Eat, Train, Progress.

Join

Form critique thread, post your videos here.

Options
1…3233353738…73

Replies

  • DYELB
    DYELB Posts: 7,407 Member
    Options

    1) You've got forward drift at the bottom, it looks like you're bringing it down to your chest but pressing it to over your eyes. Keep the bar in a straight path.
    2) You don't have much leg drive, you can see in the front view that your quads aren't flexing. Draw your feet up towards your head further (it should be uncomfortable) and do like a leg extension when you're pressing. It'll drive your back into the bench and give you a little more force on the bar.
    3) For a second I thought those were jorts. If they were I wouldn't have commented.

    Hahaha! Definitely NOT "jorts"! ..."Borts" maybe (Board Shorts, surf swim trunks).
    Thanks.
    Leg drive is something new to me and obviously something I'm still not comfortable with. I'll keep working at it.
    And regarding bar path. That's another something I'm just learning. When I "learned" to bench back in highschool or college I was taught to lower to the nipples and press the bar up to above your eyes. I've recently seen/read about a straighter bar path. On lower weight I definitely press in a straighter line but with heavier sets I obviously resort back to old habits.
    Thanks again.

    The nipples to eyes isn't technically wrong, but if you're in a max attempt it's harder to keep the force moving in the right direction. On your second rep at 225, the bar wobbled lower on your chest a bit coming out of the hole. You were struggling and some of the effort bled off horizontally. Same thing on the third rep, only this time it was midway up.

    Just a thought. Captain Kirk and other strong guys lift like you do, and they're much stronger than I am. I hate it though. Play with it to see what feels best for you.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Options
    My turn for a little form critique. I'm adding RDLs and GMs to my DL and squat days respectively. I'm trying to hit my posterior chain since it seems to be my weakest point (especially lower back). Here is my first attempt at these, I went really light at 135 for both.

    GMs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ZCjg5g2hd68#t=11

    I went down until I felt my hamstrings stretching and then came back up. It looks really awkward on video, I'm kinda in "I have no idea what I'm doing" mode.

    RDLs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=D92fmiUaIBA#t=39 (yes I used straps, I had just done about 85 deadlifts and my grip was hurtin')

    I feel like my RDLs are mostly SLDLs actually. If I bend my knees a little... I start bending them a lot, so it felt better to keep them straight. I really felt it in my hamstrings.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Options
    Dope: re GMs - how tight are your hamstrings and how is your back mobility - you look really stiff (giggity)
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Options
    Dope: RDLs - You should keep soft knees and push your butt back - but pull the bar up your legs.

    Have a look at this from Rippetoe:

    http://www.allthingsgym.com/mark-rippetoe-explains-the-romanian-deadlift-rdl/
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Options
    Dope: re GMs - how tight are your hamstrings and how is your back mobility - you look really stiff (giggity)

    I did the RDLs for the first time, 2 days prior to the GMs and my hamstrings were completely torched when it came time for the GMs. I stretched them but they still were definitely super super tight for the vid. I definitely felt like I should have been able to get lower/butt back further, normally. Will do more this week.
  • DYELB
    DYELB Posts: 7,407 Member
    Options
    Dope: re GMs - how tight are your hamstrings and how is your back mobility - you look really stiff (giggity)

    I did the RDLs for the first time, 2 days prior to the GMs and my hamstrings were completely torched when it came time for the GMs. I stretched them but they still were definitely super super tight for the vid. I definitely felt like I should have been able to get lower/butt back further, normally. Will do more this week.

    It's like you're trying to keep the bar over center, it's supposed to go forward.

    http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Hamstrings/BBGoodMorning.html

    I'd say slow down a lot on the way down too.

    ETA first rep was slow, after that you picked up the pace, don't.
  • NovemberJune
    NovemberJune Posts: 2,525 Member
    Options
    I'd love input on my squat. I feel like instead of sitting down and back, I'm just bringing my chest down super low. Any input on this or anything else you see would be appreciated :smile: THANKS!

    http://s1164.photobucket.com/user/NovemberJune/media/IMG_3388.mp4.html

    http://s1164.photobucket.com/user/NovemberJune/media/IMG_3390.mp4.html

    http://s1164.photobucket.com/user/NovemberJune/media/IMG_3392.mp4.html
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Options
    I'd love input on my squat. I feel like instead of sitting down and back, I'm just bringing my chest down super low. Any input on this or anything else you see would be appreciated :smile: THANKS!

    http://s1164.photobucket.com/user/NovemberJune/media/IMG_3388.mp4.html

    http://s1164.photobucket.com/user/NovemberJune/media/IMG_3390.mp4.html

    http://s1164.photobucket.com/user/NovemberJune/media/IMG_3392.mp4.html

    Not sure what to tell you; your squats are excellent in my opinion. Your depth is perfect, your bar path is almost perfectly straight up and down, your back is nice and flat, you're keeping your chest up...I got nothing. Looks better than my own squats.

