How I teach the ATG Split squat to KNEE PAIN patients
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- Опубліковано 22 сер 2024
- Firstly, sorry for the wind noises on the microphone, I forgot the muffler thingy. I won't do it again!
Secondly, I have totally stolen this exercise from Ben Patrick, AKA, @TheKneesovertoesguy . I have been a paying subscriber to his program for over six months now. It has revolutionised my leg mobility and stability, and I also prescribe many of his exercises to my patients. I highly recommend his channel and his program.
If you suffer with knee pain and want to work towards the ATG split squat, this is how I teach it to my patients. The number one rule is to not work through pain. You might be using tiny movements to begin with, but it will grow over time.
Let me know if you have any questions!
A tip about the front foot... When I subscribed to ATG (and when I made this video), Ben Patrick hadn't started using a wedge under the front foot. Without a wedge, what happens is that, for most people, the heel of the front foot will raise a little (myself included). This is because the focus of this exercise is to push your bodyweight forwards to fully flex the front knee, but most of us don't have the ankle dorsiflexion available to keep the foot flat. Ben has since introduced using a wedge under the front foot to mitigate this.
I find there are benefits to both ways of doing it. Without using a wedge, I have found this has improved my balance and, interestingly, it has improved my toe muscle strength, which is a good thing. Using a wedge, however, means I have better stability in the exercise and I can get deeper into the front hip flexion, so it helps my glutes more.
I now use both; I enjoy the extra foot strength that comes from not using a wedge, and I enjoy the extra depth and hip strength that comes from using a wedge.
Hope that helps 😊🙏
Super helpful insight, thank you! ❤
Fantastic insight. I have recently started all Knee over toe exercises from Ben Patricks curriculum with the exception of the ATG spilt squat. Your visual steps are really helpful!
@@lynncatalano8162 I'm so pleased it helped 😊🙏
This is an awesome tutorial on the ATG Split Squat. I especially like the regressions and progressions. You’re allowing the person to give themselves permission to take their time. People (myself included) think they have to push past the pain. Thank you!
Hi Manuel, thank you so much for your kind comment. And yes, it's often counterintuitive, but doing less can lead to more progress, we just need to take our time and trust the process 😊 🙏
So classy of you Chris to attribute and recommend Ben Patrick's all-the-rage work. Your suggestion of a systematic approach to progression is an area where ATG/KneesOverToes/Ben P. programming is often lacking. Experienced trainees can figure it out for themselves, but beginners . . . not so much. Yours helps.
Thank you so much for this comment, I really appreciate it. I hope it helps and best of luck with your training 😊🙏
@@ChrisBranch 🏆🏆🏆
absolutely agree, thanks a lot
I love the the 'not so loud' and thorough approach of Chris! Thanks for this comprehensive explanation ...
Haha thank you ☺️🙏 a few people have commented that they like the calmer approach, which is lucky, because I'm terrible at speaking loud and fast! I'll stick to being me. I'm so glad it helped and good luck on your journey with it ☺️
Love it as well ❤ way to go man
I’m so glad I found this video! Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you ☺️
Nice! I'm so pleased it helped 😊 🙏
Appreciate you demonstrating this quickly and concisely. Hard to completely understand this movement from pictures in a book
I'm pleased the video helped 😊🙏
That was a fantastic and concise demonstration of progressing the ATG Squat. Thank you so much for this. I appreciate how exact your variables are and the clear steps to progression. This is measurable and accessible. As someone who has clients with knee pain this has helped me a lot to make a generalized protocol with steps that can rinse and repeat.
Hi Kendall, thank you for your kind words, I really appreciate it. And I'm so glad it helped! 😊🙏
Thanks so much, please do more like this so more people who are NOT young athletes can benefit! ❤
Thanks so much for the comment, I will make similar videos soon ☺️🙏
You are a very good teacher. Thanks. I really need this. Bending my knee fully has been a huge challenge for me for many years.
Hi Jerry, thank you so much for your kind comment. Life has been busy recently so I haven't made many videos, but comments like this motivate me to get back to it! I really hope this exercise helps and that you regain your knee mobility. Consistency is key, and I'm sure you will get there ☺️🙏
Well explained and thank you for the refencing the source material of ben Patrick's ATG! An honest and accurate representation.
I'm so pleased it helped 😊🙏
Very useful regression explanation. Thank you!
I'm so pleased it helped 😊🙏
Great explanation and demonstration of the ATG split squat -- thank you!
