Obnoxiously Long Femurs

[JimtheConquerer]

My wife is very interested in strength training. And I haven't been able to get her form nailed down on the squat.

I generally jest about her ridiculously long femurs (Don't worry guys, she approved this message), but I finally realized that her anthros might be the problem! Her femur is literally (not figuratively) longer than her torso!

She cannot get low enough without falling backwards or going into flexion. Basically as she pushes her hips back, her torso goes almost horizontal. She doesn't lose balance with the air squat, but I think that is because her hands are out front, and act as a counter weight.

Any suggestions?

[Tom Campitelli]

Lifting shoes would help. Perhaps one with a bigger heel, like the new Adidas Leistungs. It would be difficult for me to say anything more without watching a video of her squatting.

[PrimalFish]

I thought long femurs benefit from flats? Or maybe short tibias?

[Tom Campitelli]

I thought long femurs benefit from flats? Or maybe short tibias?

In fact, a bigger heel for someone with long femurs can be useful. If you have a tendency to fall backwards in a squat, whether due to long femurs, or less commonly a lack of normal ROM around the ankle, raising the heel will push the knees forward a bit, allow for more knee flexion, and allow for a more upright posture. This is why lots of people, myself included, go up on to their toes when they crouch down on the ground. I raise my heel so I don't fall backward.

[tfranc]

In fact, a bigger heel for someone with long femurs can be useful. If you have a tendency to fall backwards in a squat, whether due to long femurs, or less commonly a lack of normal ROM around the ankle, raising the heel will push the knees forward a bit, allow for more knee flexion, and allow for a more upright posture. This is why lots of people, myself included, go up on to their toes when they crouch down on the ground. I raise my heel so I don't fall backward.

Oh my lord my life makes so much more sense now.

I’ve been squatting with a .6 inch heel and wondering why I fight going onto my heels at the bottom

[Randy Winfrey]

People with long femurs and a short torso will always lean over more than most in the squat. Likewise, a person with short femurs and a long torso are much more upright. The former looks awkward, but is correct for their anthropometry.

[MartinB]

Lifting shoes would help. Perhaps one with a bigger heel, like the new Adidas Leistungs. It would be difficult for me to say anything more without watching a video of her squatting.

Is it possible to deadlift correctly with the bar on the middle of the foot with a 1'' heel (Leistungs)?

[PrimalFish]

People with long femurs and a short torso will always lean over more than most in the squat. Likewise, a person with short femurs and a long torso are much more upright. The former looks awkward, but is correct for their anthropometry.

Do people with long femurs at short torso get more lower back work out of the squat? Many times these people are more horizontal in the deadlift as well. I wonder if long femur lifters often times wind up with stronger lower backs then those who are more vertical in certain lifts.

[Tom Campitelli]

Is it possible to deadlift correctly with the bar on the middle of the foot with a 1'' heel (Leistungs)?

Certainly. In many cases, people with long legs often have long arms, too. While they are disadvantaged in the squat, they are in good shape for deads. However, you can pull in Leistungs without a problem. The difference in heel lift between them and a normal lifting shoe is not very big.

[dtarrence]

I would assume that long femurs and a short torso would also constitute having the knees further forward than someone with a more normal anthropmetry in order to bring the bar back over midfoot since the back angle can only go so far in this regard. I'll wait for a form check to see if Tom Campitelli agrees or not.