Squat - Knee Slide

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

Hi all,

I would like to hear your opinion on how bad the knee slide actually is during the squat.
In the Starting Strength world, the knee slide seems to be like the devil himself. Knee slide will cause you to loose the tension in your hamstrings, which will inhibit your bounce and hip drahve. You ought to use the TUBOW to learn how to keep your knees in one place during almost the entire descent, and any form check video where your knee moves like a centimeter will be followed by 20 comments pointing at your knees.

On the other hand, when I watch e.g. Mike Tuchscherer’s squats, it very much looks like his knees keep travelling forward during the entire descent.

I have difficulties keepiong the knees in one spot; they keep moving forward, and I haven’t found a good cue to prevent that. Is the knee slide a big issue (if so, how would you recommend solving it) or isn’t it as devilish after all?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

Best,

Toby

2

We think that explanation is not only wrong, but it’s potentially harmful as it may increase pain symptoms in people who hold them in high esteem, in addition to limiting individual’s participation in exercises requiring forward knee travel such as front squats, push press, etc.

The knees move forward in all squats and the hamstrings are almost never the limiting factor in completing a squat.

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