I'm so pleased it helped ☺️🙏
Thanks, Chris! This is a wonderful ATG split squat progression. Well done, sir! 🙂
Thank you, Brian, I appreciate that. I hope it helps ☺️🙏
I had infrapatella impingement aka "fat pad" or Hoffa syndrome. I had used acupuncture and physio over maybe 3 months with no cure. The acupuncture did help with the swelling and inflammation, which was about it and acupuncture in my country (NZ) is very expensive.
I started looking into the "knees over toes" stuff and pretty much only did the "ATG split squat" and occasionally did some "reverse step-up's". I found within quite a short while that it greatly reduced the pain and I was able to practice , Kung Fu etc daily.
Thank you so much!! Subscribed, I really needed a full progression from zero experience tutorial and you gave the best one! Will start tomorrow :D
I'm so pleased it helped 😊🙏
This is really helpful and gives me a clear path forward -- thank you!
I'm so pleased it helped :)
Thank you for making this video. 2 months later and it found me when I needed it, thank you!
I'm so pleased! And you're most welcome 😊 🙏
Thank you, thank you for this explanation!!! It was so clear and exactly what I needed to do these squats!
Thanks so much, that's wonderful to hear. I'm so pleased it helped! ☺️🙏
Great video! Currently dealing with knee issues.so I’m going to do this every day now.
Hi Brandon, I hope it helps 🙏 😊
Thank you Chris. I'm new to the zero book program as well and I needed the extra demonstration.
I'm so glad it helped, that's precisely why I made this video ☺️🙏
Very helpful! I just started the Knee Ability Zero book and this exercise looked pretty scary, using the stairs makes it very doable :)
That's great! Take your time with the progressions and you will get there 😊🙏
really well demonstrated and explained, brother.
Thanks so much! I'm pleased it helped 😊🙏
Super helpful! Wonderful presentation as well. Thank you.
Thanks Anne, I’m so pleased it helped ☺️🙏
Hi, Chris!
Great video!
You say that the number one rule is zero pain. I am currently struggling with mild/moderate pain just above and above/outside of the knee cap. I am avoiding pain during the exercise, but often I feel the pain after the training. Should I avoid this type of pain as well, or only avoid pain during the exercise. Also, to add some additional information I am flexible, and the pain free level is far below the level where I am struggling because of muscle strength.
Sorry for any potential typos (English is not my native language).
Thanks!
Great question, and written perfectly!
Yes, it's important to pay attention to pain after the exercise as well. If you feel sore, maybe back off a bit next time you try it. At first, it will feel SO easy, almost like you're not doing anything. This is because at first, you're not training your strength, you're just conditioning tissues to movement. Once the tissues are conditioned, THEN you get strong.
Also, if you are feeling the pain in the upper outside knee, this could be caused by tight lateral quads and ITB. Using a foam roller on the lateral thigh might help as well.
Often these sorts of problems can be caused by weak lateral hips because a weak glute medius can allow too much rotational force to go through the knee when the foot hits the floor, so strengthen the lateral hip too. This video might help: ua-cam.com/video/o87ih5TPwpI/v-deo.html
I hope that answers your question, but please let me know if you need anything else 😊🙏
This is exactly what I needed
I’m so pleased it helped ☺️🙏
Excellent, exactly what I was looking for. Thank you
I'm so pleased it helped 😊🙏
Fantastic regressions, great video!
Thanks so much! I'm glad it helped 😊🙏
Just on the train after positive news from my 6 month mensical root repair post op consultantation - its stayed in place and the bone graft has too. Now to start with such activities
Sorry for the slow reply, congrats on the good news! Good luck with your rehab ☺️🙏
Thanks for putting together this video, the systematic approach to progression is very helpful. One thing that is still unclear is how to keep things fully pain-free. I don't experience knee pain during exercises but it does set in afterwards/the next day, so it's difficult to figure out what "pain free" means. Also, when starting from a baseline of a bad knee, isn't it the case that doing anything with it will lead to some joint soreness?
My general rule (and it's not the clearest of rules!) is that 'a little bit of pain is okay'. If you ache a little bit for a day or so, I would say that's probably a natural part of the adaptation process. If you ache significantly, and it lasts a few days, it's too much. Generally, the more you do it, the stronger you get, the better it will be. If the movement gets harder and causes more pain over time, it's probably not the right exercise fore you (yet!), and I recommend seeing a physical therapist who can help you find the right level 🙂🙏
Thank you for spreading this info!!
