squat form check

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zachbonner
zachbonner Posts: 4,285 Member
edited December 2014 in Fitness and Exercise
is the weight im using stiill too high? really trying to keep my chest up so my torso stays more upright

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SQL_9p3HTA

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  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
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    I dunno, I think once you get past the pink weights you'll be doing well.

    ;)

    I think 2:04 looked really good. A couple thoughts.
    Have you tried breaking at the hip first? That might set your *kitten* a little further back and move the weight a little more to the rear of the midfoot. That might help with maintaining your upright chest. That's just a minor thought, I'm sure will be harpooned soon enough. lol

    Second, dude. Your head. Don't look at the ceiling, it's a good cue, but you don't need to crank that head up. How do your elbows and fingers feel when you do that? Try a more neutral head position, that should save some energy too.

    Otherwise, you're looking really solid.
  • eranganm8
    eranganm8 Posts: 37 Member
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    Do I hear a sound of bone crackles?? If so.. you better check-in with the doctor before any joint straining exercise
  • eversmj
    eversmj Posts: 40
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    dbmata wrote: »
    Second, dude. Your head. Don't look at the ceiling, it's a good cue, but you don't need to crank that head up. How do your elbows and fingers feel when you do that? Try a more neutral head position, that should save some energy too.

    This is very good advice. Looking up kills your hip drive. With racks flush against the wall it can hard to find a good spot to look at. One cue I like is pretending there is a tennis ball between the top of your chest and your chin. Use your chin to hold it to your chest. That should get your head in more neutral position. If you look up, it would fall out, right?
  • jlclabo
    jlclabo Posts: 588 Member
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39tEtsqCEVo

    watch this video, then re watch your own video and you will see what adjustments you need to make.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    Your knees don't look aligned with your feet.
  • eversmj
    eversmj Posts: 40
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    zachbonner wrote: »
    I'm also getting the adidas Olympic lifting shoes asap because the dress shoes with ahigher heel felt better but a bit unstable

    I just started using a pair of the Adipowers. Definitely worth it.
  • peachyfuzzle
    peachyfuzzle Posts: 1,122 Member
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    Cherimoose wrote: »
    Your knees don't look aligned with your feet.

    This. It looks like you have your toes pointed outward which is fine, but then your knees go straight ahead. Your knees should be following the angle in which your feet are pointed.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
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    eversmj wrote: »
    zachbonner wrote: »
    I'm also getting the adidas Olympic lifting shoes asap because the dress shoes with ahigher heel felt better but a bit unstable

    I just started using a pair of the Adipowers. Definitely worth it.

    I've been using 5# plates, poor man's version. It helps.
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
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    How do you post a video? Do you have to post it on YouTube first, or just upload it from your computer?
  • Walter__
    Walter__ Posts: 518 Member
    edited December 2014
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    Your form is pretty good. The biggest issue I'd address is your toes - they are pointed out far too much. Your knees are not tracking with your toes. I've noticed most high bar squatters have them only pointed out very slightly (myself included). Try that and see how it feels.

    Second issue is that you had a slight bit of butt wink on only some of your reps, but it doesn't seem to be a glaring issue. It's happening because you're losing some tightness in your back.. so just focus on keeping your shoulder blades retracted as hard as you can throughout the entire lift, and keep the chest up as well like you're doing. Like I said.. you only do it on some of your reps, so it's not a big problem, just needs a little bit of work.

    The olympic weightlifting shoes should help a lot. The heel lift should help you go even deeper and keep an even more upright torso (which would aid even more with eliminating the butt wink, although still focus on keeping your shoulder blades pulled back).


    You should ignore the previous posters don't realize you're doing HIGH BAR, not LOW BAR squats like in Mark Rippetoe's starting strength. So no, don't worry about breaking at the hips. You can not keep the upright high bar position by breaking at the hips. Guys - like I said - these are HIGH BAR squats, in which you break at the knees (slightly), then drop straight down, keeping an upright torso throughout the lift.

  • Walter__
    Walter__ Posts: 518 Member
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    zachbonner wrote: »
    Thank you this is very helpful. I was breaking at the knees because I was following Jonny Candito and I trust him a lot. I'm definitely still working on finding my best feet placement and trying to push my knees out as much as I can

    Yea man Candito has great videos and information. He does both low and high bar squats, as well as a hybrid variation between the two. I personally prefer high bar squats because there's no strain on my lower back due to the upright torso angle. Plus it's cool going so low *kitten* to grass.

    Your knees looked fine to me so I didn't mention it. The only big issue was, like I said, your toes. Try pointing them out less and you should notice that not only will your squat feel better, but you will probably even be able to go a little deeper (you've already got pretty good depth as it is).

    Make sure you're training your back as well. Rows are very, very good. Strong upper back/traps helps a whole lot with having the strength to maintain back tightness throughout the lift, which like I said leads to keeping the torso upright.

  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
    edited December 2014
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    >_<

    It's obvious he's doing @#$%ing high bar squats, no one was confused by that.

    Previous statement stands.
  • Walter__
    Walter__ Posts: 518 Member
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    dbmata wrote: »
    >_<

    It's obvious he's doing @#$%ing high bar squats, no one was confused by that.

    Previous statement stands.

    Chill brah.

    Obviously people were confused or else they wouldn't be posting videos showing low bar squat form and telling him to focus on hip drive.

    There are a lot of people who don't even know there are different variations of back squats. You know that.

    Now if he wants to focus on pure raw strength then he can switch over to low bar or even hybrid squats so that he can use his hips and posterior chain for a stronger squat. But he's already specifically said he's following Candito's high bar squat video though, which is why I've been giving him tips specifically on that.

  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
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    I missed the other vids, apparently I just went full derp.

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