Form critique thread, post your videos here.
Replies
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I could not tell - do you take a big breath and tighten up before your squat? Did you lose air at the bottom - you seemed to do a little double bounce in the hole.
I do take a deep breath and tighten my core, but my descent was a little too quick and uncontrolled, hence the bounce at the bottom. I think that pulled my spine out of alignment.0 -
The bar looks a bit low on you - or at least not on the 'shelf' of your traps. You look to be a bit uneven/wobbly and your hips are come up a bit too much compared to your shoulders (most on the 4th rep) - which is not a big deal now but may become one as you get more weight on the bar. There are a few other things, but I would like to see you play with the bar position first as well as to see a video from the back and the front to see if you are uneven (and too see how much your knees are coming in). You can PM me if you are not comfortable posting that.
This is a good video re bar position -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2tyOLvArw0
To be honest, I would keep the weight as is for a session or two.
When you re-rack - do it the same way you unrack - with both feet parallel and not split.
Thank you sooo much! I noticed too that my hips come up way earlier than my shoulders, will work on that. The bar was definitely low after I watched that video, that's probably why my wrist is hurting a bit
I'll try to find that shelf on my next workout. Will also keep this weight and get a different angle. Thanks again for your input! 
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Hi everyone. I 'm new to weightlifting and I would love some critiques on my squat form. This is only my 2nd week doing stronglifts 5x5 and I just wanna know if my form is right so I can progress properly
I did low bar squats @ 65lb (baby weight :laugh:) and this was my last set. Idek what happened on the last rep, haha! Thanks in advance!
http://youtu.be/-pcNxo2xrAg
You need a tighter setup and for the time being you need to slow down your descent. While there's nothing inherently wrong with a fast squat for a rebound out of the hole, your technique needs to be dialed in to utilise it. With a tighter setup and a controlled descent (along with the bar positioning tips Sara mentioned) you'll be in a better position to avoid that forward lean and hips-faster-than-shoulders ascent.0 -
I could not tell - do you take a big breath and tighten up before your squat? Did you lose air at the bottom - you seemed to do a little double bounce in the hole.
I do take a deep breath and tighten my core, but my descent was a little too quick and uncontrolled, hence the bounce at the bottom. I think that pulled my spine out of alignment.
When you descend too quickly (and this comment is also leading on from n3ver3nders to Angel), you lose tightness in your core, which may have been an issue for you. As to the actual squat form, it looked pretty solid - juts keep that tightness throughout.0 -
First time posting here and feeling a little weird about it but I need help with my squat.
I have pretty much zero ankle mobility on my right food and that can't be changed. I've been lifting for two months now and my squat has progressed the least. I started with goblet squats, which you can see at
http://youtu.be/-RZViOEercs
I don't seem to be able to do regular squats, I can't even get halfway down. So I tried squatting to a bench instead ->
http://youtu.be/WghBNjd7ITs
I always thought my form on the goblet squats was alright but there does seem to be a little back rounding at the bottom. And I definitely cannot go any further down. On the bench, I've noticed that I slump a bit at the bottom so I'll try and eliminate that. I'm also starting to wonder, though, if my body just isn't made for squatting properly and I should work on getting to heavy step ups instead (can't do lunges or Bulgarian split squats). Any input will be highly appreciated 0 -
First time posting here and feeling a little weird about it but I need help with my squat.
I have pretty much zero ankle mobility on my right food and that can't be changed. I've been lifting for two months now and my squat has progressed the least. I started with goblet squats, which you can see athttp://youtu.be/-RZViOEercs
I don't seem to be able to do regular squats, I can't even get halfway down. So I tried squatting to a bench instead ->http://youtu.be/WghBNjd7ITs
I always thought my form on the goblet squats was alright but there does seem to be a little back rounding at the bottom. And I definitely cannot go any further down. On the bench, I've noticed that I slump a bit at the bottom so I'll try and eliminate that. I'm also starting to wonder, though, if my body just isn't made for squatting properly and I should work on getting to heavy step ups instead (can't do lunges or Bulgarian split squats). Any input will be highly appreciated
What is the cause of your ankle mobility issue? Injury I assume? Some PT and stretching work can make worlds of differences in this area. It might take time but unless your ankle is completely fused or something you should be able to make improvements.
If it is truly unsolvable or you don't want to work on it, you could always put something under your heels to elevate them which will help immensely. A lot of people will use a 2x4 or some plates (like a 10 or 25lb plate under each heel). That will help a lot. Maybe combined with the above might get you into a comfortable place.
