How do you know if you are using your hips or your thighs during a squat? Hip or thigh dominance is determined by the angle of the trunk in relation to the hips. If the trunk is flexed forward with a more pronounced bend in the hips, then the glutes and hamstrings become more active during the squat and is a hip dominant form. If the trunk is more upright, then the quadriceps are more active and is a quad dominant form.
Is one form better than the other? Not necessarily. It depends on what you’re trying to achieve with your squat.
When to use a hip dominant squat:
1. The glutes are a larger muscle group, so they can typically handle a heavier load. So, you might want to use a hip dominant squat form when trying to lift or move larger or heavier objects.
2. If you have knee pain, you may want to use a hip dominant form to alleviate some pressure or pain from the knee.
3. If you are trying to strengthen the posterior chain (large muscle groups on the backside of the body), this is a great addition to your routine.
4. If you want to help alleviate lower back pain, strengthening the glutes and hamstrings is helpful.
When to use a quad dominant squat:
1. If you want to strengthen the quadriceps (front of the thigh)
2. If you need help gaining the ability to come up from a deeper squat when there is increased knee flexion (bend in the knee)
3. If you need help with stability during a squat if the ankles are stiff
It’s best to have a balance with all muscle groups so that our bodies can move safely with resilience through varied demands. My advice is practice squats both ways and see how each position feels to you. Think about your goals during exercise and tailor the squat form to what you are trying to achieve.
We often hear that we shouldn’t let the knees travel out in front of the toes during exercise including squats. I want to encourage you to practice this and see how it feels for you. In our everyday lives, we use this movement for functional activities like getting up and down off the floor, bending down to pick something up from the floor, getting up from a low seat, or getting in and out of a bathtub. If we never allow our knees to travel out in front of our feet, we miss out on crucial movements that can help maintain our physical independence. Practice this movement and explore how it feels to your hips and knees.
In both hip dominant squats and knee dominant squats, our form does matter. Look at the position of your pelvis, hips, knees and feet as you squat. The pelvis should stay level. Your weight should be distributed evenly through each leg. The knees should be aligned with your second toes and the feet should maintain their arches without rolling inward. Your feet should be shoulder width apart or even wider. If you have any trouble with this, reach out! I’d be happy to help!
Take good care!
Sharon