Pushing through your feet

[PeterDolan]

Why must we drive through our heels?

I do this all the time as it allows me to lift heavier but I find this allows me to stimulate me hammy's more. When training quads, we want to ignore hams as much as possible. Sometimes, on select exercises, I push through my toes/balls of my feet, which allows me to stimulate my quads more.

So why is it that push through your heels is echoed by everyone?

[Mrbig]

you really only incorporate more hammies if your going deep ( past 90 degrees) if you want to stimulate your quads more stop at 90 and use more weight

you should be able to az your not going so deep you will be stronger

but ive never heard of someoone complaining their hammies are too big

and when you say balls of your feet are your feet still flat or do your heels raise off the ground??

[PeterDolan]

Not just talking about squats

and when you say balls of your feet are your feet still flat or do your heels raise off the ground??

Both

[Mrbig]

if your heels raise off the ground the load is going to move more towards your calves (think calf raise)

are you talking all compouned movements that involve the feet like benching, deadlifts etc

If you are the reason you push through your heels is your power comes from your base and if your feet are flat and your heels are pushing in the ground you have a much more stable base so you generate more power

[PeterDolan]

if your heels raise off the ground the load is going to move more towards your calves (think calf raise)

I was thinking more raised with plates etc

Was talking about any leg exercise

[Dr Squat]

if your heels raise off the ground the load is going to move more towards your calves (think calf raise)

are you talking all compouned movements that involve the feet like benching, deadlifts etc

If you are the reason you push through your heels is your power comes from your base and if your feet are flat and your heels are pushing in the ground you have a much more stable base so you generate more power

Not sure it's quite as simple as that. Some PL federations allow you to lift your heels off the ground. Those lifters seems to be able to generate a hell of a lot of power doing this.

[Mrbig]

if your heels raise off the ground the load is going to move more towards your calves (think calf raise)

I was thinking more raised with plates etc

Was talking about any leg exercise

oh ok well not sure I would think you would be weaker so the weight you lift would be less thus creating a weaker stimulus through the muscles dont see how a lighter load can result in bigger muscles???

[Mrbig]

if your heels raise off the ground the load is going to move more towards your calves (think calf raise)

are you talking all compouned movements that involve the feet like benching, deadlifts etc

If you are the reason you push through your heels is your power comes from your base and if your feet are flat and your heels are pushing in the ground you have a much more stable base so you generate more power

Not sure it's quite as simple as that. Some PL federations allow you to lift your heels off the ground. Those lifters seems to be able to generate a hell of a lot of power doing this.

I dont doubt they cant generate heaps of power but have those lifters tried it with flat feet to see which one is better

it may just be more comfortable for them that way which is always fine im just looking at it from an anatomical and scientific point

[Best Bench]

if your heels raise off the ground the load is going to move more towards your calves (think calf raise)

are you talking all compouned movements that involve the feet like benching, deadlifts etc

If you are the reason you push through your heels is your power comes from your base and if your feet are flat and your heels are pushing in the ground you have a much more stable base so you generate more power

Not sure it's quite as simple as that. Some PL federations allow you to lift your heels off the ground. Those lifters seems to be able to generate a hell of a lot of power doing this.

Having the heels up helps with the set up. If you watch the Dave Tait bench clip that someone posted recently the heels are up but you should be trying to push them down. This gives a great leg drive and a strong base to push from. I think theses feds are also the ones that have more relaxed rules around drugs so that probably also helps the generation of power.

[Dr Squat]

I dont doubt they cant generate heaps of power but have those lifters tried it with flat feet to see which one is better

it may just be more comfortable for them that way which is always fine im just looking at it from an anatomical and scientific point

We are talking about elite benchers who can bench 400 kg plus so I'm pretty sure they have played around with various foot positioning to see which works best for them. I'm looking at it from a practical point of view.

Anyway, sorry PD, we are probably getting away from your question.

[tinytraps]

Putting the weight over your toes increases the loading onto the patella tendon increasing the risk of injury.

[Chemo]

I can second what TT said, thats why I got my injury O___O Doing newb front squats through the toes.

Harder to activate the glutes, when pressing with the toes too. Putting mre stress on the quads and tendons. Creating imbalances again influencing chances of injury.

aaaaand no one wants prolothereapy and autologous blood shot to the knee.

That however is for the untrained, an experienced lifter, im not sure, Im not experienced :3. I wouldn't load up too heavy though.

Flip side is the best way to stimulate repair in the tendon is to use resistance exercises with the heal raised. Lol

I liked doing squats with the heals raised though i felt a much more powerful contraction in the quads. Less burning ass and zimmer frame though. Your choice 8)

[PeterDolan]

So basically, generation of power and added patella tendon stress, nothing else?

[Phedder]

Putting the weight over your toes increases the loading onto the patella tendon increasing the risk of injury.

If it increases the load onto the patella tendon, doesn't that mean it shifts the load more onto the quads, which could be the objective? An increase in stress of any form would lead to a greater risk of injury would it not? and adding stress is how we stimulate growth and strength, so an increased stress isn't necessarily a bad thing, in many cases it's exactly what we want.

Just my train of thought there, if there's something I'm missing (likely) please enlighten me