Without some level of ankle mobility it's going to be pretty hard to squat correctly. For example, in your goblet squat video you are leaning wayyyyy far forward to balance yourself, which is probably putting a lot of strain on your back and is making the exercise much more difficult. Your torso should be much more upright and the DB should be dropping basically between your knees, not way in front of them. But this is going to be near impossible without more ankle mobility.
Same thing on your bench squats, you are basically just flopping backwards onto the bench and then using momentum to throw yourself forward and stand back up. If the bench weren't there you would be falling on your butt, you are so off balance due to lack of flexibility in your ankles.
Long story short, unless someone has some really clever ideas I think you're going to really struggle unless you can solve or bandaid your ankle issues as I described above.0 -
First time posting here and feeling a little weird about it but I need help with my squat.
I have pretty much zero ankle mobility on my right food and that can't be changed. I've been lifting for two months now and my squat has progressed the least. I started with goblet squats, which you can see athttp://youtu.be/-RZViOEercs
I don't seem to be able to do regular squats, I can't even get halfway down. So I tried squatting to a bench instead ->http://youtu.be/WghBNjd7ITs
I always thought my form on the goblet squats was alright but there does seem to be a little back rounding at the bottom. And I definitely cannot go any further down. On the bench, I've noticed that I slump a bit at the bottom so I'll try and eliminate that. I'm also starting to wonder, though, if my body just isn't made for squatting properly and I should work on getting to heavy step ups instead (can't do lunges or Bulgarian split squats). Any input will be highly appreciated
Same problem, screws still in ankle and the way the bones set reduced mobility.
Heels on lift as mentioned above, perhaps slightly farther apart than you would normally do, unless you already have wide stance, and as wide pointed toes with knees following as you can get.
This all combines to make the ankle not have to bend nearly as much.
Also means you really remove much quad involvement, but perhaps that's OK. I actually wanted it for some balance.
After you think you have it comfortable - video from behind to confirm there is no shift in balance to the other side because of still hitting a problem. I gave myself achilles issue prior to discovering how bad issue above was, when the weight near the bottom of squat shifted a lot to the left. Wasn't visible in mirror enough to really catch it as torso stayed in same plane, but shift in knees was bad news.0 -
Thanks for the feedback!
There is literally zero mobility in my ankle in that direction and very little in the other one. It's due to a congenital issue and there's absolutely nothing I can do about it unfortunately.
I already use a wide stance and point my toes outwards. I've tried elevating my heels for the goblet squat but that didn't help. I'll see if it's better for squatting to the bench. I can do bodyweight squats in high heels but elevating the heels so much for heavy squats seems dangerous...
Maybe I should try Bulgarian split squats again as well. They always hurt my knees but I'm not sure how much that was caused by weak muscles.0 -
Stick with the vertical shin box/bench squats - try advancing to squatting to something lower than the bench over time. Elevating the heels probably isn't going to make much difference if you've got very little ankle mobility but try it just to rule things out.
Back to box squats, slow them down a bit and try to do them with the lightest touch onto the box as you can, that way you'll avoid any back compression once the weight starts climbing. If you can progress to a box under parallel, you can do a 'westside' style low bar squat without a box. It's not ideal (because that style of squat is better for someone squatting in a multiply suit) but it's better than nothing0 -
Thanks as well to n3ver3nder.
Elevating my heels did not make noticeable difference. I did try Bulgarian split squats, however, and while they reduced my legs to jelly, they also felt much more natural somehow than regular squats or box squats. And my knee was fine with them this time. My gym also doesn't have any boxes or steps so I don't have access to anything lower (or higher) than the regular bench. So I think I'll stick with Bulgarian split squats at least for now. Once I'm stronger, I might give regular/bench squats another try.0 -
DL form check please.
1x355 (warmup for 480 PR)
https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=kIBDuc0DNWI
1x480 PR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4CNU9I_ueo&feature=youtu.be
Then I went crazy and did 5x330 and 3x370 after the PR. This is the 3x370
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=os2gSLLccak
Those last 3 were tough.
Thanks,
Tom0 -
DL form check please.
1x355 (warmup for 480 PR)
https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=kIBDuc0DNWI
1x480 PRhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4CNU9I_ueo&feature=youtu.be
Then I went crazy and did 5x330 and 3x370 after the PR. This is the 3x370https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=os2gSLLccak
Those last 3 were tough.
