How can subcutaneous fat help with squats?

[Clyde]

I read with interest Robert Santana’s article on this site called “Body Composition for Barbell Training” (dated December 12, 2018).

In the article, he states,
“Lastly, and most important, subcutaneous fat around the waist, the hips, and the knees adds pressure, support, and rebound out of the bottom of the squat, and a great deal of stability to the start position of the press. It significantly improves the rebound mechanics of the bottom of these two movements by creating a manageable impingement around the extending joints, and increasing bar speed at a critical time in the movement pattern by increasing the force of the stretch reflex.”

Questions for discussion:

1. Is it possible that subcutaneous fat can provide rebound, rather than muscle? Isn’t muscle the part that stretches and rebounds, rather than fat? Perhaps fat does, but I am curious.

2. How deeply does subcutaneous fat go in the body in order to actually provide impingement around the joints themselves? Does the fat reach that level?

3. Does the bar speed actually increase at the bottom of the two movements described above, or is there a period of “static” motion followed by an opposing reaction to the stretch reflex?

Thanks!

[Robert Santana]

Thanks for posting buddy.

1) The muscle stretches and is what is primarily recoiling. The fat pads also stetch on the descent creating compression around the muscles and joints as well, similar to ply.

2) I’m not sure i understand this question? If you have too much body fat you can’t assume certain positions (e.g. bottom of the squat or deadlift)

3) Can’t really answer this for certain but I’d imagine based on our analysis you may see an increase in bar speed,

[Clyde]

Thanks for posting buddy.

1) The muscle stretches and is what is primarily recoiling. The fat pads also stetch on the descent creating compression around the muscles and joints as well, similar to ply.

2) I’m not sure i understand this question? If you have too much body fat you can’t assume certain positions (e.g. bottom of the squat or deadlift)

3) Can’t really answer this for certain but I’d imagine based on our analysis you may see an increase in bar speed,

Thanks for the reply! For question #2, I was curious if fat, by definition, can cause an impingement in a joint. I've heard of bones impinging on nerves, etc., but I was just curious if too much fat can also cause an impingement of a joint. I was not sure if subcut fat can move in that way to create an impingement. If the answer is not certain, that's fine. I appreciate the comments above. Thanks

[Mark Rippetoe]

If you're asking if a person can be so fat that they cannot use the full ROM of an exercise, sure.

Training the Emergency Weight Loss Trainee | Andy Baker

If you are asking whether sub-cue fat can move into the articular space of a joint, not in the absence of massive trauma.