I hope it helped! 🙂🙏
Wish I'd have watched this before I got overexcited and tore my meniscus doing ATG split squats! No pain, only after a set did it start to click and then swell, only hurting later that night...
thank you. so helpful.
I'm so pleased it helped 🙏
Hi chris, great video. Have you ever experienced or seen someone get pain/stiffness in the back of the knee when doing these. Ill admit i did too strong a progression too fast, wonder if you have seen the rear knee stiffness and/or suggestions to alleviate it. Thanks!
Most detailed video on this exercise, thank you! I have been trying to progress this and the polequin step up for years…my issue though is while I’m doing them even in a regressed form I have no pain till the next day that lasts for weeks. This has made it very hard to progress. Do you have any tips? Thanks!
Thank you for your kind comment. My first thought is that I need a bit more information. The fact that you feel okay when you’re doing it, but ache after suggests something inflammatory is going on, and the fact that it last weeks is quite confusing. I would be questioning things like gut health and general immune health, and I don’t have enough information here to give you a good answer.
From a physical perspective, if even the most regressed version of this causes pain for weeks, then it’s the wrong exercise at the moment. This might be where basic, isolation rehab exercises come in, and working with a physical therapist to direct you on this would be helpful.
Sorry I can’t be more helpful, but if you have pain for weeks after an exercise, you need to try to figure that out, and a local therapist is the way to go there. I wish you the very best with it 🙏☺️
Great video and well explained.
Thanks so much, I hope it helped ☺️🙏
Excellent video
Thanks so much 🙏☺️
Hi Chris, great video! Just a question, as you progress to the full lunge position, where should the weight distribution be? Fully in the front leg and glutes with the back leg just being a support?
Great question. I tend to use this movement to help my front knee, so I have about a 70:30 split to the front. However, occasionally I feel the need to use this to stretch the back hip flexor, and then I use a 50:50. Listen to your body, figure out what your goals are, and you should feel the best way to approach it 🙂🙏
This is so interesting, I've never heard of this squat before. I always thought you weren't supposed to put your knees over your toes as it leads to injury. Super interesting.
Yes, that’s a total myth! Try these progressions and you’ll notice your knees become much stronger. You’ll also gain more confidence in moving through certain ranges where your knee pushes forwards. Enjoy ☺️🙏
How many times per week are you performing this squat
Thanks. This was helpful
You're most welcome 😊🙏
really nice video! really helpful!
Thank you so much, I'm so pleased it helped 😊🙏
Thank you so much for making this video! One question though, my pain doesn’t really come from getting into the full range of motion, it comes from getting out of it. Does that change anything or just follow the videos protocol?
Thanks Ethan, and good question. It doesn't change anything; when I say there shouldn't be pain, that means it shouldn't hurt at any stage during the exercise or after. If it does, use one of the regressions to find the level that causes no pain. This might feel quite easy from a strength perspective, but your goal is to rehab the injured tissue, not get legs like Arnie - that can come later ☺️
@@ChrisBranch is it the same advice if the pain doesn’t occur until the next day? Zero pain during exercise with hamstring to calf but I get a sore knee the next day.
@@proteinnerd There are two ways to look at it. The first way is to say, yes, we are trying to avoid pain at the time and the next day, so use a regression if this is the case. A second way to look at it is to measure the amount of discomfort you feel the next day. If you gradually feel less discomfort over time (day by day, week by week), then you can accept it as a 'normal' part of the adaptation process and it will gradually get better. If, however, the amount of pain you experience stays the same or gets worse, then that's a sign that you need to use a regression. I hope that makes sense!? 🤔
If I can do a full elevated ATG Split Squat with no pain, but my knee feels a bit wobbly the day after, do I progress to a lower elevation or do I keep doing the same elevation until there's absolutely no weirdness, neither immediately nor the day after.
Nice video. Thanks.
Thanks so much, I hope it helped 🙏
Hi Chris! Thanks for the video :) Should the front foot heel be lifting off the ground, or not? Or doesn't it matter? Thanks in advance!
I pinned a comment which covers this. I didn't make it clear in the video, and even Ben Patrick has changed his views since I did the program. Have a look at the pinned comment above and hopefully that helps 😊🙏
Wow, somehow did not see the pinned comment. Thanks very much!@@ChrisBranch
Hey Chris, this video is awesome, thank you so much! I've had some knee pain for a while, I was wondering if you could help me out?
