Why do full squats feel worse for my knees?

[Gluesniffer]

I've been doing parrallel squats for years, recently ill-advised while putting my heels on a piece of wood, which felt really bad for my knees. Since a few weeks I've switched to full squats, starting with a broomstick and then gradually increasing the weight (I haven't reached my max yet at this tempo).
But it feels as if it isn't all that good for my knees, cause I get a sore feeling the day after. They always say your knees shouldn't move too much to the front, but I find this rather impossible when doing full sqauts.
So how does one explain all this, considering that most bodybuilders argue that full squats are safest?

[Ashop]

I've been doing parrallel squats for years, recently ill-advised while putting my heels on a piece of wood, which felt really bad for my knees. Since a few weeks I've switched to full squats, starting with a broomstick and then gradually increasing the weight (I haven't reached my max yet at this tempo).
But it feels as if it isn't all that good for my knees, cause I get a sore feeling the day after. They always say your knees shouldn't move too much to the front, but I find this rather impossible when doing full sqauts.
So how does one explain all this, considering that most bodybuilders argue that full squats are safest?

I use a stance thats comfortable to me regardless of what anyone else says.

[Bouncer]

Is that the first thing you are doing on leg day? I know for me, if I go right to the squat bar, my knees feel stiff and it hurts a little.

Try doing a few sets of light legs press first. Always works for me.

[Control]

You might be relaxing your hams/glutes at the bottom of the rep, which means your knees and hips are supporting the weight at the bottom OR, you might be bouncing out of the rep at the bottom.

[Stonecold54]

I've been doing parrallel squats for years, recently ill-advised while putting my heels on a piece of wood, which felt really bad for my knees. Since a few weeks I've switched to full squats, starting with a broomstick and then gradually increasing the weight (I haven't reached my max yet at this tempo).
But it feels as if it isn't all that good for my knees, cause I get a sore feeling the day after. They always say your knees shouldn't move too much to the front, but I find this rather impossible when doing full sqauts.
So how does one explain all this, considering that most bodybuilders argue that full squats are safest?

how tall are you? how much weight are we talking about you lifting? and when you say sore, do you mean sore HURT or sore MUSCLE SORE? cuz just being sore could be from a new movement. and where is it exactly sore? the front or the knee or more to the sides? and like bouncer said on leg day I have to do about 10 minutes on an elliptical machine, then I do a slow set of leg extensions and two light sets of squats before I go into my workout.

[Bouncer]

i assumed he was talking about stiff knees at the start of a workout.

[Stonecold54]

i assumed he was talking about stiff knees at the start of a workout.

I was reading in his first post that he said the day after he got sore knees. but I get the same thing if I do something new but its more a tendon/muscle soreness than real pain.

[The_Grinder]

Personally, when I was only going down to parallel I had really bad soreness in my knees, mainly my right knee. Bad enough that I had to take 2 or 3 weeks off from squatting every once in a while. Since I've started going deep I havent had any knee pain whatsoever, but thats with a proper warmup. I dont know what your problem is, maybe you are coming down too hard? Maybe your hamstrings are weak and you are putting too much pressure on the front of your legs? Probably be best to get a trainer to check out your form. (Preferably not the trainer who told you to squat with a piece of wood under your feet!)

[Gluesniffer]

how tall are you? how much weight are we talking about you lifting? and when you say sore, do you mean sore HURT or sore MUSCLE SORE? cuz just being sore could be from a new movement. and where is it exactly sore? the front or the knee or more to the sides? and like bouncer said on leg day I have to do about 10 minutes on an elliptical machine, then I do a slow set of leg extensions and two light sets of squats before I go into my workout.

I'm 1m95cm. I used to squat 100kg parrallel, now I got to 60kg deep but am still moving up fast. It's more like hurt sore, feeling that my knees really don't appreciate what I've done the day before. And yeah I don't warm up.

[Bouncer]

And yeah I don't warm up.

well start. lol. simple as that.

[ROCKILLER]

and slow down. On the advice of Control I ride a bike to warm up my knees then do a long set of light leg presses and I still start out light when I start squats. If you're slow and controlled you don;t need aas much weight. This works great for squats because you don't look as cool but its better in the long run for your knees.

[Mr I]

It could also be as simple as your doing a slightly fuller range of motion so your ligaments arn't used to that extra stretch. I've recently joined a new gym and I love hack squats, I did them the othetr day and simply because the slide is at a slightly different angle my knees have been sore ever since, getting better now. I did warm up with ligh high rep leg extensions and worked my way up but I think its simply that the angle is different to what I'm used to.

BTW I don't agree with putting anything under your heels, stability is crucial and you can always point your toes further out to stop yourself leaning forwards, you don't need the heel height but if you want to go that way then get some propper footwear. Check out Otomix and Inzer boots.

[NYCmitch25]

I use a stance thats comfortable to me regardless of what anyone else says.

yep.

[ROCKETW19]

I use a stance thats comfortable to me regardless of what anyone else says.

I agree also! one thing I also noticed in my old age is using the smith machine lets me put my feet out a bit farther. witch helped with knee problems. try it one time. simply get under the bar at your normal stance lift the weight off then move your feet just a lil bit more in front of you then squat

[Nekrawulf]

Sounds like your form is off, when doing below the fold squats (90 degrees or lower) it is imperative that your knees track your toes and that you are utilizing your groin for stabilization. If you do not do this, your knees become the stabalizer, possibly a cause for your pain.


Try this:

Stand with your heels shoulder width apart, and turn your feet outward 30 degrees. PULL yourself into a full squat position.

Check our knees in the bototm posistion, they shoudl be nice and wide. If not, take your elbows and push them against the knees, strecthing them outward.

Hope this helps.