Question on hip feelings at bottom of squat - no vid

[pshotsb17]

Hi

So I spent the afternoon fixing my squat with TUBOW and videoing, and doing lots of doubles with 100kg. I am very happy with how it looks now. Stance is wider with heels at shoulder width, toes further out and the wood never fell.

However as I come into full depth, with eyes fixed at the bottom, it feels like Im screwing my femurs into my hip joints. In my hip crease it feels like when you ring out a wet towel or wind a spring to max tension, or cock back the hammer on an old pistol. I'm out of analogies, but is that how it is supposed to feel? Like Im sandwhiching my inflated torso down between my quads? This will be even weirder when I have a belt on.

I am used to a more vertical back angle and front squats, so perhaps this is why it feels funny? Just want to make sure Im not setting myself up for a hip injury.

Thanks for reading.

[David Geiger]

post a video if you want quality feedback.

[Ethan Thibaudeau]

I know the feeling, I used to squat too wide. I described it as feel 'crowded' at the bottom. To get the more horizontal back angle called for by Rip, you'll impinge your hip joint instead. I started to injure some of that tissue in the groin myself. Change to Rips recommended starting point of shoulder width, 30deg feet, and knees shoved out. Don't take my word for it:

Active Hip 2.0: The Directors? Cut | Mark Rippetoe and stef bradford

With the narrower stance, and knees out cue, and the more horizontal back angle, I was able to truly feel what is meant by hip-drahve - and the stretch reflex out of the hole. I actually then found that my knee's weren't fighting me, they naturally went to where they need to be without TUBOW. I went from using a TUBOW every time and feeling crowded, to never using it and a much more natural motion. If you came from squatting wide, you probably didn't need the knees out cue then, but you will now. This is what makes room for everything down there - and allows adductors to contribute to the drive out of the hole. It'll become habit soon enough.