Thanks so much for your comment.
Where in the world are you? I always recommend finding a good practitioner local to you to help with these things. I currently don't have anything I offer online (other than UA-cam), but I may look to change this if there becomes a demand ☺️🙏
@@ChrisBranch I live in Los Angeles, quite a distance from you haha. I'm having trouble finding a physical therapist who uses these techniques. Other than that, do you recommend any types of warmup before this exercise?
@@BjornTheVikingPig ah yes, it would be quite a commute..! I have learnt a lot from the kneesovertoesguy and if you subscribe to him you can upload videos and ask questions. One of the simplest things he recommends is to walk backwards for 10 minutes. My neighbours probably think I'm weird walking up and down the garden but it's a good warm-up!
I guess another way to search for someone would be on Instagram using hashtags of your area, #physicaltherapy and #kneesovertoes ? LA has some great practitioners so I'm sure you'll find someone 🤞☺️🙏
I have a problem, even with the lowest progression I still have pain. And also it’s not like my leg muscles and joints get challenged at all even. I just have pain no matter even if it’s really easy for my muscles
Perfectly explained. Thank you. 👍
Thank you, I’m so pleased it helped ☺️🙏
Thank you
You're welcome, Nicole ☺️🙏
I started using elevation with these. And finally my knee pain is lessened.
Great video but as I suggest with all videos LOOSE THE BACKGROUND MUSIC
hi, what about the frecuency per week? 3 times per week every other day? or every day?
sorry if i missed some information, im from latam and i dont get all information. 30 seconds for 3 sets rigth? with 30 seconds of rest? could you clarify me this please, ty
I would go: 30-seconds on, 30-seconds rest, 3 sets, 4 x a week.
I hope that helps 😊🙏
Awesome tutorial! Btw, you have a very calming voice. In terms of sets, what would you recommend every day? E.g. 30 seconds for 3 sets??
Thanks so much David, I appreciate that. And yes, 3 sets is what I recommend. You should always feel like you could do more, rehab is different to training; we don't want to get to failure 👍☺️
@@ChrisBranch Thank you Chris!
@@ChrisBranchThanks for the set break down the video!!!
Excellent. Thanks. What about the front legs heel? Should I being making an attempt to keep it on the ground?
Hi Mike, thanks for the comment. When I was signed up to the ATG program, Ben hadn’t started recommending the wedge under the front foot, so when pushing the knee forwards in the split squat the heel would raise a little. He now recommends a wedge under the front foot and this gives you a solid platform to push from (you can see this in action in some of my recent YT shorts, and I will show this in future longer videos too). I find there are benefits to both; with no wedge and the heel raising, it made my toes and intrinsic foot muscles stronger, and possibly improved my balance. With the wedge, I can go deeper into my hips and this loads the glutes more, so I feel I can add more load. It therefore depends what your goals are; do you want stronger feet and better balance? Go no wedge. Do you want more strength in your hips and thighs? Go with the wedge and add more load. Hope that helps!
Thanks Chris. I am an avid hiker/backpacker and during a long distance backpacking trip in 2018, I got knee pain. Later, I learnt it was IT band issue. I tried many routines but none gave a promising result. The pain would disappear after couple of days of rest with stretches but did not go away completely. Just started to experience IT band issue again this year during an intense mountain hike.
Just started doing ATG Split squat with 1.5 feet elevated front foot regression. Full ATG causes some pain so front foot elevated regression method is what I will be doing for sometime. My question is that during ATG routine, my rear leg thigh muscles experienced good stretch and it instantly relieved my IT band pain. I am trying to understand if ATG can be used to train my IT band problem. Please share your thoughts on this. Thank you for sharing your KneesOverToes knowledge. They are of great help!
Hi, thanks for the question! It sounds like you've answered your own question though; if it helps, it helps! I've had a few people mention that they experience change in the rear leg (either positively or negatively) when doing the ATG split squat, and this makes sense to me because it really is a whole-body exercise. There is so much focus on what is happening in the front knee (I include myself in this!) that we forget that the movement creates a great hip flexor and upper quad stretch in the rear leg, and this can have fantastic benefits for the lower back, hips and knees. There are many reasons why this exercise may have helped your ITB issue, but I wouldn't overanalyse it; it worked, and that's all you need to know 😊
Good luck on your journey 😊🙏
@@ChrisBranch Thanks Chris. Yeah, I am doing ATG everyday now and it is definitely helping me. And this was posted just hours ago and gives more clarity. UA-cam especially fitness community is the best!
ua-cam.com/video/rYhuRgCsmik/v-deo.html
Great video and presentation. I train cycling and have periods were I have some knee pain. Been thinking about adding ATG split squats into my leg strength gym workouts which I do 2-3 of each week.
