As I have written about previously, I did independent research for Ben Patrick, the “Knees Over Toes Guy”, from October 2019-January 2022. The topic of this research was the efficacy and safety of this kind of Full Range of Motion (ROM), Knees Over Toes training.

I had been doing this research beginning in January of 2018 and finishing on September 30, 2019. I began this process after sustaining a Grade 2 MCL Tear for which I went to Physical Therapy from November-December 2017. 

Compiling the research, I tested it on myself…and found it worked! 

Soon after completing my research in October 2019, I met Ben Patrick over Instagram Direct Message. We quickly bonded over our shared commitment to Knees Over Toes training, and I shared with him the research I have compiled below at this time. 

I presented this research to his ATG for Coaches program as a PPT presentation in October 2021, hosted by Keegan Smith. Ultimately, this led me to directly work for his company  as a form coach from February 2022-April 2022. 

Even today, many Personal Trainers, Physical Therapists, and lay people involved in Health and Fitness are under the mistaken notion that Full Depth, Knees Over Toes training is somehow dangerous. They claim that either: 

• Full ROM, Knees Over Toes training is somehow unstable to the knee and causes ACL/MCL Tears 

• Full ROM, Knees Over Toes training somehow leads to Knee Arthritis 

The research below disproves these long-standing myths. 

WHAT THE HISTORY SHOWED 

Historically, Full ROM, Knees Over Toes, weight through the balls of the feet, deep squats have been the go-to of everybody all over the world. Usually, they have been with feet at a 45 degree angle. 

They have gone by many names: Bethaks, Hindu Squats, Deep Knee Bends, you name it. 

Beginning in modern times in the 19^th Century in Sweden, Knees Over Toes Squatting was made the lower body exercise standard via the Ling System created by Henrik Philip Ling. This was transported to Britain through the work of the British Army Physical Training Corps. 

For example of its systemization, see the 1908 (reprinted 1914) British Army PT Manual, pgs. 41-43. 

At the same time, Knees Over Toes Squatting was being developed in Russia through independent research via Vladimir Krayevsky, and was popularized in  both weighted and unweighted varieties by George Hackensmidt.

Through the work of the British Army outlined above, Knees Over Toes Squatting was brought to the US Army and society in general, where it was taught by US Olympic Team Leader and WWI Hero Bob Hoffman as part of the “Daily Dozen” routine. 

Consequently, Knees Over Toes Squatting had been a part of US Army Training since WWI. We can see this demonstrated in the 1914 US Army PT Manual from Pgs. 32-107, and likewise in the 1941 US Army PT Manual on pgs. 148-149. 

It was in this milieu that Knees Over Toes Squatting was popularized in American society as a key part of the famous Charles Atlas “Dynamic Tension” fitness regimen popular from the 1920s-1960s. 

For examples of Knees Over Toes Squatting in Charles Atlas’ system, see Lesson Eight, Pgs. 3-5 in the linked course. Also see listed summary of exercises in the Charles Atlas program, as well as their planes of movement here without illustrations. 

For anybody who read Pulp Fiction stories and Comic Books during this time period, you would have seen the famous advertisement for the Charles Atlas’ course, “The Insult That Made a Man Out of Mack!” 

Go to your local antique store or comic shop, and you can find this ad easily! I grew up reading it! 

At the end of the day, Charles Atlas, Tommy Atkins, G.I. Joe, and even the Ivans and Swedes too knew full well what I have explained before, Knees Over Toes exercises are key to the fight game!

But trouble was brewing on the horizon…

WHAT THE STUDIES FOUND

In 1961, Dr. Karl Klein began the myth that Full ROM, Knees Over Toes Squatting is somehow unstable to the knee and causes ACL/MCL tears. 

Scholar Conner Hefferman has the best compilation of research on how Klein’s anti-Full ROM, Knees Over Toes crusade began and ended.

He goes into detail on the single poorly conducted study it was built upon, how this single study was sold to the media in a Sports Illustrated article as gospel truth, and how this study was later overwhelmingly disproved. 

