i was waiting for a judgement and was relieved it didn’t come. i have poor ankle mobility, and while i work on improving that, glad to see permission for heel elevation. why we need permission from strangers is a whole other discussion, but it’s freeing!
For anyone confused, a narrow stance is better suited for bodybuilding/hypertrophy if your intention is to grow your quads/place more emphasis on the quads. This is because a narrow stance limits the involvement of your glutes and adductors in performing the squat, biasing even greater the quads for this movement. An elevated heel allows you to stay more up-right whilst driving the knees more forward, as well as going deeper during the squat, which again, biases the quads much more than when you involve your hips etc. A note on the elevated heel bit - the need to incorporate an elevated heel will depend a lot on your anatomy. If you have short femurs you can actually stay upright and squat deeply without the need of an elevated heel (in most cases). If you have long femurs (I’m like 6ft4 with super, super long femurs), squatting deep like that with a narrow stance is impossible to do without your lower back rounding in to compensate for the greater range of motion (I.e., squatting deeper). In my case, I have to use squat shoes + an elevated heel (like a squat wedge) to get a full range of motion whilst staying up right to drive my knees forward without letting my lower back round in to compensate for the greater depth (this is called butt wink and NO it’s never acceptable please don’t do squats with a butt wink as overtime you’ll hurt yourself!) Another important variable to consider is also your hip mobility - some may not be able to squat narrow and deep irrespective of their femur length - in this case, doing the above certainly helps, or if you want to do things more naturally without the assistance of a wedge or squat shoes, try opening the hips as you descend into the squat. Or do both! This can address this issue too and prevent your lower back rounding in (butt wink). I hope this helps!
It’s not dangerous or painful at all. Your feet are supposed to function and move without shoes. The issue is alot of people wear shoes that their shoes do not bend and are more like a cast. Think of it as you got a cast off your arm so your arm is gonna be weak. Its the same as when you take off your shoes. If you don’t know what i’m talking about look into xero shoes and vivobarefoot. I rehabbed a torn achillies tendon without surgery and it works great now. Your feet are more impactful than you think.
My gym bro, a year ago said, “I dont squat. They dont like me.” Now that Sam is showing squats, my gym bro is now like, “You done squats lately?” Thanks Sam
@@Manu2k I dont watch the guy (he just pops up every now and then) so idk but everytime I've seen him it's been like during or pretty much straight after a workout. sounds fairly normal to be a bit out of breath
The narrow stance is also a biomechanical adaptation, that is to say, Sams best Biomechanically Hip Socket-Femur joint connection favours a narrow stance. Some peoples hips and hip sockets actually flare more outward, where a wider stance doesnt cause an impingement in the socket. Everyone has a differemt build, so try figuring out which stance width is best for you
I squat pretty wide with toes flared out, almost sitting between my knees. I loved this channel’s video on squatting based on your hip rotation. I always have, but I feel like tons of other people never knew to squat however works best for their anatomy.
I’m 6ft and always tried the wider stances and I’d always eventually get a “hotness” in my right knee. It wasn’t pain but it felt like the beginning of an injury if I kept it up like that. I then tried more narrower stances and they felt much better for me. I already have very good ankle mobility to the point I can get ass to grass without the plates or special shoes. Everyones anatomy is different and I shouldn’t have adopted a technique from others. Now I do my own and I have no issues.
@@reamartin6458 No sh!t💀 mans is 21, weighs 235 pounds with about 10% body-fat, all whilst being 5’11. Nothing wrong with testosterone, when our grandparents had had more 2x the amount we do.
I squat like that using a wedge because it emphasizes the quads more. If you look at tom Platz he squats the same too and even explains why the squat now a days has been bastardized.
He’s correct in saying that it’s better for quad development. He’s incorrect in saying it’s been bastardized. He’s referring to low bar powerlifting squats which allow most people to lift significantly more weight, which is the entire point of powerlifting
It always blows me away too. It’s not like he’s even remotely rude to people. He’s a just a young dude doing his own thing and enjoying what he does. It’s not like he’s pushing PEDs on anyone
@@kassokilleri2ffit doesn't end well for a select amount of people, but the other side of the coin does not get talked about. There are A LOT ...and I mean thousands of big dudes out there that have used juice for years and are doing just fine. If he's smart he will just shorten the time he's doing all this. Look at Jay Cutler for example. He looks great now.