Question, can this exercise be used as a warm up before leg workouts? Just bodyweight and using a stick for balance. Can get into the position if I support myself with a stick and stand on my toes on the front foot.
Reason I ask is that stretching before lifting is obviously not a good idea but seems to me that this exercise would be fine to do?
Also thinking about using it after my leg workout as a stretch.
Thanks so much! And yes, great question. I use the ATG split squat in ALL of my strength workouts, even upper body. I just do them with bodyweight but I feel it's a great movement to wake up my hips and core for any workout. Good luck with it ☺️🙏
@@ChrisBranch Thanks, will give it a go then. Will be interesting to see how quickly I can progress the exercise. Going to use a stick for starters but aim is to be able to do it unassisted.
Should i do these if I'm overweight? I always feel slight joint pain after doing walking lunges, not while I'm doing them or anything.
The regressions shown in the video should mean that you can find a combination of range of motion and load that doesn't put too much pressure on your knee. My rule is that these things shouldn't cause pain at the time, and if it aches after, it shouldn't be too intense of for too long. I know that's subjective, but trust your intuition and always seek help from a local professional if you have any questions. Best of luck 🙏
Why is your heel on the front foot lifting? Does that indicate you’ve poor ankle mobility if you can’t keep it flat?
See the pinned comment above ☝️🙏
Great video Chris. As a runner what benefits have you felt from the ATG split squat? What other leg/knee exercises do you recommend for sports injury prevention? I am a middle aged intermediate tennis player. I have slight tendonitis in my left knee which flares up after about 3 miles (3 hours) of rigorous tennis due to all the braking forces and sudden direction changes. I would like to increase this limit
Thanks so much for the comment, it's a great question. The first benefit I find is using the ATG split squat the day after a long run or my intense intervals. It seems to unravel the tightness. Over time, as I have got stronger with it, I definitely feel like my balance and control when running have improved too. I think the last benefit is hard to quantify because it's something that has NOT happened; injury. I have run further than I have ever run before this year (by a significant margin) and I haven't had a single injury. That could be luck, but I think the ATG stuff has played a role in that.
As for your second question, perhaps one downfall of the ATG program is that it doesn't deal that much with rotational force going through the knee (or at least it didn't when I was paying for it about a year ago). I have hit a bit of a wall recently and not put out many knee videos, but I will make one soon about how to improve strength to cope with rotational / agility type strains in the knee. Keep an eye out for it in the new year 🙏😊
@@ChrisBranch mate, thanks for the response. Excellent guidance. Looking forward to you're future content. I started doing your progressions yesterday on my stairs at home based on this video.
@@K4R3N Great! Good luck with them 👊😊
thank you, excellent video! so it's ok to perform the exercise without a wedge of some sort for the front foot?
Hi, thank you so much for the comment. The wedge under the front foot seems to be a new addition from Ben Patrick, and he wasn't using it when I was signed up to his program or when I made this video. I see there to be benefits to both ways of doing it. With the wedge, it will take the load off the front foot by making it easier to balance, and will therefore allow you to load the knee and hip muscles more. However, I have found that one of the key benefits of the KOT split squat is that it has helped build a coordinated strength between my toes and my knees, and this is due to the fact that the front foot has to work to maintain balance. In short, try both and see how you get on with them! I hope that helps 😊🙏
@@ChrisBranch awesome, thank you, Chris!
I have knock knees and at 48 yrs old it's difficult to do any exercise that requires keeping knee in line with shin? How should I go about this exercise when this happens?
Is a achy knee considered pain?
Mine is 3-8 on pain scale.
I’ve been looking into stem cell injections or something for the flare ups, was doing this and thought it was working but flare up came back.
Been icing them all weekend, can I still do the knees over toes or just go to sports medicine ORTO
If you have the option of seeing a local practitioner who knows this stuff, then that's always best. It's so hard to put into words in a YT comment, but with my patients, I say a little bit of 'discomfort' is okay, but 'pain' isn't. I also expect them to make progress week on week and for the pain to reduce. If you've been doing all the right exercises and you're not making progress, this is where seeing someone would help.
