Help me fix my horrible form so I can get strong (videos)

[Joshua_B]

Okay, I don't usually post in this section because frankly you guys intimidate the sh*t out of me, but the people in here know and focus on strength so here I am. I've been lifting seriously since october of last year, and today I'm laying all of my bad habits out on the line so I can hopefully fix them, move past and become better, bigger and stronger.

I recorded all of my lifts in today's workout and I'm going to post the last two sets in each of them (squats, bench press, rows, Monday workout of Madcows 5x5). My form is TERRIBLE. I never realized how bad until today. Today was a PR on the Squat and aside from being completely ashamed to admit that 225lbs for 5 is a PR, I'm even mor ashamed to see the form with which it was completed. And rows.....geez, I can't believe how bad these are. I'm trying to do them Pendlay style and I look like a hunchback.

Everything is wrong here gentlemen. I'm weak and my form is bad. But I have a huge amount of determination, so let's break me down and rebuild me better.

edit: vids fixed now.

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If you're curious about my whole workout, here is my journal:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?p=355829631#post355829631

[Joshua_B]

ah hell, messed up the embed. Anyone help me out here?

[Diana Meeque]

got a direct link to the vid on youtube?

[animalfan]

...


you've got to put [youtube ] [/youtube ] before and after it. just take the space before the end bracked out.

edit: removed videos since they are in op now.

[Joshua_B]

you've got to put [youtube ] [/youtube ] before and after it. just take the space before the end bracked out.

You sir, are awesome, thanks alot. I tried that but it's still not working for me for some reason.

[animalfan]

You sir, are awesome, thanks alot. I tried that but it's still not working for me for some reason.

did you try it for each individual link?

[animalfan]

anyway, i'm not an expert, i'm still working on my form.

to me your bench form looks fine, so do the rows. you are leaning too far forward on the squat, but i can't tell you how to fix it, i'm still trying to fix mine.

[Joshua_B]

did you try it for each individual link?

I did. Using the direct link. Is this correct or does it need to be the URL?

[animalfan]

I did. Using the direct link. Is this correct or does it need to be the URL?

i just put the []brackets with youtube inside at the beginning of your link, and [/] with youtube inside at the end. it should be the "embeded" link you copy and past inside those.

[Joshua_B]

i just put the []brackets with youtube inside at the beginning of your link, and [/] with youtube inside at the end. it should be the "embeded" link you copy and past inside those.

aha! thanks man. Repped with my measly reps.

[19george]

On squats:
You are very loose and you are losing your arch because of it. Keep your back tight throughout the lift.
Also break at your hips. Sit back into the squat, and push out your knees on the way down.
Finally not sure what type of shoes you are wearing but I would recommend that you squat in Chuck Taylors or in oly lifting shoes (whichever you are more comfortable squatting in) as neither have much (or any) cushioning which will make you more stable and make for better power transfer.

Bench
Again you are not keeping very tight. You are breathing in and out during the lift . Don't do that (breathe at the top). Keep your back tight throughout the lift, and keep your feet firmly planted to the ground (whether or not you are benching off of your toes or feet flat). You are tucking your elbows which is good.

Finally you shouldn't be intimidated by this section. Some of us (not me) are quite beastly strong, but everyone here is pretty helpful.

[theduffman]

On squats:
You are very loose and you are losing your arch because of it. Keep your back tight throughout the lift.
Also break at your hips. Sit back into the squat, and push out your knees on the way down.
Finally not sure what type of shoes you are wearing but I would recommend that you squat in Chuck Taylors or in oly lifting shoes (whichever you are more comfortable squatting in) as neither have much (or any) cushioning which will make you more stable and make for better power transfer.

Bench
Again you are not keeping very tight. You are breathing in and out during the lift . Don't do that (breathe at the top). Keep your back tight throughout the lift, and keep your feet firmly planted to the ground (whether or not you are benching off of your toes or feet flat). You are tucking your elbows which is good.

Finally you shouldn't be intimidated by this section. Some of us (not me) are quite beastly strong, but everyone here is pretty helpful.

yea but apparently where you lack in strength you make up for in being damn sexy.... I might still be intimidated if I didn't have my perma-sweater

[mark2dx]

Back looks dangerously rounded on the rows, I usually lean back a bit and keep most of the weight on my heels.

