this post was submitted on 14 Aug 2025
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Part of it goes away, but a part is probably just the way your hip bones etc. are aligned. I used to teach people to squat and the alignments we all have are very individual. Some need a wider squat while others can get tucked in a very tight squat "naturally". Things like your femur lenght, back lenght etc. also impact this.
I would aim to find a squat width where you can go with relative ease. Over time it might change too, but it's a good strategy to start wider if that's what you need. Strech is fine, but discomfort and pain is not. The position will get easier over time and I'd also do some work on the shoulder girdle and general hip mobility as these impact the squat quite a bit.
I'll add a video link here for some of this mobility work that I've found useful in the past: Link, this is pretty advanced if new to rest squatting, but do the things on your own level, eventually your range of motion grows.
Thanks for the info!
Nps. Adding that ankle mobility and your posterior chain (all the way from the head to your toes) being tight might also make it harder.
A lot of people can make their squat narrower, but then their heels lift up. If this is you, you can use an elevation under the heels at first so you can relax in the squat even in a more narrow position. Then just lower it over time. The idea is to be able to chill in the rest squat.
It's also smart to focus on mobilizing your feet and ankles, someone in this thread recommended massaging the soles of your feet with a ball and it's very good advice. The impact that can have on the entire posterior chain can be huge.
That's exactly it, my ankles come up. I can do a yoga squat fairly well, but I wouldn't call it restful!
If you can get your hands on a foam roll and a ball, it might really help with the posterior chain and heel stuff too. If your hamstrings are very tight, this too can make your heels go up when you squat for example.
It can be many things, but all are helped by doing the rest squatting and some basic mobility work. You got this.
Thanks for all the info. Definitely gives me some things to explore. 🙌