SLS/PE1 - Deck Squat

Hi guys,

 

Can I get some help with my deck squat?

 

I'm struggling to get my weight over my feet and be able to balance. A few questions:

 

- What additional flexibility could I work on to get myself there?

 

- Should you I use a lot of momentum out of the role? I found this the only way I could get over my feet

 

- Anything obvious that I'm doing wrong that could improve my chances of doing this correctly without hanging my feet of the end of the mat?

 

thanks for your help :-)

 

PS - I'm a bit of a unit so hopefull dropping a few kg's will help.

 

 

Thanks Zach. 

 

Would I be better of giving this a go on a yoga mat?

 

Does the movement it's self help to create the ROM needed?

 

Thanks again.

 

Mike

Hey Mike,

 

Ideally you would progress to doing deck squats without any added elevation, so a yoga mat would be a good choice here. Also, can you bring your feet together for both the descent and ascent? That will challenge your hip and ankle mobility.

 

Best,

Chris

Not that it is too important. But I see you're wearing socks on a wooden floor. Not sure the amount of traction they give, but I've found that when I can firmly plant my feet (a rubber surface helps when wearing socks) that I can better 'grip' the floor with my toe muscles and bring my knees over the toes. Doing some achilles stretches and calf stretches will supremely help with these. The next progression requires greater ankle "dorsiflexion" (or 'forward bend of the ankle' in less pedantic English). This issue is very much my own so I know that starting to improve and work on achilles flexibility will only help you in the long run. Just keep working at these. They're a very subjective progression, I can do them fairly well and have progressed past, but even still, some days it's easier to do them as a warmup set than it is on other days.

Thanks for the tips guys. I through in a couple of sets of deck squats today to test things out. My observations:

 

- a 4kg db was help for getting my weight forward

 

- I was trying to stand up to early. By staying tucked in a little and waiting for the momentum to drag me forward I could get over my feet

 

- padded mat and socks are gone. Traction is better.

 

Thanks again, I should be able to progress through these now.

 

Cheers

Mike

Quick update here. I'm now stringing together sets of 6 with 4kgs of weight. Yesterday I tested with 3 kgs of assistance and it went ok so I will start to step down the weight.

 

I managed a couple of reps with no weight at all but im still finding it difficult to get my weight forward and over my feet. 

Good work. It takes time, but once you get to being able to do them weightless and with good form, you'll be thankful you took the time. Sometimes, I need to remember to take my own advice, haha.