Squat flexibility

Reyman

I've been reading up lately on improving squat flexibility. The usual suggestions are there - loosen out your hamstrings, stretch your gluteus and your back calf muscles to get a greater range of motion on the way down.

What's also recommended is stretching your hip flexors and the front muscles of your calf.
I don't get this - how does loosening these muscles help your squat?

amazingemmet

If you have tight hip flexors it will stop you getting into a deep position by forcing your pelvis into anterior flexion as you go down. I'm not sure on the stretching your tibialis (front of calf) has to do with squatting but it'll give you a nice straight point should you decide to take up dancing.

A good general stretch for squatting is get an olympic bar squat down as far as you can go keeping back high and straight then put the bar in the fold between your legs and stomach and press down.

Reyman

Thanks Amaz ! I can get down very low at present.
The problem is that my back rounds as I get deep and I know this is bad news but I can't seem to sort it?

amazingemmet

Your back rounding is a sign of tight hip flexors

Reyman

amazingemmet wrote: »

If you have tight hip flexors it will stop you getting into a deep position by forcing your pelvis into anterior flexion as you go down. .

I can't fully understand this. But maybe you need to be working in the medical area to fully figure out the anatomy.

Anyway i'll have a go at stretching my hip flexors. Is there any kind of test you'd recommend to see if they're tight?

Sangre

your back rounds if you squat deep!

amazingemmet

Thomas test and modified thomas test, google them but they're hard to perform your self. If you stick up a pic of you doing a kneeling hip flexor stretch I can give you a rough analysis: Like this but get the front leg at right angle and keep your back as straight as possible. Don't try and force if you go the photo route just get to where it'll go with a bit fo tightness

Brian?

Is this a good demo?

http://www.abc-of-fitness.com/leg-stretch/hip-flexor-stretch.asp

Its what I have been doing for a while now and seems to be really helping. My main problem with the squat is my right ankle flexibility.

amazingemmet

Its a good hip flexor stretch but I'd tend to use that as a more active/ballistic type stretch, where as the kneeling hip flexor would be more a passive type stretch

Reyman

Thanks guys. I find both of those stretches pretty tough. I notice the second one seems to stretch the glutes also

Some of the books suggest putting plates under your heels. Is this recommended or does it load up the quads too much?

amazingemmet

Its not the end of the world if you need to do it but I'd try to get to where you don't need too.

Roper

Try doing the lunge but raising the hand on the back leg side as tough you want to ask the teacher a question. Hold for 10-15 and then repeat. That's a pretty good, pretty simple flexor stretch. You'd be quite surpised how many people can't raise their hand straight over their head in that position.

Sangre wrote:

your back rounds if you squat deep!

Oh really?:D

spiral

I think ropers suggestion is a good one , you could also try putting a bar on your back and doing a kneeling lunge stretch whilst trying to keep the torso as upright as possible . I found these to be a great help .

Transform

next step up on the hip flexor stretch below

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/107/315009314_07946a7075_o.jpg

Note the foot on the floor is as far forward as possible and ideally her heel should be touching her bum and with slight twist to the left when stretching right leg and vise versa. Hits quads and hip flexors really well

Reyman

That's pretty impressive Transform. It looks like she can do 180 degrees front to back. Effectively the 'splits' with one leg forward and the other back.

I know for sure I can't do anything like that!

Nate--IRL--

The Third world squat, everyday, warming up helped me a lot with flexibility for squats.

http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1856085&cr

Nate