several depictions in the book show the knees going past the toes. For example, there is a picture of two stick figures, one with long legs, both squatting; the one with the long legs, in the squat position, has his knees significantly past the toes, and the comment says that both positions are correct.

The TUBOW is used to keep your knees from continuing to travel forward after the point at which they should have found their ideal position. For most people, this happens between 1/3 and 1/2 of the way down, and your knees should not move forward any more than that as you continue to descend, and they should not slide forward as you come out of the hole.

You use the TUBOW by placing it where your anthropometry dictates, touch it at a point about 1/3 down, and then refrain from either knocking it over or losing contact with it.

Steve's (sking001) log has some video of him working with the TUBOW early on, if I remember correctly. You should watch that.

[Ezpeasy]

Steve's (sking001) log has some video of him working with the TUBOW early on, if I remember correctly. You should watch that.

Looked up sking's vid, since I'm looking into using tubow. anyway, took a few more minutes of searching than expected so linking for OPs/my reference:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQlI_...layer_embedded

Side view until 3:10, then its rear 45.

[quikky]

You use the TUBOW by placing it where your anthropometry dictates, touch it at a point about 1/3 down, and then refrain from either knocking it over or losing contact with it.

How do you know where the right place is for your knees, you just try it 1-2" in front of your toes? I've been watching my own squat videos, and I sometimes have a tendency to let my knees slide forward a couple inches as I reach depth. Does this indicate that my knees should have been more forward to begin with, in the first half of the squat?

[Ezpeasy]

Post a form check vid on the technique forum.

fwiw, I have the same issue. and have been told to get knees out, hold knees out throughout the rep, and make sure weight is midfoot

[Corrie]

How do you know where the right place is for your knees, you just try it 1-2" in front of your toes? I've been watching my own squat videos, and I sometimes have a tendency to let my knees slide forward a couple inches as I reach depth. Does this indicate that my knees should have been more forward to begin with, in the first half of the squat?

I think that would indicate that you are letting yourself get loose at the bottom.

The best thing is to post a form check, but like spar said earlier, your knees should only be moving during the first 3rd of the descent. What you can do is squat to approx. 1/3rd depth and then put the TUBOW touching your knee. Now stand up and practice squatting all the way without knocking it over.

[ecj]

OTOH, if you have a long torso compared to your femurs your back angle will be more vertical at the same knee position (more like a front squat) so you might want the knees further back to engage more hamstrings.

I have a really long torso in comparison to my height (6'1" but wear 32" inseam pants) and have found that I have to squat with a very vertical back angle to keep tightness. If I try to bend over like some of the folks pictured in the book I always good morning my squat, and I have trouble feeling the rebound. If I sit back more I can really get a strong bounce.

Even with a super vertical stance and an exaggerated sit back, my knees still end up hitting the TUBOW.