Squat form video and frustration

terar21

Another squat form post

I'm so embarrassed to post this honestly. I thought I'd made a lot more progress than this and from my angle in the mirror, it looked a lot better. Decided to video myself today.

I have seriously tightness in my Achilles/calves. It affects my form so much. I've come a long way but this just isn't working out. It used to be so bad that my leg would just be straight up and down with zero mobility to the point where I just couldn't squat at all. I worked for months on it and was able to get some improvement but I guess it just isn't enough.

It's not an issue of needing to deload. It's the exact same form no matter what the weight is (the video will show just the bar). If I look a little shaky in the video it's because I went back at the end of the workout to get a video of myself with just the bar and sped through it.

Is there anything I can do or should I see a professional at this point?

https://vid.me/QK48

Mycophilia

You're squatting like you would in a low-bar squat, while the bar placement on your back is high-bar. This causes the barpath to be in front of the middle of your foot. And it could be the camera angle, but it looks like you're hyperextending your back.

I recommend watching Alan Thrall's video on squatting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs_Ej32IYgo

terar21

Mycophilia wrote: »

You're squatting like you would in a low-bar squat, while the bar placement on your back is high-bar. This causes the barpath to be in front of the middle of your foot. And it could be the camera angle, but it looks like you're hyperextending your back.

I recommend watching Alan Thrall's video on squatting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs_Ej32IYgo

Yeah the problem is that I just don't have enough flexibility in my lower leg to be to even get close to that. The angle of my leg in the video is as far as it will go. So I just end up leaning forward to compensate.

There used to be zero mobility to the point where I would squat and my foot/leg would be at a 90 degree angle. It's improved but clearly not enough and I'm not sure what to do at this point.

JoRocka

dorsial flexion can be improved.

get a foam roller and roll the piss out of your legs. You should be stretching your calves.
And keep working the mobility/technique.

In the mean time- to comp for the lack of ankle mob- you can put 2.5# or 5# plates under your heels- that should help you start getting some depth.

terar21

JoRocka wrote: »

dorsial flexion can be improved.

get a foam roller and roll the piss out of your legs. You should be stretching your calves.
And keep working the mobility/technique.

In the mean time- to comp for the lack of ankle mob- you can put 2.5# or 5# plates under your heels- that should help you start getting some depth.

Foam rolling has been the main thing I've been doing (although I could probably stand to do it more) with stretching. It's definitely helped but this just seems piss poor for almost a year's worth of working on it. I'm just so mad because I really thought it had improved more.

I'll definitely try the plates. I had hesitated to do it because I didn't want to rely on it but I'm sure it's better than squatting like this.

terar21

I should mention the reason the flexibility is so bad is that I was a swimmer growing up with very little running. The result was calves built for swimming. They naturally lay at a flat angle in line with my leg (like I'm constantly kicking). It's a pain to get the to stay flexed the opposite way.

JoRocka

terar21 wrote: »

JoRocka wrote: »

dorsial flexion can be improved.

get a foam roller and roll the piss out of your legs. You should be stretching your calves.
And keep working the mobility/technique.

In the mean time- to comp for the lack of ankle mob- you can put 2.5# or 5# plates under your heels- that should help you start getting some depth.

Foam rolling has been the main thing I've been doing (although I could probably stand to do it more) with stretching. It's definitely helped but this just seems piss poor for almost a year's worth of working on it. I'm just so mad because I really thought it had improved more.

I'll definitely try the plates. I had hesitated to do it because I didn't want to rely on it but I'm sure it's better than squatting like this.

here's the thing about plates- it's a tool.

A lot of people struggle with the squat because they don't have ankle mob for it- so that holds up the rest of the mechanics. And the rest of the mechanics are JUST as important. If you can use that to help train the rest of your body it will probably help your ankle mobility come along as well. I know for me it did- I started getting back into it- I had crap ankle mob and I was using plates to help assist- 2 months of that and I had enough to squat on my own. It's still a work in progress and I'm now working other things- but none of this stuff ever goes away. it's a constant flow from one tweak to the next.

beatua1

JoRocka wrote: »

dorsial flexion can be improved.

get a foam roller and roll the piss out of your legs. You should be stretching your calves.
And keep working the mobility/technique.

