Anything wrong with wide squat stance?

[BFGUITAR]

My squat stance is quite wide compared to most. My knees still follow my toes and I dont really have any problems. My squat went up 50 pounds in a month and a bit and ill be going for 10 pounds more than I did last week. I just want to know some pros/cons for this kind of squat.

[Rusty]

It's harder on your hips.

[BFGUITAR]

Harder as in I require more hip flexibility?
From what ive heard in general hips can take quite the beating.

[drew]

Pros: You will get stronger, you will lift more weight

Cons: ummm... it's still hard work?

[JHarris]

There are some downsides. You are limiting the range of motion and putting more emphasis on your posterior chain than on your quads. It is also very hard to go down past parallel with a wide stance due to hip strain. (Though not impossible.)

If you are just looking to put as much on the bar as possible, this is probably what you want to do. If you are lifting for a sport, I'd be more inclined to take a narrower stance so that you can go deeper and work a larger range of motion, as well as recruiting your quads a bit more.

It just depends on your goals.

[Lones Green]

look at the stance of most powerlifters doing a ton of weight, wide stances. wide stance > close stance

[BFGUITAR]

I dont play other sports.
I find I cant hit ATF with my wide stance A LOT easier than narrow... when narrow I feel more unstable.

[JHarris]

look at the stance of most powerlifters doing a ton of weight, wide stances. wide stance > close stance

Eh. Look at all those Olympic lifters doing tons of weight on squats with narrow stances. All depends on your goals. No doubt that the wide stance is where most want to be in powerlifting, but its not inherently better for squatting in general.

[Rusty]

A wider stance shortens the range of movement, and puts the weight onto the posterior chain (hams, hips, lower back). It's much easier to put more weight on the bar when you go with a wider stance which is why powerlifters squat with such a wide stance.

If you're looking for numbers, I'd squat wide. But if you're looking for leg developement, I'd squat with a more natural stance and deep. Or be like me and do both.

Edit: I'm sure one of senei's Squat RX videos deals with squat stance. Maybe take a look for it.