Thanks,
Tom
Looked pretty good Tom, especially for a PR. Just be careful, it looks like your right arm is bent. Can be risky for a bicep injury. Make sure it's fully locked out, if it's not.0 -
DL form check please.
1x355 (warmup for 480 PR)
https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=kIBDuc0DNWI
1x480 PRhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4CNU9I_ueo&feature=youtu.be
Then I went crazy and did 5x330 and 3x370 after the PR. This is the 3x370https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=os2gSLLccak
Those last 3 were tough.
Thanks,
Tom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2lAm_QLRWU&list=UUTJXMoehEPDTsRwme-IpbMQ
Have a watch of this, it should help with your hip positioning. Also take the slack out the bar before you pull, don't jerk it off the floor, should help with the cat-backing that's going on.
Well done on pulling a PR though!0 -
I posted a video here a few weeks ago, took some advice, and worked a bit on my descent/tightness. Is there anything else I need to work on?
90x5
http://youtu.be/gZSMrSEJRyI
Aaaand deadlifts.. HALP ????
115x5
http://youtu.be/6vTqmI4zSUk
Appreciate any help! PS sorry about the lighting0 -
The bar looks very low on your back for the squats.0
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The bar looks very low on your back for the squats.
Hi Tom. I'm doing low bar squats. Is it still too low? I've been experimenting with bar placement for a while, and I actually think I found the "shelf" on my back.0 -
The bar looks very low on your back for the squats.
Hi Tom. I'm doing low bar squats. Is it still too low? I've been experimenting with bar placement for a while, and I actually think I found the "shelf" on my back.
I think the placement is fine, but you need to pull your shoulder blades back more. You don't have to draw your arms in super close, but your traps look relaxed.0 -
I posted a video here a few weeks ago, took some advice, and worked a bit on my descent/tightness. Is there anything else I need to work on?
90x5http://youtu.be/gZSMrSEJRyI
Aaaand deadlifts.. HALP ????
115x5http://youtu.be/6vTqmI4zSUk
Appreciate any help! PS sorry about the lighting
What happens when you try to squat with a slightly wider stance? I'd be curious to see the squat with about 6-8" additional width.
I don't think your bar placement is problematic at this point provided you don't feel like the bar is going to roll down your back.
With deadlifts it doesn't look to me like your glutes are firing aggressively. I would think about firing your glutes into the bar to lever the bar up, rather than thinking about pulling the bar up.0 -
I posted a video here a few weeks ago, took some advice, and worked a bit on my descent/tightness. Is there anything else I need to work on?
90x5http://youtu.be/gZSMrSEJRyI
Aaaand deadlifts.. HALP ????
115x5http://youtu.be/6vTqmI4zSUk
Appreciate any help! PS sorry about the lighting
Regardless of what you do with stance width I'd like to see your knees out more on the squat. Make more room for your hips in the bottom and you won't have that rock forward thing comign out of the hole.
Deadlifts look fine, be more agressive like SS suggests. As soon as the bar passes your knees really cue an aggressive lockout. And get some weight on the bar, those looked easy enough I'd label them 'casual'.0 -
http://youtu.be/3vPDrTr28RM
Squat 197.5kg/434lb x3
Always helps to have a fresh set of eyes on your lifts, any thoughts?0 -
http://youtu.be/3vPDrTr28RM
Squat 197.5kg/434lb x3
Always helps to have a fresh set of eyes on your lifts, any thoughts?
Looks fine to me, I assume this was maximal or close to it? Personally, I'm not a huge fan of such a quick descent but I've seen plenty of people do it successfully. You don't seem any worse for wear 0 -
Ok, so I've been working on my lifts. I backed the weight down on my squats and deadlifts to try and work form and have worked the weight back up. I'm running 5/3/1 and these are the lifts from my heaviest week so I'll be deloading next week and can work on any changes suggested.
OHP:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTs9UxuO9SM&list=UUepllmxz5TqbdGdEUYoEIXA
Bench:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rOrBJUL2NU&index=4&list=UUepllmxz5TqbdGdEUYoEIXA
Deadlfts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5u4XCsExTI&list=UUepllmxz5TqbdGdEUYoEIXA&index=9
Squats:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arw5CrmGfyI&list=UUepllmxz5TqbdGdEUYoEIXA&index=1
Thanks for the input.0 -
Now. My Husband started lifting SL 5x5 about a month ago. We struggled with his squats until we figured out he was mimicking my stance and needed to narrow it closer to hip width and that cleared the squat issue but that's why the weights are still pretty low on that lift.
