Form check again please!

PitBullMom_Liz

Alright, I got my squats from multiple angles, including an extraordinarily horrifying angle from behind where my *kitten* looks like a monster ready to swallow the world whole. I apologize for that one, but wasn't sure if that angle would help. *shudder* These squats were at 75 lbs. I'm wondering if I should stay here and work on form, or work on form as I increase weights since I'm still at a pretty light weight? I'm still not going deep enough, and I feel like I'm leaning forward a lot. I don't think I'm "good morning-ing" as much as I was, which is good. Also, I'm still getting the bar from the rack, which isn't ideal, but I'm having a friend's husband build me a power cage so I won't have to do that much longer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7wZqqR9Haw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Two2-_F_wAI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1u125I5kOg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwwtIpdp0jE

And here are my deadlifts from last night. I actually feel really good about these. My back rounded on rep 3 on the way up but I fixed it after that. Do they look as good as they feel or do they need tweaking?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOj2sV8vv5E

girlie100

Good to get some more angles and the depth on the squat is not far off, you are still pitching forward quite a bit which is probs stopping your bum dropping that last bit, concentrate on keeping head up and puffing chest out. I wouldn't increase just yet until you have solved the leaning forward as heavier bar is just going to pitch you forward more

For the deadlift try dropping your bum back a bit so that your shoulders are over the bar and your arms are straight

:drinker:

Leadfoot_Lewis

Squats - You need to keep your chest UP, which will make everything more upright. Your back should be at about a 45 degree angle. The bar should travel in a path that is over the mid foot. Your bar path is several inches beyond your toes.

Deadlift - Again, chest up which will keep your back in a more neutral/slightly arched position. You are rounding your lower back which is a big no-no.

The big thing with these lifts is being TIGHT, TIGHT, TIGHT! Tighten everything up into position, take a deep breath (which you hold until you're done with the rep) and lift.

PitBullMom_Liz

Thank you for the feedback! I can generally only focus on one thing at a time while doing each rep. For squats, it's been mainly "knees out" or "weight in heels." Now I'll switch to "chest up." Same for deadlift. I do feel like I'm tightening up as much as I can - I take a deep breath, tense everything, do the move and then exhale.

randomtai

Agreed. You are leaning forward way too much on the squats.

bumblebums

For the deadlift, your scapulas should be over the bar. Right now, the bar is almost halfway between your butt and your head, so you are way too far forward. Dropping your hips down and lifting your chest, as others said, should help. The bar should be over your mid-foot, which is accomplished with a starting position where your shins are about 1" away from the bar before you bend your legs to grab the bar. Once you grab the bar, your shins should be touching the bar, and it will not leave your legs for the duration of the lift.

Squats: you are not hitting parallel at the bottom. Your hip crease should be below your knee joint. I am not sure if you are trying to hit depth but failing due to flexibility or if you cannot feel how deep you are squatting. If it's the former, try narrowing your stance to shoulder width and pointing the toes out so there is a 60 degree angle between them (or 30 degree angle off a straight line for each foot). If it's the latter, try to go at least to a point where you can feel your calves with your hamstrings.

PitBullMom_Liz

I think a big issue with my squats is lack of flexibility. I see people in the squat demos squat ATG with their feet flat - the only way I can do that is going up on the balls of my feet. I don't know if that's a hip flexor thing or a hamstring thing? Or just a fat girl thing? LOL I think part of it is also apprehension about getting stuck/toppling over if I go deeper. Hopefully once I get my cage my confidence will go up because getting hurt will be less of a prospect.

I will try narrowing my stance a bit more and turning my toes out. I was trying them straight forward as one of the videos I'd watched (maybe that Sterritt guy?) showed how flexibility is increased by keeping the toes forward. There's just so much conflicting info. But it doesn't hurt to try toes out!

Should I deload my squats some while working on this or just stay at 75lbs where I am now?

girlie100

Stance is a matter of trial and error, see what stance feels comfortable getting to depth with BW squats with arms out in front of you. My stance is wider than shoulder width with toes out about 40 deg mainly because I have lanky legs. Look up some hip flexibility exercises on youtube

bumblebums

This is all discussed in Starting Strength--and the squat chapter is free on the Kindle.

Keeping toes forward (with parallel feet, presumably) will not make it easier to hit depth if you have flexibility problems. If you are worried about toppling over, start doing form drills with just the bar. In general, the squat works pretty well as its own stretch, since the load acts on the muscles.

No need to go ATG--the purpose of ATG squats is to get under the bar with minimal vertical movement when you are performing an Olympic lift. You propel the bar up with the explosive pull, and you don't want it to have to move too far up when the weight is heavy, so the lower you can squat, the better. Nobody needs to go ATG for powerlifting-style low bar squats. Just below parallel is enough to engage all the muscles while protecting your joints.

Leadfoot_Lewis

I think a big issue with my squats is lack of flexibility. I see people in the squat demos squat ATG with their feet flat - the only way I can do that is going up on the balls of my feet. I don't know if that's a hip flexor thing or a hamstring thing? Or just a fat girl thing? LOL I think part of it is also apprehension about getting stuck/toppling over if I go deeper. Hopefully once I get my cage my confidence will go up because getting hurt will be less of a prospect.

I will try narrowing my stance a bit more and turning my toes out. I was trying them straight forward as one of the videos I'd watched (maybe that Sterritt guy?) showed how flexibility is increased by keeping the toes forward. There's just so much conflicting info. But it doesn't hurt to try toes out!

I think you may find that a combination of turning your toes out more and forcing your knees out HARD throughout the entire lift (especially at the bottom coming up) will help you out tremendously.... and CHEST UP!

Should I deload my squats some while working on this or just stay at 75lbs where I am now?

My personal rule of thumb is if I don't like something I see on my form, and if I can't correct it next workout session then I deload 10% and work my way back up. I'd rather be able to lift less then be sidelined with an injury because I didn't take the time to correct my form.

PitBullMom_Liz

Sounds great - thank you again everybody! This forum is really great and I'm thankful to have such knowledgeable, helpful people here. :-)