Weight lifters (ladies mostly) have you ever

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StartingAnewDay
StartingAnewDay Posts: 319 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Posted a video on youtube of your routine? I lift alone and taped myself recently squatting. The problem is i feel like like I'm leaning to far forward. Considering putting it on youtube to see what kind or any tips I might get or is that a really bad idea? LOL!!

I'm at 185 and don't wanna go furthur till I correct whatever I'm doing wrong. Either I'm leaning too far forward or my bar is too high. (sometimes I feel a lil rolling as I come up and it's generally forward).

Any sugestions?

Replies

  • Abells
    Abells Posts: 756 Member
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    post it on youtube then post in here for MFPers to help correct you :)
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
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    Try looking up at the ceiling. It helped me keep my form straight. You cant look up when you bend over.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    Post it here and ask for tips. I've done that a few times and it's helped a lot.
  • azurewitch
    azurewitch Posts: 21
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    The way I learned to squat, is this:

    Focus on leaning back on your heels.
    Focus on sticking your butt out.
    Don't look forward. kind of look down in front of you. (this helps align your spine/neck and something else I think, my PT told me this and I don't remember exactly.)

    Don't think about squatting or bending so much.

    So weight on heels, stick butt out, look forward and down. (from Chalene Johnson and my personal trainer.)

    I have a bum knee so this really helped me. I have a hard time not leaning to favor the knee. That's my problem when I squat. :-)
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    Looking up WILL make more of a shelf, but it also puts your neck at risk.

    If you keep a low bar position with the elbows UP it also creates a stronger shelf.

    In your profile pic, your elbows are UNDER the bar, which means your arms are supporting some of the weight. better to trap it on the back with elbows up and NOT gripping the bar. Look up Rippetoe's video on bar position.
  • bzmom
    bzmom Posts: 1,332 Member
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    bump
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
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    Yes I've posted videos on there before of lifts, one being a deadlift form check one which I also posted here as I could never get my damn back straight! You get some useful advice on here regarding form :smile:
  • Flixie00
    Flixie00 Posts: 1,195 Member
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    My PT was always pulling me up for the same thing. I think I do it because I am afraid of toppling over. To get round this, I now use a Smith with hook safety mechanism (I suspect I am not using the correct term here) and this has corrected the problem.
  • XFitMojoMom
    XFitMojoMom Posts: 3,255 Member
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    yes & do it!
  • CakeFit21
    CakeFit21 Posts: 2,521 Member
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    You should post. I've seen so many people get great advice here.

    When I squat I have long little mantra that runs through my head;

    knees out, toes up, chest up... knees out, toes up, chest up...

    Also, working on your hip flexibility can help you from leaning too far forward.
  • StartingAnewDay
    StartingAnewDay Posts: 319 Member
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    I didn't know you could post videos here! How? where?
  • StartingAnewDay
    StartingAnewDay Posts: 319 Member
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    I actually think my hip drive is pretty good, even doing a good job of gettingat least parallel.. it's just that dang roll up the neck when coming back up.. It's my shoulder flexability most likely. I'm trying lowbar but I don't think it's low enough or staying low.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    I didn't know you could post videos here! How? where?

    You just post the youtube link.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    My PT was always pulling me up for the same thing. I think I do it because I am afraid of toppling over. To get round this, I now use a Smith with hook safety mechanism (I suspect I am not using the correct term here) and this has corrected the problem.

    Except now you have a new problem: Using a smith machine that puts you through unnatural movement.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    I actually think my hip drive is pretty good, even doing a good job of gettingat least parallel.. it's just that dang roll up the neck when coming back up.. It's my shoulder flexability most likely. I'm trying lowbar but I don't think it's low enough or staying low.

    If you have your elbows down or thumbs hooked under the bar, it really inhibits the flexibility.
  • StartingAnewDay
    StartingAnewDay Posts: 319 Member
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    I actually think my hip drive is pretty good, even doing a good job of gettingat least parallel.. it's just that dang roll up the neck when coming back up.. It's my shoulder flexability most likely. I'm trying lowbar but I don't think it's low enough or staying low.

    If you have your elbows down or thumbs hooked under the bar, it really inhibits the flexibility.

    Im actually using a thumb over bar grip.. I can't seem to get good potioning with my wrists otherwise. The bar sits in my palm. I try to keep my elbows up but that increases my feeling of tipping/rolling forward. I'm trying to upload my video now, i may need to take a new one where I step out of the rack. it really inhibits visability.

    I go to the gym tomorrow, perhaps i'll get the courage to ask a random stranger to tape one of my sets. hmmm...
  • careyharv
    careyharv Posts: 134 Member
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    I agree that the smith machine can hinder your form. I don't use the smith machine for squats. It appears that you are aware of using good form. Have you tried a front squat - which is placing the bar on your shoulders? I tried this today in my workout for something new and seemed to like it. I too am worried about me going too far forward in my squats. I had to go with a lighter weight to ensure I got the form correctly for now but will work my way up. Here is a link to view the exercise.

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/front-barbell-squat
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
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    YouTube and "So You Think You Can Squat", this will fix all...
  • StartingAnewDay
    StartingAnewDay Posts: 319 Member
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    I agree that the smith machine can hinder your form. I don't use the smith machine for squats. It appears that you are aware of using good form. Have you tried a front squat - which is placing the bar on your shoulders? I tried this today in my workout for something new and seemed to like it. I too am worried about me going too far forward in my squats. I had to go with a lighter weight to ensure I got the form correctly for now but will work my way up. Here is a link to view the exercise.

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/front-barbell-squat

    ^^^^This might be really good for strengthening my core and getting me used to sitting "chest up".. I think I would have to deload down to just using bar for this. I might give it a try tonight a couple times with my weighted exercise bar. Thanks..
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
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    I agree that the smith machine can hinder your form. I don't use the smith machine for squats. It appears that you are aware of using good form. Have you tried a front squat - which is placing the bar on your shoulders? I tried this today in my workout for something new and seemed to like it. I too am worried about me going too far forward in my squats. I had to go with a lighter weight to ensure I got the form correctly for now but will work my way up. Here is a link to view the exercise.

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/front-barbell-squat

    ^^^^This might be really good for strengthening my core and getting me used to sitting "chest up".. I think I would have to deload down to just using bar for this. I might give it a try tonight a couple times with my weighted exercise bar. Thanks..

    Honestly if you're still working through technique for the back squat I would skip the front squat for now. First, the front squat is even more quad dominant of an exercise than the back squat, the back squat has more muscle balance to it. There is plenty of other quad specific exercises you can do. Secondly, it's a bit more technical than the back squat. Learning to do Front Squats with the snatch grip is the better method to learn but not everybody can do that well. Going across your shoulders is fine but not ideal.

    edit: Not that the Front Squat isn't a good exercise or that it wasn't a good suggestion. Based on your experience I would just recommend the Back Squat at this point.

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