# Squats for tall people



## softice (Jun 9, 2014)

Hi,

As a result of another post here some time go I started SL 5x5 and had great results. I've gained 10 kg and build a muscle mass but I'm no where near where I wanted to be - I'm 202cm tall and 83kg as of today. Last year I quit squatting for some time as I started to feel pain in the knees and then had to quit the gym for 3m due to personal/professional reasons. Looking back I think that I didn't pushed the knees out and was leaning forward too much.

Now, few days ago I started training again and it's great. This time I decided to go for SS 5x5, I won't lie if I say I can see difference when I look in the mirror. It's been almost two weeks now and I squat with 70 kg yesterday and have a soreness in the knees and almost a mild pain. I bought the SS book, read the whole SL site and watched hundred of videos but I'm either over thinking it or missing some bits (I'm not native as you can tell). I even booked a personal trainer at the gym to fix my form and avoid any injuries. The trainer said I need a bigger and wider stance and shouldn't go below parallels. Done couple of other exercises with him but didn't say anything when I told him I'm doing 5x5.

As mention before I'm 202cm (6ft7in) tall with long legs which might require a different form.

I love the squat and don't want to quit or worse injury myself.

I'll really appreciate if someone can explain to me in simple terms what should be my form and what I'm doing wrong so I have pain in the knees (yes I might to make a video how I squat and post it here).

Thanks in advance!

Regards


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## Quackerz (Dec 19, 2015)

Post a video mate. Would help.


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## big shrek (Aug 30, 2011)

Hey, I'm just over 6ft 8 and weigh 400 lbs and I use a wide stance, make sure knees follow toes and Wear knee wraps.im currently doing the stronglifts 5x5 and I'm on 137.5 kg squats 5x5 at the minute, I always go just below parallel to avoid knee pain


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## softice (Jun 9, 2014)

Hi,

Quackerz - Yes I realized that when I wrote the post  I'll post a video tomorrow.

big shrek: Now we are talking, thanks for your answer. Right so with wider stance I don't have to push my knees out but just make sure they follow the toes ? I was going to ask my wraps in my question but forgot. Mate told me that I should ALWAYS waer wraps - for my knees and elbows ? I know that it might be too early to ask that but do I need proper weight lifting shoes ?

Any other tall squaters around ? 

Thanks.


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## big shrek (Aug 30, 2011)

i do barefoot squats bro, i wear wraps when i go over 100kg.

yeah which ever direction your toes go your knees must follow, i have a wide stance as i have a barrell gut so it sits nicely inbetween my legs

without sounding harsh.........your very tall with a low body weight so perhaps your legs are not very strong to start with, my legs get a workout every day when they have to carry my fat ass round lol.

if i were you i would start with the 5x5 and get your form correct, a mate of mine stands on 5kg plates under his heels when he squats, i guess its just whatever suits you


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## naturalguy (Jan 21, 2016)

big shrek said:


> i do barefoot squats bro, i wear wraps when i go over 100kg.
> 
> yeah which ever direction your toes go your knees must follow, i have a wide stance as i have a barrell gut so it sits nicely inbetween my legs
> 
> ...


 Wearing wraps for squatting under 500lbs is the dumbest thing I've heard in a long long time and will lead to destroying your knees. GJDM.


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## naturalguy (Jan 21, 2016)

softice said:


> Hi,
> 
> Quackerz - Yes I realized that when I wrote the post  I'll post a video tomorrow.
> 
> ...


 Do not wear wraps under ANY circumstance.


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## softice (Jun 9, 2014)

big shrek said:


> i do barefoot squats bro, i wear wraps when i go over 100kg.
> 
> yeah which ever direction your toes go your knees must follow, i have a wide stance as i have a barrell gut so it sits nicely inbetween my legs
> 
> ...


 Thanks, I might try barefoot as well.

Indeed, what's why I started 5x5 with an empty bar. Fast forward I got knees pain when I was squiating with 70kg, then I stopped for 6m and now I got knees pain at 70kg again. Obviously I'm doing something wrong, I'll post video tomorrow.


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## AestheticManlet (Jun 12, 2012)

naturalguy said:


> Do not wear wraps under ANY circumstance.


 That could end very badly if so, haha. I could imagine both arms getting pulled from their sockets very easily and you in a heap on the floor.


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## naturalguy (Jan 21, 2016)

Ross1991 said:


> That could end very badly if so, haha. I could imagine both arms getting pulled from their sockets very easily and you in a heap on the floor.


 Huh? Why would someones arms be pulled out their sockets 'cos of not wearing knee wraps?


