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When someone can’t squat to parallel it’s easy to assume “bad mobility.” But, stretching and mobilizing will only get you so far.
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In the bottom of a squat bone to bone contact can occur. It is a limiting factor and is what happens when a lot of people say they feel a pinch in their hip when they squat.
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No mobility work will stop that from happening and that’s why you have to acknowledge that anatomical variation is going to determine how you have to set up to achieve a full squat.
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Before getting into specifics (I know 99% of you don’t care, you just want to know how to squat right for you) I will post a video showing you how to screen your squat.
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For the nerds: there are 2 big anatomical variances between individuals including alignment and angles at the attachment of the hip. These contribute to your stance width, toe angle, and how your knees will track over your toes.
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Alignment: a coxa valga neck angle (more upright neck) will increase the chance of bone on bone contact between the pelvis and the femur at the bottom of a squat (the pinch) resulting in needing a wider stance. The coxa vara (more lateral positioned) neck angle would likely be more comfortable at the bottom of the squat: these people are ones who look like they have textbook form.
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Angle: the neck of the femur can be in an anteverted (angled forward/anteriorly), or retroverted (angled backward/posteriorly) position. Anteversion has excessive internal hip rotation making it harder for the person to drive the knees out in a squat so they will likely squat more narrow. Retroversion will allow for more open hips/lateral rotation and a wider stance squat. These people will have a harder time achieving the ass to grass type depth that a anteverted hip could achieve.
.
.
In the bottom of a squat bone to bone contact can occur. It is a limiting factor and is what happens when a lot of people say they feel a pinch in their hip when they squat.
.
No mobility work will stop that from happening and that’s why you have to acknowledge that anatomical variation is going to determine how you have to set up to achieve a full squat.
.
Before getting into specifics (I know 99% of you don’t care, you just want to know how to squat right for you) I will post a video showing you how to screen your squat.
.
For the nerds: there are 2 big anatomical variances between individuals including alignment and angles at the attachment of the hip. These contribute to your stance width, toe angle, and how your knees will track over your toes.
.
Alignment: a coxa valga neck angle (more upright neck) will increase the chance of bone on bone contact between the pelvis and the femur at the bottom of a squat (the pinch) resulting in needing a wider stance. The coxa vara (more lateral positioned) neck angle would likely be more comfortable at the bottom of the squat: these people are ones who look like they have textbook form.
.
Angle: the neck of the femur can be in an anteverted (angled forward/anteriorly), or retroverted (angled backward/posteriorly) position. Anteversion has excessive internal hip rotation making it harder for the person to drive the knees out in a squat so they will likely squat more narrow. Retroversion will allow for more open hips/lateral rotation and a wider stance squat. These people will have a harder time achieving the ass to grass type depth that a anteverted hip could achieve.
.