Squats Part 2: Fold-Ability and Proportions (Examples and Adjustments)

This time, we see some examples, and some options for adjusting the exercise to fit the individual ie CLIENT-DEFINED EXERCISE

**a PTDC admin may respond to comments, but the Instructor in video will not, so please keep that in mind before you comment!!!**

[patd.]

I have a long femur. Your video is the sanest explanation i have ever seen or heard.
I have a few people i will show this to. Thanks for being generous and taking time to put
this video together and post it!

[karlachapman]

Thank you- thank you - THANK YOU!!!! I have been working with personal trainers for over 16 months and my squat has ALWAYS been an issue. I kept telling them exactly the same thing- I CAN’T GET LOWER, I’M GOING TO FALL. It was so frustrating! The only way I could do it was with a super wide stance and elevated heels. I made some improvement by increasing flexibility but I was so mad that I didn’t seem to be making any progress. Thank you so so

[katherinemartin]

YASSS!! This. I just started training and my trainer (soon to be my ex-trainer) kept telling me that I was too far forward and that my knees were too far over my toes. When I did it 'the right way' however I kept falling down or feeling pain in my knees and my lower back. I knew that falling backward was an indicator that something was off biomechanically speaking. When in doubt look for scientific research. I've now read multiple studies and seen all of these videos and have measured both my proportions and my flexibility and have worked out with just a little bit of research that my trainer is not as knowledgeable as she would like me to believe. Time for a new one. Thank you again!

[streetthugza]

If it was not for this video, after 10 years of squatting with a forward lean and being told I was shit, I would have quit. Thank you.

[Draconior]

this man may sound smug, but it's clear that he's had enough of hearing all those bullshit about squats and squatting. awesome and simple and clear videos, to be spread globally goddamit

[lydiagiuliano]

I am a competitive powerlifter built just like the second gentleman in this video. I am constantly frustrated and searching for knowledge to “figure out” my squat. Thank you for putting this unconventional video together!! 🙏 Please keep teaching!!

[DanOt]

I've been squatting in elevated heals for a long time. Watching this video made me realize I probably should be squatting wider and doing it with a flatter shoe. My first workout with a wider stance and a flat shoe I PRd on my squat, and my knees feel better.  I also don't need a belt nearly as much, this video has helped me a great deal.

[mikefarrar]

👏You're a breath of fresh air! Thank you. Like many it seems, I've been having the same issues with "specialists", at the gym, or elsewhere. It was only when I started considering my applied maths/levers and fulcrums from back in school that I started asking myself the right questions. As a long femur'd, even longer tibia'd guy with a short trunk I found squats just gave me back and neck pain. Eventually I readjusted and widened my stance regardless of contrary advice. It helped immensely. Following that I switched to the leg press and adjusted till I was comfortable (as I see you also mention) and also benefited greatly. Such a pleasure to hear your observations and advice. Finally someone who says what needs to be said, and knows what they're talking about. 🙌

[greenbra]

This information as been life changing to my approach to customizing exercises for my clients. Tom Purvis and the RTS programs are AMAZING.

Thank you for changing helping change my clients lives!

[earnesttipping]

It is refreshing to see someone that really knows what they are talking about.
Thank you for posting this.

[hottoniapalustris]

You are a goldmine of knowledge. I can hardly believe you're sharing it for free. Thank you, sir.

[tomdelong]

Once again, Tom, this is exactly what I have been teaching for years!! Kreighbaum and Barthels in their biomechanics textbook spoke on optimizing style of technique based on somatotype (variable segment lengths) to optimize the external line of force accordingly.  The Russians wrote numerous training manuals stating the importance of this to optimize technique for each lifter (a great one is entitled "Textbook of Weightlifting" by V.N. Vorobyev). So glad you mentioned the fallacy of the knee moving forward and it isn't bad.  Weightlifters (Olympic), when the catch a snatch or Clean and Jerk, are in an upright position with knees forward.  The also have a very low rate of injury on the knee joint (little damage to the CT surrounding the joint).  The general public, as well as the fitness industry, doesn't truly understand somatotypes and their effects on style of technique (mechanics). Thanks again!!!

[anaauler]

I can't even say how many trainers have said I "squat wrong". I have been working out pretty much my whole life, and I have never had a trainer that realized that maybe I struggled with squating because of my proportions. I have even worked with a phisical therapist to try and deeppen my squat, but the changes were pretty minimal. One day, my crossfit coach, who is the same height as me and squats beautifully, measured my femur, torso and tibia against his. What we discovered was that I had a much longer femur and much shorter torso and tibia than he did. My husband is about 2 inches taller than me and I have a longer femur than him. Knowing this, I don't feel as frustrated as did.

[DatThanh]

holy shit, how come this channel hasnt blown up is way beyond me :(. I will share your channel in all my social network so everyone who lifts can see this. Such a valuable knowledge. I wish we had these kind of seminar in our country.

[ABeautifulMind__]

Idk who you are. I found out your channel while searching for 'femur length effects on squats'. Man, this answered all of my questions. Thankyou so much.

[zack..]

5 years later this guy is super smart. Simple setup but extremely informative and relevant. Way better content than the likes of athleanX . I wish i found him earlier.

[teddynersesian]

Im 7 years late but this video is quite literally the key to understanding how to optimally squat, definitely coming back to this channel for a better understanding of the biomechanics behind different exercises

[olimercer]

At first I was like 8 minutes? And at the end I was stunned that 8 minutes had gone by. Superb, and it'll probably change the way I squat. I have long femurs I've learned from these two videos and will try wider next time. Thank you!

[landlubber]

Amazing stuff and I'm surprised this isn't talked about more often. I tried for a full year to train low bar squats. I have a super short torso, relatively long femurs, so when I go low bar I'm either folded over and can't hit depth or I get weird tendon pain from trying to stay upright and the bar being behind my midfoot. I've since adopted a wider stance, train high bar only and my back and knees are happier.

[sullyobrien]

Finally some one gets it! Im basically the same as the second guy. Short torso & long femur. Widening my stance, with my knees pointed out slightly makes me look like im built to squat. No back or knee pain. A PT in my gym, however, told me this stance was wrong. As you said, its not one size fits all. Everyone has different porportions and the way you squat is dictated by this.