I do heal elevated squats with my legs close together to put as much tension on my knees and quads as possible. My hope is this will strengthen my knees to prevent injury and to isolate my quads during my finally few sets
Also not mentioned, if you have longer legs in relation to your torso, it’s just so much more comfortable and feels more natural to a flat footed stance
Just had a lecture on this, by starting at a plantarflexion position, your ankle has more room for dorsiflexion movement to complete a full-depth squat. I love when this man pops out after these clips.
Him inspiring other people to blast roids and put themselves into an early grave without knowledge of the risks. Killing yourself for ego isn't admirable.
I recently started squatting like sam but with no plate after 20 years of squatting in a powerlifting style. Completely changed which muscles I use. Been enjoying it.
Squatting with your feet close together works the outside of your quads. A champion bodybuilder in the 80s liked to use that variation. I forgot his name
With this style of narrow stance heel elevated squats... I have such a tremendous amount of muscle mund connection that i can turn this squat into a a quad isolation exercise. But to get that muscle mind connection going i have to first pump out 100-150 bodyweight squats. The. I start doing weight. I can only do 25% of me 1 rep max but the stimulation i get is out of this world. I don't drop completely where my glutes are touching calves and working as stoppers even though i can because it takes tension off the quads, neither i straighten my legs completely standing up. Stopped at 20°. So my range is going from 20° to 45-50°... Which many people would say is trash... But for me this works. I didn't even controlled the eccentric or the negetives... I just dropped like a sack of potatoes from standing and then i flexes as hard as i can to 1st stop the fall them i exploded up with all my strength to a point where my hamstrings had to activate to stop the motion at 20° or i would just lift off. I've been stuck for about 1 year... No matter if i bulk or whatever, couldn't gain size. So one day I just decided to stop worrying about it and started having fun experimenting. In that, i invented this and it worked. Gained significant size since i begun doing this.
I read some of the comments here and some seem to touch on points very well, and therefore do not need to be restated. That said, a couple points to note that would seem to be of relevance and importance are the following. - Squatting with a more narrow stance as well as an elevated heel will destabilize your base of support - 2-fold - to the degree that your: stance width, height, range of motion and weight load all play together. With fatigue, as one nears muscle failure, the risk of injury will increase precipitously. - From a perspective of biomechanics, with the weight load shifting forward and the knee over ankle articulation increasing, two things will result. A lesser engagement of the true power from the posterior chain resulting in a lesser capacity for squatting a maximum weight load, given the goal of the preferred training method, as well as a less effective benefit toward building size or strength. - Also, with the workload being shifted to the quads more (for reasons stated above) the stress load will also shift from the hip and to the knee. Over time, this will translate to greater and greater degree of wear and tear on the knee joint to the inevitable point of chronic pain and/or injury.
I was never able to squat without having to compensate my form as my ankle mobility is almost nonexistant. This emphasized my lower back engagement and transformed squats into a shitty version of rdls. The day I tried out this narrow stance I started to finally enjoy squatting. So for this I thank Sam for showing alternatives :)
Thank you so much I've wanted to start squatting like 2 years ago but I have a shortened Achilles tendon so I was afraid but now that I know this I will try it with a wedge
Got myself some $10 wedge shoe inserts for my cheap converse. Feels extremely close to a weightlifting shoe, costs nothing and is more comfortable and safer than weight plates. Just a lil tip for anyone who'd like to try. 😊
I learned these when I was first starting out. Actually, in a high school gym class if memory serves. One thing that I learned, if you are going to choose to do these, with your heels elevated, it is important that you stretch your Achilles well.
