squat position how do i know if my form is correct?

peppermintmama
peppermintmama Posts: 30 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
i have been doing t25 for almost two months now. i am well in to my second week of the beta cycle which has a lot of squats with dumbbells. I'm really concerned with my squat form, my knees do not hurt but I've noticed my back certainly does no matter how tight my core is. i also have to turn my toes outward to go in to the deep squats, i focus a lot on keeping my back straight but when i go down and push my glute's back i feel like i lean forward but on a toe check i see my knees are not pushing out past my toe. my question is how should my form look and feel? more feel then look i do not have a mirror to study my form.

Replies

  • dlm7507
    dlm7507 Posts: 237 Member
    How are you holding the dumbbells? If you hold them in a front squat position in front of your shoulders/collarbones it is hard to lean forward because your arms will give out. Takes the strain of your back.
  • peppermintmama
    peppermintmama Posts: 30 Member
    I hold them at shoulder height, about an inch or so away from my shoulders but that's only one squat exercise there are numerous. i would say my back hurts most when i'm doing the dead lifts then going into the squat all in one movement.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Everyone's form will be a little different. If your back is straight and your core is tight, you're probably 90% of the way there. Are you able to post a video?
  • McCloud33
    McCloud33 Posts: 959 Member
    Toes out is perfectly fine. Mine are usually 30-45 degrees out. If you're just using dumbbells, form isn't *quite* as important either since it's hard to have a lot of weight that way. Deadlift may be more of an issue since that's more back-centric movement and you're starting from a lower position with dumbbells as opposed to barbell.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    peppermintmama wrote: »
    how do i know if my form is correct?

    Either hire a good trainer to check your form, or post a form check video yourself so the trainers here can critique it. :+1:
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
    edited June 2016
    Are you performing a clean?
    http://youtu.be/mPsxlNjv7Aw
  • T0M_K
    T0M_K Posts: 7,526 Member
    not to high jack the thread..but are dumbbell squats as effective as barbell squats?
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    not to high jack the thread..but are dumbbell squats as effective as barbell squats?

    no
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    OP - is there a reason you are not barbell back squatting?
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    edited June 2016


    OP post a video of your squat
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    You sound like you may have the weight in your toes? Agreed post a video.

    And as to the question why no barbell squatting, some of us workout at home and don't have access to a barbell. I'm one of them, I'm totally good using adjustable dumbbells and not lifting heavy, well, as heavy as I possibly could with a heavy lifting program.
  • peppermintmama
    peppermintmama Posts: 30 Member
    Ok So to post a video of my squat would I need to post it to YouTube and lay the link to my video here or is there a way to post a video directly to mfp?
    SonyaCele wrote: »

    OP post a video of your squat
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    peppermintmama wrote: »
    how do i know if my form is correct?

    Either hire a good trainer to check your form, or post a form check video yourself so the trainers here can critique it. :+1:
    jacksonpt wrote: »
    Everyone's form will be a little different. If your back is straight and your core is tight, you're probably 90% of the way there. Are you able to post a video?

  • peppermintmama
    peppermintmama Posts: 30 Member
    edited June 2016
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    OP - is there a reason you are not barbell back squatting?

    I'm not able to make it to the gym so I workout from home 5 days a week. So I'm just upping my weights with Dumbbells,although I can look into getting a barbell if it will improve my back pain and form.
  • torsab
    torsab Posts: 12 Member
    make sure you're squatting back - think sitting down in a chair. your knees should not go forward of your toes. otherwise, back neutral and core tight, slow and steady
  • PoundChaser2
    PoundChaser2 Posts: 241 Member
    How deep are you squatting ? It could be that your not balanced while squatting (slight lean to one side) or you increased your weights too much (unless) you experienced back pains before you upped your weights? I can't imagine squatting using your toes "ouch" that would kill my knees.
  • chocolate_owl
    chocolate_owl Posts: 1,695 Member
    You may not have the flexibility to go as deep as you're going - are your hip flexors tight? If you go too deep, your pelvis tilts forward and puts strain on your lower back. If you do a squat slowly, you can feel the point where this happens, and it's easy to see if you take a video of yourself.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    Runngurl43 wrote: »
    How deep are you squatting ? It could be that your not balanced while squatting (slight lean to one side) or you increased your weights too much (unless) you experienced back pains before you upped your weights? I can't imagine squatting using your toes "ouch" that would kill my knees.

    I'm a dancer, I had to concentrate really hard when I started squatting because in dance your weight is always in your toes so being back in my heels felt really unnatural.
  • PoundChaser2
    PoundChaser2 Posts: 241 Member
    Like your name vintage feline
  • scottburger104
    scottburger104 Posts: 90 Member
    peppermintmama wrote: »
    i have been doing t25 for almost two months now. i am well in to my second week of the beta cycle which has a lot of squats with dumbbells. I'm really concerned with my squat form, my knees do not hurt but I've noticed my back certainly does no matter how tight my core is. i also have to turn my toes outward to go in to the deep squats, i focus a lot on keeping my back straight but when i go down and push my glute's back i feel like i lean forward but on a toe check i see my knees are not pushing out past my toe. my question is how should my form look and feel? more feel then look i do not have a mirror to study my form.

