Squat Form Check

[JakeA]

I thought I was doing squats right all along, guess not. These is me squatting 3 reps at each weight to give you guys a look and feel to how I squat. Now if you could please help me, I would appreciate it.


135
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/gatorade256/th_DSCN4967.jpg (http://s282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/gatorade256/?action=view&current=DSCN4967.flv)
185
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/gatorade256/th_DSCN4968.jpg (http://s282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/gatorade256/?action=view&current=DSCN4968.flv)
205
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/gatorade256/th_DSCN4969.jpg (http://s282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/gatorade256/?action=view&current=DSCN4969.flv)
225
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/gatorade256/th_DSCN4970.jpg (http://s282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/gatorade256/?action=view&current=DSCN4970.flv)

[Spaghettii]

Try bending at the hips first, that causes me to go deeper and hit parallel.

[JakeA]

Try bending at the hips first, that causes me to go deeper and hit parallel.

I feel that I go into a goodmorning when I do that, i'll try.

[Spaghettii]

This will prevent leaning forward too much, trust me it feels a lot better, just bend slightly

[blast00]

what is wrong with these squats??

they look good to me (watched the first video)...
::confused::

[JakeA]

Uploading new video, same weight as last video, little lower (it felt like) and I start with hips (on the second rep).
http://i831.photobucket.com/albums/zz231/TFS_Jake/th_DSCN4971.jpg (http://s831.photobucket.com/albums/zz231/TFS_Jake/?action=view&current=DSCN4971.flv)

[blast00]

hey Jake can you please tell me what was wrong initially???

[Sl300]

hm
hips should 'break first (as previously mentioned)
elbows should go under the bar more if you can

nice touch doing it bare foot
other wise they look good bud

[isaku900]

initiate the movement by sitting back, breaking at the hips first instead of by bending your knees.

as you sit back keep your lower back arched and your upper back tight against the bar, then push your knees out and keep them out the duration of the lift.

reach depth where the top of the thigh at the hip crease is below the top of the knee then recover at will, keeping your lower back arched to keep your hips under the bar and directly transfer power into moving the weight upwards.

[JakeA]

hey Jake can you please tell me what was wrong initially???

These are "bad" squats, i'm not real sure what is wrong with them, I kept getting flammed for having bad squats so I said might as well get some advice.

And i'm learning now, thx Spaghettii.

[Spaghettii]

These are "bad" squats, i'm not real sure what is wrong with them, I kept getting flammed for having bad squats so I said might as well get some advice.
see above

[JakeA]

initiate the movement with by sitting back, breaking at the hips first instead of by bending your knees.

as you sit back keep your lower back arched and your upper back tight against the bar, then push your knees out and keep them out the duration of the lift.

reach depth where the top of the thigh at the hip crease is below the top of the knee then recover at will, keeping your lower back arched to keep your hips under the bar and directly transfer power into moving the weight upwards.

I'm not understanding sitting back, at all. Wouldn't that make me fall? I really want help, but I need more like...demonstration.

[Sl300]

I'm not understanding sitting back, at all. Wouldn't that make me fall? I really want help, but I need more like...demonstration.

There's a bunch of squat vids on youtube that will keep saying 'sit back, sit back' just do exactly what they are saying. You wont fall back (although it'll feel like it)

Also need a inch or two to hit depth, but they look alright

[blast00]

jake I got you covered hold on.

[isaku900]

I'm not understanding sitting back, at all. Wouldn't that make me fall? I really want help, but I need more like...demonstration.

what's not to understand? you push your butt backwards, bending at the hips. you will not fall.

umm...i'm at work so I can't access my youtube videos, but here's tuesday's squats:

ytaTm-Zr3G0

I think marcus' 505 is taken from a good enough angle that you can see him sit back into the squat, he gets a little forward b/c its 505lbs, and was a PR for him, but he squats it pretty well.

[blast00]

preps to chazzy:


If you are doing low bar position, you'll lean forward a bit more, and rest the bar on the divets on the back side of your shoulders, and have the bar across your lower traps/mid back.

Both positions from side:
http://crossfittx.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/6a00d834515d6769e2010537182b44970b-800wi2.jpg
Low bar:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_D1oldwQBmkU/SW0LQDKxr_I/AAAAAAAAATE/NaMe-oQJlu0/s320/low+bar+squat+position.jpg

high bar:

http://www.criticalbench.com/exercises/pics/high-bar-back-squats2.jpg

[JakeA]

http://i831.photobucket.com/albums/zz231/TFS_Jake/th_DSCN4974.jpg (http://s831.photobucket.com/albums/zz231/TFS_Jake/?action=view&current=DSCN4974.flv)

135 ATG

[Spaghettii]

http://i831.photobucket.com/albums/zz231/TFS_Jake/th_DSCN4974.jpg (http://s831.photobucket.com/albums/zz231/TFS_Jake/?action=view&current=DSCN4974.flv)

135 ATG
Better, you bend at the hips first, but your lower back rounds

[JakeA]

Better, you bend at the hips first, but your lower back rounds

Is that a hip flex thing? b/c like I can't keep it straight.

