Please check my squat

2hobbit1

It looks like you are using your hips to get lower rather than sitting all the way back.

What are your knees doing? Are they caving inward? Try pushing your knees apart as you go down and as you come back up.

If your knees are caving in then widen your stance and/or rotate your feet out further.

Also if you have a small stool try to sit/reach back for it with your butt with a broom handle in place of the bar or held over your head. It helps you to feel the arch/ lifted chest position you need. Also try body weight squats with a folded towel under your heels to see if the slight heel lift will help with the mechanics.

Tigermad

I have just tried a few more bodyweight ones and it seems I can keep more upright if I have quite a wide stance. I will video it tomorrow.

Determinednoob

I have just tried a few more bodyweight ones and it seems I can keep more upright if I have quite a wide stance. I will video it tomorrow.

If you don't have your feet spread far enough apart with toes turned out some and shins tracking in line with feet, your body can get in it's own way of getting deep enough.

Tigermad

I think it's my calves causing a problem. When I squat diwn like a kid my heels lift quite a bit off the floor. If I put books under my heels and do body weight squats I can get lower. Although I still lean forward more then I would like but it's a lot better.

Maybe I will keep trying body weight ones with books until I stretch out a bit. That's if I ever do.

2hobbit1

If you slowly decrease the amount of lift your heels are on you will be able to stretch it out. Try doing them that way with the empty bar for a few times and then decrease the size of the lift. The weight will help you get down and stretch. The other thing to do is to stretch your quads - if you are quad dominant you will be tight.Google for glute activation tests and how to correct for quad dominance.

DaveRCF

I think it's my calves causing a problem. When I squat diwn like a kid my heels lift quite a bit off the floor. If I put books under my heels and do body weight squats I can get lower. Although I still lean forward more then I would like but it's a lot better.

Maybe I will keep trying body weight ones with books until I stretch out a bit. That's if I ever do.

I think as you add weight you will find you will get a nice stretch which should give you that tiny bit more you need to go below parallel. The other thing I would point out is that your wrists are bent. Try to position them on the bar so they are straight while still maintaining a tight back.

As for leaning forward, I like Rippetoe's cue of imagining a chain being attached to your butt and the chain pulling you up in a vertical line. Also, when you are doing your warmups, really concentrate on the weight being equally distributed across the sole of your foot.

These are small things; that you are asking for form checks means you will get it pretty quickly.

denezy

If your heels are lifting then concentrate more on wiggling your toes, especially at the bottom.

DopeItUp

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¢. =]

Never want to have your feet pointed straight. The toes should be pointed out roughly 30 degrees and the knees should follow the toes and track directly over your foot.

Tigermad

Thanks for all the replies :-)

I am going to concentrate on form more on my next session. With just the bar. I am also doing lots of bodyweight squats throughout the day to help with my flexibility. I think I have tight calves and ankles so will be working on these too.