As someone over 6 feet tall with long legs and weird ass ankles, this type of squat saved my life, because even during the warm-up if I do a classic squat I already start feeling a weird pain in my lower back and it's very annoying to do this exercise in this way because it hurts and I can't do anything heavy without hurting myself, whereas with this variation I'm finally starting to enjoy squatting, no pain, being able to go lower and I can really push myself 100% without hurting myself. Thanks Sam
Charles Poliquin called that "the cyclists squat" and or "quad-squat". The narrow stance puts an exentuated amount of tension towards the quads due to minimal glute activation.
This is the first time I have to disagree slightly: I'd rather have everyone paying more attention on ankle mobility which also helps with adjustment of the knees and hips via the moveability of the fibulae. Except that, I really like his content. Good explanations with profound knowledge. Greetings from a german physical therapist fellow.
I'd suggest having squat shoes instead of using the plate, just to reduce the chance of anything slipping out of place, but the elevated heel either way can be a very useful tool.
I agree, plus the increased knee over toe can bring more quad activation + the narrow stance which is probably what he’s looking for in his squats anyways
We do squats on plates for rowing training, as that way it is more similar to the angled footplate in the boat. This is also probably why the footplate is angled in the first place.
When I first started squatting, my trainer did this because I couldn’t keep my heels down. Played soccer growing up so have a tendency not to stay flat footed. Elevating my heels just a little helped my form.
I actually enjoy a similar type of squad. Same movement as Sam does on the plate, but without it, by taking off heels off the ground. Legs are burning and knees are getting bulletproof. But make sure to warm up your knees with a resistance band. And if you perhaps a runner as I'm - it also makes your ankle stronger and unlikely to get injured.
heels up is necessary for me. i have small feet and terrible ankle mobility . either heels up or back rounds and SI injuries. i have tried power lifting 1" heel shoes and even shoved some high heel inserts in. it doesn't help as much as i hoped. id still recommend trying the inserts and or p lifting shoes. FYI the inserts are made for short people who want to stick inserts in regular shoes for height gain. they inconspicuously turn shoes into high heels
As a tall dude with long ass legs the wide stance squats are rly awkward for me personally but the close stance helps me control my movement a lot more
I wanted to say be quiet tiny man because Sam is doing things, but your commentary was actually insightful and I enjoyed listening to your thoughts. Please continue making content. (We're all tiny people compared to Sam)
Unintentionally I’ve always walked and ran on my toes, it’s given me terrible pain in my ligaments occasionally but negligible. I’ve done this my entire life including when I was an extremely overweight kid, growing into it in high school my legs were outrageous in comparison to other students or players, that explosive power available is not to be overlooked and I’d recommend any overweight kid to adopt that walking style so if you eventually loose that weight it would be extremely beneficial.
Played at three sports until I graduated college in 2005. And narrow heels elevated squats sometimes feels better for me being that I’m 6’6 and weight goes from 225-270lbs.
I prefer developing my ankle mobility instead of relying on this to get better depth, the more squats I did the deeper I could go, also somehow rdls and good mornings helped too, feels like my knees are weaker when I use the plate even tho it helps me get into position easier
Very good for quads at a lighter weight. Its like a hack squat or sissy squat. Not great for going heaving because balance is off. Great for deapth (as in distance from ground) if you lack ankle and hip mobility.
I got a lower back mild herniated disc. So from experience and learning through this injury, elevated squats are definitely more comfortable than regular
I’ve been squatting since 16 at heavy ass weights. Sam is a calm,clear, and collected individual. There’s a lot of people and personalities on CZcams. Careful peeps
something i appreciate about sam's training philosophy is that he optimises but doesn't hyper optimise for example he couldve chose to go absolutely ass to grass but he doesn't. That extra ROM is not necessary for hypertrophy and might just tire you out.
I don’t have a issue doing a deep squat in any position really but for some reason I just don’t get the same pump and feeling in my quads when doing narrow squats, wide stance feels a lot more like a workout
I've used lifting shoes for a long time, but I'm getting a pair of wedges to try under them as well, because when I stand, with the shoes, on a plate, it does feel better for me, it feels super gnarly in my quads.