[19george]

yea but apparently where you lack in strength you make up for in being damn sexy.... I might still be intimidated if I didn't have my perma-sweater

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp30/TzortzDL/patrick_stewart_02-1.jpg?t=1247590081

[sam6]

On squats:
You are very loose and you are losing your arch because of it. Keep your back tight throughout the lift.
Also break at your hips. Sit back into the squat, and push out your knees on the way down.
Finally not sure what type of shoes you are wearing but I would recommend that you squat in Chuck Taylors or in oly lifting shoes (whichever you are more comfortable squatting in) as neither have much (or any) cushioning which will make you more stable and make for better power transfer.

Bench
Again you are not keeping very tight. You are breathing in and out during the lift . Don't do that (breathe at the top). Keep your back tight throughout the lift, and keep your feet firmly planted to the ground (whether or not you are benching off of your toes or feet flat). You are tucking your elbows which is good.

Finally you shouldn't be intimidated by this section. Some of us (not me) are quite beastly strong, but everyone here is pretty helpful.

To help keep your back tight, try and keep your elbows under the bar. It'll help you with keeping your lats and whole upper back tight. Also keep your weight over your heels while squatting. You're breaking at the knees and the weight is transfering over your toes.

[benbriz]

Hey bro. Your doing the right thing be asking for help. Ill talk about your bench, cause its my area, you know.

Your only doing part of your setup. I see you trying to maintain an arch and that is good. Keep working on that. Your not pinching your shoulder blades together. The last step of your setup should be squeezing your shoulder blades together and trying to keep your traps tight. (I try and balance on my traps and keep my shoulder blades off the mat. Of course they still touch the mat when I unrack the wt. But it helps keep me tight to focus on this)

Then when you unrack the wt maintain that possision. Your grip is the other issue. It apears your a little too narrow. I would go at least pinkie on the ring and start working on going wider.

From your log I can see your not doing enough Grip and shrug work.

Good luck bro.

[cjdelaney]

you have butt wink. your lumbar spine rounds and your pelvis rolls under when you get deep into the squat. You need to: 1.) work on your hip mobility and hamstring flexibility. 2.) focus on arching the **** out of your back.

also, you have quite a bit of knee travel. You have to sit back more, it is possible that your hams are not strong enough to squat this way right now. Your best bet is to fix the problem now. The stronger you get squatting this way, the longer it will take to repair in the future. Trust me.

[Joshua_B]

Whew, go to mow the lawn and everybody comes in to help! Thanks a ton to everybody that's replied so far. Okay, so where to begin....


On squats:
You are very loose and you are losing your arch because of it. Keep your back tight throughout the lift.
Also break at your hips. Sit back into the squat, and push out your knees on the way down.
Finally not sure what type of shoes you are wearing but I would recommend that you squat in Chuck Taylors or in oly lifting shoes (whichever you are more comfortable squatting in) as neither have much (or any) cushioning which will make you more stable and make for better power transfer.

Bench
Again you are not keeping very tight. You are breathing in and out during the lift . Don't do that (breathe at the top). Keep your back tight throughout the lift, and keep your feet firmly planted to the ground (whether or not you are benching off of your toes or feet flat). You are tucking your elbows which is good.

Finally you shouldn't be intimidated by this section. Some of us (not me) are quite beastly strong, but everyone here is pretty helpful.

You're right about not being tight throughout the squat. Especially my lower back. I feel like this is a weak spot for me (weaker than the rest anyway). I've read to "sit back into the squat" before, but I don't understand this. I jsut tried to do that and almost fell over backwards. Does this not throw off your center of gravity? Also, what do you mean by "break at the hips"?

I do need to get some good lifting shoes. Right now I'm squatting in a pair of skater type shoes because they have very flat soles and close to no cushioning. Do you think it would be better to squat barefoot until I get better shoes?

So no breathing during the lift? Okay. And yes, you're right again about the tightness. I have trouble planting myself firmly enough to maintain that tight arch. It feels like my back wants to slide on the bench and my feet want to slide on the floor.

Thanks for making me feel welcome and for all the suggestions. I really appreciate it.