OHP:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNzz44XQgKw&index=2&list=UUepllmxz5TqbdGdEUYoEIXA
After filming these sets he was complaining that his elbow was bugging him and I had him use a more narrow grip and that seemed to fix the elbow pain, so that has changed, but let me know if there's anything else you see that he can work on.
Bench:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwZxJy8zGk4&list=UUepllmxz5TqbdGdEUYoEIXA&index=8
Row:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjDq4Mlsb_I&list=UUepllmxz5TqbdGdEUYoEIXA&index=7
Squat:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLhHnqyBkq4&list=UUepllmxz5TqbdGdEUYoEIXA&index=6
He doesn't have the shoulder flexibility at this point to work the bar further down on his shoulders for low bar, but he's getting there.
Deadlift:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey8wGxbhC7g&index=3&list=UUepllmxz5TqbdGdEUYoEIXA
Ok, I don't like how his back is curved during this lift, especially since he's had some back problems in the past, but he said it didn't bug him. After he finished we discussed what the issue might be and he says that when he squats down far enough to get his back strait it pushes the bar away from his shins (gut is getting in the way apparently...), but to keep it close to his shins he has to stand up taller which curves his back. Thoughts?0 -
Ok, so I've been working on my lifts. I backed the weight down on my squats and deadlifts to try and work form and have worked the weight back up. I'm running 5/3/1 and these are the lifts from my heaviest week so I'll be deloading next week and can work on any changes suggested.
OHP:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTs9UxuO9SM&list=UUepllmxz5TqbdGdEUYoEIXA
Bench:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rOrBJUL2NU&index=4&list=UUepllmxz5TqbdGdEUYoEIXA
Deadlfts:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5u4XCsExTI&list=UUepllmxz5TqbdGdEUYoEIXA&index=9
Squats:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arw5CrmGfyI&list=UUepllmxz5TqbdGdEUYoEIXA&index=1
Thanks for the input.
OHP looks pretty good. Just be aware that if your intentions are to have a strict form, you've got a decent amount of leg drive going on in some of your reps. Most notably, your first rep at 80lbs. If you want to be strict, try to keep those knees straight.
Bench looks pretty good. If you're looking for more power, work on your leg drive, you don't appear to have any of it. It will help with stability and producing power. Furthermore, the second view shows a really narrow grip width. Narrow enough that I would call that a close-grip bench (more of a tricep isolation exercise). At the bottom of the movement, ideally you want your forearms close to vertical to the ground. Yours are leaning inwards due to a really narrow grip width. I'd experiment with pushing out your grip a couple inches on each side. It's not a big deal, these aren't really "bad form" but both things will definitely limit the weight you can push.
Deadlifts, your hips are shooting up at the start of each rep. This takes your legs out of the movement and you're basically just levering up the weight using your lower back and glutes only. It will really limit the weight you can use (which is clear, since you're barely beating your bench press with your deadlift) and it increases the potential for injury. Your hips should rise at the same rate as the bar, and they shouldn't move at all until the bar starts moving. That's an easy thing to say; harder to envision/accomplish. I've made every deadlift mistake but I haven't made that one. It seems very common in women for some reason. Try this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJTTm1BEeg4
Squats look pretty decent, it looks like you're leaning over way too far at the bottom of the lift. I can't tell if this is intentional or if your torso is collapsing. It looks like that's why you failed your last rep, you were really leaned over and your back wasn't strong enough to lever the weight back up again. Try to keep that torso a little more upright and solid to boot. Work on keeping that chest up and strong, don't let it fall forward. It puts a ton of strain on your lower back and will cause you to fail lifts for the exact reason that you demonstrate in the video. I've struggled big time with this one, trust me. It's still my #1 form error, falling forward at the bottom of the lift. Keep that back solid and that chest up and don't let it collapse for any reason. You should fail the lift due to your legs running out of steam, not because your lower back couldn't Good Morning the weight back up.
Side note: your stance looks super wide with your feet turned way out, is there any particular reason for this? Just curious since I wonder if it's related. Usually with the wider stances, the more upright your torso has to be. If you squat with a super narrow stance, usually you have to lean over more to keep the bar balanced over the middle of your foot. You're kinda doing that, but with a really wide stance. For a random example of someone who squats competitively with a super wide stance, Check out Stan Efferding:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWYLrkYeaEI Really wide stance but watch how his torso stays more upright than normal, even though this is a low bar squat. He really keeps that chest up and the back solid throughout the entire lift. 0 -
Now. My Husband started lifting SL 5x5 about a month ago. We struggled with his squats until we figured out he was mimicking my stance and needed to narrow it closer to hip width and that cleared the squat issue but that's why the weights are still pretty low on that lift.