Sorry I can't be more specific, but it's hard without more information. I wish you the best with it 🙏
@@ChrisBranch I really appreciate you taking the time to respond.
I’m going to make a few calls today.
Have a good week.
Thanks for the video! If you don't mind me asking how much heel lift of the front foot is acceptable? Personally it seems like I can go pretty low if I ignore heel lift
The heel-lift isn't 'necessary', it's just that most people don't have the ankle dorsiflexion to get there knee as far forward as it can go. Taking the knee into full flexion and adding load is the priority; if you can do that with the heel down, then that's great! 🙂🙏
@@ChrisBranch thank you for the answer!!
I noticed that your ankle/foot isn’t flat on the ground ? Shouldn’t that be trained as well ?
my left leg is able to do the exercise better than my right side
Hi Chris, how many times a week do you recommend doing this? and what is the set and rep scheme? Thank you!
Hi Roy. Ben Patrick recommends doing his program 3 x / week, but if you are just using this one movement to try and improve knee pain I would say it could be done in isolation 5 days per week.
As I say in the video, the number one rule is that nothing should hurt. Find the level of movement that works for you, and rather than count reps, just use a gentle pump for about 30 seconds. Have a little rest and then repeat for 3 sets.
All of this advice comes with the caveat of 'listen to your body'. You may want to do more, you may want to do less. Also, progression is often 'non-linear', meaning that sometimes you may have to regress the movement a little because you're having a bad day, then progress it when you feel better.
I hope that helps! 😊🙏
Hi, i have a hamstring strain, middle are to the outside back side. Is there something of this video I shall apply for my recovery? The alsking protocol seems to take time.
The ATG split squat is amazing for so many reasons, but hamstring rehab isn't one of them I'm afraid; there are much better things to be doing for that instead. I don't have any videos on my channel about hamstring health, but a few people have asked me recently so I will make one. Until then, I'm sure people like Athlean-X have something good to find. Good luck with it!
Would you recommend the same regression for someone experiencing rear knee pain during this exercise? I get irritation/pain on the medial side of my back leg when I do this exercise, weirdly on both sides. It's worse if my back knee is bent. Could this just be super tight hip flexors?
Hi Alex, thanks for the question, it's an interesting one! A few thoughts spring to mind. Firstly, although I'm teaching the 'technique' of the regression, what's more important is the 'principle' of doing what you need to do to avoid pain. Maybe these regressions will work for you, maybe not, but that's what you're hoping to achieve by trying different techniques.
Secondly, the way I interpret your symptoms is that it's more likely to be caused by tight adductors (particularly the ones that attach below the knee) than tight hip flexors. Maybe practicing pancake mobility progressions will free up the inner knee and will make this split squat position more comfortable.
There are other possibilities, but with this much information that would be my best guess. I hope it helps but feel free to ask any more questions ☺️🙏
@@ChrisBranch thanks so much for your input Chris. I'm going to try pancakes and look into strengthening/stretching my adductors and see if that effects my progress in the split squat.
Thank you so much for this! How many times a week should I do this?
I find four times a week is the magic number. You can do more if you feel like it, but less makes slow progress 😊🙏
@@ChrisBranch thank you!!!
Great video, would love to donate if theres a possibility ... The issue I have is, I was doing lunges to stretch a bad hip flexor but it's just killing my knees, I get no pain when doing them and I can almost do a full ATG split pretty easily but the following evening / next day my knee caps are tight and stiff as wood, then I go for a run and my knee is destroyed when I cool down. Never had knee pain before, what do you suggest the issue is? I get zero pain on lunges/ATG split squats so i really don't feel like im doing it wrong.
Thank you so much for this comment 😊. I don't think UA-cam have a 'donate' option, but I really appreciate the offer.
As for the knees, that's a curious one. It's hard to offer a good diagnosis online without seeing you. My first thoughts are to reduce the range or load of the ATG split squat using the system I outline in this video. I tell my patients that when doing an exercise, they shouldn't feel pain at the time or after, including the next day. If your knee pain has only started since doing this exercise, something about it must be aggravating. Go a bit easier with it so that it doesn't ache the next day, then gradually reintroduce the load. It will also be helpful to get a trainer or therapist to see what you're doing if you can find someone locally. And finally, running technique is so important too. Make sure you're not over-reaching with your foot strike because this is a common cause of knee pain too. All of this could be confirmed by a good local therapist 👍
I hope that helps 😊
What should the feet be doing? Should the heel go up or should I try to stay flat footed?
