COMMON MYTHS
Should Knees Never Pass the Toes? A Myth Explained
Banning forward knee travel is over-generalized, non-specific and can even increase lumbar shear. Here is what to actually watch.
'Never let your knees pass your toes' is one of the most repeated — and most over-generalized — cues in strength training.
Anatomy decides knee travel
How far the knees pass the toes depends on femur and tibia length ratios. Long femurs with short shins mean the knees must pass the toes in a full squat — a normal anatomical variation, not an error.
The cue can backfire
Banning forward knee travel forces excessive torso lean, which increases lumbar shear — the opposite of safe. And since the knees pass the toes during every jump takeoff anyway, avoiding it in training is non-specific.
What to watch instead
Judge overall biomechanics: a neutral spine, heels down and knees tracking over the toes — never caving inward. Stance width and depth are individual variables, not rules.
Key takeaways
- Knee travel is anatomy, not a universal rule.
- Banning it can shift load to the lower back.
- Watch spine, heels and knee tracking instead.
References
- Fry et al. (2003) J Strength Cond Res
- Schoenfeld (2010) J Strength Cond Res
- Hartmann et al. (2012) Sports Med
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