Form check

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sinead29
sinead29 Posts: 69 Member
https://youtu.be/AWp2OQrPTOc
https://youtu.be/Zz8YHyHiV5I

Looking for feedback on my form for squat and deadlift. Im on week 7 of stronglifts 5x5 and its getting heavy so want to make sure form is ok! All suggestions welcome :) ps excuse amateur videos!!
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Replies

  • tuckerrj
    tuckerrj Posts: 1,453 Member
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    Okay, I'm not an expert but I've been powerlifting for 35 years, so here goes. *Deadlift* = good form, bar close to your legs on the ascent and descent, no stiff-leg deadlifting, excellent. *Squat* = good posture, no stoop shoulders or head facing the ceiling, your depth was right at or slightly above what is considered "parallel". But all in all I'd say you're doing quite well. Keep it up!
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    For the deadlift I think the form looks fine, but i would try and focus on the hip hinge throughout the movement. I feel that the hip hinge (in both movements) could be improved for greater glute activation.

    In addition, you'll want to make sure you're setting up the same each and every time. One or two of the deadlifts look good, one or two look like you're pulling without having reached the proper back angle/tight back/slack out of the bar. Essentially for the deadlift, i would just focus on tightening up your already okay form so that you have greater consistency with each rep. You'll want to do this now before you start lifting heavier and heavier as it opens up your risk for low back injury.

    For the squat I would deload some and focus on hitting proper depth. Right now you aren't even hitting parallel (although i always squat ATG, IMO parallel is too high to be functional). You could incorporate box squats just to get a general idea of proper depth and the feel of a proper hip hinge because right now you are relying primarily on quads to push through this movement.

    Here's a good visual of where you are and where you need to (minimum) be for proper squat depth.

    ali-6.jpg

    Hope this helps!
  • distinctlybeautiful
    distinctlybeautiful Posts: 1,041 Member
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    Something looks off about the pull on the deadlifts. I'm thinking maybe your hips are going up too fast or maybe starting too high. I notice on a couple reps when you put it down, you drop your butt down a little extra after you put the weight down. I think this extra drop should be part of the descent if that makes sense. Please someone correct me if I'm horribly off here. I deadlift but have never really done much in the way of critiquing form before.

    I think the squats look good. I agree that you might want to go lighter and work on depth. I worked my way up three different times on squats. I had to back off once because I wasn't hitting depth and a second time because I wasn't driving through my heels properly. Looks good though!
  • sinead29
    sinead29 Posts: 69 Member
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    rainbowbow wrote: »
    For the deadlift I think the form looks fine, but i would try and focus on the hip hinge throughout the movement. I feel that the hip hinge (in both movements) could be improved for greater glute activation.

    In addition, you'll want to make sure you're setting up the same each and every time. One or two of the deadlifts look good, one or two look like you're pulling without having reached the proper back angle/tight back/slack out of the bar. Essentially for the deadlift, i would just focus on tightening up your already okay form so that you have greater consistency with each rep. You'll want to do this now before you start lifting heavier and heavier as it opens up your risk for low back injury.

    For the squat I would deload some and focus on hitting proper depth. Right now you aren't even hitting parallel (although i always squat ATG, IMO parallel is too high to be functional). You could incorporate box squats just to get a general idea of proper depth and the feel of a proper hip hinge because right now you are relying primarily on quads to push through this movement.

    Here's a good visual of where you are and where you need to (minimum) be for proper squat depth.

    ali-6.jpg

    Hope this helps!

    Thank you, i was thinking my squat could be much deeper. Tbh it hasnt felt 'right' since 60kg , so i think i'll deload to 60kg and work on that.

    When you say hip hinge for the deadlift, do you mean bending lower?
  • sinead29
    sinead29 Posts: 69 Member
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    Something looks off about the pull on the deadlifts. I'm thinking maybe your hips are going up too fast or maybe starting too high. I notice on a couple reps when you put it down, you drop your butt down a little extra after you put the weight down. I think this extra drop should be part of the descent if that makes sense. Please someone correct me if I'm horribly off here. I deadlift but have never really done much in the way of critiquing form before.

    I think the squats look good. I agree that you might want to go lighter and work on depth. I worked my way up three different times on squats. I had to back off once because I wasn't hitting depth and a second time because I wasn't driving through my heels properly. Looks good though!

    Just noticed the butt thing alright! Great to get another perspective, gives me something to go back with and improve:-)
  • sinead29
    sinead29 Posts: 69 Member
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    tuckerrj wrote: »
    Okay, I'm not an expert but I've been powerlifting for 35 years, so here goes. *Deadlift* = good form, bar close to your legs on the ascent and descent, no stiff-leg deadlifting, excellent. *Squat* = good posture, no stoop shoulders or head facing the ceiling, your depth was right at or slightly above what is considered "parallel". But all in all I'd say you're doing quite well. Keep it up!

    Thank you! 35 years is impressive :-)
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    sinead29 wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    For the deadlift I think the form looks fine, but i would try and focus on the hip hinge throughout the movement. I feel that the hip hinge (in both movements) could be improved for greater glute activation.

    In addition, you'll want to make sure you're setting up the same each and every time. One or two of the deadlifts look good, one or two look like you're pulling without having reached the proper back angle/tight back/slack out of the bar. Essentially for the deadlift, i would just focus on tightening up your already okay form so that you have greater consistency with each rep. You'll want to do this now before you start lifting heavier and heavier as it opens up your risk for low back injury.

