Squat Form Check

bigstar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgW3NrgRoVI

just looking for some feedback on the squat form. i dont think it looks too bad but i wouldnt know what to be looking out for. thanks.

also have a front squat vid. its only something ive started trying so i wanna get it right before going too heavy. again any feedback appreciated, thanks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZmcTKjY2-s

Hanley

Dude, don't change a fcuking thing. They're damn near perfect.

telemachus

Hanley wrote: »

Dude, don't change a fcuking thing. They're damn near perfect.

+1 , considerably better then mine

bigstar

Hanley wrote: »

Dude, don't change a fcuking thing. They're damn near perfect.

seriously?
fair enough then, thanks. i see some bad looking squats in the gym, makes me worry about my own form.

Hanley

bigstar wrote: »

seriously?
fair enough then, thanks. i see some bad looking squats in the gym, makes me worry about my own form.

Ok, what do you think was wrong with them then?? I'm sure you've some ideas??

crotalus667

Hanley wrote: »

Ok, what do you think was wrong with them then?? I'm sure you've some ideas??

Well we all know there is going to be at least one guy that does a 3 and a half inch deep squat :rolleyes:

Colm_OReilly

Possibly your knees aren't tracking over your feet, but this is just pure speculation as from a profile view they look pretty sweet.

bigstar

Hanley wrote: »

Ok, what do you think was wrong with them then?? I'm sure you've some ideas??

i didnt think they were really bad or anything, maybe my knees go forward a bit much?? my lower back used to round in the hole, but that looks ok now. i do track my knees over my feet, maybe not enough though, ill check that. but if yous think theyre fine ill take that, thanks.

Antisocialiser

whigfield playing over the front squats!:pac:

legend365

I find squats hitting my lower back more than my legs.

This is with keeping the back straight and knees not passing my toes.

Is this normal?

Hanley

legend365 wrote: »

I find squats hitting my lower back more than my legs.

This is with keeping the back straight and knees not passing my toes.

Is this normal?

Are you breaking parallel? Like the OP above?

hooplah

I'm also looking for squat feedback. I taped this to check my forward lean but there could be any number of issues with it - forward lean, weird wrist / elbow placement, bar too high. Any feedback appreciated!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhcIZYKSEI0

Hanley

First thing to fix is you need to stop breaking at the knees, and start by breaking at your hips. Check my log for vids of it.

Bar could probably do with being a bit lower on your back too.

Depth's good.

Fix the first thing, try and sort the second, then post more vids. No point trying to fix everything at once and just killing you with new info. One step at a time....

hooplah

Hanley wrote: »

Fix the first thing, try and sort the second, then post more vids.

:eek:jaysus a list! Only joking, figured there was a coupla things going on . I'll get on the case, cheers.

legend365

Hanley wrote: »

Are you breaking parallel? Like the OP above?

I think the knees were breaking first. I'll try it the other way and see how better i do.

slicus ricus

Colm_OReilly wrote: »

Possibly your knees aren't tracking over your feet

Would someone mind explaining what is meant by this? I was always under the impression that your knees should not go forward beyond your feet. Now i'm just confused

crotalus667

slicus ricus wrote: »

Would someone mind explaining what is meant by this? I was always under the impression that your knees should not go forward beyond your feet. Now i'm just confused

Basically your knees should point in the same direction as your toes / feet

slicus ricus

crotalus667 wrote: »

Basically your knees should point in the same direction as your toes / feet

Ah right, i get ya. I was thinking of something else entirely! Cheers dude.

Kev M

hooplah wrote: »

I'm also looking for squat feedback. I taped this to check my forward lean but there could be any number of issues with it - forward lean, weird wrist / elbow placement, bar too high. Any feedback appreciated!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhcIZYKSEI0

Is that your bedroom???? If so then that's just brilliant! Straight out of bed and banging out a few sets before breakfast, rock n roll

rccaulfield

Hanley wrote: »

First thing to fix is you need to stop breaking at the knees, and start by breaking at your hips. Check my log for vids of it.

Bar could probably do with being a bit lower on your back too.

Depth's good.

Fix the first thing, try and sort the second, then post more vids. No point trying to fix everything at once and just killing you with new info. One step at a time....

What dya mean breaking at the knees?

Hanley

rccaulfield wrote: »

What dya mean breaking at the knees?

Watch the following vid and check out what happens with my hips and knees.

My hips move back first, my knees stay in exactly the same position til about mid way towards my starting position and the point at which my upper legs are parallel to the floor.

The result is more hamstring and glute recruitment, the weights balanced over the middle of my foot and towards my heels, and it's much better for your knees!

ScissorPaperRock

rccaulfield wrote: »

What dya mean breaking at the knees?

Breaking at the knees means that they are the first part to move rather than the hips

Antisocialiser

squats are alot more complicated than i thought when i first "learned" them. Still no where near right but ive slacked off on weight in order to try and get a grasp of the technique, here's hoping i reap the benefits!:p

hooplah

ok, heres another vid - in 3 exciting camera angles!:P.

I've tried to break at the hips first and thinks thats working, not sure though. In terms of bar position on my back its lower -but I don't think its too visable here.

Anyway all advice appriciated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYUfVqvT5Zc

One last question - I'm trying to improve form so am sticking at the same weight. Would it be better to try and improve as I go up in weight once I don't add too much at once?

DM-BM

I'd lower the bar down your back some more, try and get it over your rear delts, it still seems kind of high.

Your taking those squats down very deep aswell, and your back is rounding, try not going so deep, and keeping your back tight. I know you need to have your hips lower than your knees, but your going well below that and there is no point in going that far if your back has to round to get you there. It might be worth messing around with your foot position, I can't tell from the video, and its probably a very individual thing, but I found pointing my toes out more helped.

During the last set you seem to stop at the bottom before you drive up, you won't get away with that as the weight gets heavier, try and drive up as soon as you get sufficient depth.Stay tight, don't relax at the bottom and drive up straight away.

floggg

Antisocialiser wrote: »

squats are alot more complicated than i thought when i first "learned" them. Still no where near right but ive slacked off on weight in order to try and get a grasp of the technique, here's hoping i reap the benefits!:p

+ 1 on that. there are so many elements to a correct squat, and i'm only starting to realise what most of them are. think i'm finally getting close to good form though, with help from the boards experts.

hooplah wrote: »

ok, heres another vid - in 3 exciting camera angles!:P.

I've tried to break at the hips first and thinks thats working, not sure though. In terms of bar position on my back its lower -but I don't think its too visable here.

Anyway all advice appriciated.

Not an expert, but i would say that you appear to be driving back up with your back/hips rather than you're legs. you're back doesn 't stay straight on the way back up.

Try to imagine pushing up with your arse - if you could get somebody to put their hands on your arse when your in a squat and then try to drive up against it when you come up. I noticed today that i was lifting with my back a bit today, and when i switched to "lifting with my but" it made a huge difference immediately.

kevpants

Yeah try and get the bar lower. You can practice this with the bar in the rack. Try and force it down your back and really stretch your shoulders during you warmup, It will feel weird for a while but is very worth it.

I don't see a massive probelm with your lower back/depth. I've said it before and I'll say it again, elbows, elbows, elbow,s elbows! Keep them forward, practice driving them forward under the bar the whole way through the lift and you will eliminate the lower back rounding and the little sinking of the chest you've got going on. It will sort your back angle out and is very easy to remember.

All in all this vid shows progress. If I saw you doing them in my gym I'd think "That guy knows how to squat". Well done.

hooplah

nice one, cheers for the tips folks. I'll work on things and see how it goes