Finally someone that doesnt just judge people
Just don’t let it bother you
@@Thanoswasright_ yep
Talking about squat uni? He's a sports injuries physical therapist, he's the best at explaining biomechanics
@@Thanoswasright_not everyone is Sigma
i was waiting for a judgement and was relieved it didn’t come. i have poor ankle mobility, and while i
work on improving that, glad to see permission for heel elevation. why we need permission from strangers is a whole other discussion, but it’s freeing!
For anyone confused, a narrow stance is better suited for bodybuilding/hypertrophy if your intention is to grow your quads/place more emphasis on the quads. This is because a narrow stance limits the involvement of your glutes and adductors in performing the squat, biasing even greater the quads for this movement.
An elevated heel allows you to stay more up-right whilst driving the knees more forward, as well as going deeper during the squat, which again, biases the quads much more than when you involve your hips etc.
A note on the elevated heel bit - the need to incorporate an elevated heel will depend a lot on your anatomy. If you have short femurs you can actually stay upright and squat deeply without the need of an elevated heel (in most cases). If you have long femurs (I’m like 6ft4 with super, super long femurs), squatting deep like that with a narrow stance is impossible to do without your lower back rounding in to compensate for the greater range of motion (I.e., squatting deeper). In my case, I have to use squat shoes + an elevated heel (like a squat wedge) to get a full range of motion whilst staying up right to drive my knees forward without letting my lower back round in to compensate for the greater depth (this is called butt wink and NO it’s never acceptable please don’t do squats with a butt wink as overtime you’ll hurt yourself!)
Another important variable to consider is also your hip mobility - some may not be able to squat narrow and deep irrespective of their femur length - in this case, doing the above certainly helps, or if you want to do things more naturally without the assistance of a wedge or squat shoes, try opening the hips as you descend into the squat. Or do both! This can address this issue too and prevent your lower back rounding in (butt wink). I hope this helps!
The last point is pretty important too
Narrow stance is more like shoulder width, not the super close that Sam does
I ain’t reading all of that
@@walterarama why are you gae ??
I ain't reading allat
The elevated squat in sandals looked so painful
yeah, why no one notice that
And like quite dangerous 😅
That's Nsima Inyang. Does a lot of stuff in sandals or barefoot shoes lately to strengthen his feet. Clearly working.
It’s not dangerous or painful at all. Your feet are supposed to function and move without shoes. The issue is alot of people wear shoes that their shoes do not bend and are more like a cast. Think of it as you got a cast off your arm so your arm is gonna be weak. Its the same as when you take off your shoes. If you don’t know what i’m talking about look into xero shoes and vivobarefoot. I rehabbed a torn achillies tendon without surgery and it works great now. Your feet are more impactful than you think.
@@isiight. I think they’re talking about the part on the sandal that goes in between the toes
My gym bro, a year ago said, “I dont squat. They dont like me.”
Now that Sam is showing squats, my gym bro is now like, “You done squats lately?”
Thanks Sam
Cringe roid kid inspires you? Pathetic
Sam will be gone soon, so let’s enjoy his content while we can 🙏
@@angellopez5315 let’s not perpetuate this lifestyle by supporting these mentally ill insecure little boys. Health and longevity is true strength.
@@angellopez5315 he is such a good guy but damn he looks like a 40 year old child and runs out of breath talkin ... i'm worried about him
@@Manu2k I dont watch the guy (he just pops up every now and then) so idk but everytime I've seen him it's been like during or pretty much straight after a workout. sounds fairly normal to be a bit out of breath
The narrow stance is also a biomechanical adaptation, that is to say, Sams best Biomechanically Hip Socket-Femur joint connection favours a narrow stance.
Some peoples hips and hip sockets actually flare more outward, where a wider stance doesnt cause an impingement in the socket.
Everyone has a differemt build, so try figuring out which stance width is best for you
Yup, for me a wider stance is absolutely the way to go. I can go much deeper that way. But everybody is different.
I squat pretty wide with toes flared out, almost sitting between my knees. I loved this channel’s video on squatting based on your hip rotation. I always have, but I feel like tons of other people never knew to squat however works best for their anatomy.
