Girlfriend can't squat....tight Achilles?
Discussion
otherhalf is interested in working out......we've dealt with the high reps, low weight nonsense and got onto good exercise for legs.....at which point it's turned out she can't squat without going onto tip toes.....way before she gets to parallel. For example, she could not sit up from a chair without going onto tiptoes! i'm assuming this is due to 10 years of wearing massive heels 24/7. she also enjoys jogging but finds her ankle/Achilles gives the real problems which I'm guessing it's probably all related?
So how does someone that can't squat more than 4 inches away from standing vertical get down?
So how does someone that can't squat more than 4 inches away from standing vertical get down?
Tiggsy said:
As an example of how bad it is - a weight plate under the heels would need to be 4" deep to help.....as per her minimum heel size.
Lots of calf/half/glute stretching then?
Yeah and hip flexors too, as Ross mentioned. Lots of calf/half/glute stretching then?
Sounds like she's developed a semi-fixed forefoot equinus which is very difficult to reduce. The forefoot is lower than than the rear foot so getting it flat to the ground uses up available ankle dorsiflexion just to stand up straight.
As mentioned, mobility WOD is good. It'll take ages to get get anywhere though and need a strict regime. Pain in the arse as being able to squat with good form is key to being able to perform some of the best exercises. You can forget Olympic lifts without a good squat (and shoulder mobility) too. I know this from bitter experience.
Tiggsy -
As an SnC coach coaching plenty of athletes who haven't done any kind of strength training before, whilst flexibilty may well be playing it's part she is almost certainly not queing the squat right. By this I mean mechanically she isn't going through the right movement pattern. This seems to be very common with girls - I've seen them leg pressing with their toes for example which is never a flexibility thing, they just "feel" like it's the best way to push and that's what naturally comes to them. It's impossible to tell without actually seeing her move, but it's worth thinking about before you start trying to fix a problem that may not actually be there. It's very difficult to help with this without actually being there to give her the cues to fix whaever she may be doing wrong.
I know on PH posting up pics of the Mrs is a massive no no, but if you were to video her squat and post it on here, or PM I'd be able to give some actual proper advice.
As an SnC coach coaching plenty of athletes who haven't done any kind of strength training before, whilst flexibilty may well be playing it's part she is almost certainly not queing the squat right. By this I mean mechanically she isn't going through the right movement pattern. This seems to be very common with girls - I've seen them leg pressing with their toes for example which is never a flexibility thing, they just "feel" like it's the best way to push and that's what naturally comes to them. It's impossible to tell without actually seeing her move, but it's worth thinking about before you start trying to fix a problem that may not actually be there. It's very difficult to help with this without actually being there to give her the cues to fix whaever she may be doing wrong.
I know on PH posting up pics of the Mrs is a massive no no, but if you were to video her squat and post it on here, or PM I'd be able to give some actual proper advice.
For educational purposes.
It's much harder than it looks.
The previous post is bang on. You need someone who appreciates how important it is to squat properly and the mechanics involved. A boggo NHS physio might not be the best place to look. She'd benefit from a session with a crossfit coach or get a physio recommended.
It's much harder than it looks.
The previous post is bang on. You need someone who appreciates how important it is to squat properly and the mechanics involved. A boggo NHS physio might not be the best place to look. She'd benefit from a session with a crossfit coach or get a physio recommended.
Halb said:
I'm gonna say that is pretty useless as I bet the OPs misses can't get into a comfortable, heels down, squat position, never mind trying to pistol in order to determine if you have the required ankle rom. She would fall over backwards before her knees get near parallel I reckon. It's a bit run before you can walk that vid. Pistols are f
king hard! Normal ankle rom is considered to be 10 degrees of dorsiflexion. This is required to allow your hip to pass over your plantargrade foot when walking. Squatting needs a few more degrees over that and if the foot has adopted a forefoot equinus position then you loose a few degrees of available motion just by standing and getting the foot plantargrade. You've used up some rom before even starting.
It can be really complex as human movement is all compound mechanics, just isolating one joint and blaming that as the culprit is likely only one of a few factors.
I work as a a podiatrist and I'm also really into Crossfit, I'm also stiff as a board! I've been told be a couple of senior MSK bods that trying to create more ankle rom ain't gonna happen... just stick heel raises in et voila!
Another point is that stretching/mobility routines are both tedious and uncomfortable. I hate them. Probably why I struggle. ☺
It can be really complex as human movement is all compound mechanics, just isolating one joint and blaming that as the culprit is likely only one of a few factors.
I work as a a podiatrist and I'm also really into Crossfit, I'm also stiff as a board! I've been told be a couple of senior MSK bods that trying to create more ankle rom ain't gonna happen... just stick heel raises in et voila!
Another point is that stretching/mobility routines are both tedious and uncomfortable. I hate them. Probably why I struggle. ☺
dave_s13 said:
I'm gonna say that is pretty useless as I bet the OPs misses can't get into a comfortable, heels down, squat position, never mind trying to pistol in order to determine if you have the required ankle rom. She would fall over backwards before her knees get near parallel I reckon.
It's a bit run before you can walk that vid. Pistols are fking hard!
Be a good laugh for the OP though.It's a bit run before you can walk that vid. Pistols are f
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