OHP:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNzz44XQgKw&index=2&list=UUepllmxz5TqbdGdEUYoEIXA
After filming these sets he was complaining that his elbow was bugging him and I had him use a more narrow grip and that seemed to fix the elbow pain, so that has changed, but let me know if there's anything else you see that he can work on.
Bench:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwZxJy8zGk4&list=UUepllmxz5TqbdGdEUYoEIXA&index=8
Row:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjDq4Mlsb_I&list=UUepllmxz5TqbdGdEUYoEIXA&index=7
Squat:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLhHnqyBkq4&list=UUepllmxz5TqbdGdEUYoEIXA&index=6
He doesn't have the shoulder flexibility at this point to work the bar further down on his shoulders for low bar, but he's getting there.
Deadlift:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey8wGxbhC7g&index=3&list=UUepllmxz5TqbdGdEUYoEIXA
Ok, I don't like how his back is curved during this lift, especially since he's had some back problems in the past, but he said it didn't bug him. After he finished we discussed what the issue might be and he says that when he squats down far enough to get his back strait it pushes the bar away from his shins (gut is getting in the way apparently...), but to keep it close to his shins he has to stand up taller which curves his back. Thoughts?
OHP, looks a little sloppy but I think he's not nearly at maximal weight yet so he can get away with it for now. Once he gets heavier he'll be forced to keep more rigid so I wouldn't worry about it too much. Tell him to keep those glutes tight and he probably won't move around so much. He's got a lot of body english going on (the swaying back and forth), Oh and yeah, that grip is pretty wide. I usually shoot for just outside shoulder width. When the bar is against my collarbones, my hands are touching my shoulders. My hands are almost at the very inside of the knurling for example (maybe one inch showing on the inside). Way more comfortable for my elbows and shoulders.
Bench looks good. Per my post above about your grip width, pay attention because his grip width looks just about perfect for him here. Look at the difference between your video and his. Other than that, this looks really light and I don't see any leg drive (not that it's needed). Form breakdown will be more likely to show up as he gets heavier.
Rows look pretty good (pendlay rows I assume). Make sure the bar is touching his sternum/stomach for full ROM. Gotta go all the way up.
Squats are pretty good too, again it's hard to tell because all of the lifts look really easy for him so you really don't see any form break down.
Deadlifts....hmmm where to start. His first rep actually starts off the closest. After that he's leaned way over and is barely even bending his legs at all. He's kinda doing what you do, in that he's just levering the bar up with his back and glutes and not even bending his legs or using them barely at all. The only difference is, you start with your hips low and they shoot up, he just starts with them all the way up. As I mentioned, this puts a ton of strain on the lower back. It probably doesn't hurt him because the weight is relatively light right now. It will hurt later when it gets heavier, trust me. Have him start in the position of his first rep, but then flatten out his back by bringing his shoulder blades together and down (put your shoulder blades in your back pocket is a common cue). This will force the chest up/out too. Having a neutral/flat back will be crucial to injury prevention, especially if he's already got a bad back.
Furthermore, at the top of the lift he needs to stand up tall. Push his hips into the bar by squeezing the glutes. He wants to finish the movement standing straight up, not hunched over. Basically, hump the bar at the top of movement.0 -
Hey Dope,
Thanks as always for the help. Here are my thoughts/questions/concerns.
Me first:
OHP - I remember thinking I was using too much leg on that. I think I've gotten a little sloppy with that lately so I'll try to tighten it up.
Bench - also noticed the narrow grip. I was working on keeping the elbows tucked in more from last time and may have inadvertently narrowed my grip as a result. As for the leg drive, clearly still clueless on that one. I think I understand the concept in principle, but I'm either forgetting it when I focus on the heavier lifts or failing at it. I'm leaning towards it being more of an issue of forgetting. I don't need it at the lighter weights so it's hard to "practice" it when I don't actually have to use it. It seems like when I push at lighter weights I end up just sliding myself along the bench.... :ohwell:
DL - The good new is I think my hips are jumping a lot LESS then they were at the start of summer. I think I was all back at the start so I'm happy that the glutes are at least getting involved now :laugh: . Should I switch my focus to more of a leg press motion at the start of the lift and then lift/push the hips forwards after the bar is above the knees? I guess I'm a bit unclear on the mechanics of what is working where.....
