Bodybuilder Erin Stern is breaking down how to improve one of the most popular lifts in fitness. On February 20, 2025, she revealed five quick tips for improving squat form for those who have longer legs.
Erin Stern is a bodybuilding mainstay who earned two Figure Olympia titles in her prime. She remains one of the few competitors to actually win back the honor after losing it, a feat she accomplished in 2012. Aside from her contributions to the Figure category, she also made waves in the IFBB Pro League’s Bikini division, winning gold at the 2022 Republic of Texas Pro.
In addition, she’s become a prominent fitness influencer, regularly sharing tips and wisdom on how to improve workouts and exercise techniques. If squat form is something you struggle with, look no further.
“I have a few quick fixes for my long-femured friends or my long-legged friends out there to help keep you from folding up like a taco every time you squat.”
Erin Stern’s 5 Quick Tips for Fixing Squat Form If You Have Long Legs
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Find a brief overview of her tips below, courtesy of her latest video on YouTube:
- Foot Placement and Stance Width
- Bar Placement – Try the Low Bar Position
- Add Plates Under Your Heels
- Try Squatting with the Front or Zercher Variations
- Incorporate Unilateral Exercises
Foot Placement and Stance Width
In the YouTube video, Stern starts with foot placement and stance width for those aiming to improve their squat form.
“If you’ve been standing at about feet shoulder-width apart, try one and a half times shoulder width or even two times shoulder width apart and see if that helps. You can also think about turning your toes out and of course when you turn your toes out, make sure you turn your knees out at the same time.”
By following her instructions, she explains that it will shorten the femur length with angles, allowing you to squat in a more upright position.
“It effectively will shorten that femur length by angles by placing your legs facing out or even wider, you are essentially shortening that femur length temporarily allowing you to squat much more upright.”
Bar Placement – Try the Low Bar Position
Bar placement is also important for squat form. Stern advises locking your elbows in and keeping them under the bar in a low-bar squat, which can help alter the center of gravity.
“Consider scaling it down just a little bit closer to a low bar placement. Now this is going to feel a bit awkward at first. I really want you to think about locking your elbows in and keeping your elbows underneath the bar and getting to that low bar squat point is going to change where your center of gravity is.”
Add Plates Under Your Heels
In addition, she shared why adding plates under your heels during a squat with a wider stance can help the body stay in an upright position.
“Look at adding plates under the heels. Now, by adding plates under the heels in addition to that wider stance, you’re going to have a much easier time keeping your body more upright and also squatting below parallel.”
Try Squatting with the Front or Zercher Variations
She believes front squat variations and Zercher squats are ideal for those who have longer femurs.
“Another option would be the Zercher squat, it’s one of my personal favorites. It is a golden era exercise where that bar is going to sit right in the crook of your elbow and you can use a bar pad if you’d like for a little bit more comfort. This is one of those great we’ll call it a functional exercise because it directly translates into everyday life.”
“It’s excellent for building that posterior chain, quads as well, in addition, it will give you great biceps,” she adds.
Incorporate Unilateral Exercises
Lastly, she advised lifters who have squat form issues to include unilateral exercises such as barbell split squats, step ups, and Bulgarian split squats which won’t result in excessive folding for those with longer limbs.
“You’ve got your barbell split squat, you’ve got step ups, hinge assisted single-leg squats, Bulgarian split squats, these unilateral exercises are going to go a long way towards really helping you get the most out of your leg exercises without having to worry about folding up like a taco.”
Stern makes it a point to provide easy-to-understand exercise information for boosting gains. On your next leg day, if squatting becomes difficult due to form issues, give her five quick fixes a try.
RELATED: Erin Stern Shares 4 Advanced Techniques to ‘Ramp Up The Intensity of Your Workout’
Watch the full video from the Erin Stern YouTube channel below:
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