Please check my squat

Tigermad

Hello

I have been doing the starting strength programme for 2 weeks now. Could someone check my form on the squat. I got up to 40 kegs on my last session but delayed to 30kgs on the session today to work on my form. I don't feel I am getting low enough.

Any advice is welcome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehrP4IfiW6A&sns=em

darrensurrey

I was mainly watching your lower back as the last thing you want is a buggered back. That seems fine. The only criticism is that you didn't get your backside low enough. Squat without a bar and see how deep you can go. I'm no expert, mind!

bahacca

Post this to the bodybuilding group. They are fantastic over there with form:-)

Tigermad

I was mainly watching your lower back as the last thing you want is a buggered back. That seems fine. The only criticism is that you didn't get your backside low enough. Squat without a bar and see how deep you can go. I'm no expert, mind!

Thanks. I certainly find it hard to go any lower with body weight or just the bar. I guess I am not flexible enough. Maybe tight hip flexors?

Tigermad

Post this to the bodybuilding group. They are fantastic over there with form:-)

Thanks

RCS17

Your lower-back seems fine, just don't lean forward. And try to go much deeper. Other than that, great job!

Rae6503

Looks pretty good! I'd agree that you might want to work on getting your butt a couple more inches lower. You don't need to go "*kitten* to grass" but just past parallel is best and it looks like you might barely be hitting parallel on some. And you might be leaning forward a little bit too much at the bottom. I do this too. Try to focus on dropping your *kitten* and not leaning your shoulders forward. Make sure your weight is on your heels and the outside of your feet.

Yanicka1

Look good from my point of view....hard to see what your knees are doing. You go low enough at the start..... you lack stability when holding the bar but you are holding it low so it is all about how you like it. Hold your abs. In all pretty good.

C00lCountry

To me you seemed to be to fast.
You was like down and up in a second.
Try to go down and up 2 seconds each way.

kiachu

But my squat form sucks and I know it. So take what I say with a grain of sand. LOL

The only thing I see is that your not sitting your butt down, and instead bending over. maybe try keeping your chest up and looking up a tad. You also look unsteady with that weight So maybe do less.

With my half *kitten* parallel squats I can do like 185. I tried ATG I had to drop down to 50 LOL. Never again! My hips and knees weren't made properly and I was screwed up for months. Hip got caught and locked *L*. Noooot fun.

darrensurrey

I was mainly watching your lower back as the last thing you want is a buggered back. That seems fine. The only criticism is that you didn't get your backside low enough. Squat without a bar and see how deep you can go. I'm no expert, mind!

Thanks. I certainly find it hard to go any lower with body weight or just the bar. I guess I am not flexible enough. Maybe tight hip flexors?

Tight glutes, surely? Might be worthwhile doing separate stretching sessions ie every day, do a brief warm up then stretch by squatting, then straightening legs and touching toes, then pulling foot back to stretch the front of the legs etc.

cordianet

Lots of other comments already, but one thing I noticed is that you're leaning forward before you actually start squatting. My suggestion would be to do some unweighted wall squats for a while to see if you can break that habit.

Avandel

What's already been said but I'd like to add, try not to snap your knees when you stand, it looks like you're locking them.:flowerforyou:

Tigermad

Lots of other comments already, but one thing I noticed is that you're leaning forward before you actually start squatting. My suggestion would be to do some unweighted wall squats for a while to see if you can break that habit.

Thanks. I have to lean forward slightly before I squat to support the weight on my back. Is this wrong? Also with low bar squats you lean forward more then high bar squats to make sure the bar is mid foot. But agree it is probably to much lean for me.

hesn92

Looks good to me... is it comfortable to have the bar where it is? I keep the bar higher up when I do it. Seems like you'd have to work a lot harder at holding the bar up where you have it.

TropicalFlowerz

try doin it infront of the mirrior,....and eventually get yur bum par.w/ the floor knees bent 90 deg.

possibri

Pretty sure it's important, but maybe not. Nobody has mentioned that your feet weren't straight. As I recall, and old aerobics instructor always made a point of saying to keep our feet pointing straight ahead.

Not sure if that is actually all that important, but thought I'd add my 2¢. =]

cordianet

Lots of other comments already, but one thing I noticed is that you're leaning forward before you actually start squatting. My suggestion would be to do some unweighted wall squats for a while to see if you can break that habit.

Thanks. I have to lean forward slightly before I squat to support the weight on my back. Is this wrong? Also with low bar squats you lean forward more then high bar squats to make sure the bar is mid foot. But agree it is probably to much lean for me.

Yes, not a good idea to lean forward. Here's a link that explains much better than I could on why it's bad, what to do to correct it: http://stronglifts.com/how-to-avoid-leaning-forward-on-squats/

Rae6503

Lots of other comments already, but one thing I noticed is that you're leaning forward before you actually start squatting. My suggestion would be to do some unweighted wall squats for a while to see if you can break that habit.

