Drop and give me 50. Spine straight. Belly button in!

[flexagon]

I spent the last two days in a NASM workshop, and, amusingly enough, now have about 80% of the credits I need to get re-certified as a personal trainer in two years.

It was very neat and I'm now dying to get going with my first client. It was all very hands-on. We practiced assessing people (focusing on just one assessment, the squat) and, as a side benefit, got to be assessed ourselves. We got practice using foam rollers for myofascial release, stability balls for various fun and games, and most importantly got practice in giving various cues to people to get them into proper alignment. That was probably my biggest worry right there, the idea that I might not be able to cue effectively -- well, that and the worry that I may not be able to see proper alignment in an obese person.

Oh, I also learned that I've been doing squats wrong in a way that's not taught anymore (goddamnit) and have probably been exacerbating my problems lately by adding plie squats to my leg workout. (Funny aside: "There's another type of squat where the feet are purposely turned way out and the knees bend away from each other. Men in the room, just the men in the room, please, what do we call these?" "SUMO SQUATS." "Women in the room, what do we call these?" "Plie squats!")

This is the latest squat form recommendation: to target the glutes and quads equally, DO NOT keep all your weight over your heels, DO keep it in the center of the foot instead, DO let the knees come slightly forward of the toes. Aim for forming parallel lines with your shin bones and spine. Keep the five basic kinetic checkpoints in proper alignment: feet parallel, knees over toes, neutral pelvis, shoulders down, chin in and back.

If you have overly active adductors DO NOT do plie squats, since those target the adductors and are the last things you need to do. Sigh.

To bring my ego into alignment I must also tell you that I volunteered for the core work demonstration and impressed the snot out of a few people. Thank you, yoga. ;)

Also, I need to be rolling on my foam roller wayyyy more often. On the first day we did a few squats, and then we rolled a bunch of muscle groups and then we did a few squats again... entirely different experiences. I forgot how great that is.

Comments

[nevers.livejournal.com]

i have started doing squats, but with my feet slightly turned out (and knees going over toes). wrong? pls advise :)

[flexagon]

most people do them with feet slightly (or widely!) turned out, and according to NASM it's all compensation for if they don't have the range of motion to do them correctly.

the official position on your position is apparently this: feet should be parallel, either hip-socket-width or shoulder-joint-width apart.

keep weight centered over your foot, not all in the heel and not all in the ball. as you lower down, keep your pelvis neutral and your chin in and back, and keep your knees from moving either in or out. it is okay for them to come forward a bit over your toes though... this alone, of all the guidelines, has relaxed. :)

I totally have the dorsiflexion to do them properly, but have to retrain myself, because I was taught to do them with the weight all in my heels. I'll be doing a few in front of the mirror tomorrow before loading up any weight.

[nevers.livejournal.com]

and does NASM want you to go all the way down, or just to thighs horizontal? (i go all the way down, but obviously the "all the way" is different with feet turned out)

[flexagon]

the classic squat exercise stops at thighs horizontal. that said, your range of motion can be, and I quote, whatever is your "pain-free range of motion without compensation." of course, turning toes out counts as compensation... perhaps more charitably, I'd say it turns it into a slightly different exercise, no longer a classic squat but slightly closer to a plie squat. it is then more likely to engage adductors to help out your glutes, no longer just targeting glutes and quads, and not loading your calves as much because they don't have to stretch as far.

it is SO FUN to be able to know the words for all these things and feel all professional!