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## big shrek (Aug 30, 2011)

naturalguy said:


> Wearing wraps for squatting under 500lbs is the dumbest thing I've heard in a long long time and will lead to destroying your knees. GJDM.


 ok then..........................................................


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## AestheticManlet (Jun 12, 2012)

naturalguy said:


> Huh? Why would someones arms be pulled out their sockets 'cos of not wearing knee wraps?


 Misread as wrist wraps, was going to say who the fvck would use them for squats.


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## softice (Jun 9, 2014)

naturalguy said:


> Do not wear wraps under ANY circumstance.


 Thanks. I'm not wearing wraps but wanted to know if I really need one. As I mentioned ealier a mate of mine said I always need wraps for knees and elbows.

See that's what has always confused me with body building. Ask ten people for an advice and you'll get ten different opinions.


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## naturalguy (Jan 21, 2016)

Ross1991 said:


> Misread as wrist wraps, was going to say who the fvck would use them for squats.


 Lowbar squats wrist wraps help, a lot


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## naturalguy (Jan 21, 2016)

big shrek said:


> ok then..........................................................


 I'm not joking, either. That is bad.



softice said:


> Thanks. I'm not wearing wraps but wanted to know if I really need one. As I mentioned ealier a mate of mine said I always need wraps for knees and elbows.
> 
> See that's what has always confused me with body building. Ask ten people for an advice and you'll get ten different opinions.


 Get Knee Sleeves if anything, but you shouldn't be masking problems, fixing them is the key.


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## softice (Jun 9, 2014)

naturalguy said:


> Get Knee Sleeves if anything, but you shouldn't be masking problems, fixing them is the key.


 Couldn't agree more. That's why I'm looking for help. Will post a video tomorrow after the training. Not sure what form to use though, tried to do exactly what Mark Rippetoe said in one of his videos.


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## naturalguy (Jan 21, 2016)

softice said:


> Couldn't agree more. That's why I'm looking for help. Will post a video tomorrow after the training. Not sure what form to use though, tried to do exactly what Mark Rippetoe said in one of his videos.


 You can't just do what one person says, everyone is built differently, some people have long femurs etc. Some people need closer stance, some wider.

All people here with different leverages, maybe helpful. (should be).


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## Mogadishu (Aug 29, 2014)

Squats and tall worst combination ever. Unless you aint going for powerlifting its waste of time.


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## RUDESTEW (Mar 28, 2015)

big shrek said:


> Hey, I'm just over 6ft 8 and weigh 400 lbs and I use a wide stance, make sure knees follow toes and Wear knee wraps.im currently doing the stronglifts 5x5 and I'm on 137.5 kg squats 5x5 at the minute, I always go just below parallel to avoid knee pain


 BIGGEST SHREK


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## big shrek (Aug 30, 2011)

RUDESTEW said:


> BIGGEST SHREK


 ???


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## naturalguy (Jan 21, 2016)

Mogadishu said:


> Squats and tall worst combination ever. Unless you aint going for powerlifting its waste of time.


 Or just learn how to squat and get the benefits of them?


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## RUDESTEW (Mar 28, 2015)

6'8" 400lb that's a lot of real estate buddy , I mean big big dude


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## Mogadishu (Aug 29, 2014)

naturalguy said:


> Or just learn how to squat and get the benefits of them?


 Where're the benefits? I used to compete and I realized its an overrated exercise where you need to weight around 350-400 pounds to benefit from it.


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## big shrek (Aug 30, 2011)

RUDESTEW said:


> 6'8" 400lb that's a lot of real estate buddy , I mean big big dude


 Lol tell me about it........food bill is shocking


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## Jakemaguire (Feb 17, 2016)

you should be squatting as deep as your mobility allows you. you shouldnt be using knee wraps on light weights its silly. you need to experiment with different styles of squat and your leverages not your height will dictate what style of squat you should use. and sack that pt hes a plank


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## softice (Jun 9, 2014)

Mogadishu said:


> Squats and tall worst combination ever. Unless you aint going for powerlifting its waste of time.


 Well I thought SS and SL are for beginners. I can stop squating but I need to follow another program, any suggestions ? What I want is to put some weight and look better when I look myself in the mirror if you know what I mean.



Jakemaguire said:


> you should be squatting as deep as your mobility allows you. you shouldnt be using knee wraps on light weights its silly. you need to experiment with different styles of squat and your leverages not your height will dictate what style of squat you should use. and sack that pt hes a plank


 Yeah I need to experiment but I don't know whether it's wrong or right until it's heavy weight i.e. in my case around 70kg. Does that mean ass to the grass I thought that's not good ? I'm really confused now.


