Squat Form Check

a_vettestingray

Hey everyone...since I think I am screwing up with my squats real bad, I thought I would put this out there for the world to critique.
This is a PR, 120lbx5 (.96BW).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdra-KgNNfM

BusyRaeNOTBusty

I don't see anything "wrong" at all. Looks really good. And you are so little! You look bad *kitten*. But it does look like you could use a little more "hip thrust". This is something I've been working on lately. When you are about in the middle on the way up focus on pushing your hips "forward" instead of "up". You should be able to progress a lot quicker doing that.

tameko2

Can you do another video from a different angle? But yeah I don't' really see anything major either - what Rae said is good.

extraordinary_machine

I've been doing the hip thrust after one of Rae's friends mentioned it on her wall...makes a huge difference.

fittiephd

I need to work on hip thrust too and on going a little lower.. For stronglifts I've always done squats where my legs are only a tiny bit wider than hip distance and my feet facing straight ahead instead of do the sides.. I'm not sure which is right, they're just different kinds of squats. But I'm pretty sure your knees are supposed to stay over your ankles more? But I could be wrong, maybe that's only for squats when your legs are closer together.

fittiephd

I looked at a vid on stronglifts.com and it looks like your form is just like theirs! Guess I should start trying to squat with my legs further apart I think I need to start holding the bar lower too, it's usually up on my shoulders more..

sarahz5

I do see what you think is butt winking, but I don't know if it's significant enough to be a problem. You are letting your back round when you reach the bottom. I think you just need to focus on sticking your *kitten* out. And up. :laugh: Think about having your back actually curved concave the entire time.

^I'm sure my squat form is trash compared to yours. It looks really good, and I never would have noticed if you hadn't said it.

Will_Thrust_For_Candy

Looks really good to me.....that's what I think I look like when I'm doing it....and if that's true then I'm a happy camper!

I agree with the hip thrust though and with pushing your *kitten* out a bit more, but overall I really think it's good! You look BADASS!

darwinforyou

Good lord woman you're the size if my thigh....your form looks good to me though. I agree with Sarah, stick that butt out. I'd be interested in a different angle to see knees, looks like there may have been a bit of buckling on one. I need to work on hip thrust myself.

Nataliaho

I need to work on hip thrust too and on going a little lower.. For stronglifts I've always done squats where my legs are only a tiny bit wider than hip distance and my feet facing straight ahead instead of do the sides.. I'm not sure which is right, they're just different kinds of squats. But I'm pretty sure your knees are supposed to stay over your ankles more? But I could be wrong, maybe that's only for squats when your legs are closer together.

There's nothing wrong with the kind of stance you're describing. There is definitely bad form when it comes to squatting, but there are many many versions of good form depending on the individual. Generally people with longer legs will need a wider stance in order to reach depth. On the other hand I tend to have the kind of squat form you are describing because I have short legs and I am hyper-mobile. So I have absolutely no issue ever getting to depth, but I have an issue with dive-bombing my squat and not being able to climb out of it. I need to be narrower to create more tension.

OP - form looks ok, but you're not quite getting to depth. I would say it is borderline on the first and not there for the next four.

xidia

Wow, you are tiny!

I'd second the not letting your back round out at the bottom, and trying to get deeper on the later squats in the set. Otherwise, it looks good!

auddii

Congrats on your PR!!! I think you're looking pretty good, but as a newb, I'll defer to the opinions of others.

victoriannsays

Your form looks great! Sometimes my back does that as well. You look so buff

a_vettestingray

Thanks for all the feedback. Lots of things to consider. I do have to take a wider stance because I am all leg, it makes squatting way more comfortable. With those squats, I was trying to focus on keeping my butt out - I am not sure how to keep my butt out any more!

I will have to learn more on this "hip drive" you guys speak of.

Should I consider trying to squat to box or any of those other things floating around online to fix depth and sticking my butt out? I have been trying to work on wall squats when I think about it.

sarahz5

Hmmm, I'm curious how low you all are going in your squats. I thought she looked like the top of her thighs were parallel with the floor, which is what Rippetoe recommends in Starting Strength. I haven't read a ton, but none of what I have really recommends ATG - that seems more in the realm of body weight squats. I'm also thinking if she tries to go deeper it will exacerbate her butt wink.

a_vettestingray

Sarah - You are right. I am for my hip joint/knee joint to be even. I can go lower than that (flexibility and hip/ankle mobility are not a problem), however, when I get lower than parallel, my lower back majorly rounds and I can't see to prevent it from doing so. I am stumped.

xidia

Sarah - You are right. I am for my hip joint/knee joint to be even. I can go lower than that (flexibility and hip/ankle mobility are not a problem), however, when I get lower than parallel, my lower back majorly rounds and I can't see to prevent it from doing so. I am stumped.