@codeisme how do i figure out which is the best stance for me? I've heard a lot about this.
The squat with the flip flops
i do that and got injured while doing stair climber
@@swoop-in 😭
Im just imagine what would happen if there got to be to much friction and they slipped off of that wedge
@@BaldZippy ong
I’m 6ft and always tried the wider stances and I’d always eventually get a “hotness” in my right knee. It wasn’t pain but it felt like the beginning of an injury if I kept it up like that. I then tried more narrower stances and they felt much better for me. I already have very good ankle mobility to the point I can get ass to grass without the plates or special shoes. Everyones anatomy is different and I shouldn’t have adopted a technique from others. Now I do my own and I have no issues.
Same here but 10 inches taller
@@ryangimm1009 You're 6'10??
I can't get ass to grass unless I do a wider stance. Just past shoulder width.
Just curious, did angling your feet out help any at all wider stance? I typically have to turn mine out a good bit to keep my knees happy
@@coltongray3690 yes I do but only a little for my comfort as I never have them pointed straight out.
my cutie patootie sam
🏳️🌈🧚♂️
@@reamartin6458 No sh!t💀 mans is 21, weighs 235 pounds with about 10% body-fat, all whilst being 5’11. Nothing wrong with testosterone, when our grandparents had had more 2x the amount we do.
Bros moving strangely
CZcams will be like “hey, this ain’t english, lemme get google to translate”
Then google be like “homie, this is english”
You stay tf away from Sam he's not your's to take
Cakes everywhere 🌝
You gay
@@NinefoeWack-yu8vfgymbros gayness is ok
The bakery 😂
@@NinefoeWack-yu8vf I was expecting this 😂😂😂
@@_iyamdavid 🤣
It's actually really cool seeing this, because this is exactly how I squat. Salute to everyone working on their health!
Love the positive vibes, keep it up man, need more of yall out there in the world today
Hell of a quad burn. It also relieves my lower back from getting tight.
Sika strength!
fridge time!
an absolute f*cking HORSE
@@Oatmate the real mogs
Roids be salty because you did not give them credit
Suka strength!
I squat like that using a wedge because it emphasizes the quads more. If you look at tom Platz he squats the same too and even explains why the squat now a days has been bastardized.
The quad father 💪🏾
He’s correct in saying that it’s better for quad development. He’s incorrect in saying it’s been bastardized. He’s referring to low bar powerlifting squats which allow most people to lift significantly more weight, which is the entire point of powerlifting
S/o to squat university for not looking for a reason to talk crap about this kid. I respect that. Too many CZcams channels talking smack about him
But using his name for views and likes
@@marcelotapia3970 He’s not talking shit about him though is the point I was making
It always blows me away too. It’s not like he’s even remotely rude to people. He’s a just a young dude doing his own thing and enjoying what he does. It’s not like he’s pushing PEDs on anyone
love your message around doing what helps you keep squatting
This man is getting more and more famous everyday
@jhardytranssexuals5826 I hope not
@jhardytranssexuals5826it sucks because he's such a good guy.
I hate to say i fear for his life and literally everyone's life who is on roids.
@@kassokilleri2ffit doesn't end well for a select amount of people, but the other side of the coin does not get talked about. There are A LOT ...and I mean thousands of big dudes out there that have used juice for years and are doing just fine. If he's smart he will just shorten the time he's doing all this. Look at Jay Cutler for example. He looks great now.
@jhardytranssexuals5826classic spiteful small guy comment smh
@@foxxrider250rare there actual stats on people who abuse the substance and get out clean vs those who die or develop issues
I had a back injury and this helped so much to squat again
I do heal elevated squats with my legs close together to put as much tension on my knees and quads as possible.
My hope is this will strengthen my knees to prevent injury and to isolate my quads during my finally few sets
Do sissy leg press and Nordic leg extensions as an easier and more targeted means of achieving this
Also not mentioned, if you have longer legs in relation to your torso, it’s just so much more comfortable and feels more natural to a flat footed stance
Sam is still so young but while driving and talking he is out of breath…
Only when he has just been to the gym and lifted more weight in one session than you in your entire life, and then done cardio.