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## Mogadishu (Aug 29, 2014)

softice said:


> Well I thought SS and SL are for beginners. I can stop squating but I need to follow another program, any suggestions ? What I want is to put some weight and look better when I look myself in the mirror if you know what I mean.


 Its strength programs and if you wants to look good you have to go for bodybuilding routines.

https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/phul-workout


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## naturalguy (Jan 21, 2016)

softice said:


> Well I thought SS and SL are for beginners. I can stop squating but I need to follow another program, any suggestions ? What I want is to put some weight and look better when I look myself in the mirror if you know what I mean.
> 
> Yeah I need to experiment but I don't know whether it's wrong or right until it's heavy weight i.e. in my case around 70kg. Does that mean ass to the grass I thought that's not good ? I'm really confused now.


 As low as you can go, as long as its paralell or below.


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## Jakemaguire (Feb 17, 2016)

yes aslong as you go bellow parallel then your going deep enough ignore mogadishu squatting is good for you and will add muscle to your frame


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## softice (Jun 9, 2014)

Mogadishu said:


> Its strength programs and if you wants to look good you have to go for bodybuilding routines.
> 
> https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/phul-workout


 Thanks, I'll go through the site, like there is a lot of info. Looks like one session might take up to 2hrs and that's I like with SS and SL is that I don't have to spent half a day in the gym. Oh well you know I'm 202cm and weight 83kg (used to be 73kg), anything on top of that will be much much better.



naturalguy said:


> As low as you can go, as long as its paralell or below.


 Right, I'll try tomorrow a wider stance, knees follow toes and goes as deep as I can or at least below parallel.



Jakemaguire said:


> yes aslong as you go bellow parallel then your going deep enough ignore mogadishu squatting is good for you and will add muscle to your frame


 Cheers


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## Mogadishu (Aug 29, 2014)

softice said:


> Thanks, I'll go through the site, like there is a lot of info. Looks like one session might take up to 2hrs and that's I like with SS and SL is that I don't have to spent half a day in the gym. Oh well you know I'm 202cm and weight 83kg (used to be 73kg), anything on top of that will be much much better.


 1 hr if you plan and work hard without bullshiting around in the gym. Intense and then get the hell out of the gym.


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## softice (Jun 9, 2014)

Apologies I missed last training and went to the gym today. Here I am squatting with light weight so I can concentrate on the form. Following last few suggestions I tried to squat deeper than before. Last two reps I tried wider stance and go just a bit below the parallel. I can't tell if I felt any pain today as I still have soreness and dryness in my knees perhaps from the last time few days ago. Any suggestions are welcome, thanks in advance!


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## jake87 (May 7, 2010)

Form looks fine to me and the last two reps didn't look any deeper than the others. I have long legs aswell and find squats awkward but stick with it mate


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## Sphinkter (Apr 10, 2015)

softice said:


> Apologies I missed last training and went to the gym today. Here I am squatting with light weight so I can concentrate on the form. Following last few suggestions I tried to squat deeper than before. Last two reps I tried wider stance and go just a bit below the parallel. I can't tell if I felt any pain today as I still have soreness and dryness in my knees perhaps from the last time few days ago. Any suggestions are welcome, thanks in advance!


 Pain in the knees might be cause knees are shooting out in front of your toes (can't really tell from the video). Try to keep your knees behind your toes by sitting back into the squat, think about breaking at the hips first rather than at the knees. Wider stance will also help with this.

Lose the training gloves mate they are gay af.


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## ausmaz (Jul 14, 2014)

softice said:


> Apologies I missed last training and went to the gym today. Here I am squatting with light weight so I can concentrate on the form. Following last few suggestions I tried to squat deeper than before. Last two reps I tried wider stance and go just a bit below the parallel. I can't tell if I felt any pain today as I still have soreness and dryness in my knees perhaps from the last time few days ago. Any suggestions are welcome, thanks in advance!


 From the vid mate your form looks fine, ive seen a lot worse... im a little under 6'3" but i have relatively short femurs which help in the squat immensely..... you unfortunately have long femurs! Persevere with the squat as it is a fantastic exercise, however if it continues to give you discomfort.... drop it. Unless you plan to compete in powerlifting where it is compulsory, there really is no reason to injure yourself.....especially when you can try alternative exercises.... my pick (s) would be...

1. Trap bar deadlifts

2.zercher squats

3.leg press

Look into any (or all) ONLY after giving the squat some time and perseverance.....good luck man


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