squat help, please
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formongo
Posts: 27 Member
I've been doing this program for about three months now (with some unintended breaks) and love it!! My lifts are all progressing nicely except for squats. I can't seem to get my form down properly and usually on at least one of the five reps end up with most of the weight on my toes instead of heels. It's not necessarily my last rep either so I don't think it's due to being tired. I'm worried about putting on more weight since I keep doing this. I think I know how to do a proper squat but I can't seem to get my body to do it properly all the time. I've tried keeping the bar higher (top of traps) and keeping the bar lower (bottom half of shoulder blades) but seem to have the same issue in either position.
I do ATG squats and I'm at 75 lbs. I was up to 85 but realized my form was bad and backed off to 75 until I get my form in better shape. For reference, I'm doing 80 on bench, 45 on OHR, 125 on deadlifts, 90 on cable pull downs and 40s on dumbell rows so I don't think muscle is the problem.
Any tips on how to keep from leaning/tipping forward when I come up? What tricks do you gals have for keeping your form good through all 5 reps?
I do ATG squats and I'm at 75 lbs. I was up to 85 but realized my form was bad and backed off to 75 until I get my form in better shape. For reference, I'm doing 80 on bench, 45 on OHR, 125 on deadlifts, 90 on cable pull downs and 40s on dumbell rows so I don't think muscle is the problem.
Any tips on how to keep from leaning/tipping forward when I come up? What tricks do you gals have for keeping your form good through all 5 reps?
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Replies
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It's really hard to figure out what might be going on without a video. Any chance you can have someone shoot you squatting and then post it here? That would be very helpful. It **sounds** like your hip drive might be the issue. . .0
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I know it'll be hard to diagnose without video but I don't have that option. I was hoping, instead, to hear what other gals think about when lifting, what they have found to work well. For example, when starting, I try to remember to sit back rather than down, which keeps my position pretty good on the first half of the rep. What should I be thinking about / trying to do on the way up? Lead with my butt? Push my knees out? Separate the floor with my feet? What has worked for any of you to overcome a forward tip tendency?0
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All of the above, for me. I use Rippetoe's trick of visualizing a rope pulling my butt straight up from the floor, and I tell my heels to rip the floor. When I warm up, I spend some time at the bottom of a bodyweight squat pushing my hands together with my elbows in my knees.
How fast are you doing your squats? Could momentum be the issue? I find I have to squat somewhat slowly to keep the form all connected (think 2 count down, 2 count up). I also found that I have to maintain a neutral head position or I get tippy - but everyone is different with where their head is the most comfortable.
How wide is your stance? Toes pointed out? These are all things I have played with while nailing down form.0 -
All of the above, for me. I use Rippetoe's trick of visualizing a rope pulling my butt straight up from the floor, and I tell my heels to rip the floor. When I warm up, I spend some time at the bottom of a bodyweight squat pushing my hands together with my elbows in my knees.
How fast are you doing your squats? Could momentum be the issue? I find I have to squat somewhat slowly to keep the form all connected (think 2 count down, 2 count up). I also found that I have to maintain a neutral head position or I get tippy - but everyone is different with where their head is the most comfortable.
How wide is your stance? Toes pointed out? These are all things I have played with while nailing down form.
Excellent suggestions! I hadn't heard the rope pulling visualization trick -- that's exactly the kind of advice I was hoping for. I'll try that tonight as well as going slower. I do have a wide stance and make sure my toes are pointed out. Thanks!!0 -
I would personally first look at the core because at some point in your set you are losing your center of balance. Taking a deep breath before going down and then exhaling after getting 50% up can help keep the core tight. I have to remind myself "tight core" all the time. I also think about leading with the hip and pushing the floor apart. I've started doing 1 heavy squat day and then 2 days at reduced weight, but one day I add a 3 second pause at the bottom and the other I do a single pulse at the bottom. Both of those require me to control the weight at the bottom and take away the "bounce" you can get that will throw you off balance if you don't keep your core tight.0
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Thanks for the suggestion! I'll try to remember to keep a tight core / deep breath. Maybe I'll try your alterations too since I am at a pretty light weight.0
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I'm at 85 for squats and 70 for benches, and so that's pretty close for me too. I have/had a pretty weak core that I've had to let catch up. It'll happen when it'll happen. Always choose form over added weight. The weight will eventually add itself anyway as long as you make sure to progress upwards regularly. I don't think you're an anomaly or anything. We all progress differently. The point is to respect the weakest parts of your body and focus on training them and letting them catch up, otherwise you'll just set yourself up for injury, and nobody wants that.0
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Your suggestions made a big difference tonight at the gym. I only tipped forward once out of the 25 lifts and that was when I got cocky and didn't pay attention to what I was doing. I found that taking a big breath before I start and letting in out part way up combined with a little pause at the bottom keeps me in much better form on the way up. I had to drop 5 pounds from what I was doing on Tuesday since I didn't quite feel stable at that weight. I'm a little scared doing squats anyway so if I feel at all unstable I lower the weight I'm working with. I'll do another session or two at this weight to make sure I have the form down and then I can start adding weight again.
Thanks for helping me out!!
Dani -- I'm with you on 'choose form over added weight.' That's why I backed off 85 pounds two weeks ago because I realized my form wasn't good.0 -
Sorry if this was mentioned, I just skimmed through the replies, but what shoes are you wearing?
If you are wearing something with a lot of cushion, like traditional sneakers, that could also be causing a problem.0 -
I have terrible problems with tight calves (a couple of decades of walking on my tip toes), I put a couple of 2.5kg weights (the skinny kind!) under my heels to help support my feet - otherwise I lift on my tip toes! Working on stretching them out but this has helped my form dramatically, though still not as *kitten* to grass-y as I would like :laugh:0
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Holding my breath and making sure I'm well set up at the start of the rep really helps, as does making sure I have enough breath before starting subsequent reps. This may mean an extra breath at the top so I don't get dizzy (not a good recipe for form!). Also concentrating on bar path being vertical. I have to look a little further up than neutral to avoid tipping. And knees out/floor apart. Will try the butt rope tonight!0
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Sorry if this was mentioned, I just skimmed through the replies, but what shoes are you wearing?
If you are wearing something with a lot of cushion, like traditional sneakers, that could also be causing a problem.
Good point. I wear Vibrams with no cushion, a stealth form of the 5 fingers, so I have that covered.0 -
I have terrible problems with tight calves (a couple of decades of walking on my tip toes), I put a couple of 2.5kg weights (the skinny kind!) under my heels to help support my feet - otherwise I lift on my tip toes! Working on stretching them out but this has helped my form dramatically, though still not as *kitten* to grass-y as I would like :laugh:
I'm fine with the range of motion. I can 'sit' in a ATG position fairly comfortably for minutes at a time. My brother-in-law thinks both my twin sister and I are freaks because of this.
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