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Rant - just need to express my frustration

Calliope610
Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
edited January 30 in Social Groups
I am having difficulty with my squat form, and I'm really leary about progressing in weight until I am confident I have good form. Do you keep working at low weights until you have perfected your form, or do you add weights as you can, knowing that by progressing in weight, your form tends to improve?

I'm just really frustrated right now b/c I can't find anyone to help me with my form here at my gym. I live in a small rural town (pop3500) w/ 1 gym and trainers with experience coaching the squat seem to be few and far between. By that, I mean my gym has one trainer who probably got his certification a year ago. I NEVER see anyone using the rack for squats (the guys usually use the Smith machine) so I can't even ask a fellow gym member for help. I guess I will continue to ready and study all the squatting advice I can get my hands on, here on MFP and from blogs (GGS) and YouTube videos. And record my sessions and post them here for critique.

This is really just a rant. I'm in a slump and I hate being here. I know I just have to push thru this, but damn, it's frustrating the crap outta me!

Replies

  • BikerGirlElaine
    BikerGirlElaine Posts: 1,631 Member
    I'm sure otheres will have better ideas, but here's a couple of things you can try...

    Best is probably to video yourself squatting, and post it here for critique. I prop my phone up on a plyo box to do this. And it will help to wear snug clothes -- I wear baggy clothes so you can't see a lot of stuff that you need to see -- which is why I've never posted my video here!

    You can try adding weight and see what happens. I know that at very light weight it's almost harder for me to go low enough -- I need the weight to get the stretch. But at heavier weights I have little things happen like my knees wanting to come in, folding my torso. There's a sweet spot where I have great form :-)
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    Form trumps gains.

    Can you make a video of yourself from the side and from the back? You can then post it here, people will give you helpful comments.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/911984-form-critique-thread-post-your-videos-here
  • roxylola
    roxylola Posts: 540 Member
    My form was ok, I whizzed the weights on and guess what, ok was not good enough to keep increasing, the more weight I used the more I twisted. Back down to a manageable weight - enough to tax me if I use perfect form not enough to be impossible for me.
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    Also, I cannot recommend this book enough:

    http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-ebook/dp/B006XJR5ZA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374241725&sr=8-1&keywords=starting+strength

    The free Kindle sample contains the entire chapter on squats. You'll know exactly what to look for in your videos to tweak your form, once you read it. So you can be your own coach :)
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
    You posted a video for your form not that long ago didn't you? If I recall correctly there were really only a few minor corrections.....or am I getting your confused with someone elses?

    The other thing is that you can try to increase weight by 1 or 2lbs instead of 5. I found that when I was really working on squat form and going lower, the smaller increases helped.
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    You posted a video for your form not that long ago didn't you? If I recall correctly there were really only a few minor corrections.....or am I getting your confused with someone elses?

    The other thing is that you can try to increase weight by 1 or 2lbs instead of 5. I found that when I was really working on squat form and going lower, the smaller increases helped.

    Vegas, yeah that was me. I'm just frustrated because I'm not getting better "faster enough". I guess what I really need is patience! A difficulty commodity for me to come by - lol.
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Also, I cannot recommend this book enough:

    http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-ebook/dp/B006XJR5ZA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374241725&sr=8-1&keywords=starting+strength

    The free Kindle sample contains the entire chapter on squats. You'll know exactly what to look for in your videos to tweak your form, once you read it. So you can be your own coach :)

    Yeah, I am thinking I need to get the book if I plan to get really serious with strength training if just the understand what I'm attempting to get my body to do.
  • Amazing1985RSD
    Amazing1985RSD Posts: 280
    It's good that you are concerned about your form. Please know that it takes time to get really good at something. But keep doing what you're doing!
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
    The only answer when my form goes to crap is to deload. I have low back troubles and can't get my squats past a certain point for the life of me. It's taking an excruciatingly long time. Then again that's better than hurting myself because it would take even longer to come back from that.

    So I'm just gonna tell you, and me, to take our sweet time with those squats. They're just gonna have to get there when they get there.

    I feel your frustration. So very much. Hang in there. If I never squat 100 ... then I'm gonna have to just be happy with whatever I'll get to. I'm currently taking my squats up by 2.5 lbs at a time. That seems to be what my body is happy with and what I can comfortably manage right now. I'm deloading again next week. Boo. Hiss. But I simply refuse to lift with bad form, and so there you go. Sisterhood of the lowbie squatters, represent! :drinker:
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