A Case Study: How to Address a Hip Shift During the Squat
Do you sway to the left or right when you squat? It’s one of the more annoying things in the gym. It sits somewhere between people who don’t re-rack their weights and kipping pull-ups. It’s common and usually harmless; most people don’t notice it unless they routinely film their squats. When you do, it’s natural to want to solve the puzzle, especially if you worry about potential hip or knee issues down the road.
I received an email asking to send in some squat videos for assessment. The writer said they’ve been leaning to the right for some time and can’t figure out why, and they trusted my judgment. I replied that I could take a quick look, and they sent a few notes:
Though subtle, their left hip sits lower than the right on both the descent and ascent; the right hip flexor and quad tend to be tighter than the left; the left glute has always been tighter than the right; there’s a history of SI joint hypermobility but no issues for over a year; there’s no pain during barbell squats or semi-sumo deadlifts, but the unevenness is felt during the squat.
The video showed a pretty solid squat. Given the past injury history, the feeling of unevenness, and the slight weight shift to the right with each rep, I had some thoughts. I revisited an older post from 2015 about “feeding the dysfunction,” a concept borrowed from Gray Cook and Lee Burton of the Functional Movement Screen. The idea is to use a band around the waist to pull toward the direction of the shift during the squat, retraining the nervous system to recognize and correct the movement.
Over the years, I’ve moved away from using the word dysfunction because of its negative connotations. Movement variation is normal; there isn’t a universal squat pattern that fits everyone. With billions of people, natural differences are to be expected.
Two practical options to consider:
1) Lean into the asymmetry
I suggested externally rotating the right foot a bit more and rechecking the weight shift. If it improves, that suggests the right hip socket may be more retroverted and could benefit from a slightly asymmetrical stance. Training should fit the individual’s body rather than forcing symmetry. The reader tried this and saw improvement.
2) Consider the approach discussed by Katie St. Claire
Katie described another path: perform 15 hip bridges on the left side to help the left hip rotate and load the right side more effectively. In deeper hip flexion, the left side’s limited internal rotation can push you to the right; strengthening the opposite side can balance the load. The idea is to perform many bridges on the side opposite the shift to improve loading during the squat.
Try both options and see what works. In most cases, one approach will resolve the issue. A well-rounded program with unilateral work can help address any gaps.
The takeaway from this case is that small asymmetries are common, and with thoughtful adjustments, you can improve stability and comfort in the squat.
