Can't squat due to mobiliy issues, I'd like to ask some advice!

K

koh

New member
Hello everyone!

For the first time in ages, I've decided to actually follow a workout plan (P.H.U.L.).

I have an issue though, I lack mobility in my hips and ankles. I've been working on them (doing dynamic stretches before workouts) and they seem getting better but still not good enough to allow me to squat deeply. I can't even reach a 90º angle. I actually lose my balance if I try to squat deeper.

So, instead of doing squats, I switched to the horizontal leg press, but I am not sure if this was the right choice. Should I do the lying leg press, the smith machine squat or the hack squat instead of the horizontal leg press? Should I even do these exercises instead of the squat?

Another thing. When I try to do the squat motion while hanging on a pillar in the gym, but it makes the tendons that connect the quads to the hips hurt. The pain is gone after 5ish minutes. Is this caused by lacking mobility? Or is it something else?

What would you do if you were in this situation? I'm so desperate, that my 2022 goal is to squat normally.

Thank you for reading this far, hope you have a nice day!
 
@koh I have long femurs and have to take a wider squat stance and use lifting shoes/plates under my feet to reach depth. I also program pause squats at the bottom and sit at the bottom for 3-5 seconds for a few sets and reps with a lighter to moderate weight.

I’d also give goblet squats a try with heels elevated.
 
@koh I did the 14 day squat challenge on The Ready State and it helped me get a deeper squat and gave me ways to warm up my hips and ankles before workouts. I have terrible ankle mobility as well and did the 14 day ankle challenge too. Highly recommend it!
 
@koh So with mobility issues due to tightness usually people recommend stretching and stretching is great. There is a great video on by Dr. Andy Galpin on youtube if you want to learn the biomechanics and the differences between dynamic and static. However in my experience stretching alone doesn’t improve squatting form or overall mobility. You need to strength the muscles at the same time. You need to strengthen the weak link in the chain and then ROM increases.
 
@koh I don't have any advise I'm exactly the same! I envy people who can squat. I cant even do 120 degrees. I stretch but my flexibility and mobility is still shit and the progress is painfully sloooooow . But you can still progress in the gym in the meantime. I love the leg press machine (horizontal, 90, 45), I feel like it was one of the most helpful exercises for me :)

Edit: try training your squat using a TRX(dont know the name in english) .
 
@koh My ankle mobility is shit so I got squat shoes and the different is night and day. You can try on plates first but there really is no comparison to a good pair of squat shoes!
 
@xajmaht1 That's awesome! One question though. Do you still try to squat without the shoes? Has your squat (barefoot) improved after some time using squat shoes?
 
@koh I haven’t tried. I am trying to incorporate more stretching lately but I do powerlifting so I just want to lift as much weight as possible and hit depth. Don’t care how I do it.
 
@koh I did weightlifting classes for a while and also really struggled with squats. I ended up getting a box to put under my butt. That way if I fell I would be sitting down. Over time my range of motion improved and no more box. (Initially it was a box with a few mats. Then fewer mats. Then shorter box, etc.)
 
@koh You might check out Squat University both the website and the YouTube channel.

He's got excellent ideas, stretches, mobility work etc to help people get a good squat. Even explains how form will be different on people with different leg lengths, the way the hip joint, and ankle mobility work.
 
@koh I also like squatting with my feet on plates. Do you also stretch your hip flexors? When I’ve been good about doing hip flexor stretching and yoga targeted to stretching and strengthening my hips, I make more progress.
 
I have a video that’s specifically to strengthen and stretch hips. It’s only 20 minutes or so, so I would do it in the evening. Or you could do it on off days.
 
@koh I have long femurs too, and I've long suspected I have some sort of anatomical thing with my hip socket that limits my squatting abilities- that is to say, I take a wide stance with my squats and point my toes outwards. I started using a glute band and that is also very helpful. If I take shorter stances, I don't end up squatting as deep. I do caroline girvan's videos, but I can never do the closed stance squats! I love sumo squats though.
 
@blackdolphin I thought I had that too, but if I squat holding on to something I'm able to do it with a full ROM. So I think my joints aren't the limiting factor alone, but, like other commenters' have said, it's probably lack of core strength, mobility, and having long femurs ...
 
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