PLATES UNDER HEELS WHEN SQUATTING? ?.
If you are coming up on your toes during your squat, first look at your form. Is the first movement of your squat setting your lower back and slightly moving your hips back? Or do you squat straight down? ?
If you squat straight down and you have tight ankles, you will have more of a tendency to come up on your toes during the squat. Work on setting (bracing hard to maintain your natural arch) your lower back and starting the movement by moving your hips back slightly before you lower. You’ll also want to work on keeping your elbows pulled down (facing the ground) and your chest up. These important squat technique tips will ensure that the torso remains more upright throughout the lift and keep you from falling forward. ?
By putting the plate under your heels they are compensating for a lack of ankle mobility. When the heels are elevated by a plate, it forces the ball of the foot to make greater contact with the surface. The neural receptors in the feet send signals to the central nervous system to increase recruitment of quadriceps fibers. ??
While elevation the heels is a great way to provide more quadriceps driven work during the exercise I like to use this tool in a different way. If a client has troubles reaching depth in a squat without having the heels drive up, I place a 1kg plate under their heels and have them focus on driving the weight down into the heels when pushing into the lift. After a couple sets, I take away the plates and their form is improved! Nice tool I use to help clients get the most out of their squat ?
