Form critique thread, post your videos here.
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StephieWillcox wrote: »Bench this time! I've been trying to work on leg drive but I don't really know if it's helping! My bench is so weak. Any pointers of things that need work?
I get the sense that your elbows are tracking outside of your wrists, although it's hard to assess that accurately from this angle.
I'd be curious how bench feels and performs if you were to grip about 1-2" wider with each hand.
Agreed, I like to see a side angle and an angle from the feet.
It looks like you may be flaring your elbows quite a bit too. First rep looks maybe okay, second rep you can see your elbows getting wider right at the bottom when you're pushing off your chest. Try to tuck your elbows into your ribs at the bottom of the movement. You won't be able to actually do it, but it will keep your lats tight and your elbows from shooting out (which is a weak and injurious position).
Yes - I feel the flare when I start to find things hard. Will try to tuck harder than I am doing. I do struggle with general tightness when I bench. I feel like I start out ok, but then it all goes to hell.
I have spoto press on Friday which I find easier to keep tight, so will try to get a better video next Tuesday/Wednesday for my next actual bench day.1 -
StephieWillcox wrote: »StephieWillcox wrote: »Bench this time! I've been trying to work on leg drive but I don't really know if it's helping! My bench is so weak. Any pointers of things that need work?
I get the sense that your elbows are tracking outside of your wrists, although it's hard to assess that accurately from this angle.
I'd be curious how bench feels and performs if you were to grip about 1-2" wider with each hand.
Agreed, I like to see a side angle and an angle from the feet.
It looks like you may be flaring your elbows quite a bit too. First rep looks maybe okay, second rep you can see your elbows getting wider right at the bottom when you're pushing off your chest. Try to tuck your elbows into your ribs at the bottom of the movement. You won't be able to actually do it, but it will keep your lats tight and your elbows from shooting out (which is a weak and injurious position).
Yes - I feel the flare when I start to find things hard. Will try to tuck harder than I am doing. I do struggle with general tightness when I bench. I feel like I start out ok, but then it all goes to hell.
I have spoto press on Friday which I find easier to keep tight, so will try to get a better video next Tuesday/Wednesday for my next actual bench day.
Doing all paused bench for a while may help to really ingrain that tightness and motor memory. Just a thought.2 -
How vertical/perpendicular to the floor should shins be for good mornings? I've avoided them because they feel weird but decided to use them starting this training cycle. My back was sore earlier in the week (unrelated to gms), then fine, and is now sore again after doing these this morning. I think it might be new exercise soreness but I'm not sure. These felt really swing-y to me.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz1MmqywkthbWjFydTQzSE0wNlE/view?usp=drivesdk0 -
Sorry, I'm spamming you guys.
Pause deads for the first time ever today - does my back look alright? In particular I'm concerned by my upper back
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How vertical/perpendicular to the floor should shins be for good mornings? I've avoided them because they feel weird but decided to use them starting this training cycle. My back was sore earlier in the week (unrelated to gms), then fine, and is now sore again after doing these this morning. I think it might be new exercise soreness but I'm not sure. These felt really swing-y to me.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz1MmqywkthbWjFydTQzSE0wNlE/view?usp=drivesdk
I'm not an expert but those look fine to me. A lot of volume with eccentric loading like that will cause crazy soreness so as long as it goes away in a few days I wouldn't be too worried.0 -
StephieWillcox wrote: »Sorry, I'm spamming you guys.
Pause deads for the first time ever today - does my back look alright? In particular I'm concerned by my upper back
Your paused deads look pretty much perfect to me.1 -
How vertical/perpendicular to the floor should shins be for good mornings? I've avoided them because they feel weird but decided to use them starting this training cycle. My back was sore earlier in the week (unrelated to gms), then fine, and is now sore again after doing these this morning. I think it might be new exercise soreness but I'm not sure. These felt really swing-y to me.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz1MmqywkthbWjFydTQzSE0wNlE/view?usp=drivesdk
I'd say those look fine. Some people like to keep the knees bent somewhat, but I think it's personal preference - just as long as it doesn't become a squat.0 -
StephieWillcox wrote: »Sorry, I'm spamming you guys.
Pause deads for the first time ever today - does my back look alright? In particular I'm concerned by my upper back
Your paused deads look pretty much perfect to me.
Ditto
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How vertical/perpendicular to the floor should shins be for good mornings? I've avoided them because they feel weird but decided to use them starting this training cycle. My back was sore earlier in the week (unrelated to gms), then fine, and is now sore again after doing these this morning. I think it might be new exercise soreness but I'm not sure. These felt really swing-y to me.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz1MmqywkthbWjFydTQzSE0wNlE/view?usp=drivesdk
To add - if they feel weird because of the balance or such - it's almost the exact same motion as straight-leg deadlift (which would go deeper normally).
