Weak Adductors...What's the Rx?

[DaveFinistauri]

As my training maxes have been increasing on my squat, I've noticed that my knees track well on the way down, but as soon as I start to push out of the hole, my knees cave in, regardless of how much I try to concentrate on keeping them stable.

So far my plan to fix it has been to decrease my training maxes, work at higher reps, and REALLY work on keeping my knees out on my squats. I've also been doing weighted hip thrusts a la Bret Contreras to strengthen my glutes.

Progress is obviously going to be slow to fix this, but the last piece of the puzzle I can think of is to add some assistance work to strengthen my adductors - I just can't think of any good "bang for my buck" exercises to work them.

Anybody have this same problem? What did you do to fix it?

Thanks.

[TT Eric]

Split-squats! You need to go in the deep position when you do it.

You can also do some side drag sled work.

Eric

[Gixxer750]

Hip thrusts are great ! Bret knows his stuff for sure. However your issue may be mobility rather than strength.
Do you squat in bare feet? Or close to it? Have you noticed if you pronate (roll your inside foot in) when you squat? This is the start of your kinetic chain collapsing, misfiring, or however you want to call it.
This is a great YouTube video......
http://youtu.be/nntuDmKS6SM

You also can benefit from a good 5 -10 minutes of foam rolling PRIOR to your workout. Focussing on lower AND upper body as the squat is a Posterior chain movement.

[DaveFinistauri]

Thanks Eric...split squats are definitely something I could use more of in my training.

Gixxer...I alternate between Vibrams and Nike Free's when I squat. The issue is definitely more pronounced with the Nike's than the Vibrams, problem is, I am fairly certain that Vibrams are not "approved" footwear by any of the sanctioning powerlifting federations. I should make the switch to Chuck's, or maybe even New Balance Minimus shoes.

I have always had a tendency to pronate - football, baseball, golf, lifting - but I feel like it's caused by a structural imbalance that has caused my inner quads to overcompensate for my lack of glute and adductor strength - the longer the structural imbalance persisted, the greater the strength imbalence became.

Foam rolling pre-workout has been a staple in my training for the past 6 months...I've noticed a HUGE difference in my mobility because of it.

Thanks for your input...I'll be sure to give that video a closer look as well.

[cog]

Sumo deads.

[DaveFinistauri]

Thanks cog - I assume you mean as an assistance exercise?

[cog]

Yes

[cog]

I believe these seated good mornings that tex uses are part of the solution.

[tex]

seated good mornings ftw!! also...super wide box squats.....low box squats.....kb swings.....pull throughs.....

also....you should switch up your max effort lifts to keep progressing!! use the sumo pulls, good mornings, box squats as max effort exercises.......