Squat Form and Ankle Mobility

[Charles Moreland]

I actually have this same issue. It's taken me several months of work Marcus but I can now get to the point where I can sit and not hold on to anything. Trust me, LONG TIME. It took me 4 months of dedicated work to even get my squats lower than parallel. When I sit in the "asian" squat, I notice my shins are not forward at all and are actually relatively vertical, so I have to rely on better hip mobility.

I also generously stretch my soleus and have seen very minor mobility gains. I've noticed even a 5 degree raise in my heels will make this position feel absolutely comfortable in every way yet I cannot seem to force my shins forward in this position.

For me this position is very much a workout and involves most of my posterior chain to hold balance. It isn't relaxing at all.

edit - I didn't realize this was my first post. I've been a troll here for wayyyy too long...

[Greg Everett]

Keep stretching the shit out of the ankles - as Allen said, sit in a squat, rest your forearms across one knee at a time and lean on it so you can drive the knee down.

Another trick is to send the knees outside the feet (i.e. instead of the thigh and foot being parallel, the thigh is at a slightly greater angle than the foot away from center). This may get you a few more degrees, especially if you have ankle problems like steven (and me). But soleus inflexibility can feel like joint limitations - trust that stretching will help, but it takes a long time and much stretching througout the day.

[Allen Yeh]

I recently ran across the Dick Hartzell Lower Body flexibility routine, Shaf has done it and really likes it. I have just started doing it last week. Shaf recommended 4-6 times a week for maximum benefit. If you have Jumpstretch or Iron Woody bands it would be something to look into.

[John Kaupp]

Something came to mind while reading this. Try working your ankles either by getting in a lunge position working it lower and lower if you can without pain. As you get better at it, get it to a high lunge with you back heel on the ground and your back leg as straight as you can. If you can also unweight yourself(lunging between to benches and holding on) you could work the foot in different directions while in the lunge to try and get some mobility.
Another one might be to set your foot up on a box as you would for step ups that would be below parellel. Work your range of motion with your other foot on the ground both front to front and side to side. You will also get the added bonus of some hip flexor at the same time.
Also if you haven't tried deck squats, or squatting while counterbalanced with a 5 or 10kg plate held in front of you. Just some thoughts.

[Ben Moskowitz]

Wouldn't that stretch the calf rather than the soleus? I thought the latter was what we were after. Anyone have some good stretches besides what Greg mentioned?

[Steven Low]

Originally Posted by Ben Moskowitz

Wouldn't that stretch the calf rather than the soleus? I thought the latter was what we were after. Anyone have some good stretches besides what Greg mentioned?

Soleus = bent knee, Gastroc = straight knee; they both make up the "calf" though.

Basically do stuff that stretches both... be creative.