knees caving in a little

[TTT]

as the weights have got a little heavier on my squats, I've noticed that on the way up my knees are caving in a little.

how much of a problem will this cause?

Should I reduce the weight and practice pushing them out?

I don't really want to go lighter
:(

[milesdyson]

i've experienced this. videos on 70sbig seem to show this, as well. i'm interested in what others have to say. i only really developed it as the weights actually got close to a 5rm.

video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfGIGsCMqKI) showing the degree of knee cave i'm talking about. not sure if yours is about the same or worse.

[nisora33]

video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfGIGsCMqKI) showing the degree of knee cave i'm talking about. not sure if yours is about the same or worse.

If that's all the knee cave you ever experience, that would be inconsequential IME. Those are very good squats.

-S.

[TTT]

Mine is a little worse than your 5th rep.

I'll video mine on wednesday and have a look myself.
My cage is in front of a window so I catch a slight glimpse.

[milesdyson]

i'm just curious what's going on. at the bottom of an unweighted squat, i feel a lot of glute involvement when i keep my knees out, but when i let them cave a little, that feeling goes away but it doesn't feel like much else is "taking" the load.

do i not feel anything because the then-more-recruited muscles are just much stronger? i guess that would make sense.

[nisora33]

i'm just curious what's going on. at the bottom of an unweighted squat, i feel a lot of glute involvement when i keep my knees out, but when i let them cave a little, that feeling goes away but it doesn't feel like much else is "taking" the load.

do i not feel anything because the then-more-recruited muscles are just much stronger? i guess that would make sense.

I think this is it. With the knee cave in, the adductors and glutes probably go "offline" a little, shifting more of the burden to the quads.

-S.

[coreJack]

I think this is it. With the knee cave in, the adductors and glutes probably go "offline" a little, shifting more of the burden to the quads.
Yeah, and this is why the average guy in the gym doing squats either keeps his knees in the entire time, or does a massive cave in (way, way more than you, miles) on the concentric.

[Dastardly]

Yeah, and this is why the average guy in the gym doing squats either keeps his knees in the entire time, or does a massive cave in (way, way more than you, miles) on the concentric.

They do it like that because they have never learned how to squat and they are doing half squats anyway which do not require knees to be pushed out.

Or because it is the bodybuilder style squat, very good for building quads.

[JayvH]

If anybody could have a quick look on the 3rd rep in both these videos (was also the last rep in a shitty workout). Is this degree of caving in tolerable or should I see it as a failed rep?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGSL_nFR4Xo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liTdTfrkzeY

[Colliflower]

I wouldn't call it a failed rep by any means. What I would have you do though is tighten up your stance by an inch or so and think about keeping the knees out by opening your groin.

[nisora33]

If anybody could have a quick look on the 3rd rep in both these videos (was also the last rep in a shitty workout). Is this degree of caving in tolerable or should I see it as a failed rep?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGSL_nFR4Xo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liTdTfrkzeY


All those reps look fine. Don't become a headcase over a damn near imperceptible degree of flux at the knee. Just keep doing what you're doing, good squats.

-S.

[gzt]

One thing I would say is that moving your knees laterally in the middle of the squat can mess things up in there. Try to minimize it. Once you get it trained, you'll be stronger with them pushed out. One tip: make sure your footing is secure. It makes a difference. The other day some old powerlifter was watching me squat and told me to put a mat down for more friction between foot and ground. The next sets were a lot more stable - no more slight motion of the feet (a mm at most) leading to wobbles of knees.

[JayvH]

I wouldn't call it a failed rep by any means. What I would have you do though is tighten up your stance by an inch or so and think about keeping the knees out by opening your groin.
Because I'm not a native english speaker I won't to make sure that by "tighten up your stance" you mean I should get my feet an inch closer together?

All those reps look fine. Don't become a headcase over a damn near imperceptible degree of flux at the knee. Just keep doing what you're doing, good squats.

-S.
Thanks, I'm already thinking that I may be on the hunt for the perfect squat and should just get trough it.