Squat - Yea, my back collapsed on the last rep. I actually had to reset once before that set because the bar was feeling really heavy on my back and I tried to reposition. I'm honestly not sure why I have such a wide stance. Probably a combination of it feeling more stable, being easier to push my knees out from that width because of hip mobility (still working on that, the stretch you linked me last time is amazing though) and that when I started lifting I had a lot more gut in the way which made a more narrow stance uncomfortable. I didn't even realize I COULD get below parallel with a narrower stance now until about a week or two ago in working with my husband. I can try working through my deaload and next round of weights with a narrower stance and see what happens.
For the husband:
OHP - I'll have him clean up the english
. I notice it, but as you say, he won't get away with it as things get heavier. Although he swears every round now that he won't make it through the full 5x5 if it gets heavier on the next workout.
Bench - he was actually complaining things felt too light this week, but he gets sloppy when he gets impatient so I'm trying to make him focus on the form and work through it even when it feels too light. Should I make him stick to 5lb increments on this or do you think he'd be ok to jump weight a bit?
Row - he swears the bar touches his chest every time, I can't see it either but it might be because of his shirt.
Squats - he laughed when I told him you said it looked easy, we went through such a fit trying to figure out a stance that would work to get him below parallel. His hips are VERY mobile and when he had the stance too wide he didn't have enough strength to get up out of the hole. He's better now and says OHP is his new nemesis, but this lift was making him punch things for a while :laugh: .
DL - I was wondering if I should have him try a sumo stance on this one since he says he can't bend at the knees more without his gut getting in the way or his shins pushing the bar too far forward? Just a thought since we're both going to have to take some time this week to really work on getting perfectly set up on this lift anyways.0 -
As for the leg drive, clearly still clueless on that one. I think I understand the concept in principle, but I'm either forgetting it when I focus on the heavier lifts or failing at it. I'm leaning towards it being more of an issue of forgetting. I don't need it at the lighter weights so it's hard to "practice" it when I don't actually have to use it. It seems like when I push at lighter weights I end up just sliding myself along the bench.... :ohwell:
I have the same story. Personally, I have to practice/train consistently in order for things to sink in. Which means, every rep, no matter the weight, has to be the same. The only exception is adding some gadgets for maximal attempts (wrist wraps, belts, etc). But I practice leg drive even when I'm warming up with just the bar. It's the hundreds/thousands of reps that will instill it in your mind. So when the weight gets heavy and all you can think is "I'm gonna dieeeeeeeee" your training will kick in and you'll still do all the things you need to do correctly.
So, having said that. Pushing yourself down the bench. I struggled with this mightily. Here are some tips:
1) Dig your shoulders into the bench. I mean, seriously try to burrow them in during your setup. That should be the very first thing you do, get your shoulders set into the bench. On my bench, the vinyl material covering actually gets bunched up just on top of my shoulders, that's how much I dig myself in.
2) Per the above, however, I have a newer rogue bench which has somewhat of a good friction surface on it. At my old gym, the benches were super worn and super smooth. Like the slickest vinyl imaginable. So I would stretch a resistance band or four (depending on thickness of the band) from one end of the bench to the other. So it would look like this:
This picture reminded me of another trick. If you look closely, there is a layer of toolchest drawer liner under the bands to provide an even better surface. It's super "tacky" to prevent your tools from slipping inside of a toolchest drawer. This is the stuff:
http://www.amazon.com/Big-Horn-19410-16-Inch-7-Feet/dp/B002LVUWMW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412140124&sr=8-1&keywords=tool+chest+drawer+liner
3) Try wearing a compression shirt instead of a cotton t-shirt. Cotton t-shirt + smooth vinyl == slide city
Some combination of the above will absolutely keep your planted. With the above tricks, I can push myself as hard as possible and you know what happens? The bench slides on the floor (before I added rubber feet). So sticking yourself to the bench is crucial. It helps maintain your arch too, if you slide down the bench you generally flatten out.DL - The good new is I think my hips are jumping a lot LESS then they were at the start of summer. I think I was all back at the start so I'm happy that the glutes are at least getting involved now :laugh: . Should I switch my focus to more of a leg press motion at the start of the lift and then lift/push the hips forwards after the bar is above the knees? I guess I'm a bit unclear on the mechanics of what is working where.....
