About this episode

This episode explores the implications of knee alignment during various physical activities and challenges common beliefs about weak glutes and knee safety.

Everyone "knows" that knees going inwards in a squat is bad, right? It means the glutes are weak or underactive, and it's not good for the knee. But is it REALLY? This episode is a deep dive into the biomechanical, epidemiological, and prospective research on knee alignment during squatting, jumping, running and hopping. Our goal is to answer 2 questions: Does the knee going inwards indicate weak glutes? Is the knee going inwards dangerous? Links: Knees going in during a squat shifts load toward the glute max here Knee extensor effort rises with squat depth, hip extensor effort rises with load here Same depth-versus-load split found again in a separate study here In elite powerlifters, heavier loads shift the work from knee to hip here Elite powerlifters hit ~23x bodyweight at the knee joint at 90% of max here Weightlifters share load between hip and knee; powerlifters are hip-dominant here Sideways knee load in a barbell squat is a consequence of stance width, not a fault here Elite weightlifters produce MORE frontal plane hip moment than lower-level lifters, not less here Elite powerlifters vary widely in how they load their joints, so there is no one ideal form here Lifters…

People in this episode

Host: Raphael Bender

Topics covered

• knee alignment
• biomechanics
• squatting
• glute strength
• ACL injuries

Keywords

• knee valgus
• squat mechanics
• glute activation
• injury prevention
• powerlifting

More episodes of Pilates Elephants

• 364. ITB: Why you might not want it loose · July 5, 2026 · 27 min
• 363. How to keep your clients safe in Pilates according to science · June 21, 2026 · 27 min
• 362. Live lecture: What Actually Causes Neck Pain (It's Not Your Posture) · June 14, 2026 · 1h 56m

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Pilates Elephants podcast page.