    For the squat I would deload some and focus on hitting proper depth. Right now you aren't even hitting parallel (although i always squat ATG, IMO parallel is too high to be functional). You could incorporate box squats just to get a general idea of proper depth and the feel of a proper hip hinge because right now you are relying primarily on quads to push through this movement.

    Here's a good visual of where you are and where you need to (minimum) be for proper squat depth.

    ali-6.jpg

    Hope this helps!

    Thank you, i was thinking my squat could be much deeper. Tbh it hasnt felt 'right' since 60kg , so i think i'll deload to 60kg and work on that.

    When you say hip hinge for the deadlift, do you mean bending lower?

    no, i mean specifically this movement right here.

    CREATE-YOUR-OWN-WORKOUT_ROMANIAN-DEADLIFT.gif?itok=rvrRdQpK

    Focus on driving the hips into their locked out position by using the glutes.

    For the squat you can get a partner to help you with this exact movement here (where rip is making someone use hip drive out of the bottom of a squat).

    _kl1Sp.gif

  • Mycophilia
    Mycophilia Posts: 1,225 Member
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    Most things have been pointed out already, but I'd like to add that your bar path on the squat doesn't look like it's staying over the middle of your foot, like you're leaning too far forward. That might just be the camera angle though.

    Protip for future formcheck videos: Film yourself from the side perpendicular to the barbell at hip height. That way any small nitpicks will be much easier to spot.
  • PermissionGranted
    PermissionGranted Posts: 203 Member
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    Bump
  • PPumpItUp
    PPumpItUp Posts: 208 Member
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    On the squat your balance is shifting from the front of your foot to the back. It might be because of your shoes. Are those lifters shoes? The sole should be flat like the old school Converse. A lot of guys at my gym dead and squat barefoot.

    On the deads, I cannot tell for certain but your stance might be a little too wide since it looks like you are gripping the bar a little wide.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    You need to pull the slack out of the bar on the deadlift. You're just yanking it p before you get tight. .
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    Your toes are coming up in the squat. Also, take weight off and consider hitting proper depth.

    Also, flat shoes for deadlifting.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    This is not the best video on pulling the slack out, but you can do more research. When my lats are tight, and the slack is pulled, there is literally weight traveling off the floor before I even pull.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvcYSNfbXbk
  • PPumpItUp
    PPumpItUp Posts: 208 Member
    edited July 2017
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    Also, it looks like on your setup you are not creating much tension before you do your lift. You should create tension between you and the bar and then explode up.

    It would be better if you could find someone knowledgeable to critique you in person. When I started to lift very heavy I went to a local trainer I know and had him make sure my form was on spot because I was paranoid I might hurt myself if I was not spot on.
  • sinead29
    sinead29 Posts: 69 Member
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    Ive a lot of work to do!! Im going to deload and take everyones advice on board and hopefully make improvments to both. Thanks :-)
  • dalerst
    dalerst Posts: 174 Member
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    I've deloaded at the minute to concentrate on my form I'm at the same point as you, been doing it 7 weeks and once i hit 70kg on squats my form dropped massively so I've deload back to 60 on squat and 75 on deadlift.
  • BrianKMcFalls
    BrianKMcFalls Posts: 190 Member
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    Most everything got covered that I saw, the only thing I don't think I saw mentioned was how far out you are walking your squat, you're not leaving yourself much room in the rack if you ever fail a lift bad.
  • sinead29
    sinead29 Posts: 69 Member
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    dalerst wrote: »
    I've deloaded at the minute to concentrate on my form I'm at the same point as you, been doing it 7 weeks and once i hit 70kg on squats my form dropped massively so I've deload back to 60 on squat and 75 on deadlift.

    Im back in the gym this evening so im going to deload aswell and really concentrate on form. Will you gradually build back up or start back at the weight you were on? Also how do you know what weight to deload to?

  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    sinead29 wrote: »
    dalerst wrote: »
    I've deloaded at the minute to concentrate on my form I'm at the same point as you, been doing it 7 weeks and once i hit 70kg on squats my form dropped massively so I've deload back to 60 on squat and 75 on deadlift.

    Im back in the gym this evening so im going to deload aswell and really concentrate on form. Will you gradually build back up or start back at the weight you were on? Also how do you know what weight to deload to?

    Just gradually work back up. I usually deload to a certain percentage of my one rep max, say 60% or so. In this case, since you're new, just shave off some pounds. What's that on your squat, 165? Try 125 or something. You'll be back up there before you know it.

    When I was doing 5x5 I wasn't hitting depth. Taking weight off is the best thing I ever did. Soon I was hitting competition depth and squatting more than I ever had.
  • dalerst
    dalerst Posts: 174 Member
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    sinead29 wrote: »
    dalerst wrote: »
    I've deloaded at the minute to concentrate on my form I'm at the same point as you, been doing it 7 weeks and once i hit 70kg on squats my form dropped massively so I've deload back to 60 on squat and 75 on deadlift.

    Im back in the gym this evening so im going to deload aswell and really concentrate on form. Will you gradually build back up or start back at the weight you were on? Also how do you know what weight to deload to?

    I'm gradually working back up. I deloaded to the weight where I felt my form was much better then took 5kg off, so for me I went to 55kg on the squat but now at 60kg and 65kg on deadlift now on 75kg. All mine is done at home so I am doing a couple of days on the same weight but increased the reps to 7 instead of 5.