Squat - Too Horizontal, In Front of Mid-Foot

Lago

I've recently started being pretty critical over many of my lifts, especially my squat as my progress over the last two or three years has been pretty much minimal. Any progress I do make is often reversed after a while and I'm still pretty close to the weight I first squatted.

So I've started following Mark Rippetoe a lot and trying to get the form down and the main thing I've noticed is back is slightly too horizontal and as a result the barbell is a couple of inches in front of my mid-foot.

I don't even know how to start fixing this. I've had a lot of trouble with tight glutes, IT bands, lower back, calves, quads, chest and trapezius. I've corrected some of them to a point but a lot remain and I'm wondering if these are contributing.

I'm also wondering if I'm pushing my hips too far back (if that's possible) and over-arching my back. That would seem to bring the barbell back a bit but would stop me holding up my back. A physio told me last year to throw my hips back at the top of the squat to hold my lower back stiff but I'm starting to think they didn't completely know what they were talking about.

Any help here would be greatly appreciated and might actually help me squat more than my own bodyweight consistently for once :rolleyes:

Todd Toddington III

Pilates to correct your posture issues, personal trainer to sort out your squat. Are you on a specific program or your own. Try the 5 3 1 method, slow but steady progress

Edit. Video yourself squating and put it up here. Plenty of guys on boards know what they are about. Should help you correct your issues anyway.

Hanley

Video please. Too many variables to say for sure otherewise.

Lago

Don't have much choice on quality. I just have two from the other day so unfortunately you can't fully see my hips. Also power rack noise might be a bit loud.

https://youtu.be/OT4HgH4jCZo

https://youtu.be/vwuatLkoLYQ

I think the second one is at a bit of an angle so it looks like I'm over mid-foot but I'm not really sure.

Thanks for the replies.

Todd Toddington III

Youre squating very deep! No need to go down so far at all, your thigh bone should be parallel to the floor. Also looks like your flaring your knees out but this maybe a byproduct of squating so low

MightyMandarin

Yeah your lower back is over-arching on the way down and there's a good bit of buttwink there too. Your knees aren't tracking forward at all either.

Ideally a highbar squat should look like the image on the left, although staying this upright requires good mobility and practise.


Maybe trying to raise your heels with small plates or some olympic shoes will help track your knees forward; poor ankle mobility can cause problems for some people too. I used to have major buttwink but I found Elliot Hulse' video helped, and after loosening out my hamstrings and glutes, it's reduced considerably.

Maybe if you film from the front, we can see better from that angle too.

Todd Toddington III

Check out how to squat 101 on omar isuf's youtube channel. Can't link the vid but you'll find it

Lago

Todd Toddington III wrote: »

Youre squating very deep! No need to go down so far at all, your thigh bone should be parallel to the floor. Also looks like your flaring your knees out but this maybe a byproduct of squating so low

MightyMandarin wrote: »

Yeah your lower back is over-arching on the way down and there's a good bit of buttwink there too. Your knees aren't tracking forward at all either.

Ideally a highbar squat should look like the image on the left, although staying this upright requires good mobility and practise.


Maybe trying to raise your heels with small plates or some olympic shoes will help track your knees forward; poor ankle mobility can cause problems for some people too. I used to have major buttwink but I found Elliot Hulse' video helped, and after loosening out my hamstrings and glutes, it's reduced considerably.

Maybe if you film from the front, we can see better from that angle too.

Todd Toddington III wrote: »

Check out how to squat 101 on omar isuf's youtube channel. Can't link the vid but you'll find it

I know it's not necessary to go that low but I always thought it was a good practice to get into? As in it was full range of motion. A physio told me not to go that low before though and I tried a few bodyweight squats and it does seem easier to control when I just go parallel.

I'm actually trying to do a low-bar squat. I realise now that I probably overdid what the physio told me when they said push your hips back and they never corrected me. I'm finding it easier to control my hip angle when I only push back slightly.

Also the flaring out of the knees is probably my fault. Again, I got so caught up with the "push your knees out" advice that I seem to be pushing them out too far.

Again, thanks for the replies.

MightyMandarin

Lago wrote: »

I know it's not necessary to go that low but I always thought it was a good practice to get into? As in it was full range of motion. A physio told me not to go that low before though and I tried a few bodyweight squats and it does seem easier to control when I just go parallel.

I'm actually trying to do a low-bar squat. I realise now that I probably overdid what the physio told me when they said push your hips back and they never corrected me. I'm finding it easier to control my hip angle when I only push back slightly.

Also the flaring out of the knees is probably my fault. Again, I got so caught up with the "push your knees out" advice that I seem to be pushing them out too far.

Again, thanks for the replies.

There's nothing wrong with going full depth, although it's better to stick with high bar if you're going to do it that way.

Instead of focusing on pushing your knees outward, try bringing them forward.