The front heel may lift, and that's okay. More recently, Ben Patrick has been recommending to put a slant board under the front foot and this gives you a stable base to push from without the heel lifting. I do both - I find the heel lifting is actually good for foot strength as your toes have to be so active, but using a slant board is easier, so you can get deeper into the hips 👍
Great tutorial, is this effective in hypermobility knee pain?
It should be a great exercise for hypermobility, I would just slow the movement down so you know you are in complete control. This will also build nervous system awareness of your knees too. Slow and controlled, that's the best way to start 🙏☺️
Oh, and never push through pain! Always listen to your body and ease back if it hurts 🙏
Question at the most forward position, are you trying to be flat footed on the lead foot or on your toes?
Good question. When I subscribed to ATG, Ben Patrick hadn't started using the slant board under the front foot yet. What happened was that for most people, the heel of the front foot would raise a little (myself included). This is because the focus of this exercise is to push your bodyweight forwards to fully flex the front knee, but most of us don't have the ankle dorsiflexion available to keep the foot flat. Ben has since introduced using a wedge under the front foot to mitigate this.
I find there are benefits to both. Without using a wedge, I have found this has improved my balance, and interestingly, it has improved my toe muscle strength, which is a good thing. Using a wedge, however, means I have better balance in the exercise and can get deeper into the front hip flexion, so it helps my glutes more.
I now use both; I enjoy the extra foot strength that comes from not using a wedge, and I enjoy the extra depth and hip strength that comes from using a wedge.
Hope that helps 😊🙏
@@ChrisBranch thorough answer. Thank you..
May I ask how long you've been doing ATG routines? And does it help athletically? I'm a 58 yo competitive cyclist.
@@cliffcox7643 It must be 18 months I've been using it now - I started about 6 months prior to making this video.
For performance, I would say the biggest benefit to you as a cyclist would be in reducing your risk of injury. I'm an ultra runner, and I wouldn't say the ATG program has specifically improved my performance (although it might if I was a sprinter), but I don't get injured, and it feels like the ATG program plays a big part in that. So in a round-about way, yes, it does help my performance because I can be so consistent in my training.
However, there is something much more important that I gain from it, and that's joint range of motion with end-range strength. Many of these exercises I now call my 'forever exercises'. If I can KOT split squat til I'm 90, I'll be happy! Having the ability to go to end-range with control is so important as we age, and the ATG system is great for this 🙏
is it a case of the more the better?
Hi is this safe to do even when the knee makes cracking and grinding sounds?(no pain during sounds)
I always try to teach my patients to listen to their body. If it's not hurting, then the cracking (known as 'crepitus') isn't a problem, but pay attention over time. Most people find that movements like this actually improve the crepitus week by week, but if it gets worse, or if it hurts, seek help from a professional local to you where you can check it out. The short answer though is; crepitus without pain is fine. I hope that helps 😊
Is it okay to feel burning? (the same kind of burning like going to failure on an exercise)
Yes, this is essentially a strength exercise, so the same sort of feeling is expected. Only push as much as you feel comfortable with though, especially if injured 🙏
So i have been working on this to help my knee after having meniscus surgery five weeks ago. what i have noticed is when my repaired knee is in the rear position i have more pain then when it is in the front position. Any tips?
The short answer is that this move is tough for you recovering leg as the back leg, and you may just want to do it one sided for now to use it as a recovery tool and don't worry about the other side.
The thing that will help you be able to cope is getting stronger hamstring tendons. The lower hamstrings control the rotation that goes through the knee. Because the hamstrings have major tendons on both sides of the joint compared to just the one quad attachment, the hamstrings work like guy-ropes on a kite to control any twisting movement. When you get stronger hamstrings, you will feel more confident with the recovering knee at the back.
I'm assuming kneeling is out the question, so therefore no Nordic curls. Good alternatives are single-leg good mornings and single-leg deadlift variations. If you can progress the atg split squat with the leg at the front, this will build anterior chain strength, then use the good mornings and deadlift variations to build posterior chain strength, and in a few weeks you'll be fine for the leg to be at the back in the atg split squat.
I hope that made sense?! ☺️🙏
@@ChrisBranch i actually am able to kneel without any issue. i have looked into nordic curls but have never done them before. single leg deadlifts i have done. though i do not know if i do them correctly seeing that i have seen people do them different ways.
Would using a slant board make the split squat harder or easier to do?
