How to Fix Knee Valgus During Squats
Learn corrective drills and cueing to stop knees from caving inward during squats, activating the glute medius and building proper knee alignment.
- Read the tools, materials, safety notes, and steps below for free.
- Tap Start Camera Coach when you want hands-free voice help.
- Allow camera and microphone. Point your phone at the work; the coach watches your progress and tells you the next step.
🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Loop resistance band (light to medium)
- ✓ Full-length mirror
- ✓ Sturdy chair or plyo box
- ✓ Yoga mat
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ Flat-soled athletic shoes or bare feet
- ✓ Athletic clothing allowing clear knee visibility
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Do not force knees excessively outward beyond natural hip mobility; knees should track directly over the second and third toes.
- • Cease movement immediately if sharp pain occurs on the medial (inner) or lateral (outer) joint line of the knee.
- • Maintain a neutral lumbar spine throughout all drills to prevent compensatory lower back strain.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (5 Steps)
Establish the Foot Tripod Stance
Stand barefoot or in flat shoes with feet shoulder-width apart and toes angled slightly outward at 10 to 15 degrees. Actively press three points of each foot into the floor: the base of the big toe, the base of the pinky toe, and the center of the heel. Lift and engage the medial foot arch without rolling onto the outer edges of your feet.
- • Space visible beneath medial foot arches
- • Even weight distribution across both feet with toes flat against the mat
- • Allowing the inside edge of the foot to collapse flat onto the floor
- • Overcompensating by lifting the big toe off the ground
Perform Banded Glute Bridges for Abductor Activation
Place a loop resistance band 2 inches above your knees and lie flat on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Push your knees gently outward against the band tension to align with your hips. Drive through your heels to raise your hips toward the ceiling until thighs and torso form a straight line, squeezing your glutes at the top.
- • Knees remain parallel or slightly abducted against band tension at peak hip extension
- • Hips fully extended in line with ribs and knees
- • Allowing the band to pull knees inward during the concentric drive
- • Hyperextending the lower back instead of driving through glutes
Master the 'Screw Your Feet into the Floor' Torque Cue
Stand tall facing the mirror with feet shoulder-width apart and band still positioned above your knees. Without physically moving your feet, imagine trying to tear the floor apart by twisting your heels inward and driving your knees outward. Feel the immediate tension engaging the glute muscles on the sides of your hips.
- • Kneecaps rotating slightly outward to point directly over second/third toes
- • No actual movement of the soles of the feet on the floor
- • Spinning feet out on the floor rather than generating internal rotational torque
- • Excessive outward bowing beyond hip width (knee varus)
Execute Banded Tempo Box Squats
Position a sturdy chair or box behind you. While maintaining external torque against the band, initiate the squat by hinging the hips backward and descending on a 3-second count. Lightly tap the chair seat without resting your weight, watching the mirror to ensure your kneecaps remain strictly in line with your outer toes throughout the descent.
- • Knee center stays directly stacked over the middle-to-outer toes through all descent phases
- • Smooth, controlled 3-second descent to box level
- • Knees snapping inward during the bottom transition point
- • Dropping rapidly onto the chair without muscular control
Remove Band and Perform Bodyweight Squats
Remove the resistance band and stand in your squat stance in front of the mirror. Recreate the same muscular engagement by gripping the floor and applying external rotational torque at the hips. Perform 10 controlled full-depth bodyweight squats, verifying in the mirror that your knees track wide and true without the physical cue of the band.
- • Knee joint path forms straight vertical lines over toes during both descent and ascent
- • No inward twitch or medial movement at the turn-around point
- • Reverting to knee collapse once the tactile band resistance is removed
- • Shifting weight onto the inner edges of the feet
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by Mark Suski — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Loop resistance band? Tied standard resistance tube or elastic exercise band
- No Sturdy chair or plyo box? Stable low bench or stair step