@@ambivvvvvvvvvalence he can lift whatever but he doesn’t look healthy 😉
@@Dzinbhudisttroll
@@nolenbeck1238I am troll? Check your CZcams name 🤦♂️ sooner or later we will see Sam in hospital looking at his diet and enhancing drugs abuse…
💉🧃
Just had a lecture on this, by starting at a plantarflexion position, your ankle has more room for dorsiflexion movement to complete a full-depth squat. I love when this man pops out after these clips.
I’m more concerned with him being out of breath while sitting down talking in a car.
Roids will do that
Ikr it made me uncomfortable hearing how much he was straining
Ummm maybe it’s because he just got done lifting and he’s stuff out of breath. Did you ever think about that one jackass?
@@noahboa5392 "just finished lifting" while driving in his car? Tf are you talking about
@@noahboa5392🥩 riding be crazy 😭
The amount of faith the guy in flip flops on the big wedge is placing on the fabric between his toes is inspirational.
How could anyone dislike sam?
By misinterpreting him
hes outta breath while driving. hes killing himself.
@@prestonbelgarde6896 exactly.
Him inspiring other people to blast roids and put themselves into an early grave without knowledge of the risks.
Killing yourself for ego isn't admirable.
Teaching dangerous bullshit to kids who have no clue.......whats to like bud?
I recently started squatting like sam but with no plate after 20 years of squatting in a powerlifting style. Completely changed which muscles I use. Been enjoying it.
Maybe one day we'll see a real colab with these two :)
Squatting with your feet close together works the outside of your quads. A champion bodybuilder in the 80s liked to use that variation. I forgot his name
Sam needs to lay off the juice and get a life.
hating for no reason
@@jakeklawonn797literally killing himself
@@aidenc7120*sips soda and grabs a few chips* "but he's killing himself!" ☝
Let people do what they want
hes literally training to compete as a professional bodybuilder, how do you expect him not to take steroids?
@@mons1117by growing up. There's no future in bodybuilding... LITERALLY
HE FINALLY MADE IT BOIS! The two best creators alive!!!!!!!❤
Whatever makes you hit harder and deeper but doesn’t hurt you go for it bud
Beautiful, non-judgemental and data based response vid, absolutely phenomenal and what a breath of fresh air 💪💪💪💪🫡
With this style of narrow stance heel elevated squats... I have such a tremendous amount of muscle mund connection that i can turn this squat into a a quad isolation exercise.
But to get that muscle mind connection going i have to first pump out 100-150 bodyweight squats.
The. I start doing weight.
I can only do 25% of me 1 rep max but the stimulation i get is out of this world.
I don't drop completely where my glutes are touching calves and working as stoppers even though i can because it takes tension off the quads, neither i straighten my legs completely standing up. Stopped at 20°.
So my range is going from 20° to 45-50°... Which many people would say is trash... But for me this works.
I didn't even controlled the eccentric or the negetives... I just dropped like a sack of potatoes from standing and then i flexes as hard as i can to 1st stop the fall them i exploded up with all my strength to a point where my hamstrings had to activate to stop the motion at 20° or i would just lift off.
I've been stuck for about 1 year... No matter if i bulk or whatever, couldn't gain size.
So one day I just decided to stop worrying about it and started having fun experimenting.
In that, i invented this and it worked. Gained significant size since i begun doing this.
I read some of the comments here and some seem to touch on points very well, and therefore do not need to be restated.
That said, a couple points to note that would seem to be of relevance and importance are the following.
- Squatting with a more narrow stance as well as an elevated heel will destabilize your base of support - 2-fold - to the degree that your: stance width, height, range of motion and weight load all play together. With fatigue, as one nears muscle failure, the risk of injury will increase precipitously.
- From a perspective of biomechanics, with the weight load shifting forward and the knee over ankle articulation increasing, two things will result. A lesser engagement of the true power from the posterior chain resulting in a lesser capacity for squatting a maximum weight load, given the goal of the preferred training method, as well as a less effective benefit toward building size or strength.
