Here we go... should you lift weights, train, squat, etc... with your knees going over your toes? The greatest answer to this question and many others in the fitness/performance/rehab world... "IT DEPENDS."
To say that you should never train with knees over toes neglects the fact that in sport and life you will inevitably have these positions occur. Walking down the stairs, getting in and out of a car, sharp direction changes in sport, this list could go on and on. Knowing that these positions will occur in our lives, we MUST "train" these positions to allow the joints, tissues and nervous system to adapt and become familiar. Does this mean if you are new to lifting and have never squatted before to load up a bar and perform heavy squats with knees over toes? Absolutely not! This goes back the the answer above, "it depends." The right stimulus at the right time for the right person is how you should treat the knees over toes question.
In a sports specific, training and even rehabilitation setting, I want everyone I work with to feel they can "control" their body in the positions in which they may come across. The sporting environment may be more unpredictable and aggressive than every day life, but nonetheless we must be familiar with these positions.
Foundationally, becoming strong in movement patterns may not consist of knee over toe training, however introducing these positions in doses is crucial in reduction of injury, performance enhancement and even pain reduction. If you train something, and use force as an input, our cells will respond by adapting and laying stronger more resilient tissue down based on those force inputs. In other words, if you train knee over toe positions, your tendons, ligaments, tissues, nervous system and therefore joints will become stronger in knee over toe positions. Logically, wouldn't this mean less likelihood of injury on those tissues?
Let me ask you these questions- What position are the knees in equestrian and horse jockeys for periods of time? What do the knees do in tennis athletes on their serve? When you walk down stairs what do the knees do? How about when you walk outside on uneven surfaces?
All of these are examples of knees going over your toes, while absorbing and producing force. Of course this type of training "DEPENDS" on what's going on with the person. Body control, proprioception, mobility, foundational strength and good structural (joint) integrity need to be taken into account with this type of training. However, you better believe I am training my athletes to become stronger and more controlled in this knee over toe position. And in non sport specific athletes, even after rehabbing, getting stronger in these positions can reinforce the inevitable positions you will encounter in your daily life.
What if your knees are stressed and in pain because you experience load with knees over toes but you never train them that way? "GASP!"
The point of writing this is to get you thinking in a different way and to ask questions. Not to be taken out of context or say there is a wrong, bad or absolute way in doing things... remember, "it depends."
With questions regarding knee over toe training feel free to reach out!
Until next time, and to your "performance for life,"
Coach Rif
Comments