    I recommend that you use 1 dumbbell and perform goblet squats. A couple sets of 3 to 5 with a light to medium weight dumbbell a few times before you do your squat workout. there isn't a better way to pattern a squat movement than goblet squats. Just do a couple practice sets and it will help you feel what you are supposed to feel like. make sure you put your elbows right on your vastus medialis and use the dumbbell for a counter weight so you can concentrate on pushing your chest out.
  • peppermintmama
    peppermintmama Posts: 30 Member
    edited June 2016
    trying to post a video here from my phone is a nightmare.

    https://youtu.be/4wkxTJKodUI

    I uploaded a 12 sec video to YouTube hopefully you all can help me out.
  • peppermintmama
    peppermintmama Posts: 30 Member
    scottburger104 wrote: »
    peppermintmama wrote: »
    i have been doing t25 for almost two months now. i am well in to my second week of the beta cycle which has a lot of squats with dumbbells. I'm really concerned with my squat form, my knees do not hurt but I've noticed my back certainly does no matter how tight my core is. i also have to turn my toes outward to go in to the deep squats, i focus a lot on keeping my back straight but when i go down and push my glute's back i feel like i lean forward but on a toe check i see my knees are not pushing out past my toe. my question is how should my form look and feel? more feel then look i do not have a mirror to study my form.

    I recommend that you use 1 dumbbell and perform goblet squats. A couple sets of 3 to 5 with a light to medium weight dumbbell a few times before you do your squat workout. there isn't a better way to pattern a squat movement than goblet squats. Just do a couple practice sets and it will help you feel what you are supposed to feel like. make sure you put your elbows right on your vastus medialis and use the dumbbell for a counter weight so you can concentrate on pushing your chest out.

    I'm really going to be honest I have no idea what a goblet squat is, so I will have to research this and give it a try! Thank you so much for this informative post!
  • dlm7507
    dlm7507 Posts: 237 Member
    edited June 2016
    Goblet squat It would help you learn to squat between your legs so you have less hinge (leaning forward). If you have the shoulders for it, the overhead squat he shows at the end really encourages you to not lean forward.
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
    edited June 2016
    I want to see the deadlift squat combo with Dumbbells!

    It looks like you may be getting some butt wink or rounding near the bottom. I might try sitting back more, keeping lats tight (w/shoulders down and back), chest up and neck neutral.

    A back squat with a barbell is a lot easier for most of us. And it may solve the problem.

    Try posting your video in the eat train progress group too.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    not to high jack the thread..but are dumbbell squats as effective as barbell squats?

    It depends on your goal. For functional lifting ability, DB squats are excellent, since they simulate how your grip & arms are used in everyday lifting situations. The downside is that eventually you might outgrow your weights.

    OP - good overall. Pull your knees out slightly as you come down.
    A goblet squat is going to be more comfortable on the shoulders as you increase in weight. Even better is to hold 1 or 2 dumbbells down between your legs. That will let you lift the most weight. :+1:
  • chocolate_owl
    chocolate_owl Posts: 1,695 Member
    Yup, after seeing your video, you've got pelvic tilt going on. Go back at watch it - note that at the bottom of your squat, your back curves and your butt tucks under. This is the "butt wink" mentioned by rileyes. Most likely your hip flexors are too tight, so look up how to stretch them. Until you gain more flexibility + balanced strength in muscle groups, don't squat as deep. Stop before you feel that tilt. I second posting this video in Eat, Train, Progress - the people in there know what they're talking about and may give you more/better advice.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    peppermintmama wrote: »
    trying to post a video here from my phone is a nightmare.

    https://youtu.be/4wkxTJKodUI

    I uploaded a 12 sec video to YouTube hopefully you all can help me out.

    get the dumbbells pressed against your chest they are too far out in front of you , and keep your chest up and your shoulders back and tight. you are collasping forward. Maybe spread your feet apart a bit more. its more of an open at the hips motion than bend at the knees.
  • scottburger104
    scottburger104 Posts: 90 Member
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrVgpDOLlgM

    this is what a proper goblet squat looks like. this should be your goal. to help open your hips up you can hang out in the bottom and just breathe into your belly for 3 to 5 breaths and lightly press your elbows against your knees prying them open before you stand back up.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Well, there's a few things i can give you pointers on, but in my opinion it may be worth it to work with a trainer once or twice just to tweak a few things here and there.

    Firstly, the comment you made about knees going over toes. This is a complete non-issue and i think the fear of this happening is keeping you from reaching full depth in your squat. As long as knees track over the toes and do not collapse inward/outward you are fine.

    secondly, if you have to turn your feet outwards then you need to work on ankle mobility. There are many stretches and specific mobility work you can do to correct this issue.

    Third, in my opinion you need to get the form of a squat down first before you start adding weight. Especially with dumbbells which you're trying to hold out in front of you.

    So many people start adding weight to their squats and go in the gym 1/4 squatting with terrible form. Take the time now to correct this problem so that later on you don't have injuries/issues. Set the ego aside and learn it right the first time and you'll be progressing and kicking butt in no time.

    Now, from your video your form doesn't look terrible, however, it looks like you're compensating for the weights being out in front of you. You aren't reaching full depth. And you aren't pushing through your heels (which is why you briefly wobble before coming back up).



    I say remove the weight altogether, stretch out the ankles and foam roll the calves, then you can focus on a wide stance squat (with pause OR 30 second holds):
    pic-6.jpg

    then normal deep squat:
    workouta-deep-squat_0.jpg

    then moving on to a barbell squat.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    peppermintmama wrote: »
    I'm really concerned with my squat form

    That seems to be the whole point of squats!

    Nobody seems to agree on a description or method. :neutral:

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