Form critique thread, post your videos here.

Sumiblue

Back squat. Low weight because I've been trying to get my form down. My safeties are too low (bench ht) but I wasn't worried I'd have to bail at this weight.
http://youtu.be/n1U18UgnCBM

SideSteel

@Sumiblue

The biggest issue I see is that you're doing a bit of a calf raise before you descend into the squat. At very heavy loads this could become problematic and it also doesn't really provide you with any benefit.

Could also stand to take a deeper breath and tighten up a bit more before you begin the descent.

Other than that, looks decent.

Sumiblue

Thanks, @SideSteel . I noticed that calf raise thing while watching the video. Not sure why/when I started doing that. I will have to practice screwing my feet into the floor & the deeper breaths.

Sumiblue

I cringe to put this up because I have struggled with DL form for so long. But, here is 185Lbs.
http://youtu.be/jbolCw6KH1s

SideSteel

Sumiblue wrote: »

I cringe to put this up because I have struggled with DL form for so long. But, here is 185Lbs.
http://youtu.be/jbolCw6KH1s

If you pause in your starting position you will notice that your scapula is behind the barbell.

Ideally you want of the scapula directly above the barbell in your starting position because that's where it needs to be before the bar leaves the floor.

And you will notice that as you start applying force into the barbell your hips rise and your scapula moves over the barbell before the bar leaves the floor.

This is your body migrating to the position it needs to be in in order to lift the barbell.

You need to position yourself such that you set the scapula over the barbell at the start of the lift.

Finally, doublecheck to make sure that the barbell is directly over the center of your feet.

Sumiblue

Thanks, I'll work on that starting position. I used to have issues with my shoulders being in front of the bar so I'd been trying to get them back, plus pull the slack out of my arms.
The bar is over the middle of my foot. I check this rack and every time. Camera angle prob can't show this.

DopeItUp

SideSteel wrote: »

Sumiblue wrote: »

I cringe to put this up because I have struggled with DL form for so long. But, here is 185Lbs.
http://youtu.be/jbolCw6KH1s

If you pause in your starting position you will notice that your scapula is behind the barbell.

Ideally you want of the scapula directly above the barbell in your starting position because that's where it needs to be before the bar leaves the floor.

And you will notice that as you start applying force into the barbell your hips rise and your scapula moves over the barbell before the bar leaves the floor.

This is your body migrating to the position it needs to be in in order to lift the barbell.

You need to position yourself such that you set the scapula over the barbell at the start of the lift.

Finally, doublecheck to make sure that the barbell is directly over the center of your feet.

Yup. Just take that position that your body is forcing itself into at the start of the pull and intentionally start like that from now on. In order to pull a heavy weight you have to be balanced so your body is going to find that point automatically, regardless. Easy fix!

Sumiblue

Thanks!

heybales

is that a board or a pad you are standing on - feet really rocked there at lock out as weight shifted towards back of foot, front of foot start to come up, seemed to curl sideways a bit, like outside of foot rolled a bit too outwards.

Sumiblue

No board. It's carpet over concrete slab. Should I make a plywood deck?

heybales

Nice thick carpet with thick pad, great for the feeling of walking on?
Perhaps.

Thin covering for the cold, but not much to it?
Nah.

What appears to be a foot roll outwards could just indicate you have a little more space to spread feet out for better non-moving foundation.
If arms hanging straight down and already rubbing sides of calves, then I guess not.

DopeItUp

Sumiblue wrote: »

No board. It's carpet over concrete slab. Should I make a plywood deck?

It's hard to say. To me it just looks like you are locking out aggressively, leaning back (weight on heels) and really pushing hips through. Could always try some plywood and see if it feels any different.

Sumiblue

It's commercial carpet with pad under it. I think what @DopeItUp says is what's going on. My weight goes back on my heels at lockout and it pulls my toes up. I can try some plywood to see how that is.

krishna1abc

Hi all, I started with stronglifts and would like to get some feedback on my squats. I feel like my bar path is little off from vertical and looks like I am bending forward. As the weights are getting heavier I feel the loss of form and slight lower back pain. Myself 5'5 and 142 lbs. Here I am squatting 185 lbs. Really appreciate your feedback and tips to improve.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=lM1gK2WedSM&feature=youtu.be

_benjammin

^Bar path and hips don't look too bad. What needs work is depth and breathing. You are taking a big chest breath, take a belly breath and brace your core. I'd recommend dropping the weight in half. Work on belly breathing and squat deeper.

