This is something that I have wondered about for a while, so I thought I would post it here and get some feedback.
When I was born, my right foot pointed outwards, so the doctor broke my foot to align it properly. Although the break did correct the problem, my foot still has a tendency to point outwards when I’m walking/running.
The foot also does this when I’m doing squats and deadlifts, it points itself outwards instead of squared, like the left foot. I can feel the right foot sliding outward, and when I spend time to correct the form, I feel like my set suffers because I’m spending so much time focusing on my foot instead of the upcoming set.
So, finally, here are my questions.
Should I pay any attention to my foot placement or just let my foot go where it wants to?
Having my foot point outwards, how much would that affect the right leg muscles that are trained as opposed to the left leg muscles that are in the correct position?
i have a similiar problem but my foot “points” inward. i was born club-footed and this is one of the mild deformities i have had to live with.
your problem is an interesting one (as is mine) but if you really start looking at how your body/joints are moving and feeling it will help alot. in the past i had intentionally turned my foot outward to make it point forward just like my other foot( you would have to turn yours inward). the problem is this:
you are not actually turning your foot. your foot doesnt move that way. what you are doing is turning your upper leg(femur)in its socket. i found that this is NOT helpful at all and actually caused problems for me.
i believe what you should be looking at/for is good tracking(ie no torqueing) of your knee. if your leg is turned in or out, this isnt going to happen.
of course you, as do i, probably have different tracking points( or areas on your feet in which your body weight naturally rolls). i say “let your foot remain in its comparatively weird position because if you move it out of this position the rest of the links( joints above your foot) in your leg are going to be compromised”.
as an example, when i sprint i allow my left foot to turn in to its “pidgeon toed” angle and let my leg track naturally. when i squat in a wide power stance my normal, right foot is pointed outwards at about 20degrees, while my left is pointed straight ahead. the same position holds true for deads. of course, both of my knees are tracking in exactly the same way(well, as long as i have minimum movement at the ankle joint). also when doing leg extension or the like: if i used my right/toe angle and compared my left to it, as a reference for uniformity in setting up my left leg, then my entire left leg would be inwardly rotated (your leg would be outwardly rotated), even though my left foot was “straight”. so, if i want my leg to track correctly and avoid sheer in my left knee, then i must “turn my left foot” inward about 20 degrees( you would, again, “turn” your foot out). all i really do when running is quit thinking about it.
just look at both of your legs in a mirror. squat up and down a few times and take not of the angle of your legs above your ankle and note how your knees are tracking. i think one of the best ways to find the correct angle is to simply jump up and down a couple of times and note how you land NATURALLY.
hope some of that helps man.
good luck.
Ryan,
Thanks for the reply. Your response was a great read for me, it opened up a whole new way of thinking. I had a feeling that my foot placement was not as big of a deal as I thought it was. I will take your advice and let my foot place itself naturally and then do a few warm up squats and see if the knees and thighs are in proper alignment and moving along the same plane on the way up and down. This should really help my progress.
Thanks Ryan. Best of luck to you in your training, my fellow awkward foot placement lifter!
-Djwlfpack