One of the best things about the human experience is that we are all different and unique. Well so are our bodies, and this means that we have to figure out what is the best setup and form for each of us. Our bodies are so unique that from one side to the other there can be differences, such as one leg being longer or your hip sockets pointing in slightly different directions.
It means we need to experiment on which is the best setup and form for each of us, which allows us to feel pain-free, stable, and strong.
Some variables that can be adjusted are feet width, toes straight, pointed out, or even one of each, heels raised slightly, or even how you load the weight. You can do this with the help of a qualified personal trainer or by experimenting yourself and paying attention to how you feel during and afterward.
1. Foot width can be from right under the hips to very wide. This is usually the first variable I adjust and find the biggest differences with my clients because it often has the biggest impact on people’s mobility, comfort, and squat depth. Clients often report that one stance “feels” much more comfortable than others, however, that does not mean using other stance widths is not useful
2. After you have found the most comfortable foot width for your squat, how you point your toes comes next. Toes can be parallel, turned out, or somewhere in between. Additionally, you may find that one foot turned further out is more stable and feels better for you. At this point it is more fine-tuning your stance and comfort, I often look at people’s feet at the end of a set and see if any natural differences may occur. For example, if your left foot turns out slightly every time you perform a squatting exercise no matter how hard you try and keep it in place or corrective exercises you do. Experiment on yourself and put your foot in that position to start, and see what happens during the set, if the foot stays in place and the squat feels good then you have found the current best position for you.
3. Placing a weight plate or block under the heels can be very helpful especially for people with limited hip and ankle mobility, in addition, it puts more emphasis on the quads in the movement. Start with a thin weight plate or block under (2-3cm high) both heels and see if it makes things feel better or worse. You can try a thicker weight plate or block if this does not help, however, I would not go thicker than 6cm or a 45lbs plate as it can put lots of pressure on your knees.
Play with all of these variables and others that I have mentioned above and take some notes during and after to see what gets you the best results and feels as good as a squat can feel. I hope you found this useful and can help you reach your goals.
Finally, a big thing to remember you don’t need to squat or do any movement that hurts or continually causes injury, there are so many other movements to choose from to help you reach your goals.
Cheers,
Kyle Lane