Try focussing on keeping your chest up, which will force your back to stay concave? (Not saying you don't, just giving you a different body part to think about which may help). You don't go waaayyy to high at all on depth, it's more a tweak than anything else.

Will_Thrust_For_Candy

Hmmm, I'm curious how low you all are going in your squats. I thought she looked like the top of her thighs were parallel with the floor, which is what Rippetoe recommends in Starting Strength. I haven't read a ton, but none of what I have really recommends ATG - that seems more in the realm of body weight squats. I'm also thinking if she tries to go deeper it will exacerbate her butt wink.

Rippetoe recommends parallel as does Mehdi. I've been reading a crapload of this archived stuff on the SL website and he also says that as much as he is not against ATG, parallel is what he recommends.

fittiephd

I need to work on hip thrust too and on going a little lower.. For stronglifts I've always done squats where my legs are only a tiny bit wider than hip distance and my feet facing straight ahead instead of do the sides.. I'm not sure which is right, they're just different kinds of squats. But I'm pretty sure your knees are supposed to stay over your ankles more? But I could be wrong, maybe that's only for squats when your legs are closer together.

There's nothing wrong with the kind of stance you're describing. There is definitely bad form when it comes to squatting, but there are many many versions of good form depending on the individual. Generally people with longer legs will need a wider stance in order to reach depth. On the other hand I tend to have the kind of squat form you are describing because I have short legs and I am hyper-mobile. So I have absolutely no issue ever getting to depth, but I have an issue with dive-bombing my squat and not being able to climb out of it. I need to be narrower to create more tension.

OP - form looks ok, but you're not quite getting to depth. I would say it is borderline on the first and not there for the next four.

Thanks so much for your input!! This makes me feel better a little Better in the sense that I'm not doing it "wrong" per se and am probably not hurting myself, but worse in the sense that I actually am very tall and have long legs, and I'm definitely only going to parallel (on purpose, I thought that was what I was supposed to do before now lol) so I'm def not going deep enough and need to stand wider. Thanks so much!

fittiephd

Hmmm, I'm curious how low you all are going in your squats. I thought she looked like the top of her thighs were parallel with the floor, which is what Rippetoe recommends in Starting Strength. I haven't read a ton, but none of what I have really recommends ATG - that seems more in the realm of body weight squats. I'm also thinking if she tries to go deeper it will exacerbate her butt wink.

Rippetoe recommends parallel as does Mehdi. I've been reading a crapload of this archived stuff on the SL website and he also says that as much as he is not against ATG, parallel is what he recommends.

Hm now I'm confused, I think maybe my version of parallel is the bottom of my legs/butt being parallel to the ground, not my hip joint/top of legs. I should get my bf to record my squats so I can get input too

Fittreelol

As everyone says your form is pretty spot on. As Sarah said I do see a tiny bit of butt wink, but I don't know that it's enough to worry about.

About the parallel thing- I thought going beyond II whether a slight bit or ATG was more to transfer the load from knees to hips, but it doesn't really matter how far after II you go unless you're after a specific goal. Correct me if I'm wrong I'm used to being a idiot. :laugh:

Leg width. I'm 5'6" and average proportions, but since I'm pudgy it feels much better with a wider stance. Just another reason wider might be better.

a_vettestingray

About the parallel thing- I thought going beyond II whether a slight bit or ATG was more to transfer the load from knees to hips, but it doesn't really matter how far after II you go unless you're after a specific goal. Correct me if I'm wrong I'm used to being a idiot. :laugh:

I'd like to get in the habit of going a little below parallel in the off chance that I do grow a set big enough to compete in a raw meet. That way its already ingrained in me and I won't have to try to relearn technique. *sigh* Looks like more wall squats for me!

BusyRaeNOTBusty

I try to go just below parallel and yeah, I can't go lower without major *kitten* winking. I go as low as possible without *kitten* winking.

NovemberJune

I'm seriously impressed. You go girl!!!!