TR0berts

I agree with what benjammin said. If possible, take a video from the back (or front, for that matter) so we can see what your stance looks like. My guess - and that's all this is, is a guess at this point - is that you could put your feet a little wider, which would help in making room for you to get to depth.

rileyes

What's wrong with the depth? It looks solid to me.

Fittreelol

rileyes wrote: »

What's wrong with the depth? It looks solid to me.

It's not to/past parallel.

SideSteel

rileyes wrote: »

What's wrong with the depth? It looks solid to me.

If the goal is to squat at or below parallel, the squats were a bit shallow.

( That's not always the goal with everyone all the time)

rileyes

It looks parallel to me and form looks good. Maybe a sight heel raise can get him lower?

SideSteel

rileyes wrote: »

It looks parallel to me and form looks good. Maybe a sight heel raise can get him lower?

Depends on what the limiting factors are in him hitting depth.

I only watched it once but I thought it was above parallel on most reps.

SideSteel

I attempted to pause it at the bottom, this is the last rep of the set.

krishna1abc

Thanks a lot for your comments. So looks like I should be going deeper than I think I am. I agree that I am breathing into the chest, I will try to breath into gut. I would like to know if there are any cues you follow to get the depth. How to know when is the right time to start pushing up. Also please let me know if I am leaning forward. I will cut down the weight and post a video again. Really appreciate your help!!

_benjammin

^ I too had too much weight on the bar before realizing I wasn't going low enough.
I found something (I work out at home, used a small cooler) the right height so when my but touched it, I was at/below parallel. Not a true Box Squat, just as soon as I felt the cooler, start back up.
As far as forward lean, doesn't seem extreme. Lean will be highly individual based on bar position on your back, ankle mobility, hip structure and femur length. High bar squats keep you more upright, low bar more lean.

SideSteel

In addition to what Ben said, whether or not forward lean is a problem depends on what happens to bar path and other potential movement dysfunctions. For example if you're leaning forward and the barbell goes forward of midfoot, and your heels come up, that's a big problem.

If you're leaning forward but the bar stays over midfoot and your heels stay planted, and your spine angle doesn't drastically change when you come out of the hole, then that's just how you squat and it's basically not a big deal, IMO.

I tend to squat very upright for a low-bar squat.

krishna1abc

Here is the new one from today's workout. I reduced the weight to 115lbs. I noticed a couple of things today. After unracking, the bar is not on top of my mid-foot (a little behind), so I tried to move my hips back a bit before I squat down. Please let me know if there are other ways to get the bar on top of mid-foot before beginning to squat. Second is breathing into the gut - I see that I am breathing more into chest than the stomach. Are there any cues you follow? I was able to breath more into the stomach before unracking the bar than afterwards for subsequent reps. Thanks a ton for your help!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2cofNUQFlo&feature=em-upload_owner#action=share

krishna1abc

Below is my Deadlifts today -165lbs. I could only do 3 though I aimed for 5 as felt like I am loosing the grip. Really appreciate your feedback and tips/cues to improve.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBIpSnmgMrA&feature=youtu.be

_benjammin

@krishna1abc
Squat looks much, much better. Belly breathing just takes practice and conscious effort. Hips back to get bar over mid foot is a good cue. Just be aware of where you feel pressure in your foot. As long as you don't feel like you are on your toes or heels, you're good.
Deadlift, I was miserable at conventional and switch to sumo nearly 2 years ago and still struggle with proper set up and form. The only thing I could recommend is watch tutorial videos, keep videoing yourself, and consider doing each rep from a dead stop rather than touch-and-go.

DeadliftsandDonuts

Here's a squat from my 1RM testing last week. I've never competed before, but would I be red lighted for depth here? I think it looks a bit high. Thanks!

https://youtu.be/zAyA9wnwLZ4

krishna1abc

Thanks _benjammin. Really appreciate your feedback. I started looking at Alan Thrall's tutorials on deadlifts and getting the information right.