high bar/front squat ATG flexibility issues ****ing me off

[Brian Degenaro]

Yes. On any part of your muscles that you can feel a knot you should roll.

[Michael Ingley]

my problem is that I feel a knot in my calves but I cant really roll hard enough to get the knot undone, any suggestions?

[Brian Degenaro]

It takes a while to break the knots apart, like up to 2-3 weeks.

[John Koshy]

Originally Posted by Brian Degenaro

It takes a while to break the knots apart, like up to 2-3 weeks.

how long should I do it each night?

[Brian Degenaro]

Roll over each knot 20 times or something like that, more for the really dense ones. You should notice after the first week things seem "easier".

[Ben Moskowitz]

I currently have a knot in the calf as well. One trick is to stack the other leg on top of the leg you are massaging to add intensity (pressure).

[John Koshy]

Originally Posted by Brian Degenaro

Roll over each knot 20 times or something like that, more for the really dense ones. You should notice after the first week things seem "easier".

I did it for the first time tonight... some big "trouble" areas: calves, hip flexors (aahhhhh!!!), erectors (mainly lumbar), triceps, lats (surprising...)

[Aaron Gainer]

Keep doing it. This takes time like anything else. I personally do daily massage on my calves, quads, thoracic spine and supra and infraspinatus 1-2x per day.

Use any tool necessary. Golf ball works well for the bottom foot. Tennis balls are cheap from the dollar store, but if you need something firmer, one of those lacrosse balls or a hard rubber baseball will do.

I generally roll on a muscle(if its a seperate session) as long as I have tightness there. If I feel a knot or pain, I usually pause on it for a bit till it releases or goes down, then move to the next spot. Another way it can be done is to force it to release using one hard stroke 6-12 times per the trigger point workbook. Either way can work, but sometimes you have to use a different method.

Do it before your workout as well followed with some stretches. Just do a quicker session and not as deep. Better to prevent trigger points from acting up and getting you where you need to be!!!

[John Koshy]

Originally Posted by Aaron Gainer

Keep doing it. This takes time like anything else. I personally do daily massage on my calves, quads, thoracic spine and supra and infraspinatus 1-2x per day.

Use any tool necessary. Golf ball works well for the bottom foot. Tennis balls are cheap from the dollar store, but if you need something firmer, one of those lacrosse balls or a hard rubber baseball will do.

I generally roll on a muscle(if its a seperate session) as long as I have tightness there. If I feel a knot or pain, I usually pause on it for a bit till it releases or goes down, then move to the next spot. Another way it can be done is to force it to release using one hard stroke 6-12 times per the trigger point workbook. Either way can work, but sometimes you have to use a different method.

Do it before your workout as well followed with some stretches. Just do a quicker session and not as deep. Better to prevent trigger points from acting up and getting you where you need to be!!!

Ok, observation from front squatting today. I did the tennis ball before workout, did stretches, then lifted. Well, when I go down, and I just drop into it without controlling it, I Find that my lower back rounds at the bottom. But if I squeeze my glutes and make sure my whole lower body is tight as I go down, then my hamstrings and calves perfectly line up and my lower back is arched ***-to-grass.

Second, whenever I am ***-to-grass, when my hamstring touches my calves, I feel this big knot in my right calf (i'm assuming this is because my calves are fully flexed at that point?). its really annoying/lame. i'm hoping the soft-tissue work will help clear this over time.

[Aaron Gainer]

Stretch your calves in between sets of squats. I find this is an easy way of gaining flexibility and keeping muscles warm between sets.

Remember, be patient with flexibility training. If needed, get some wl shoes for the time being or use a board below your heels(a temporary solution, I know some of you guys are nazis about this) till your flexibility improves. I personally have no trouble atg squatting without shoes, but I have trained my body for both barefoot and wl shoes so I don't develop imbalances.