Squatters help!

Tanana66

I have started 5x5 last week with an empty barbell and my husband took a video of me. OMG I suck! Everything was wrong.
I have been doing squats with 10kg dumbbells before, for months but never in front of mirror so didn't realised my form is awful.

1 I do not hit parallel - my heels want to lift up if I try to go lower.
2 The top of my body is not upright but leans forward too much as I think I will fall on my back if I keep my back straighter.

My questions are:
1.How do I practice going parallel without lifting heels up? Can I put a plank under heels?
2.How do I make sure I am balanced so I don't topple over like a turtle?

steve_mfp

You probably want to start with box squats.

The hardest thing to do when learning to squat is that it's a hip motion, not a leg. The beginning action like sitting in a chair.

Without any weight practices sitting back onto a bench or box. Obviously you need one that puts you at parallel or below. Practice sitting back and hovering over the box. Also make sure your knees do not go past your toes. Make sure you are barefoot or have flat shoes like wrestling sneakers or a pair of converse chuck taylors.

Once you have the form down, add the weight and continue to use the box, then hover over the box or do a touch and go. Then remove the box.

http://www.jtsstrength.com/articles/2013/09/04/squat-101/

Edit: Do not forget about warming up and mobility exercises

DeFranco's Limber 11 is a great routine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSSDLDhbacc

stevencloser

Hmmm, well from what you told, your center of mass is too far at the front.

Imagine a big red X over the middle of your foot, and throughout the whole movement, try to keep the bar exactly above it. Not too far to the front or your heels will go up, not too far back or you'll land on your butt.

Maybe try doing low bar squats. Because the bar is further down on your shoulder blades, you can have your upper body more to the front too without shifting your body weight off the middle of your foot.

Shawshankcan

Post the video of the bb squat and we can go from there.

rejectuf

When I switched to lifting shoes, it felt like I had unlocked a cheat code with my squats. Not sure it's a good idea for beginners though.

Box squats are a great idea and I love the limber 11 routine. I would also suggest Kelly Starrett's videos for mobility ideas. His stuff has a crossfit focus, but the mobility exercises are great for anyone.

Good mornings are a pretty good way to get the hips/hamstrings more flexible.

elprincipito

you NEVER use your toes as support on a squat. your butt has to stick out you must never look down. Look neutral or above the horizon and point your toes slightly outward. Doing a squat takes yeeeears to learn i been doing so for 4 and I still have more to learn.

SunofaBeach14

Start every session by squatting without the barbell and pushing yourself down below parallel to get the stretch. Then use the empty bar, and add weight and do 5 reps, then add more and keep doing that until you add enough that you can't hit parallel. Do that 3 days a week.

Whether you look up or down is a matter of who you choose to listen to. Highly qualified coaches disagree on this point.

If you can't do high bar squats then try low bar squats.

Check your shoes. Are you lifting in regular trainers or running shoes? Ditch them and go barefoot, buy a pair of chucks, or drop the wad on real lifting shoes.

SideSteel

Post the video of the bb squat and we can go from there.

^ That.

LiftAllThePizzas

I have started 5x5 last week with an empty barbell and my husband took a video of me. OMG I suck! Everything was wrong.
I have been doing squats with 10kg dumbbells before, for months but never in front of mirror so didn't realised my form is awful.

1 I do not hit parallel - my heels want to lift up if I try to go lower.
2 The top of my body is not upright but leans forward too much as I think I will fall on my back if I keep my back straighter.

My questions are:
1.How do I practice going parallel without lifting heels up? Can I put a plank under heels?
2.How do I make sure I am balanced so I don't topple over like a turtle?

I had similar issues when starting. My upper legs are long in proportion to my torso, and my hips weigh more than my shoulders, and my ankles don't bend very far forward. All of these add up to: squatting moves my hips (and thus most of my body weight) far behind my feet.

Low bar didn't help me, it made things worse in my case because it just moves all of that weight backwards too. High bar squats helped bigtime. Increasing my ankle mobility helped. Finding the right place to put my feet helped. (The wider they go, the less my legs moved things backwards. But wider moves stress from knees to hips.) I still have a MUCH easier time squatting 150+ than 45 lbs because the bar actually does much of the balancing.

You can also squat down (just body weight) while holding on to something and then find the right position that gives you the closest thing to balance and get used to going up and down with your heels on the floor the whole time.

(Also post video and many people will be able to help.)

Sarahliquid

Do body weight full squats to work on form, without the weight you can focus on form more. And the full squat will help with your ankle mobility. That will help the heels popping up when you get low.

You can also work on that alone by just squatting each day as if you are a toddler picking up a toy. They don't bend over, they just bend their knees and drop straight down. Just squat down all the way and sit there for a few. You should be able to do this with your heels on the floor, but most Americans can't. If you can't, keep at it each day.

I also like the advise I heard to think of squats as pushing the floor down with your heels, and lift up by squeezing the glutes and pushing them forward. All of these have been helping my form.

pandorakick

For me goblet squats have been key to getting better at good squating form.

JoRocka

Do body weight full squats to work on form, without the weight you can focus on form more. And the full squat will help with your ankle mobility. That will help the heels popping up when you get low.

You can also work on that alone by just squatting each day as if you are a toddler picking up a toy. They don't bend over, they just bend their knees and drop straight down. Just squat down all the way and sit there for a few. You should be able to do this with your heels on the floor, but most Americans can't. If you can't, keep at it each day.

I also like the advise I heard to think of squats as pushing the floor down with your heels, and lift up by squeezing the glutes and pushing them forward. All of these have been helping my form.

body weight squats do not translate into barbell squats.

It's a nice idea - but it's not a translatable skill. one of the reasons why she isn't any good with a barbell is because she hasn't' been working with a barbell.

OP- use a broom stick/PVC pipe- work on your form WITH a bar- with no weight- literally no weight- not just the bar.
> Get a foam roller
> Google Kelly Starlett for mobility WOD's to help open things that are tight.
> Put little 2.5 lb cookies under your heels to help as a starter- they mimic oly lifting shoes- and help with the stiff/tight ankle mobility you are indubitable suffering which is limiting a lot of OTHER aspects of your squat. these are only a tool- not a permanent fix. Use them to help with the rest of your mobility by allowing you to get DOWN to where you need to be- eventually you will not need them
> Share the video
> Practice more

And then: go forth- be fabulous

Tanana66

Thank you all. :flowerforyou:

Right, need to practice with a stick, open up the tight spots.

My next gym session is on Thursday so will take another video. (deleted all old ones).

When I squat with dubbells I do hit parallel. I think it helps to have those in front of the body to balance me.

I lift in my old converse, not running shoes - to bouncy.