When I subscribed to the ATG program, he hadn't started using the slant board under the front foot. I now use both and I find there are different benefits. Without the slant board, I find it makes my foot stronger because the toes have to grip the floor. This is good for me as a trail ultrarunner. With the slant board, I don't have to worry so much about balancing on the front foot, so I can get deeper into the front hip and this is better for glute strength. So in short, do both! No slant board is better for your feet, with slant board is better for your hips 😊
Hey Chris, can I do this if I have osteoarthritis in my knee?
The short answer is 'yes, absoulutely'. Just follow the system and always avoid pain.
The slightly longer answer is, I recommend checking with a physical therapist first. Like everything in medicine, arthritis is a spectrum and more severe levels of it wouldn't respond well to this exercise.
If you can do the easiest version without pain, then you should be okay 😊🙏
@@ChrisBranch Thanks helping me!
I am suffering from Chondromalacia pattela in my right knee, is this exercise helpful?
This exercise could be perfect for you, but follow the progressions and listen to your body 😊🙏
@@ChrisBranch Thank you very much for your reply, I will follow your advice 🙏
@@ashokc76 I got this too did it help you
@@carloshill1253 hi, just started the exercise few days a ago, too early to say.
Ive been doing this everyday for 12 reps on both sides. is that safe?
Sure, you be the judge though - as long as it doesn't hurt and you seem to be getting stronger, then it is working for you 😊
2:11 isn’t this static stretching and isn’t that bad?
Hmmm, I just watched it and it looks like I'm moving at 2.11 🤷♂️ what do you mean?
Does this still work if I suffer from Chondromalacia Patella?
Well firstly, with a diagnosis like that it's helpful to be guided by a physical therapist, so that you don't do the wrong thing. But in short, yes, if you follow the principles outlined in the video where you don't cause pain and gradually ramp up the intensity, then it will build strength and control of the knee that could help chondromalacia patellae.
One of the reasons I like @thekneesovertoesguy so much is that he is so open about his own story with multiple operations and a new patella. If he can do what he can with his legs, I'm sure you can build up with yours. Take it easy, don't do anything that hurts, and you'll get there 😊 🙏
Many people w/ stage 4 osteoarthritis in the knee will feel pain if they are working towards achieving the advanced ATG split squat. In my opinion It's wrong to tell people w/ stage 4 OA don't do it if you feel pain, the question is how much pain is acceptable on a scale of 1 to 10.
I think this is a fair comment, some pain is inevitable in certain situations. In that case, I say that people are looking for _progress_ . The exercise shouldn't make you worse, it should make you better, even if it doesn't get you pain-free 🙏
Hi how many reps should I do?
I use a gentle pumping motion for about 30 seconds (rather than count reps), and do 3 sets. In rehab (rather than training), I like to get people to listen to their body and they can normally feel what's right for them. 3 X 30-seconds is a good start, but tweak it as you see fit 👍
@@ChrisBranch I appreciate it, thanks for the quick response!
How many sets do you do?
I prefer to teach people to listen to their body and decide on how it feels. It may change day by day; on a bad day you may just want to do one set of 30 seconds pump, or on a good day you may loop back to it a few times. Your body will tell you 😊 🙏
Why the music when you are talking!
Why not? 🤷♂️☺️
@@ChrisBranch makes it hard to hear what you are saying, it is annoying, er by all means bring it in when you are not speaking but fade it out when you talk. Otherwise nice video.
@@jackiedines5229 Thanks, I'll bear this in mind for future videos 🙏
Thank you
You're welcome 😊 🙏
Fantastic video thanks so much!!! The only question I have is that with atg squats you often see the front foot's heel being elevated. would you recommend this?
Hi Hanna, thanks for the question. Ben Patrick introduced using a heel lift on the front foot after I made this video, and I have been trying it out. I have found there are benefits to each: without the wedge, I feel it helps to build foot strength because the muscles of the forefoot are working to keep you balanced. With the wedge, it's easier to balance, so you can go deeper into the movement which helps to target the glutes of the front leg.
I now do both, and I feel my feet benefit from doing them without the wedge and my hips benefit from doing it with it.
I hope that helps 😊🙏
@@ChrisBranch thank you so much! For someone who is an absolute beginner with knee pain, how many sets of 30s would you recommend?
@@hannavandenheuvel6963 Three sets would be enough, and try to get them done a minimum of 4 days a week. You should notice progress quite quickly this way. Good luck with them 😊🙏
@@ChrisBranch thank you you are a star!!