In the mean time- to comp for the lack of ankle mob- you can put 2.5# or 5# plates under your heels- that should help you start getting some depth.

This.

Cherimoose

To fix the tight calves, wear a night splint, and also stretch them for 30+ seconds every single hour.

Btw, form check vids are best done with a weight that's a struggle.. ideally when you're fatigued.

XavierNusum

JoRocka wrote: »

dorsial flexion can be improved.

get a foam roller and roll the piss out of your legs. You should be stretching your calves.
And keep working the mobility/technique.

In the mean time- to comp for the lack of ankle mob- you can put 2.5# or 5# plates under your heels- that should help you start getting some depth.

Right here!

DvlDwnInGA

Try warming up with some goblet squats, you can also get yourself a set of squat shoes. They will have a raised heel on them that will simulate putting the plates under your heals. Everything else here has been covered for the most part. You are not far from hitting parallel right now so just keep working at it, you don't have to go ATG for the squat to get the job done.

Squats can be very frustrating, just when you think you have something figured out, you add weight to the bar and you will find another weakness. They are very humbling.

terar21

JoRocka wrote: »

terar21 wrote: »

JoRocka wrote: »

dorsial flexion can be improved.

get a foam roller and roll the piss out of your legs. You should be stretching your calves.
And keep working the mobility/technique.

In the mean time- to comp for the lack of ankle mob- you can put 2.5# or 5# plates under your heels- that should help you start getting some depth.

Foam rolling has been the main thing I've been doing (although I could probably stand to do it more) with stretching. It's definitely helped but this just seems piss poor for almost a year's worth of working on it. I'm just so mad because I really thought it had improved more.

I'll definitely try the plates. I had hesitated to do it because I didn't want to rely on it but I'm sure it's better than squatting like this.

here's the thing about plates- it's a tool.

A lot of people struggle with the squat because they don't have ankle mob for it- so that holds up the rest of the mechanics. And the rest of the mechanics are JUST as important. If you can use that to help train the rest of your body it will probably help your ankle mobility come along as well. I know for me it did- I started getting back into it- I had crap ankle mob and I was using plates to help assist- 2 months of that and I had enough to squat on my own. It's still a work in progress and I'm now working other things- but none of this stuff ever goes away. it's a constant flow from one tweak to the next.

That makes me feel better lol. I'll increase the foam rolling and move to using the plates under my heels.

terar21

Cherimoose wrote: »

To fix the tight calves, wear a night splint, and also stretch them for 30+ seconds every single hour.

Btw, form check vids are best done with a weight that's a struggle.. ideally when you're fatigued.

Thanks! And i'll keep that in mind next time I do a form check.

ninerbuff

JoRocka wrote: »

dorsial flexion can be improved.

get a foam roller and roll the piss out of your legs. You should be stretching your calves.
And keep working the mobility/technique.

In the mean time- to comp for the lack of ankle mob- you can put 2.5# or 5# plates under your heels- that should help you start getting some depth.

This is what I would do if you were my client.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

terar21

DvlDwnInGA wrote: »

Try warming up with some goblet squats, you can also get yourself a set of squat shoes. They will have a raised heel on them that will simulate putting the plates under your heals. Everything else here has been covered for the most part. You are not far from hitting parallel right now so just keep working at it, you don't have to go ATG for the squat to get the job done.

Squats can be very frustrating, just when you think you have something figured out, you add weight to the bar and you will find another weakness. They are very humbling.

Good point, I did stop doing goblet squats a few months ago. Those definitely did help before when I was trying to fix it at first. Would be a good warm up. Thanks!

terar21

ninerbuff wrote: »

JoRocka wrote: »

dorsial flexion can be improved.

get a foam roller and roll the piss out of your legs. You should be stretching your calves.
And keep working the mobility/technique.

In the mean time- to comp for the lack of ankle mob- you can put 2.5# or 5# plates under your heels- that should help you start getting some depth.

This is what I would do if you were my client.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Thanks. Definitely will be working on this.