You just may want to put the bar/plates on a lift so it starts you out with back as flat as you can reach it. Since it's just weight hanging from arms, might feel easier to control, and it stays over the midfoot going straight up and down.
Shins have to tilt with either one to keep you from falling forward.0 -
How vertical/perpendicular to the floor should shins be for good mornings? I've avoided them because they feel weird but decided to use them starting this training cycle. My back was sore earlier in the week (unrelated to gms), then fine, and is now sore again after doing these this morning. I think it might be new exercise soreness but I'm not sure. These felt really swing-y to me.
I'm not an expert but those look fine to me. A lot of volume with eccentric loading like that will cause crazy soreness so as long as it goes away in a few days I wouldn't be too worried.
You know, I did 3x10 with these, which I don't consider to be a lot of volume. But then last night I was going back through 5/3/1 and at one point he refers to 5 sets of 10 as high volume. I suppose if it is a new exercise, 3 sets could be high volume so that is a good point. I am definitely less sore today than I was yesterday. Thank you for the feedback.I'd say those look fine. Some people like to keep the knees bent somewhat, but I think it's personal preference - just as long as it doesn't become a squat.
Thank you.To add - if they feel weird because of the balance or such - it's almost the exact same motion as straight-leg deadlift (which would go deeper normally).
You just may want to put the bar/plates on a lift so it starts you out with back as flat as you can reach it. Since it's just weight hanging from arms, might feel easier to control, and it stays over the midfoot going straight up and down.
Shins have to tilt with either one to keep you from falling forward.
I do RDLs a lot and have fiddled around with straight-leg deadlifts but still can't totally figure out the difference between them and stiff-leg deadlifts and then I get confused about whether they are okay or are not because the bar is held out from your body unlike RDLs. I have watched the Bret Contreras video detailing the difference between them a dozen times and I'll think that I have them straight but then get confused in practice. I keep finding a reference to a "great" video made by Johnny Candito showing straight-leg deadlifts but it seems to have been removed from YouTube and the only video I can find of him doing them doesn't have a great camera angle to show--does the bar run up the legs or is it a few inches in front.
They mostly feel weird because they feel easier to do than they should be. When something is easy I automatically think I must be doing it wrong. I'm still not used to being competent with physical activity
Thank you!0 -
The bar starts over the mid-foot like a deadlift. Bar travels up and down like deadlift.
Now your flat back makes an upside down right-angle triangle with arms hanging straight down being the 90 angle side (pretty close).
Which means your shins/legs are slanted - the bar cannot follow the shins up, unless your mid-section is smallish.
If doing these other lifts - no wonder the good-mornings didn't impact you much, so similar already.
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Hamstrings/BBStraightLegDeadlift.html
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Hamstrings/BBStrBackStrLegDeadlift.html
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Hamstrings/BBGoodMorning.html
Probably seen these or similar.
https://youtu.be/QR6HDEmBQNo
https://youtu.be/XowKMitOVNc
And straight or stiff I've never seen a difference besides term used, even straight possibly having a minor buckle merely to protect knees.0 -
StephieWillcox wrote: »Sorry, I'm spamming you guys.
Pause deads for the first time ever today - does my back look alright? In particular I'm concerned by my upper back
You are such a badass! And I love your pants!!
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Kittyfeliz wrote: »StephieWillcox wrote: »Sorry, I'm spamming you guys.
Pause deads for the first time ever today - does my back look alright? In particular I'm concerned by my upper back
You are such a badass! And I love your pants!!
Well you just made my day 1 -
Kittyfeliz wrote: »StephieWillcox wrote: »Sorry, I'm spamming you guys.
Pause deads for the first time ever today - does my back look alright? In particular I'm concerned by my upper back
You are such a badass! And I love your pants!!
Not gonna lie, they are pretty awesome.1 -
Here are some more of my pants! Hooray.
Following the discussion on the Feb Q&A thread it became quite apparent that my squats are high bar. Today I tried lowering the bar...
... still don't think I'm doing low bar squats given my hip position at the bottom, but am I on the right track? At least the lower bar position stopped me pitching forwards at the bottom (although my bar path is still more / than |)
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Steph, a few things you might try:
1) Before starting each squat, squeeze your glutes and straighten up a bit. Before you even start the squat you look like you're already leaning forward a little bit too much and it only gets worse as you descend.
2) Control your descent speed a lot more. Try to go much, much slower. Like, excruciatingly slow to start at least. It will be easier to keep your balance as you change directions, IMO.
