Movements not Muscles...

Why do the knees "cave in" during the squat?

Is it the adductors (groin) muscles? Is it the glute medius? What and why?

Some will say adductors, some will say Glute medius - I say yes/no and don't worry about it...
Here is my answer to someone with this very question...and my response to the recommendation of adductor strengthening to fix the cave in of the knees...

"...the adductors are also considered the "4th" hamstring and function as a hip extensor as well but to say that an aDductor functions as a hip aBductor is interesting to say the least - and/but muscle "function" is dependent on joint angle so in the grand scheme of things who knows.

What we do know is that your knees are caving in so lets focus on the movement and not the "muscles."

The "Fix"- have your training partner place their hands on the outside of your lower leg (just below the knee) and while performing a squat (bodyweight or goblet squat NOT a PL squat) have them apply pressure inward - you will need to apply pressure outward to keep the knees in alignment on the way down and on the way up.
Important - the pressure applied inward by your partner is enough pressure to cause you to have to press out NOT enough to injure you.
Also hit some outside toe pulls to get the glute medius firing better before the partner drill."

In the FMS we use something called Reactive Neuromuscular Training and this is an example of that and "feeding the mistake" to fix a faulty movement pattern and you will note some Z Health thrown in as well (the outside toe pull - don't know what it is? Click the link on the right and find out).

On a rare Nutrition note - check out this little article on "belly busting beverages"...
http://health.yahoo.com/experts/eatthis/5027/americas-unhealthiest-drinks-exposed/

Watch those liquid calories!

Training 5/27/08
Prep work
32kg Get-up x 3+3
32kg Halo x 3+3
32kg Goblet Squat x 3
Thoracic rotation
ASLR

32kg Alternating Swings x 20 + 10 Burpees x 5 sets in 9:30
24kg Alternating Swings x 20 + 10 Burpees x 5 sets
Total time for all 10 sets = 21:50

Tough one - this has become one of my favorite workouts. Simple and brutal.
Fun stuff...

The plan for the next PL meet...

I have decided to make a run at an ADAU PL meet in Erie, Pa on March 29, 2008. Despite a hectic travel schedule etc...I think I will be able to make this work - its all in the planning and adapting!

So the basic plan is this - there are 12 weeks from this Saturday till the meet - subtract one week for rest before the meet and one week for the unknown and I have about 10 weeks to prepare.
The plan will follow a similar format to the Ryabinyakov squat cycle I used late last year leading up to the AAU meet.
Squat will be made up of three - 3 week cycles where I will squat 5 times in each three week sections (with two of those being band squat sessions).
1st three weeks = 5x5
2nd three weeks = 5x3
3rd three weeks = 3x3
Bench will follow a similar format:
1st three weeks = 5x3
2nd three weeks = 4x2
3rd three weeks = 2x2
Deadlift will be once a week:
alternating weeks of pulls with 35# plates maybe 3 x 2
and pulls with heavier singles maybe 3 x 1

I have some ambitious goals for my squat and hope to actually bench what I am capable of in the meet - the judging in the ADAU is strict! so I need to be dialed in for sure.
This will be the next step in the journey to Raw Elite.