[isaku900]

Is that a hip flex thing? b/c like I can't keep it straight.

no, its a read what I'm saying and ARCH YOUR LOWER BACK thing.

hold that arch the whole time, don't go "ATG" and make your form even worse.

get depth, hold your arch and recover to lockout.

[JakeA]

no, its a read what I'm saying and ARCH YOUR LOWER BACK thing.

hold that arch the whole time, don't go "ATG" and make your form even worse.

get depth, hold your arch and recover to lockout.

Alright then, will do. Thanks for your help.

[viperman5000]

if you're 5'7, then your femur is 5' by itself. jesus.

[Boridi]

if you're 5'7, then your femur is 5' by itself. jesus.

thats why the OP should squat wider than shoulder width

[user33214]

looks good just make sure to start with your hips first and jam your arms under the bar not out but UNDER

[JakeA]

So i've been working on it. After reviewing my videos I see that my back is rounding towards the bottom, but I can not stop it, like my legs don't let me. Am I crazy? lol

[vitriol]

So i've been working on it. After reviewing my videos I see that my back is rounding towards the bottom, but I can not stop it, like my legs don't let me. Am I crazy? lol

Tight hamstrings/hip flexors bro.. squatting ATG is a bad idea under the underlying flexibilty issues are taken care of (as another poster said, you will just reinforce bad form)

[allergic2rice]

what is wrong with these squats??

they look good to me (watched the first video)...
::confused::

not hitting parallel

[allergic2rice]

op, think of the sitting back like this. sit on your toilet. literally. go into the closest bathroom, and sit on the toilet. replicate that movement but keep an arch.
I used this to learn squatting form

[vitriol]

op, think of the sitting back like this. sit on your toilet. literally. go into the closest bathroom, and sit on the toilet. replicate that movement but keep an arch.
I used this to learn squatting form

.... or OP can try incorporating box squats into his program

[allergic2rice]

.... or OP can try incorporating box squats into his program

for depth? different concept.

for form? toilet is faster lol ;)


besides, a lot of beginners screw up more on box squats

[EinMassengrab.]

initiate the movement by sitting back, breaking at the hips first instead of by bending your knees.

as you sit back keep your lower back arched and your upper back tight against the bar, then push your knees out and keep them out the duration of the lift.

reach depth where the top of the thigh at the hip crease is below the top of the knee then recover at will, keeping your lower back arched to keep your hips under the bar and directly transfer power into moving the weight upwards.


do you have this typed out on notepad and saved on your desktop yet?? if not, you should... easy copy/paste multiple times a day

[lifterg]

The squats aren't that bad.
You are squatting high bar with a close stance. Most of the advice (elbows under the bar, knees out) is more important for a wider stance, low bar, powerlifting type squat.
Breaking at the hips first is still valid, but again not as critical as a with a wider stance.
Whether you should squat close or wide is a different discussion.
As others said you are high and it is either tight hamstrings or fear. Your arch is fine on the higher squats and you tuck your hips more on the deeper ones.
Sitting back may help, but for some it is easier to learn doing box squats. That way if you fall backwards you just sit down. It also lets you fall back if you feel like you are losing yor arch, then you can rock (almost do a partial seated good morning) to come back up. The rocking can help with flexibility.
Mostly, I would guess you just need to warm up more/differently and aren't stretched out enough when you squat.

[Jason2459]

initiate the movement by sitting back, breaking at the hips first instead of by bending your knees.

as you sit back keep your lower back arched and your upper back tight against the bar, then push your knees out and keep them out the duration of the lift.

reach depth where the top of the thigh at the hip crease is below the top of the knee then recover at will, keeping your lower back arched to keep your hips under the bar and directly transfer power into moving the weight upwards.


what's not to understand? you push your butt backwards, bending at the hips. you will not fall.

umm...i'm at work so I can't access my youtube videos, but here's tuesday's squats:

ytaTm-Zr3G0

I think marcus' 505 is taken from a good enough angle that you can see him sit back into the squat, he gets a little forward b/c its 505lbs, and was a PR for him, but he squats it pretty well.


no, its a read what I'm saying and ARCH YOUR LOWER BACK thing.

hold that arch the whole time, don't go "ATG" and make your form even worse.

get depth, hold your arch and recover to lockout.


All that ^^

I wasn't going to comment but after watching the 225 vid. I thought I was watching Harry Potter Squatting.