    Keep up the good work.
  • Fittreelol
    Fittreelol Posts: 2,535 Member
    Options
    Squat form check please! This was my last set so I was tired. The second rep was definitely too far forward so please focus on the first and last.

    THANKS!!!

    http://youtu.be/MUmPw8GM-Vo

    Try angling your right foot out just a little bit more.

    Also try dropping the weight some (like 95 pounds) and doing squats with your heels on 2.5 pound weights and see how that feels.

    Because my heels are just starting to lift off the ground? Thank you for your input. I'll try it tomorrow when I lift again.

    Someone pointed out that the bar is not over midfoot. They said that my torso is at the correct angle but my hips and knees are too far forward:
    zB7as7x.jpg

    I tried everything today: Purposely trying to stick my butt out further, trying to lean back, trying to keep my knees from going forward by dropping my butt straight down, wider stance, heels on plates, toes pointed further out, etc. The wider stance helped with just the bar but not with weight (I did 95 then 75lbs down from 105) and it was much more difficult. Any advice would be appreciated!


    Just for clarification, the above pic isn't from a side view entirely, so we can't accurately assess the bar position relative the midfoot. It does look forward of midfoot here but we can't really see this clearly unless the pic or video is taken exactly at a side view.

    You can always draw a plumb line and estimate whether the bar is over mid foot based on stance width. I'm sure math nerds and/or engineers could do more than estimate. If you draw a vertical line that intersects with mid foot and the stance is say slightly wider then shoulder width you can follow the perspective line of the bar and expect the plumb line to intersect the bar slightly outside the shoulder. The fact that the bar never intersects with the plumb line indicates the bar is significantly over mid-foot.
  • S3r3knitty
    S3r3knitty Posts: 159 Member
    Options
    Ok here is my squat with horrible form. It was also at the end of my squat session and I was already exhausted. The issue is I don't even know where to start to improve it :(. My back tends to round I think partly because of poor hamstring flexibility. However without the bar I can squat down without a problem.
    Now that I look at the video it also seems that the bar is not over the middle of the foot I have no idea what I should do against it.

    Please be kind I know it looks horrible :(

    http://youtu.be/CERfuiXlAz0
  • NovemberJune
    NovemberJune Posts: 2,525 Member
    Options
    I'd love input on my squat. I feel like instead of sitting down and back, I'm just bringing my chest down super low. Any input on this or anything else you see would be appreciated :smile: THANKS!

    http://s1164.photobucket.com/user/NovemberJune/media/IMG_3388.mp4.html

    http://s1164.photobucket.com/user/NovemberJune/media/IMG_3390.mp4.html

    http://s1164.photobucket.com/user/NovemberJune/media/IMG_3392.mp4.html

    Not sure what to tell you; your squats are excellent in my opinion. Your depth is perfect, your bar path is almost perfectly straight up and down, your back is nice and flat, you're keeping your chest up...I got nothing. Looks better than my own squats.

    Keep up the good work.

    Thanks so much! It's a relief that I'm not totally screwing it up. :bigsmile:
  • DYELB
    DYELB Posts: 7,407 Member
    Options
    Ok here is my squat with horrible form. It was also at the end of my squat session and I was already exhausted. The issue is I don't even know where to start to improve it :(. My back tends to round I think partly because of poor hamstring flexibility. However without the bar I can squat down without a problem.
    Now that I look at the video it also seems that the bar is not over the middle of the foot I have no idea what I should do against it.

    Please be kind I know it looks horrible :(

    http://youtu.be/CERfuiXlAz0

    First and foremost, your form isn't as bad as you think it is, so cut yourself some slack :).

    The part of the lift that is most concerning is coming out of the bottom. Notice how you drift forward before starting to come up? A secondary item is that you're not driving your hips forward at lockout.

    Honestly, I think what you need most is time and practice.

    Keep doing squats with a weight that you feel comfortable moving, and keep tracking your form.