Likewise, the belief that Full ROM, Knees Over Toes training somehow leads to Knee Arthritis is equally shoddy.

This view is based off of a compilation of research coming out of China that deep squats cause arthritis. This series of articles was from the early 2000s.

The next part of the story gets very interesting. 

After the release of these early 2000s studies from China, a 2006 Thai Study found that Deep Squatting was not a risk for Arthritis. 

Then a 2007 Thai study by the same author was released that seemed to  contradict the last year’s study…but only if you read the summary!

In the body and conclusion of the work, the author admits that the deep squatting-arthritis link is highly unlikely based on the evidence, and then outlines the many holes in the studies from China during the early 2000s compiled above! 

Later research from China in 2010 confirmed this hypothesis, finding that deep squatting actually decreases the risk for arthritis in the knee, disproving the previous shoddy research from the early 2000s.

The most extensive research summary in the Medical Literature to date on the knee joint in flexion, proving that not only does it not cause arthritis, but also explains that most tests do not account for the wrapping effect on the knee joint… which protects and strengthens the knee in the deep squat. This research summary was compiled in 2013.

While the evidence is overwhelming, anyone with basic knowledge of anatomy and simple logic could have proven this without all the studies. 

Arthritis is a lack of synovial fluid to the joint. Synovial fluid is the joint lubrication that allows for smooth joint functioning. Don’t want arthritis? Then you have to lubricate the joint with synovial fluid. The only way to get synovial fluid to a joint? Full Range of Motion dynamic movement. 

The fact that anyone in their right minds could actually consider that a full ROM exercise like Knees Over Toes Deep Squatting could cause arthritis is beyond me, and illustrates the sad state of affairs in today’s Physical Therapy and Fitness Training fields. 

But if you need more evidence, here it is: another of the best research compilation to date on overall squatting knee health, and as well as the testimony of one intelligent doctor with his logical faculties intact who explains that deep squatting is “as essential as brushing your teeth”.

WHAT THE ATHLETES KNEW 

For athletic performance, the modern day evidence piles up the paper mountain higher and higher in support of full ROM, Knees Over Toes training. 

Charles Poliquin provided the best research compilation to date on Knees-Over-Toes training for athletic performance, compiling this research in 2017. Ben Patrick, who was trained by Charles Poliquin, would later go on to make this type of training world famous with his savvy command of social media. 

Pro-Powerlifter and Boxer Joe Divosivic explains just exactly why Athletes need Knees Over Toes Squats on the balls of feet as opposed to the heels very articulately. 

David Weck has explained not once, but twice why athletes need full Knees Over Toes type Squats on the balls as opposed to the heels of feet. 

It is also interesting to note that David Weck has done the most work in the academic and athletic fields to promote rotational training of a very similar type that I advocate repeatedly on this site. 

JUST DIRECT THEM TO THIS LINK

Well, there you have it, the Full ROM, Knees Over Toes research secrets revealed!

The research process was long and arduous, but it was fruitful in the end. I did it long before Knees Over Toes training became the norm through the wonderful work of Ben Patrick.

During the Dark Days of Corona 2020, when everyone was stuck indoors and in-home video training became popular, Ben Patrick grabbed the bull by the horns, and made Knees Over Toes training the gold standard in the public eye of social media. 

But long before that, during my time working as YMCA gym attendant from October 2018-March 2019 and later membership salesman from August 2019-March 2020, I would print these studies out and carry them with me in my bag, just in case any of the Personal Trainers dared to challenge me, the Humanities Neophyte, on my training methods. 

Needless to say, they learned a lot. 

These days, if any remaining holdouts try to challenge your embrace of Full ROM, Knees Over Toes training, you won’t have to rack up a fortune in printer ink.

Instead, just direct them to this link.

Pulp Fiction Power to you, my friends!

Sincerely,

Richard Barrett

07-02-2023

Written at 2:15 PM, somewhere in the USA…