Yeah, I'm not a very good coach on this one. That's what I was trying to say when I mentioned I've made every mistake but this one. One thing that may help is indeed to think of a DL as a two-part lift (that you perform more or less seamlessly). Ripping the bar off of the floor is basically a matter of solidifying your torso, and then trying to push the floor away with your legs. Once the bar reaches past your knees, THAT's when you hinge at the hips and try to push your hips towards the bar to straighten up. So your analogy of doing a leg press is probably pretty good. Building and maintaining that torso rigidity is the hard part.
Is he totally new to weight lifting? If so, that makes sense. He barely looks like he's trying in any of his lifts, but it's probably a matter of him not realizing how strong he really is. I'll bet he doesn't even come close to stalling out until at least 100lbs on OHP. That's honestly half of the fun of weightlifting for me, realizing what I'm actually capable of.OHP - I'll have him clean up the english . I notice it, but as you say, he won't get away with it as things get heavier. Although he swears every round now that he won't make it through the full 5x5 if it gets heavier on the next workout.
Stick to the program, it will get really heavy before he knows it. Going slow is good, it will allow him to build up his technique and also acclimate his joints to the stress. His muscles will get strong fast but adding weight too fast is asking for an injury. And if he's impatient now, ask him how he's gonna feel when he has to take 6 months off of bench pressing due to hurting his shoulder or elbow or something. Trust me, I've been there, it's infuriating on a totally new level.Bench - he was actually complaining things felt too light this week, but he gets sloppy when he gets impatient so I'm trying to make him focus on the form and work through it even when it feels too light. Should I make him stick to 5lb increments on this or do you think he'd be ok to jump weight a bit?DL - I was wondering if I should have him try a sumo stance on this one since he says he can't bend at the knees more without his gut getting in the way or his shins pushing the bar too far forward? Just a thought since we're both going to have to take some time this week to really work on getting perfectly set up on this lift anyways.
He's definitely gonna have to experiment for a bit to figure this one out. Notice in my suggestions I didn't say for him to bend his knees more. He just needs to flatten his back out. It will take some getting used to. It's very unnatural for most people to deadlift correctly. Most people don't pick things up off the floor using their legs, they just bend over at the hip and then lever back up (similar to both of your current forms). Proper deadlift form is much different from that, and allows for a much greater weight lifted and with much less risk of injury. It just takes time to get used to. Sumo isn't a bad thing to try, I struggled with conventional for years before I finally gave up and switched to sumo and I do MUCH better now. I have a tall torso so sumo puts a lot less stress on my lower back. If he has a tall torso or short arms or tall legs then sumo will probably be optimal for him regardless. If he wants to stick to conventional, he may have to go with a wider stance to prevent stomach interference (I struggled with this too when I was over 300lbs).
For things like this, I tend to video myself from the side for example. And then I will try setting up for a deadlift in a few different ways. Wider stance, narrower stance, different grips, different hip positions, etc. Then review the video and see at what point you actually looked correct and try to duplicate that. Makes trial and error easier.0 -
SQUAT
You - Are you hitting the safety bars on the way down? Stop it! Toes in, work on your ankle flexibility if this is the reason your toes are pointing out so much - it looks like you're rolling your feet inwards to compensate for a lack of mobility. Mobility WOD is your friend here. Read up on valgus knee collapse if ankle mobility isn't the issue but your knees don't seem to be collapsing inwards so I'd say ankles.
Hubby - Tighter upper back, stick with high bar unless he wants to start powerlfiting. First rep is best then his bar path starts to wander. Tighter setup should sort this - watch
http://youtu.be/zoZWgTrZLd8?t=44s
BENCH
You - DopeItUp has already said everything I would. Grip width and leg drive, keep feet flat.
Hubby - get tight, slow down the descent. Keep feet flat.
Get some blocks for you both to put your feet on whilst benching
Lots of info here: http://www.powerliftingtowin.com/powerlifting-technique-bench-press-form/
Deadlift
You - Knees are 'locking out' too early - but they're soft at the top of the lift. Pause your video at 11 seconds, and you'll see that your hips are shooting up very high and you're pretty much doing a stiff leg deadlift. Having a better setup should solve this. (see below)
Hubby - Tidy up the setup. If he starts the setup properly it'll probably clear up his lower back rounding. Lockout is soft - lock knees, engage glutes, pull shoulders back.
