Should I point my toes forward?

Yesterday I talked about how the “toes more forward” position increases torque about the hip and how the musculoskeletal anatomy is used more efficiently when doing so. The finer points are still being cleared up, but the overall point seems logical and objective. But does that mean you should point your toes forward in your next squatting session? This video was filmed right after yesterday’s video while at the Arnold; it details some general points concerning cuing toe angle when squatting:



Should I point my toes forward?
The answer, as always, depends on the individual. If you don’t currently have the mobility to do so, then no, you shouldn’t try to alter your toe angle. If a person with “poor” mobility — in that they don’t have the capability to achieve proper positioning with the toes angled more forward of their current toe angle — attempts to squat this way, then at best they will facilitate poor mechanics and at worst could experience an injury. The poor mechanics could simply result in the inside of the foot being lifted from the ground, thus reducing the stability and force applied at the foot. The potential injury could be due to undue torsion at the knee if the ankles, knees, hips, and everything in between don’t have acceptable mobility. The message should be clear: don’t jump into if you lack the mobility.

A corollary is to not cue someone to put their toes forward when they lack the necessary mobility. If you don’t know if they have the mobility, then reconsider your role or job as their coach. If you accept the consequences in the previous paragraph, then prematurely adjusting to a “forward toe angle” stance could have a range of negative consequences. Don’t blindly cue because you read something on the internet. Instead, develop your trainee so that they are able to handle the new mobility demands by improving their mobility over time. The best way to do that is to take them through pre/post mobility routines from MobilityWOD.com and give the trainee “homework” to do on their own. Use any and all of Kelly’s methods; they clearly work.
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