- Also, with the workload being shifted to the quads more (for reasons stated above) the stress load will also shift from the hip and to the knee. Over time, this will translate to greater and greater degree of wear and tear on the knee joint to the inevitable point of chronic pain and/or injury.
I was never able to squat without having to compensate my form as my ankle mobility is almost nonexistant. This emphasized my lower back engagement and transformed squats into a shitty version of rdls.
The day I tried out this narrow stance I started to finally enjoy squatting.
So for this I thank Sam for showing alternatives :)
I do front squats and rear squats this way. Love it!
Thank you so much I've wanted to start squatting like 2 years ago but I have a shortened Achilles tendon so I was afraid but now that I know this I will try it with a wedge
That’s how I have always done it too. Feels so good. Do what works for you.
Got myself some $10 wedge shoe inserts for my cheap converse. Feels extremely close to a weightlifting shoe, costs nothing and is more comfortable and safer than weight plates. Just a lil tip for anyone who'd like to try. 😊
“If it works for him great” W right there need more of that
I always wondered why I found doing squats easyier when I was on my toes. Thanks for the info
As long as nothing is hyperextended or impinged any variety of a lift is safe. Everyone’s body mechanics are unique.
Respect for breaking down his lift instead of bashing his character like so many others have done.
I learned these when I was first starting out. Actually, in a high school gym class if memory serves.
One thing that I learned, if you are going to choose to do these, with your heels elevated, it is important that you stretch your Achilles well.
As someone over 6 feet tall with long legs and weird ass ankles, this type of squat saved my life, because even during the warm-up if I do a classic squat I already start feeling a weird pain in my lower back and it's very annoying to do this exercise in this way because it hurts and I can't do anything heavy without hurting myself, whereas with this variation I'm finally starting to enjoy squatting, no pain, being able to go lower and I can really push myself 100% without hurting myself.
Thanks Sam
Ever since I started this weeks ago I’ve been seeing Sam and others do this more. I love this way of squatting now and is killer
I have stiff (right) ankle due to an old ligament injury, this is the only way I can squat.
Mint thanks you for this information I’ve been looking for a educated opinion on a close foot squat
Doesn’t even plug his own shoe at the perfect moment to do so, thank you for the great info with no bs
Charles Poliquin called that "the cyclists squat" and or "quad-squat". The narrow stance puts an exentuated amount of tension towards the quads due to minimal glute activation.
I started doing it two years ago and it really helped my numbers
This is amazing!! Thank you for your videos.
Thats EXACTLY how I've done squats like that, glad to see im not the only one.
I tried it this way after seeing Sam do it. Immediately saw gains and strength improvements.
I’ve been doing it and I like it a lot way better on my knees and comfortable I can also go all the way down completing deep squats with each rep
This is the first time I have to disagree slightly: I'd rather have everyone paying more attention on ankle mobility which also helps with adjustment of the knees and hips via the moveability of the fibulae.
Except that, I really like his content. Good explanations with profound knowledge.
Greetings from a german physical therapist fellow.
I'd suggest having squat shoes instead of using the plate, just to reduce the chance of anything slipping out of place, but the elevated heel either way can be a very useful tool.
I started squatting like this as a non-competitive bodybuilder and it just feels so much better
Dude this lights your quads up so insanely
I agree, plus the increased knee over toe can bring more quad activation + the narrow stance which is probably what he’s looking for in his squats anyways
We do squats on plates for rowing training, as that way it is more similar to the angled footplate in the boat. This is also probably why the footplate is angled in the first place.
When I first started squatting, my trainer did this because I couldn’t keep my heels down. Played soccer growing up so have a tendency not to stay flat footed. Elevating my heels just a little helped my form.
I actually enjoy a similar type of squad. Same movement as Sam does on the plate, but without it, by taking off heels off the ground. Legs are burning and knees are getting bulletproof. But make sure to warm up your knees with a resistance band. And if you perhaps a runner as I'm - it also makes your ankle stronger and unlikely to get injured.