    Additional accessory work that may help you:
    Goblet Squats
    Rear Lunges
    Leg Press/Single Leg Leg Press
    Good Morning
    SLDL/Romanian Deadlift
    Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat

    (Note you don't need to do all of these, and this is actually an incomplete list, just some things you might want to try on top of what you're already doing)
  • n3ver3nder
    n3ver3nder Posts: 155 Member
    Options
    Ok here is my squat with horrible form. It was also at the end of my squat session and I was already exhausted. The issue is I don't even know where to start to improve it :(. My back tends to round I think partly because of poor hamstring flexibility. However without the bar I can squat down without a problem.
    Now that I look at the video it also seems that the bar is not over the middle of the foot I have no idea what I should do against it.

    Please be kind I know it looks horrible :(

    http://youtu.be/CERfuiXlAz0

    1. Film form checks with your heaviest 'fresh' set of the day. This way we can look at your 'normal' technique, not your 'potenitally poor because fatigued' technique.
    2. Get your knees out and keep your weight on your heels. If you don't push your knees out your hips have nowhere to go, forcing you to to bend forward. This forward pitch puts the bar over the forefoot and causes the forward weight shift at the bottom.
    3. Tight upper back and 'proud' chest. This helps alleviate forward lean, and a tighter setup lets you shift more weight in the long run.
  • n3ver3nder
    n3ver3nder Posts: 155 Member
    Options
    I'd love input on my squat. I feel like instead of sitting down and back, I'm just bringing my chest down super low. Any input on this or anything else you see would be appreciated :smile: THANKS!

    http://s1164.photobucket.com/user/NovemberJune/media/IMG_3388.mp4.html

    http://s1164.photobucket.com/user/NovemberJune/media/IMG_3390.mp4.html

    http://s1164.photobucket.com/user/NovemberJune/media/IMG_3392.mp4.html

    Depth is a tad high. Hip crease should be below highest point of the knee, you're a little off that. I'm not 100% as it's a side view and could also do with a 45 degree or front/back view but it looks like you could do to push your knees out more, make room for the hips to drop a bit lower. That would probably fix your depth.
  • NovemberJune
    NovemberJune Posts: 2,525 Member
    Options
    I'd love input on my squat. I feel like instead of sitting down and back, I'm just bringing my chest down super low. Any input on this or anything else you see would be appreciated :smile: THANKS!

    http://s1164.photobucket.com/user/NovemberJune/media/IMG_3388.mp4.html

    http://s1164.photobucket.com/user/NovemberJune/media/IMG_3390.mp4.html

    http://s1164.photobucket.com/user/NovemberJune/media/IMG_3392.mp4.html

    Depth is a tad high. Hip crease should be below highest point of the knee, you're a little off that. I'm not 100% as it's a side view and could also do with a 45 degree or front/back view but it looks like you could do to push your knees out more, make room for the hips to drop a bit lower. That would probably fix your depth.

    Thanks ! :)
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
    Options
    First go with the Top Squat. Love that thing. I actually enjoy getting under the bar now. Really felt great under the bar after a nice deload.

    Would appreciate any and all inputs. Sorry for the sweats but this old body needs to stay warm or the aches and pains get going. The basement isn't exactly a sauna these days.

    5x235

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sZ1az-8OJI

    3x255

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmX1u8SzKis
  • DYELB
    DYELB Posts: 7,407 Member
    Options
    First go with the Top Squat. Love that thing. I actually enjoy getting under the bar now. Really felt great under the bar after a nice deload.

    Would appreciate any and all inputs. Sorry for the sweats but this old body needs to stay warm or the aches and pains get going. The basement isn't exactly a sauna these days.

    5x235

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sZ1az-8OJI

    3x255

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmX1u8SzKis

    If it feels comfortable, there isn't anything that looks like you're at particular risk of injury or anything. I would say try to get a bit more upright under the bar at the top if possible.
  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
    Options
    I saw you slightly lean forward and your heels lifted. More of a slight tendency.
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
    Options
    Re: Tom

    Am I the only one who thinks that you are starting the squat by bending your knees, rather than starting with your knees? It was a bit more prominent in the last rep of the first video.

    A bit like how this video explains it (hopefully you can understand his accent. He's originally from Scotland!)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Sg6wacNtDo
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
    Options
    I saw you slightly lean forward and your heels lifted. More of a slight tendency.

    Great catch. That's exactly what happened. I am still getting used to the Top Squat and it moves on me if I don't lock it in properly. It moved down slightly on that 3rd rep and that caused me to fall forward a bit.

    It's always amazing what you guys can spot in a video.

Categories