Cossack Squat Knee Pain

Mike Moore here. Molly is my wife who set me up with GST!! I finally got to 5x 15 Deck Squats with no extra weights for momentum. I started Cossack Sqts and my right knee cap is killing me. Feels very for lack of a better term arthritic. I'm and oldster-almost 49yo-running and weightlifting for years prior to GST. Now GST and a little cardio exclusively.  Just wondering if folks have had similar experiences with this? Should I just do Deck Squats forever? The deck squats do not hurt my knees.  Mats, do you think adding advanced SLS mobility to a deck squat regimen is advisable? Thanks in advance.

Do you remember to push the knees as outwards as possible? Many people have their knees caving in due to bad hip mobility and lack of body awareness.

Perform the cossack squats with less depth so they are pain free. I have had to do this due to patella tendon and patello-femoral joint problems. I would perform one warm up set of deck squats 1x15 building up to 20-30. Then perform your cossack squats at 1/4 the depth of a full sqaut. When you can do these pain free increase the depth to 1/2 then 3/4. This could take you a long time. Even if it takes a year you will be one of the rare 50 year olds that can do cossack squats.

I had this same issue and would echo what others have said push knees out. It helped me to keep my foot straight but trying to rotate it outwards whilst on the ground (think spinning it on the spot without actually turning the foot) This creates the arch in the foot and forces the knee out. What also helped was to test where my knees caved in by holding onto something infront and slowly lowering down whilst recording it from multiple angles. Once I viewed it back a few time I could tell my left ankle was missing ROM as well as my right inner thigh causing knee to cave in. It took me a while to get there by gradually getting lower but I have no knee pain now doing these. The best thing to help progress is the stretch series. This is worth its weight in gold. 

Folks thanks so much. Busy with work and did not get updates for responses on my email. Will have to check that out. Great advice. Warmly, Mike

Followed Mark's advice to a tee....no pain during OR AFTER!! Taking it slow. Thanks to all!

BTW I  don't mind slow progress. It took me two years to get to 5x 15 Deck Squats. I enjoyed the process. Thanks again.

Sorry to hijack but this morning I had a pull in my hamstring doing these which isnt going away. Just done the middle splits series too but still there, any suggestions?

21 minutes ago, Marcus Patterson said:

Sorry to hijack but this morning I had a pull in my hamstring doing these which isnt going away. Just done the middle splits series too but still there, any suggestions?

You pulled your hamstring? I would say you should see a physio this week and until that appointment to RICE and nothing more for the legs. Also, dial it back on any and all SLS training or otherwise that involves your hamstrings.

Yes, get it checked, and go very easy on any stretching for the time being.

Another pain-free session. Interestingly the pain was always after the session. I have the strength to do the full range of motion Cossack but the patello-femoral arthritic pain post workout was nasty. I would feel pain and my knee would feel unstable when carrying my five year old. No such problems after doing the Cossacks off a bench. Thanks again, Mark.

Interestingly my hamstrings felt more activated (with good soreness) afterwards.

Regards,Mike

6 hours ago, Michael Moore said:

Another pain-free session. Interestingly the pain was always after the session. I have the strength to do the full range of motion Cossack but the patello-femoral arthritic pain post workout was nasty. I would feel pain and my knee would feel unstable when carrying my five year old. No such problems after doing the Cossacks off a bench. Thanks again, Mark.

Interestingly my hamstrings felt more activated (with good soreness) afterwards.

Regards,Mike

 

 

Alot of pain can happen after a workout. Those with injuries need to monitor how they feel over the next 24 hours. If you have increased pain then you do not progress the sets and reps. This is how you can improve the connective tissue and joints over time in a pain free way.