3) Pause squats can help force you to keep balanced because otherwise you'll just fall over when you get to the bottom.
4) This was great for ingraining balance for me: http://yashathoughts.com/check-your-balance/ (you can use 2.5lb plates for this)
These things have helped me pitching forward in the hole, which is a long long long time problem of my own. You may have to drop the weight unfortunately, squatting with good technique and balance took abouuuttt 200lbs off of my max. Yes, 200lbs. I spent years pitching forward and good morning'ing the weight so it was a brutal adjustment. I hope to be back at my old max this year.3 -
Steph, a few things you might try:
1) Before starting each squat, squeeze your glutes and straighten up a bit. Before you even start the squat you look like you're already leaning forward a little bit too much and it only gets worse as you descend.
2) Control your descent speed a lot more. Try to go much, much slower. Like, excruciatingly slow to start at least. It will be easier to keep your balance as you change directions, IMO.
3) Pause squats can help force you to keep balanced because otherwise you'll just fall over when you get to the bottom.
4) This was great for ingraining balance for me: http://yashathoughts.com/check-your-balance/ (you can use 2.5lb plates for this)
These things have helped me pitching forward in the hole, which is a long long long time problem of my own. You may have to drop the weight unfortunately, squatting with good technique and balance took abouuuttt 200lbs off of my max. Yes, 200lbs. I spent years pitching forward and good morning'ing the weight so it was a brutal adjustment. I hope to be back at my old max this year.
Thanks!
1) This is going to be a problem. In order for me to have a flat back I need to lean like that - I have a pretty serious anterior pelvic tilt so if I stand upright I have a serious arch which was stressing my low back. I am trying to work on the APT but it's slow going. As it improves I will try to be more upright.
2) yeah I have a nasty habit of dropping. Will slow it down
3) pause squats are actually going really well. I sit back much better in them. They are in my program (candito linear progression) so they get trained every week for 6x4
4) thanks for the link. Pretty smart thinking there. Will definitely give it a try with pause squats on Thursday!
No sweat on the deload. I'm constantly deloading and starting again on my squats, so there's no ego here
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Steph, a few things you might try:
1) Before starting each squat, squeeze your glutes and straighten up a bit. Before you even start the squat you look like you're already leaning forward a little bit too much and it only gets worse as you descend.
2) Control your descent speed a lot more. Try to go much, much slower. Like, excruciatingly slow to start at least. It will be easier to keep your balance as you change directions, IMO.
3) Pause squats can help force you to keep balanced because otherwise you'll just fall over when you get to the bottom.
4) This was great for ingraining balance for me: http://yashathoughts.com/check-your-balance/ (you can use 2.5lb plates for this)
These things have helped me pitching forward in the hole, which is a long long long time problem of my own. You may have to drop the weight unfortunately, squatting with good technique and balance took abouuuttt 200lbs off of my max. Yes, 200lbs. I spent years pitching forward and good morning'ing the weight so it was a brutal adjustment. I hope to be back at my old max this year.
I've been working on my form trying everything. ^^This helped me; especially #1.0 -
Squats annoy the heck out of me these days. My back loses tightness, and my weight goes forward. I apologize for the really crappy angle, but if anyone has suggestions for improvement, I would be very grateful.
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Your squats look pretty damn good to me. It's normal to struggle and shift around a little when you change directions with a heavy weight, IMO. You look like you correct quickly from the tiniest movement.
One cue that helps me powering out of the hole is to think about driving my upper back backwards into the bar as I change directions. Your mileage may vary.
Have you ever tried squatting barefoot/flat shoed? Raised heels like that make the problem much worse for me by trying to shift the weight onto my toes.2 -
Your squats look pretty damn good to me. It's normal to struggle and shift around a little when you change directions with a heavy weight, IMO. You look like you correct quickly from the tiniest movement.
One cue that helps me powering out of the hole is to think about driving my upper back backwards into the bar as I change directions. Your mileage may vary.
Have you ever tried squatting barefoot/flat shoed? Raised heels like that make the problem much worse for me by trying to shift the weight onto my toes.
Thank you so much! I just feel like I lean forward too much for how high the bar is on my back. I would like to try low bar squats, but I think I would have to have someone help me. I'm thinking of going to a powerlifting workshop in my home country in a couple of months.
I will try the "upper back backwards into bar" cue next time, I imagine that could help!
When I first started squatting I wore flat shoes, but I felt the forward lean was worse back then. Maybe it was the general weakness and lack of mobility, I don't know. I will try some sets in flat shoes next time.
Thanks again!