Thanks. I have to lean forward slightly before I squat to support the weight on my back. Is this wrong? Also with low bar squats you lean forward more then high bar squats to make sure the bar is mid foot. But agree it is probably to much lean for me.

Low bar you do lean a little bit more than high bar, but I still think you are leaning too much. I think it'd be fixed by dropping your butt lower. Like I said I do the same. In my head I think "go low" so I lean to get there when I should be dropping my butt to get there.

Determinednoob

In conjunction with leaning forward being mentioned, the bar is too far forward. The bar should move up and down in a straight line in line with the middle of your foot. Going down fast is fine. When people get more advanced they will go down quickly and get a slight bounce out of the bottom. Also I recommend that the next time someone does a video, they stay straight at the side view the whole time. Seeing the bar alignment vs foot position is the best indicator, and depth can still be seen from that view pretty well.

2hobbit1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kawBY5p29fQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yha2XAc2qu8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OoVQPmfZ4o

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224&p=13263177#post13263177

Tigermad

Thanks for all the replies. It's not that I don't know what the fom should be. I have starting strength book and watched no end of videos including ripptoes 100 times. Even without a bar I just cannot get my *kitten* back and stop leaning forward. I guess I am stuck. My legs only bend about 30 degrees when I try a body weight squat without leaning forward. Very strange since I have been doing new rues of lifting for 5 months and lots of lunges and split squash etc.

cordianet

Maybe try the wall squats I mentioned. It will help you keep from bending forward. I'd say start about 8-10 inches out from the wall, and once you master that, move ever closer till you can do it with your toes touching.

2hobbit1

Take a look at the book kettlebells for dumbies if you can find it at the library. there is a section on fixing your squats. It includes box squats and wall squats. I know it helped me when I first started out. One other thing to play with is the width of your stance and how far out you rotate your toes. I found that if I did not get the width and toe angle right then my balance, squat depth and hip drive were very much effected. I actually put a mark on the floor so I have a visual reminder of foot placement. Also think about pushing off with your heels not your toes.

Look for information on glute activation exercises. If you are driving your squats with you quads you will not be able to get as low or use as much weight.

Tigermad

Hello again

Just posted some bodyweight squats. Still don't look much cop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgPGScW2bdE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

gayje

Hello again

Off topic question...You say you've been doing the new rules of lifting for women for 5 months. That means you should nearly be through the 6 month workout program, unless you took off extra recovery weeks. Did you loose your weight noted in your ticker since doing Lou and Alwyn's lifting program? I'm wondering because I literally *just* started and it's a nice motivation to hear one way or the other. Thanks and keep up the good work!

Tigermad

Hello again

Off topic question...You say you've been doing the new rules of lifting for women for 5 months. That means you should nearly be through the 6 month workout program, unless you took off extra recovery weeks. Did you loose your weight noted in your ticker since doing Lou and Alwyn's lifting program? I'm wondering because I literally *just* started and it's a nice motivation to hear one way or the other. Thanks and keep up the good work!

Hello. I lost about 30lbs whilst doing the programme. I got a little bored of it so switched to starting strength because I wanted to do the big boys moves. I am not very good at the squat but can deadlift my body weight now.

Tigermad

Hello again

Off topic question...You say you've been doing the new rules of lifting for women for 5 months. That means you should nearly be through the 6 month workout program, unless you took off extra recovery weeks. Did you loose your weight noted in your ticker since doing Lou and Alwyn's lifting program? I'm wondering because I literally *just* started and it's a nice motivation to hear one way or the other. Thanks and keep up the good work!

Hello. I lost about 30lbs whilst doing the programme. I got a little bored of it so switched to starting strength because I wanted to do the big boys moves. I am not very good at the squat but can deadlift my body weight now.

I have lost 101lbs don't know why my ticker showed 47. Fixed now :-)

Determinednoob

Shoot a vid from the front so we can see your foot placement and how your knees are tracking

ixap

Looks good to me... is it comfortable to have the bar where it is? I keep the bar higher up when I do it. Seems like you'd have to work a lot harder at holding the bar up where you have it.

There are low bar and high bar squat styles; they use the muscles a little differently. Both have pros/cons and one may be easier vs. harder for an individual.

denezy

I am not a trainer, so please do take a professionals advice if you can. However, it looks like the bar is too low on your back, which is making you lean forward. Id also agree with all the advice about going slower. Before doing your full weight set I'd suggest doing one set with just the bar to improve your form and get the body set up. Go verrrrrry slow down and watch your form, preferably from two mirrors. Concentrate on having your weight in your heels and once you get to the bottom, pause a moment and wiggle your toes. You'll feel different muscles be engaged and you'll know what a squat should feel like.

Great job