Squat form check - please be gentle
Calliope610
Posts: 3,783 Member
It is with some trepidation that I post this. I will either be pleasantly surprised that I'm doing this right, or disappointed to hear that my form absolutely sucks. But either way, progress is in the truth, so I'm open to all comments, suggestions, etc.
BTW, I think my squat is low enough, but I'm not keeping my back "upright" enough.
Any and all comments are very welcomed. I have been watching Rippetoe videos, but my brain still hasn't made the connect and translated his instructions into how to work my muscles. Please, please help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2eCE0efiRw
BTW, I think my squat is low enough, but I'm not keeping my back "upright" enough.
Any and all comments are very welcomed. I have been watching Rippetoe videos, but my brain still hasn't made the connect and translated his instructions into how to work my muscles. Please, please help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2eCE0efiRw 0
Replies
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Your legs are looking hot, my dear!
A few things are going on with your squats - all of which are easy to fix, so no worries!
A. You are not quite hitting parallel. Over time, this is going to be very hard on your knees. Do you have a mirror you can practice in front of? Try turning to the side, watching yourself, and squatting with no bar - pay attention to where your hip/thigh crease is in relationship to your knee- they should be at the same level, parallel to the ground. I'm guessing that doing box squats would be really helpful for you. Basically you put a sturdy stool or bench behind you that will catch you as you go down once you go past parallel - the idea being that you don't have to worry if you go down and can't get up - you just sit on the box. You can start with a taller box, and as you get more flexible, use a lower and lower box until you don't need it anymore. Check out this video to see what that looks like:
http://www.girlsgonestrong.com/secrets-to-mastering-the-squat-part-1/
B. You are collapsing through your core as you get to the bottom of the squat, which tilts your head too far forward. Try taking in a deep breath at the top of the squat and visualizing that your entire core is one solid mass, then go down, and exhale only as you are coming back up. This is only one way to get that core tight - some other technique might work better for you.
C. You are going down really fast! Try to control your descent - this will help you to keep your core tight so that you are going down and coming up at roughly the same speed. You will also get more out of the movement if you use your muscles to control the movement going down as well as up. It's okay to pause at the top, take a breath, stabilize your core again, and THEN go down - it isn't a race!
D. Your bar is traveling at a slight angle from the top right to the bottom left (so, back to front as you go down). I imagine this is connected to your core stability issue - solve that and I bet the bar will start going straight up and down.
Your foot and knee placement look good to me - maybe lift your head just a bit - that will help you keep your core strong, too. And, most important - you are in the gym, moving the weights - so you are already winning!
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Okay, a few notes. First now you can watch how you are doing it and compare to the Rippetoe videos. Also, don't be disappointed about getting feedback. Proper form is important and can take time to learn. Maybe what someone says will click and you will have a form "AH HA!" moment.
As for your squat:
Watch the path of your bar. It should be a straight line and stay over your mid foot. Right now you are bending forward too much and that is bringing the bar forward and arching the path.
I can't be sure, but it almost appears that with the first rep you twist the bar and it goes from a lower back position to a high back position. Watch the video and pause at 11 and 14 seconds and you can see the difference. You start on the traps and then the bar rolls up to the base of the neck. This is probably related to the forward tilt (I have this issue with good mornings) and possibly you trying to adjust your grip on the way down.
If you stay paused at 14 seconds, you can see that the bar is over your toes. Bringing your torso up and into the right position will help you keep the bar above mid-foot and also help you increase your depth, which is a little above parallel at this point. What you see at 14 seconds is close to a low bar posture with a high bar hold.
I am sure you have seen this picture before, but I wanted to add it again just for easy reference.
As for recommendations, try giving yourself cues at the start. Remember "CORE" and tighten the core as much as possible. Think "Straight line down" on the way down and "Push the heals and bring up the butt" when going up to engage the glutes and hip drive to start the up motion.
You are making great progress and form always takes a while to get used to. Try doing a video as often as you can. You don't always have to post, but as a way to check your own form and see your progress in it.0 -
Kira and Jen,
Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to study my video and offer up suggestions. I only did a warm up set, then that set, so I plan to internalize your comments and tips today and take them to the gym with me tomorrow to do my full workout.
As an aside, while I was at the gym this morning, Miss 25yo CrossFit HardBody was also working out and was appalled to see a women "at your age" (51 as of last Monday, thankyouverymuch) squatting in the power cage. She adamantly tried to persuade me to use the Smith Machine b/c "at your age, you can really hurt your back". Being open-minded as I am, I decided I would let her instruct me using the Smith Machine (if for no other reason that to get her to quiet up). Every thing she told me was counter to what I have learned from Mark Rippetoe and you ladies. She had me point my toes straight forward, step pretty far in front of the bar, and lean way back into the bar as I squatted. So I could work on my form. And I'm thinking "of course I can lean back hard into the bar, the damn thing is held stable by the machine. I might at well be leaning against the wall and squatting." Nevertheless, I was glad when she left. I knew I wanted advice and instruction from you ladies, who are doing what I want to do.
So thank you again. You ladies inspire me and I wanna grow up and be just like you!0 -
You are more than welcome. If there is a next time with this other person, I would just let her know that taking your time and focusing on form and not just doing things for time goes a long way when it comes to injury mitigation. I would love to see women with 20 or 30 years on me doing good squats in the cage. Gives me hope that when I am up there I will still be going strong.0
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Look at the shiny shiny equipment in your gym! That's all! I'm too much of a noobie to give advice! You're very brave getting somebody to film you and posting it. :flowerforyou:0
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Jstout & Kira pretty much covered it. I really noticed the bar path. It should be a nice straight line as you go down.
Don't feel bad though, I've struggled with this, too.
Great suggestion about filming yourself. My daughter filmed me yesterday and I was appalled at the way I moved my head and neck. Didn't even realize it. I'm going to post one soon to be critiqued, because everyone here is so helpful.
I would tell that 25 yo thanks, but no thanks. And then I'd tell her to buy Starting Strength and read it cover to cover. :bigsmile:0 -
I would tell that 25 yo thanks, but no thanks. And then I'd tell her to buy Starting Strength and read it cover to cover. :bigsmile:
Yes! I downloaded SS on to my iPod, so that when people tried to 'help' me, I could say "Oh, really. Let me look that up in Starting Strength."0 -
Great work!
I agree with Kira and jstout....as per usual.
For me personally though, I don't see your depth being as much of a problem right now. I think it's something to be aware of but you are pretty darn close. I think the other points brought up are far more important in terms of injury prevention, especially as you start progressing in how heavy you are lifting!
A while ago I posted a video on the hip hinge.....I think this would be super beneficial for you to watch as well. It gives a really good exercise that you can do to get the feeling of where everything should be and proper alignment.
And tell that crossfit girl that she should go squat in the effing smith machine if it's so effing good for form. What a b!tch.0
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