Low bar sq form check 235x3

[noviceLIfter]

Hi--this is a follow up to my thread posted here: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=946 . I'm posting form checks of two sets of squats at 235x3 (still recovering from a cold hence the reduced volume).

Set 1


Set 2


Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

[michael]

Your toes are angled out excessively.

You need to get your knees set about 1/3 of the way down.

Your walkout and rerack are sloppy. You almost ran back to the rack. You need to be careful and deliberate.

[PatrickDB]

Your toes are angled out excessively.

You need to get your knees set about 1/3 of the way down.

Your walkout and rerack are sloppy. You almost ran back to the rack. You need to be careful and deliberate.

I don't think he's breaking parallel (the first video is the best view for this, though it's still not great).

He's also staring at his balls and consequently losing thoracic extension (?).

Do you also see this?

[Murelli]

Narrow down the stance (2" each side maybe), knees out harder and earlier (push them out right as you begin the descent), depth is ok but can be better (camera angle tricks us), what Patrick said about your gaze (look further away from you) and thoracic flexion, what michael said about walkout (you're also getting on your toes to put the bar back, set the hooks lower).

If you don't have a buddy to film you, prop your phone against a water bottle on the floor and angle it slightly upwards. Rear quarter provides the best view IMO.

[KrustyKrab65]

I agree completely with all the above. Set your knees early and keep them set. Your lack of thoracic extension is causing your butt to go back instead of up on some reps. This, in turn, causes your back angle to change (more toward horizontal = 'good morning' squat).

I still fight to keep thoracic extension during the entirety of my set. Maybe google, "Hannon, thoracic extension"? I read that article awhile ago and remember it had some tips on how to correct the problem. It was on the StSt website about a year ago.

[mgil]

My opinion:

Stance is too wide. I suspect you’d be much stronger with a stance about 4-6” narrower. It’s also why you look unstable getting set up and getting the bar back to the rack. It’s not a position of power for you.

You’re looking at your dick. Don’t do that; it’s making your upper back collapse and the bar rolls up your back as a result.

I’m repeating what’s above, but fixing those two things is going to take you a long way.

[noviceLIfter]

Hey,

Thanks for quick review everyone. I'll try to film my next session on Saturday and get some feedback on those squats. Main takeaways:

1) Lessen toe angle.
2) Bring stance in several inches.
3) Stop looking at my (magnificent) dick. Pick a spot on the floor 5-7 feet away and stare.
4) @KrustyKrab65 I remember Hannon's article too. It is definitely applicable to me as well. This is such a sore spot for me.

[anelson]

3) Stop looking at my (magnificent) dick. Pick a spot on the floor 5-7 feet away and stare.

Thanks to @mgil's #startinglength program, I can do both at once.

[tdood]

You're leaning over too far and getting over your toes. Sit down and not back. Do everything you can to hit the hole with the weight mid foot.

[noviceLIfter]

Hey,

I tried to incorporate everyone's suggestions into today's training session. I dropped the weight down to 175 and tried to clean up everything: brought my stance in, brought my toe angle in, and avoided looking at my beautiful schlong--focused on the white line of chalk. I went through Hannon's article (https://startingstrength.com/training/i ... -the-squat) and this vid by one of the SSCs on creating a good shelf for the upper back (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7tU2Qrdlgk).







I still have some issues with my squat, but I'll wait to hear from the folks on the board. Also @Murelli, thanks for the tip about videotaping.

[Manveer]

Are you taking a deep breath before each rep? Looks like you are generally just very loose. Big breath before each rep. Tighten up - especially keep your abs tight.

[Murelli]

Also, you overcorrected your gaze. Now you are looking forward and your back is unlocking near the bottom.

[MattimusMaximus]

Are you taking a deep breath before each rep? Looks like you are generally just very loose. Big breath before each rep. Tighten up - especially keep your abs tight.

+1 Make everything rigid!

