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Squat Biomechanics, with Raphael Bender

By July 7, 2021July 13th, 2022Become a better instructor

A FREE Live Community Session about “Squat Biomechanics” led by Breathe Education’s CEO, Raphael Bender. 
What You’ll Learn:
  • Squat biomechanics: How far should you lean forwards?
  • We look at how the Pelvic Morphology (Acetabulum + Femoral Neck Design) ascertain your squat depth and shape.
  • Raph discusses the relationship between your centre of mass (COM), torso position and squat depth.
  • We look at genetic inheritance and how that changes your squat depth and overall shape.
  • We get out some slides to show why people don’t all squat the same (Acetabulum Angle + Femoral Neck Angles / Length)
  • Children vs Adults (Head Size Proportion) and its relation to COM.
  • Do yogi’s have more hip problems from deep squats?
  • We look at applying external cueing to deep squats taking into consideration everyone’s different pelvic shape rather than going to deep into technique.
  • There’s a great discussion at the end surrounding building progressive load tolerance and the relationship between spinal alignment and injury.

Resources mentioned in this session:

  • Young kids have big heads and short legs here
  • Elite powerlifters use a stoop lift strategy (lifting with their back not their legs) and round their back when deadlifting near their maximum: here and here.
  • No evidence that flexing the spine during lifting is a risk factor for back pain here
  • Regular people, and olympic weightlifters flex their spines when they lift here and here.
  • Yoga is really frikkin safe here
  • Strength training at long muscle lengths is more effective at increasing strength, at least in the lower body here
  • Strength training through full range of motion is at least as effective as stretching, for increasing flexibility here
  • And Stu McGill’s ideas on how pelvic and hip joint shape influence what your squat looks like here
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