# Spread the floor?



## Viduus (May 10, 2018)

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How universal is the whole wide-stance “spread the floor” style for squatting?

While going on an Internet journey researching lifting shoes I came across some writings on that method. (West side?) 

As most of you know, I’m about as far from a PL as one could possibly be. I do a fair amount of squats and some OLY lifts like cleans but I’ve never pushed myself.
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As I attempt to go a lot heavier on my squatting, is this the method I should focus on?


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## jennerrator (May 10, 2018)

Personal in my eyes...that’s just how heavy lifting works....:32 (20):


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## Viduus (May 10, 2018)

jennerrator50 said:


> Personal in my eyes...that’s just how heavy lifting works....:32 (20):



I figured that would be the case, like everything else we do. Just trying to get ideas on the initial starting path since “I don’t know what I don’t know”.


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## jennerrator (May 10, 2018)

I’ll tell you....because of the long legs...as I’ve mentioned It before and live by it...plus I have never been an extremely heavy squatter ... I’ve done 205 lbs once and it was not with spread legs!!!!!


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## grizzldsealpoacher (May 10, 2018)

I use high bar with my feet just over shoulder width apart, this is where I am strongest and most comfortable. I use a low bar and wide stance with less weight and intensity. The wider stance lends to my low bar style. Since it's my "goofy" style I am not as comfortable or strong but I can tell it effects my muscle differently. I feel by training both skills I recruit different muscle fibers ie more muscle activation overall. ( I am not a professional and have no idea what I am talking about.) This is just my opinion and what I do personally. Try a bunch of things until you find where your most comfortable . Train hard and master your A style then mix in some of the less comfortable styles to further your journey with them and gain more experience.


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## automatondan (May 10, 2018)

I switched to wide stance about 3 years ago from a closer oly style... I can tell you 100% that my knees like the wide stance much better, and I am able to get better depth, but more than that, I am stronger in the hole with wide stance. And it has taken me a while, but im stronger in wide stance too.


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## kittensandkilos (May 10, 2018)

I currently squat with a moderately close stance, low bar, in heeled shoes and thats what just works for me. I know watching Toolsteel squat he has his toes damn near touching the rack he is so wide and the bar on his neck in a flat shoe. Both are totally different but both seem to work extremely well for us.


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## Uncle manny (May 10, 2018)

Usually will depend if your quad dominant or hip dominant.


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## Viduus (May 10, 2018)

Thanks for all the feedback. I’m going to try both styles and shoes to get a good feel on the differences.


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## PillarofBalance (May 10, 2018)

jennerrator50 said:


> I’ll tell you....because of the long legs...as I’ve mentioned It before and live by it...plus I have never been an extremely heavy squatter ... I’ve done 205 lbs once and it was not with spread legs!!!!!



Tell me more about when you do spread your legs


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## PillarofBalance (May 10, 2018)

Viduus said:


> [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]
> How universal is the whole wide-stance “spread the floor” style for squatting?
> 
> While going on an Internet journey researching lifting shoes I came across some writings on that method. (West side?)
> ...



This depends mostly on your leverages imo. The goal is to squat more. If you want to squat more find what works best for you. For some that means wider. If you want to experiment I would urge you to box squat to learn proper technique


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## jennerrator (May 10, 2018)

PillarofBalance said:


> Tell me more about when you do spread your legs



Lmao....wouldn’t be a in gym spread for sure....


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## Seeker (May 10, 2018)

Pillar of Boxes said it. You need to find what works best for you. For the longest time since a teenager I used an oly style squat setup. it worked great for being I built 28'quads doing so.  as time passes I started to experiment with different styles. I seemed to have adapted pretty well to all of them.  squatting is life.  it's the king of all exercises.  I can walk in the gym feeling like shit. spend some time in the squat rack and man, what a difference.


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## Seeker (May 10, 2018)

and over 35 years of squatting and never a single knee issue. Even now I don't wear sleeves and I only wrap when going for a tough double or single.  Part of spreading the floor terminology is to keep your knees from caving inward.


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## ECKSRATED (May 10, 2018)

It's not really "spreading the floor" it's more of just rooting your feet to the ground. 

And as u get stronger your stance will naturally feel better going wider because your hips are such a strong part of the squat and will want to take most of the load.


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## snake (May 11, 2018)

Try the Viduus Method. By most standards, I do a lot of things different than most people but it works for me.


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## caterpillar29 (May 12, 2018)

Viduus said:


> How universal is the whole wide-stance “spread the floor” style for squatting?
> 
> While going on an Internet journey researching lifting shoes I came across some writings on that method. (West side?)
> 
> ...



There was this guy in my gym who would only squat wide stance, said he couldn't get to paralell without having a wide stance due to his gut being in the way lol. 
NOt saying its a thing just for fat/heavier people, but it definitely is an advantageous position for them. I usually take a shoulder width stance as my basic stance, the heavier I go, the wider my stance gets. Never gets to sumo width though.


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## bvs (May 12, 2018)

Even though im a bodybuilder, i do a wide stance squat and sumo deadlift. For me it works because i can keep my form better and it feels easier on my knees. And for what it's worth, i recall louis from Westside saying something along the lines of "a wide stance guy can go narrow and lift just as much, but not the other way around"


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## Milo (May 12, 2018)

I think you should spread that whore I mean floor no matter how wide your stance is. The purpose is to root into the ground as my man Ecks said. Width is preference, I think rooting into the ground should be mandatory.


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