To help keep your back tight, try and keep your elbows under the bar. It'll help you with keeping your lats and whole upper back tight. Also keep your weight over your heels while squatting. You're breaking at the knees and the weight is transfering over your toes.

Elbows under the bar. Got it. I do try to keep my weight over my heels when squatting (using the "keep your toes up" method), but it does feel like my weight continually tries to shift towards the front. Again what does "breaking at the knees" mean?

Thanks for the suggestions.



Hey bro. Your doing the right thing be asking for help. Ill talk about your bench, cause its my area, you know.

Your only doing part of your setup. I see you trying to maintain an arch and that is good. Keep working on that. Your not pinching your shoulder blades together. The last step of your setup should be squeezing your shoulder blades together and trying to keep your traps tight. (I try and balance on my traps and keep my shoulder blades off the mat. Of course they still touch the mat when I unrack the wt. But it helps keep me tight to focus on this)

Then when you unrack the wt maintain that possision. Your grip is the other issue. It apears your a little too narrow. I would go at least pinkie on the ring and start working on going wider.

From your log I can see your not doing enough Grip and shrug work.

Good luck bro.

Okay, I see what you're saying, that makes sense. How do you maintain that tightness in your traps when you unrack the weight? That seems to be when I lose alot of the tightness in my arch as well.

My grip probably is pretty narrow. I guess I never really thought about it before. I tend to put my thumbs right where the knurling starts. Just seemed to make sense. I'll try widening it.

As for the grip ans shrug work...Well I'm doing Madcows intermediate 5x5 right now and I've been trying to do it exactly as it's laid out, because it seems like every other post in the workout program section is someone telling someone else not to f*ck with a proven program. Maybe I should add some in though?

Thanks for the suggestions, man. Rreally appreciate it.


you have butt wink. your lumbar spine rounds and your pelvis rolls under when you get deep into the squat. You need to: 1.) work on your hip mobility and hamstring flexibility. 2.) focus on arching the **** out of your back.

also, you have quite a bit of knee travel. You have to sit back more, it is possible that your hams are not strong enough to squat this way right now. Your best bet is to fix the problem now. The stronger you get squatting this way, the longer it will take to repair in the future. Trust me.

I know. You're absolutely right. I'm trying like hell to maintain that arch but it's like I don't really feel the muscles in my lower back (if that makes any sense), which makes it very difficult to know when it drops and rounds. I'll work on hip mobility and hamstring flexibility.

Okay, so if my hamstrings are too weak to squat properly, then what do I do?

Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it.

[Joshua_B]

Back looks dangerously rounded on the rows, I usually lean back a bit and keep most of the weight on my heels.

Completely missed this reply the first time I read through. Sorry about that.

I agree. It does. And I've been getting lower back pain from it. Now I know why. I'll try your suggestion. It always feel like the bar is a bit too low to really maintain my back parallel to the floor. Never realized it was this bad though.

[19george]

What I mean by breaking at the hips is that your initial movement in the squat should be at your hips. Your knees should not be going forward and out until you have pushed back your hips as much as they can go while still having the bar over mid foot.

I've never squatted barefoot, but I don't like the idea (little traction with the floor, and no support for the foot/ankle). I think skater shoes don't have much cushioning (though I could be wrong) so they are not horrible, but I would still get a pair of chucks if I were you.

You shouldn't have "toes up" when squatting. I'm not familiar with this but it does not sound right. You should focus on keeping the bar over the middle of your foot throughout the movement.

The solution to having weak hammies is to squat more using correct form. See how simple that is. :)

[Joshua_B]

What I mean by breaking at the hips is that your initial movement in the squat should be at your hips. Your knees should not be going forward and out until you have pushed back your hips as much as they can go while still having the bar over mid foot.

I've never squatted barefoot, but I don't like the idea (little traction with the floor, and no support for the foot/ankle). I think skater shoes don't have much cushioning (though I could be wrong) so they are not horrible, but I would still get a pair of chucks if I were you.

You shouldn't have "toes up" when squatting. I'm not familiar with this but it does not sound right. You should focus on keeping the bar over the middle of your foot throughout the movement.