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I want to know how you make your feet float above the floor!0
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PocketPoodle wrote: »Your squats look pretty damn good to me. It's normal to struggle and shift around a little when you change directions with a heavy weight, IMO. You look like you correct quickly from the tiniest movement.
One cue that helps me powering out of the hole is to think about driving my upper back backwards into the bar as I change directions. Your mileage may vary.
Have you ever tried squatting barefoot/flat shoed? Raised heels like that make the problem much worse for me by trying to shift the weight onto my toes.
Thank you so much! I just feel like I lean forward too much for how high the bar is on my back. I would like to try low bar squats, but I think I would have to have someone help me. I'm thinking of going to a powerlifting workshop in my home country in a couple of months.
I will try the "upper back backwards into bar" cue next time, I imagine that could help!
When I first started squatting I wore flat shoes, but I felt the forward lean was worse back then. Maybe it was the general weakness and lack of mobility, I don't know. I will try some sets in flat shoes next time.
Thanks again!
Sure thing. Ideally you want the bar centered over the middle of your foot. It's hard to see in the video but it's somewhat close at least. The bar IS a litttttle forward of that point I think but it's not horrendous. Does it line up better with a lower weight? If it doesn't then it tends to strictly be a technique/balance issue, IMO.
Low bar will definitely help too, there's nothing special about it. Put the bar a few inches further down your back, resting on your scapula and rear delts and you're done. It's way more comfortable to me, I never high bar squat.2 -
PocketPoodle wrote: »Your squats look pretty damn good to me. It's normal to struggle and shift around a little when you change directions with a heavy weight, IMO. You look like you correct quickly from the tiniest movement.
One cue that helps me powering out of the hole is to think about driving my upper back backwards into the bar as I change directions. Your mileage may vary.
Have you ever tried squatting barefoot/flat shoed? Raised heels like that make the problem much worse for me by trying to shift the weight onto my toes.
Thank you so much! I just feel like I lean forward too much for how high the bar is on my back. I would like to try low bar squats, but I think I would have to have someone help me. I'm thinking of going to a powerlifting workshop in my home country in a couple of months.
I will try the "upper back backwards into bar" cue next time, I imagine that could help!
When I first started squatting I wore flat shoes, but I felt the forward lean was worse back then. Maybe it was the general weakness and lack of mobility, I don't know. I will try some sets in flat shoes next time.
Thanks again!
Sure thing. Ideally you want the bar centered over the middle of your foot. It's hard to see in the video but it's somewhat close at least. The bar IS a litttttle forward of that point I think but it's not horrendous. Does it line up better with a lower weight? If it doesn't then it tends to strictly be a technique/balance issue, IMO.
Low bar will definitely help too, there's nothing special about it. Put the bar a few inches further down your back, resting on your scapula and rear delts and you're done. It's way more comfortable to me, I never high bar squat.
I think it looks better at a lower weight, but I still feel like I have to really work hard to keep upright, keep my chest up and my upper back tight, all while not hyperextending my lower back (I have an anteriorly tilted pelvis that I'm working on correcting, it has gotten better but still isn't great). Somehow, the movement just doesn't feel natural to me.
You know what, I'll try low bar next time! The main thing that has kept me from it has been, as silly as it sounds, that I don't know exactly where to put the bar. My rear delts aren't particularly meaty yet, and I have this image in my head of the bar rolling down my back and landing on the floor
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Thank you!
I'll try low bar tomorrow. Really interested in how they feel. If anyone saw a person squatting a music stand in a practicing room at a German music academy today.... That was me. Don't worry, I'm fine.2 -
Health issues got in the way, but now I finally got around to try low bar. What do you think?
I am used to squatting with a mirror in front of me. This is probably better, I just have to get used to it.0 -
Those are some beautiful squats. How did it feel?
By the way, one of the best decisions I ever made was swapping to the other side of my squat rack so I can't see myself in the mirror. Gotta concentrate on what your body is doing, not what you're looking at. IMO. Helped my form a lot.2 -
Those are some beautiful squats. How did it feel?
By the way, one of the best decisions I ever made was swapping to the other side of my squat rack so I can't see myself in the mirror. Gotta concentrate on what your body is doing, not what you're looking at. IMO. Helped my form a lot.
Thank you!! Actually, it felt much more natural than high bar - it was a bit of a light bulb moment. I will definitely stick with low bar for now. I also think it's easier to focus on how the squats feel without the mirror.
The only thing I noticed from looking at the video was how my back sort of hyper extends (is that the term?) on the way up. Is that of any concern? I tried to focus on keeping my upper back tight and "present a more horizontal back angle", and on driving my hips up, so maybe I lost a bit of concentration on my lower back. Am I overthinking?
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