Video - How does my squat look?

iorahkwano

Hi! How does my form look? I've been trying to improve it since I switched from front squat on February 9th.

First try - February 9th, BW: 141lbs, squatting 115lbs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb06tN2klCc&list=UUEhB1vvyTMqtZMbB_ae2MmA&index=2

Today - March 2nd, BW: 146lbs, squatting 130lbs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlOV60bLIag&list=UUEhB1vvyTMqtZMbB_ae2MmA&index=1

Fittreelol

I love your pink pants!

1st video You don't look like you're going to parallel, and your knees looked a bit wobbly. I couldn't really see bar placement too much. Make sure to keep your back and abs tight. It looks like their might be some movement there, but I can't quite tell.

2nd video- Definitely not going to parallel. Knees look like they're buckling, and the bar is too high (for lowbar.) Usually low bar position is preferred, because it lets you lift more weight. If high bar feels more comfortable though. Do it up. Just make sure it's resting on your delts instead of your vertebra.

Sorry if I sounded too blunt! I want you to love your kness and treasure them and want them to be pushed out.

I'm sure other and more experienced ladies will chime in with their observations soon.

iorahkwano

No, no! It was excellent advice. I'm looking for constructive comments. Lately on Facebook it seems like whenever I post a photo or video, I get a one-liner insult "That's not a squat!!" or other girls start writing statuses calling down bodybuilders (Oh, the jealousy!)

Anyway, yes the bending over part was always my concern. My trainer says the fact that I'm tall makes it a bit harder for my body to scrunch down like that with my back straight up but it can be cured with hip flexibility.

I've never heard of a high bar vs. low bar thing, I thought there was only one way to hold it? Where does it sit when it's "low"?

auddii

I'd agree that the bar is in the high bar position. For low bar, if you pull your elbows behind you, it almost creates a ledge to rest the bar on. You're also dropping your trunk and almost folding over, and it looks like when you come up, it's two separate movements (you stand with your legs, then you unfold your trunk). It also seems to get worse with each rep. It looks like the weight might be affecting your form.

Also agree that you aren't getting parallel, and you *might* be dropping your knees inward. It's really hard to tell from the angle, but when you are down in parallel, you knees should still be directly over your toes.

This is one of the reasons I hate squats; they're a fantastic exercise, but you really do have to think about 9000 things at once to try and keep your form right. I would suggest dropping your weight and trying to perfect your form before adding more weight back.

Will_Thrust_For_Candy

Here are my observations:

You do look a little wobbly in both videos...looks like your knees are shaky, so I would say drop down in weight a bit for that reason alone. As for how you go down, back positioning and such I actually think it's good. I think that your back is kept nice a flat, not arched or rounded and the bar is still staying mid-foot which is ultimately what you want. I think it would be good to work to encourage a bit more hip thrust, but otherwise I think the way you come up is good. You are leading with your hips and everything else follows. In my humble opinion, if you drop your weight and get the wobble down, the rest will really fall into place. Oh and yeah, you aren't going to parallel, but again, drop weight and work on parallel/knees and you're golden.

fishlover888

OK so as a disclaimer, this is more my opinion as a PT than as a weightlifter because sometimes we might disagree about body mechanics.

The one thing I always check for with squats is how far forward your knees are coming. I'm constantly nagging my patients about this... I know that often in crossfit/body building this is sometimes considered acceptable but basically, the further forward your knees are the more torque created by the angle and more potential knee damage. (happy to give in depth explanation if anyone likes that stuff)

Especially in the first video it looks like your knees are coming far forward past your toes, and your shins are not staying straight perpendicular to the floor. I agree with the other that you should try dropping your weight some to work on form. Try to sit far back as if you are reaching for a chair that is slightly too far away, shins straight up and down.

One tip I tell people is you should be able to see your toes at all times.

Try this, at first it will probably feel awkward and more difficult but it will protect your knees and challenge your muscles!! It should also help prevent your knees from moving in towards each other. Once you get the hang of it practice getting lower until you can get to parallel.

I usually do a few squats with zero weight at least a couple times a week to check my form in the mirror.

I'll try to find a video or picture of what I'm talking about...

chunkmunk

First, that is an impressive amount of weight and you look incredible.

My two cents. Have you read Starting Strength? Mark Rippetoe completely diagrams a proper squat and I found it incredibly helpful to read. I learned that I was gripping the bar wrong, that my feet were not wide enough, that my feet were not at a 30 degree angle, and that my hip thrust was wrong. It's made a huge difference in my squats.

Also, I see you have running shoes on. I've found that squatting in my socks is so much easier because with the shoes on I was tilted forward.

iorahkwano

Hm, I have heard that wearing Converse shoes (no support) may make squats easier! It must be the same as the sock advice.

I'm aware the first video, the form is terrible... But I see a lot of progress in comparison to my recent video. I notice a difference in comfort too... When I first started, I felt the top of my back rounding out because the bar was pushing me forward. Now (with better form) I feel more strain in my abs rather than my knees.

Maybe today I will try holding the bar lower... The reason I place it so high is because any lower and it feels unstable but I can give it another try!

Amazing1985RSD

How does it feel with the bar against your hair like that. If it were me I would toss the hair around the front r something. Just something I'dd be concerned about if I had long hair..

auddii

Hm, I have heard that wearing Converse shoes (no support) may make squats easier! It must be the same as the sock advice.

I'm aware the first video, the form is terrible... But I see a lot of progress in comparison to my recent video. I notice a difference in comfort too... When I first started, I felt the top of my back rounding out because the bar was pushing me forward. Now (with better form) I feel more strain in my abs rather than my knees.

Maybe today I will try holding the bar lower... The reason I place it so high is because any lower and it feels unstable but I can give it another try!

Try pulling your elbows kind of straight up (well, when behind you). It will create a nice shelf for you to rest the bar on. When your elbows drop, the shelf disappears, and you have to use your hands to hold the bar in place (which completely doesn't work well).

As for the hair, I always start with it over my shoulder then flip it back when I get myself set before lifting the bar off the rack. I don't like my hair under the bar personally.

Fittreelol

How does it feel with the bar against your hair like that. If it were me I would toss the hair around the front r something. Just something I'dd be concerned about if I had long hair..

This is why I braid my hair at the gym!

iorahkwano

First, that is an impressive amount of weight and you look incredible.

Thank you! That was nice to hear

And no, the bar doesn't seem to pull on my gair. My hair actually kinda works as cushioning for where the bar leans on me!

Amazing1985RSD

Well you shouldn't really need to use your hair as cushioning if you place the bar in the correct place.

Check this out:

http://startingstrength.com/index.php/site/video/platform_the_squat_bar_position

iorahkwano

So did I not improve at all between the 2 videos? It's hard to tell if you guys are referring to the February video (Which I know wasn't great) or the March video...

Amazing1985RSD

I think you might have been going down more in the first one than in the second one. Maybe because of form break down. If you are still questioning your form, I recommend recording yourself again.

victoriannsays

I agree with the others above. You look very wobbly. I think your form issues may lay in the fact that you have very long legs. Deload and work your way back up.