The solution to having weak hammies is to squat more using correct form. See how simple that is. :)

Ah, okay. I see what you mean. I've been trying to sit back into the squat (just the bar) since I read your post. It feels so awkward! This is definitely one of those ego crushing moments when you realize how little you know. I will work on it, sir.

As far as the toes up thing goes, I've read that numerous times in the exercises section as a way to shift the weight to your heels. It does work to some extent.

Having weak hamstrings worries me only if it prevents me from getting it right. I don't want to continue the bad habits that I've got now.

Thanks again!

[samsuperjew]

I'm suprised noone has commented yet on his kickass powerrack

[Joshua_B]

I'm suprised noone has commented yet on his kickass powerrack

Yes, of course it's homemade, no it would not hold up to the weights you guys use. It's a temporary solution, and for my small weights it works.

[19george]

I'm suprised noone has commented yet on his kickass powerrack

I meant to say something in my original post, but then I forgot. It is pretty sweet.

[benbriz]

Okay, I see what you're saying, that makes sense. How do you maintain that tightness in your traps when you unrack the weight? That seems to be when I lose alot of the tightness in my arch as well.

My grip probably is pretty narrow. I guess I never really thought about it before. I tend to put my thumbs right where the knurling starts. Just seemed to make sense. I'll try widening it.

As for the grip ans shrug work...Well I'm doing Madcows intermediate 5x5 right now and I've been trying to do it exactly as it's laid out, because it seems like every other post in the workout program section is someone telling someone else not to f*ck with a proven program. Maybe I should add some in though?

Thanks for the suggestions, man. Rreally appreciate it.



Youve got a great attitude bro. Stick with it and youll do well. Set the pins a little lower and "pull the bar out of the rack. It will take some practice but youll get it.

Yes your grip is way to narrow. Put your pinkies on the power ring and you should notice a huge differance.

I would do Grip and Trap work as part of your warmup for bench days. No need to change the program... Also wouldnt hurt to do a little extra on a day off.

[Joshua_B]

Youve got a great attitude bro. Stick with it and youll do well. Set the pins a little lower and "pull the bar out of the rack. It will take some practice but youll get it.

Yes your grip is way to narrow. Put your pinkies on the power ring and you should notice a huge differance.

I would do Grip and Trap work as part of your warmup for bench days. No need to change the program... Also wouldnt hurt to do a little extra on a day off.

Thanks man. Okay, I can see pulling the bar out. No upward motion to lose that tightness. Hmmm...That's going to take some modification to the rack but I think I can work something out.

Widen the grip, got it.

I was just looking at exercises for grip and for traps. The grip stuff seems pretty straightforward, but for traps you think I should stick to shrugs or would adding in some high pulls or upright rows be messing with the program a little too much?

[benbriz]

Thanks man. Okay, I can see pulling the bar out. No upward motion to lose that tightness. Hmmm...That's going to take some modification to the rack but I think I can work something out.

Widen the grip, got it.

I was just looking at exercises for grip and for traps. The grip stuff seems pretty straightforward, but for traps you think I should stick to shrugs or would adding in some high pulls or upright rows be messing with the program a little too much?

The only thing I do for my traps is lots of heavy dumbell shrugs. I think DB's are much better than BB. Take a look at my log and you'll see what I mean.

[Joshua_B]

The only thing I do for my traps is lots of heavy dumbell shrugs. I think DB's are much better than BB. Take a look at my log and you'll see what I mean.

I just glanced through your log. Wow, that is some ridiculously good benching, man. Seriously, just awesome.

Okay, I'm kind of limited in my dumbbells right now, I've got a couple of sets of hexes but they're lightweight (20 and 35lbs.), so I'm kind of stuck using the bar for the time being, but I will definitely add in some shrugs.

By the way, what program are you running right now? I'm planning on finishing out the next few weeks with the 5x5, and then trying to trim some of the fat that I've gained over the last five months. After that I was thinking either Westside or the 5/3/1 program, but I'm not sure. I definitely want something strength oriented.

[skinnycalves]

Check out these links on how to fix tight hips and hamstrings.

http://www.sbcoachescollege.com/articles/HamstringDominance.html

http://www.wannabebig.com/training/injury-rehab-and-stretching/how-gluteal-atrophy-effects-posture-performance/

[clorox_me]

your form doesn't even look as bad as i was expecting from your description.