[KrustyKrab65]

Like everyone else has said, you're biggest problem now is the unlocking of your lower back. Sometimes going too low(deep) in the rep will do that; but I can't really tell if that is the case with this camera angle.

If depth isn't the issue, I will simply reiterate the wisdom above....big, deep breath at the top; totally tighten up (lock) your torso; drop your gaze a bit and GET that rep!

[stevan]

If I'm seeing correctly, I think your back is hyperextended at the top. Knee position AND the back angle should be set at the start of the movement. Sully made a video illustrating this for SSOC clients:

edit: oops, now I see this is a month old. Welp, maybe it'll help someone else.

[Savs]

Sully made a video illustrating this for SSOC clients: <video>

edit: oops, now I see this is a month old. Welp, maybe it'll help someone else.

Is the motion depicted in the video proper form? The bar doesn't travel along a straight vertical path, and it seems the system COM gets above or behind the heel (at ~ 0:35). Maybe it's just a cue? Genuinely asking.

[Hanley]

Sully made a video illustrating this for SSOC clients: <video>

edit: oops, now I see this is a month old. Welp, maybe it'll help someone else.

Is the motion depicted in the video proper form? The bar doesn't travel along a straight vertical path, and it seems the system COM gets above or behind the heel (at ~ 0:35). Maybe it's just a cue? Genuinely asking.

I think you're absolutely right. People go batshit over "knee slide". I think that's simply the body going into the narrow range of joint angles that keep shit in balance.

I think the Aasgardian model often encourages people to train physically impossible mechanics (if I fix my knees 1/3 way down, and flex my hips and knees (with no forward knee travel) for the remainder of the ROM, I've GOT to slide my knees forward at the very last portion of the ecccentric).

[stevan]

Sully made a video illustrating this for SSOC clients: <video>

edit: oops, now I see this is a month old. Welp, maybe it'll help someone else.

Is the motion depicted in the video proper form? The bar doesn't travel along a straight vertical path, and it seems the system COM gets above or behind the heel (at ~ 0:35). Maybe it's just a cue? Genuinely asking.

I think you're absolutely right. People go batshit over "knee slide". I think that's simply the body going into the narrow range of joint angles that keep shit in balance.

I think the Aasgardian model often encourages people to train physically impossible mechanics (if I fix my knees 1/3 way down, and flex my hips and knees (with no forward knee travel) for the remainder of the ROM, I've GOT to slide my knees forward at the very last portion of the ecccentric).

My hips don't like knee slide, dunno why.

Generally, if you bend over too much at the start, you will have to slide your knees forward at the bottom to stay over mid foot. Lots of people overdo the cue and end up doing that. I was like that too. Now I primarily think about my knees, not hips, and my squat is almost textbook. I feel the hip extensors stretch in the bottom which I never truly felt when my knees slided forward. Also, #welookdown helps. Adam Franklin and Chase have forms where there is no knee slide after 1/3.

[mgil]

Sully made a video illustrating this for SSOC clients: <video>

edit: oops, now I see this is a month old. Welp, maybe it'll help someone else.

Is the motion depicted in the video proper form? The bar doesn't travel along a straight vertical path, and it seems the system COM gets above or behind the heel (at ~ 0:35). Maybe it's just a cue? Genuinely asking.

Yeah, looks like the COM gets well behind the heel near the bottom.

[foodformyfoodhole]

Is the motion depicted in the video proper form? The bar doesn't travel along a straight vertical path, and it seems the system COM gets above or behind the heel (at ~ 0:35). Maybe it's just a cue? Genuinely asking.

Yeah, looks like the COM gets well behind the heel near the bottom.

That's because it's impossible to keep your knee in the exact same location and have the exact same back back angle relative to the floor, and move the bar perfectly vertically...? Is it not? Unless your thighs change length in the sagittal plane (should your knees move out after you fix their forward position?), or the bar moves on your back. As you descend, the knee angle closes, butt moves backwards, and with the same floor/back angle, the bar moves backwards relative to the floor the same amount.