This is from Starting Strength;
1. Take your stance, feet a little closer than you think they need to be and with your toes out more than you like. Your shins should be about one inch from the bar, no more. This places the bar over the mid-foot – the whole foot, not the mid-instep.
2. Take your grip on the bar, leaving your hips up. DO NOT MOVE THE BAR.
3. Drop your knees forward and out until your shins touch the bar. DO NOT MOVE THE BAR.
4. Hard part: squeeze your chest up as hard as you can. DO NOT MOVE THE BAR. This establishes a “wave” of extension that goes all the way down to the lumbar, and sets the back angle from the top down. DO NOT LOWER YOUR HIPS – LIFT THE CHEST TO SET THE BACK ANGLE.
5. Squeeze the bar off the floor and drag it up your legs in contact with your skin/sweats until it locks out at the top. If you have done the above sequence precisely as described, the bar will come off the ground in a perfectly vertical path. All the slack will have come out of the arms and hamstrings in step 4, the bar will not jerk off the ground, and your back will be in good extension. You will perceive that your hips are too high, but if you have completed step 4 correctly, the scapulas, bar, and mid-foot will be in vertical alignment and the pull will be perfect. The pull will seem “shorter” this way.
OHP
You - Put the hooks for your rack on the outside of the rack. This way you'll be able to press with your stance shoulder width without the bar hitting the top of the rack, which I'm assuming is why you're lifting with quite a wide stance for OHP.
Hubby - grips too wide, torso isn't tight - that's why he's leaning forward at the bottom of the reps. Keep glutes tight and core engaged. Watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqKhLR1zRaU
Row - Form is great, assuming he's actually touching the chest, make sure he stays like that as the weight progresses.
I implore you both to do a bit of homework and have a read through http://www.powerliftingtowin.com/powerlifting-technique/ and also watch the videos, to understand the whats and whys of technique in the big 3. .0 -
Ok, questions and comments part 2:
Squats - I have been using the bars as a cue for depth. I WAS NOT getting to parallel even though I thought I was before, so I use touching the bars as a way to make sure. I can stop doing this if it's going to be detrimental, but that was the reason for it. If I need to lower the bars, do you have any suggestions for other cues I can use to ensure I am at or below parallel? As for the ankles, I don't *think* a lack of mobility is the issue. My ankles are actually extremely loose and unstable from repeat injuries over years and years of being a klutz. I can basically dislocate them and they would just pop back in to place, that hurts a LOT, but I've done it....:grumble: I think this might be why I have such a wide stance on both this lift and the OHP, I just don't feel stable when my feet are closer together. I can work on breaking the habit though and will try working with a narrower stance on both lifts during my deload this week.
DLs - the husband and I will both spend a lot of time this week working on set up to try and find a stance etc. that works the best for each of us. I did read starting strength six months ago before I started lifting and I have a background in anatomy and functional mechanics so I understand the theory, I'm just having trouble making my body do what I want it to do on this lift, and since I'm sort of coaching/setting the example for my husband since he's COMPLETELY new to this, some of his issues might be from watching me.
Bench - I got some grip tape for my pull up bar, I'm thinking that might work on the bench as well since I have plenty extra. Don't know why we didn't think of using blocks for our feet, both of us have b!tched about the bench being as high as it is.
OHP - The husband is narrowing his grip. He's still struggling with the keeping his torso tight concept. Like I said, he's never done ANY lifting before so it's something we're working on. His stability on all the lifts is improving though, his bar paths were all OVER the place a month ago. As for me, again, the wide stance wasn't intentional, just sort of happened. I don't *think* I would hit the top of the rack anyways, but the husband definitely does. We move him outside the rack, so I see no reason I can't move out there as well.0 -
Just a quick note, Mrs. QueenBish, if you're looking for a depth marker on squats, you could always obtain/build a box that's the appropriate height and you can tap it with your butt on the way down. Commonly recommended for learning where to stop on a squat. I don't really think it's a big deal either way, but hitting the bar on the safety bars can potentially lead to the bar shifting on your back, or you might not hit them evenly, causing you to lose balance to one side or the other. Some sort of box/platform to lower yourself down to is probably a safer option. I don't think it's a huge deal either way, especially at this point in your lifting career.
Personally, I just ended up mounting a cheap home depot door mirror right in front of me when I squat, so I can physically see my depth as I drop. And I video a lot of my sessions to ensure I'm hitting where I want to hit.0
http://youtu.be/MF9Eg3xs0qA
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