Narrow stance does absolute wonders for working the quauds. I like to do both narrow and conventional in order to work different muscles.
heels up is necessary for me. i have small feet and terrible ankle mobility . either heels up or back rounds and SI injuries. i have tried power lifting 1" heel shoes and even shoved some high heel inserts in. it doesn't help as much as i hoped. id still recommend trying the inserts and or p lifting shoes. FYI the inserts are made for short people who want to stick inserts in regular shoes for height gain. they inconspicuously turn shoes into high heels
As a tall dude with long ass legs the wide stance squats are rly awkward for me personally but the close stance helps me control my movement a lot more
I did these today. Game changer!
I wanted to say be quiet tiny man because Sam is doing things, but your commentary was actually insightful and I enjoyed listening to your thoughts. Please continue making content.
(We're all tiny people compared to Sam)
This guy NEVER talks bad about people.👏🏽
he always explains the reason behind an exercise which is why bro is a G
I've been using this method for something and improved my squat quite a bit.
That makes sense why i feel like im gonna fall backward when im wearing my drop heel barefoot shoes lol
Never liked squats until I switched to heel elevated. Now they are my favorite leg day
I hate hearing Sam out of breath from talking…hoping he lives a long and healthy life!
I fell in love with squatting this way, I found that I go deeper and I lift more and I stand more upright.
yea; I go goblet, narrow-stance, box-squat to promote centerin-discipline while rehabbin
Dude in the flip flops on that high angle wedge... 💀 he seems like a gambler for sure 😅😂
Dude can’t even breathe while driving. Wild.
That’s why I use square wedges. No more falling backwards when going for deep squats.
Unintentionally I’ve always walked and ran on my toes, it’s given me terrible pain in my ligaments occasionally but negligible. I’ve done this my entire life including when I was an extremely overweight kid, growing into it in high school my legs were outrageous in comparison to other students or players, that explosive power available is not to be overlooked and I’d recommend any overweight kid to adopt that walking style so if you eventually loose that weight it would be extremely beneficial.
Played at three sports until I graduated college in 2005. And narrow heels elevated squats sometimes feels better for me being that I’m 6’6 and weight goes from 225-270lbs.
That’s how the quadfather does it, can’t imagine it working too bad
I do this for the quad isolation and the gains have been nice
Man driving the car and talking must be an exhausting multi task. Sam is wiped 🥵
Tom Platz did the same squat without the elevated heels, ankle mobility was crazy
I prefer developing my ankle mobility instead of relying on this to get better depth, the more squats I did the deeper I could go, also somehow rdls and good mornings helped too, feels like my knees are weaker when I use the plate even tho it helps me get into position easier
Very good for quads at a lighter weight. Its like a hack squat or sissy squat. Not great for going heaving because balance is off. Great for deapth (as in distance from ground) if you lack ankle and hip mobility.
Been doing this ever since i saw sam do it and I love it
Sika Strength's Gurph making it into the SU shorts, you love to see it
i love this guy
I got a lower back mild herniated disc. So from experience and learning through this injury, elevated squats are definitely more comfortable than regular
Who's going to tell him he's doing it wrong? ... Lol. That dude's a beast!
Literally hated squatting before raising my heels, now i look forward to leg days
You’re partially right about the dumbbell under the heel….
I’ve been squatting since 16 at heavy ass weights. Sam is a calm,clear, and collected individual. There’s a lot of people and personalities on CZcams. Careful peeps
something i appreciate about sam's training philosophy is that he optimises but doesn't hyper optimise
for example he couldve chose to go absolutely ass to grass but he doesn't.
That extra ROM is not necessary for hypertrophy and might just tire you out.
I don’t have a issue doing a deep squat in any position really but for some reason I just don’t get the same pump and feeling in my quads when doing narrow squats, wide stance feels a lot more like a workout
Bro reinvented the original hacksquat :skull:
I've used lifting shoes for a long time, but I'm getting a pair of wedges to try under them as well, because when I stand, with the shoes, on a plate, it does feel better for me, it feels super gnarly in my quads.
My favorite squat
Man’s toes in the flops GRIPPIN