Your depth is good, and you're not good morning the weight out. You have the strength there, it's just a matter of tweaking your form.

You need to focus on arching harder, and staying tighter, and this will fix your squat AND your rows. It's hard to tell if it's a mobility issue with you, but i would guess from you reaching squat depth now, that you have the mobility, it's just a matter of stop being lazy and lowering the weight until you get good form.

Keeping a tight arch, you probably will want to sit back more in the squat rather than down like you're doing now.

just lower the weight, and focus on arching. Work on thoracic mobility and get that upper back and hips loose if they're tight.

[nekkidbear]

You're right about not being tight throughout the squat. Especially my lower back. I feel like this is a weak spot for me (weaker than the rest anyway). I've read to "sit back into the squat" before, but I don't understand this. I jsut tried to do that and almost fell over backwards. Does this not throw off your center of gravity? Also, what do you mean by "break at the hips"?


Box squat, read up on it! When they say break at the hips, they mean that your hips should initiate the start of the squat. Basically think of trying to either sit back or like if you wanted to grind your butt on a girl or your friend while trying to be a jackass. My best advice I had gotten was think about taking a **** in the woods... do you want **** on your feet? No... so you sit back.

[Joshua_B]

Check out these links on how to fix tight hips and hamstrings.

http://www.sbcoachescollege.com/articles/HamstringDominance.html

http://www.wannabebig.com/training/injury-rehab-and-stretching/how-gluteal-atrophy-effects-posture-performance/


Those links look great, man, thanks.



your form doesn't even look as bad as i was expecting from your description.

Your depth is good, and you're not good morning the weight out. You have the strength there, it's just a matter of tweaking your form.

You need to focus on arching harder, and staying tighter, and this will fix your squat AND your rows. It's hard to tell if it's a mobility issue with you, but i would guess from you reaching squat depth now, that you have the mobility, it's just a matter of stop being lazy and lowering the weight until you get good form.

Keeping a tight arch, you probably will want to sit back more in the squat rather than down like you're doing now.

just lower the weight, and focus on arching. Work on thoracic mobility and get that upper back and hips loose if they're tight.

Thanks, I appreciate that. I'm perfectly willing to admit that laziness could be my problem, my question though would be WHERE am I being lazy? Just not pushing the arch enough? I'm not sure what my problem is with the arch (and tightness in general), i9t just feels like there's a point where it becomes impossible to maintain it. Somewhere just above parallel I think. In any case, I will be lazy no more! I'm going to be working on the hamstrings, lower back and hips, and I will definitely work on the arch.

Thanks for your help!

[Joshua_B]

Box squat, read up on it! When they say break at the hips, they mean that your hips should initiate the start of the squat. Basically think of trying to either sit back or like if you wanted to grind your butt on a girl or your friend while trying to be a jackass. My best advice I had gotten was think about taking a **** in the woods... do you want **** on your feet? No... so you sit back.

Hmmm...That's actually a really helpful way of looking at it. I can sort of see more where you guys are coming from. And I think that ties in with what clorox_me wrote about maintaining that arch as well. I've read about box squats, when reading about the westside program. Do you think it's better to do box squats regularly rather than regular back squats?

Thanks for your suggestion. That's really helpful.

[clorox_me]

Those links look great, man, thanks.




Thanks, I appreciate that. I'm perfectly willing to admit that laziness could be my problem, my question though would be WHERE am I being lazy? Just not pushing the arch enough? I'm not sure what my problem is with the arch (and tightness in general), i9t just feels like there's a point where it becomes impossible to maintain it. Somewhere just above parallel I think. In any case, I will be lazy no more! I'm going to be working on the hamstrings, lower back and hips, and I will definitely work on the arch.

Thanks for your help!

It could be a matter of not having proper mobility, if you're simply not able to arch.

If you want to learn how hard to arch, and how to sit back, stand facing the wall with your toes a few inches away, and now try and squat. You NEED to sit back and "open the groin" with the squat, because if you don't, your knees are going to hit the wall. Plus, you need to arch or you'll face plant into the wall.

