Squat Form Check

[raecz]

Hi folks,

I would be very pleased, if you could help me with my squat form. A little background: I am doing SL5x5 since 04/09 and worked up to Squat 3x5 130kg, using High Bar Squats. But I felt pain there and was concerned about my form. I've been reading Rippetoe's Starting Strength recently and cut back on weight to get my form straight and switch to the low bar position. I recognized the butt wink and my hamstring limits, so I started stretching them (doing this for about two weeks every morning already helped me, I think).

Here are a few things, that still concern me. Perhaps I am a little bit to worried about them, please tell me what you think:
- still now able to hold back totally straight on bottom
- not sitting back but down?
- knees going forward while squatting down
Perhaps its just that I want that my squats look like in SS but my levers differ (I'm 193cm and have quite long legs, I think).



This was the third and last working set today, I did several sets with 70kgs before to check the form..

Thanks for feedback & advice.

[guru]

You do need to sit back & not down. If you notice the movement of your butt, it is pretty much vertical. This may be fine if you are doing a high bar oly squat, but then it is not a low bar back squat which I think you are trying to do.

Another thing I noticed is the absence of hip drive, and is your stance staggered or does it look like that in the video?

[raecz]

Thanks for the replay guru. Like I said before and you confirmed, I'm not sitting back.I have to work on this, I think I still have problems to lean forward more, because of the high bar position I used before... Perhaps this would help me with my hip drive too.

I think the stance looks staggered because I'm not standing completely parallel to the rack in this set.

[eLvarouza]

Yes you need to sit back. Shove your knees out early and keep them there while you sit back into the tension being generated into your hips. Keep your knees out at the bottom and during the concentric (ascent). Don't be afraid to lean your torso forward to stay in balance; a low bar squat requires more forward lean than a high bar squat.

So here's what you should be thinking in a nutshell:

Knees out
Hips back and down (keep knees out)

Then, when you reach the hole:

Hips up (keep knees out)

[raecz]

thank for the reply eLvarouza

seems like I have to cut back the weight and work on my form more.

I'll post new videos soon.

[Eivind]

In addition to what's been mentioned, your lower back is rounding quite a bit near the bottom. I wouldn't call it a butt-wink, since your back progressively gets more and more rounded as you get closer to the bottom.

Try doing leg swings as part of your warm-up routine to see if it fixes the problem!

[raecz]

Thanks for the input eivind. I am currently doing static hamstring and hip flexor stretches every morning and did some leg swings prior to my last workout yesterday.

Please take another look. I did cut weight down but I don't feel I'm getting it done. I'm quite frustrated because I think I'm doing everything wrong..

[BlocHead]

Hi, its getting much better, heres my bit.

Im slightly worried about you looking directly at the floor on your first few reps, not so much on the later ones. As in SS look about about 5-6 ft in front of you on the floor at all times, your lucky that you dont have a mirror directly in front of you!

If you look at the bar path (you can check this holding a pencil to the screen) the bar shifts forward when you do this and is much straighter on the last couple of reps.

I could be wrong but it looks that your knees come slightly in on the last couple of reps, it would be good to get a video if possible directly front-on, then stance can also be checked that way

Keep doing leg swings and stretches and your hammies will improve very quickly.

Also tell the guy in the green shirt that none of his reps counted, he needs to bring his leg further up for a proper curl.

[raecz]

thanks for the reply BlocHead, I will tell him that
Yeah you are right with me looking down, I have to concentrate on so many things right now, it just happens automatically. I will use a few different angles next time, if the gym isn't too busy. Thanks again.

[LudwigVan]

Your back is rounding because you're going too deep. Your squat lacks hip drive because you're leading with your chest. There is a slight pause at the bottom where there shouldn't be. Learn to feel when you're just below parallel and immediately push your butt up, not your chest.