Get a foam roller if you don't have one. Get the black one that doesn't break down. I would do tons of foam rolling thoughout the day, dynamic mobility and foam rolling pre workout, and also stretching everything before bed.

[Rawngus]

only thing id like to add is your rows are a little too heavy and jerky id do them a little lighter (maybe 15-20 lbs) at the same rep range and do it in a more controled fashion other then that keep up the good work !

[benbriz]

I just glanced through your log. Wow, that is some ridiculously good benching, man. Seriously, just awesome.

Okay, I'm kind of limited in my dumbbells right now, I've got a couple of sets of hexes but they're lightweight (20 and 35lbs.), so I'm kind of stuck using the bar for the time being, but I will definitely add in some shrugs.

By the way, what program are you running right now? I'm planning on finishing out the next few weeks with the 5x5, and then trying to trim some of the fat that I've gained over the last five months. After that I was thinking either Westside or the 5/3/1 program, but I'm not sure. I definitely want something strength oriented.

Thanks bro.

Im doing a westside style program that Ive been working on for a couple years now. Its bench only for me (Injuries Im still working on prevent me from doing deads very heavy) but I have run it for deads and squats. Id be happy to set you up when your ready. Send me a PM.

[Joshua_B]

It could be a matter of not having proper mobility, if you're simply not able to arch.

If you want to learn how hard to arch, and how to sit back, stand facing the wall with your toes a few inches away, and now try and squat. You NEED to sit back and "open the groin" with the squat, because if you don't, your knees are going to hit the wall. Plus, you need to arch or you'll face plant into the wall.

Get a foam roller if you don't have one. Get the black one that doesn't break down. I would do tons of foam rolling thoughout the day, dynamic mobility and foam rolling pre workout, and also stretching everything before bed.

I just tried to do that and (not surprisingly) it's much harder than it sounds. I'll work on it some more this evening.

I've heard of foam rollers before. Are there specific exercises you do with it, or do you just basically place it under your back and "roll with it" so to speak?

Thanks again for your help.


only thing id like to add is your rows are a little too heavy and jerky id do them a little lighter (maybe 15-20 lbs) at the same rep range and do it in a more controled fashion other then that keep up the good work !

You're absolutely right. Like I said, I never realized until yesterday how bad my form was. The weight is definitely coming down.

Thanks, man.


Thanks bro.

Im doing a westside style program that Ive been working on for a couple years now. Its bench only for me (Injuries Im still working on prevent me from doing deads very heavy) but I have run it for deads and squats. Id be happy to set you up when your ready. Send me a PM.

Thanks, man. I appreciate that.

[clorox_me]

I just tried to do that and (not surprisingly) it's much harder than it sounds. I'll work on it some more this evening.

I've heard of foam rollers before. Are there specific exercises you do with it, or do you just basically place it under your back and "roll with it" so to speak?

Thanks again for your help.


foam rollers are made for improving tissue quality, and can be used for breaking up scar tissue. For the back, you only want to roll on your upper and mid back, NOT your lower. Things like thoracic extensions over the foam roller are good.

check these out.

http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_repair/the_essential_8_mobility_drills


this is a good read. #3 is what i'm talking about.

http://stronglifts.com/how-to-improve-your-thoracic-mobility/


the thoracic stuff is not your only problem though. You could be tight in the hips/hams, etc.

[Reggie20x6]

Bench:
-On the 205 set you aren't really using any leg drive - your feet just kind of dangle toward the end, and you're pushing all that weight with just your upper body. You're really missing out on some extra power by not getting your lower body involved.

The first step toward correcting that is to get your feet under your knees, so you have a more stable base. If you look at how your feet line up on that 205 set, it looks like they're under your hamstrings (before you kick them out). Work on spreading your hips wide (you're going to have to squeeze your butt to keep them held apart) and that should make it a little easier for you to remember to get your feet under your knees.

-It looks like you're letting gravity take the bar down on your descent. This could be an upper back strength issue, or it could be that you don't even realize that you're just letting the weight come down on its own. I'm not advocating that you "fight" the weight on the way down, but there is a midpoint between the two extremes (fighting the weight, and letting it drop).

Your thought process for the descent should be to control the weight - you're the one who is pulling the bar down to your chest, and if you can't control the weight, then you might want to think about concentrating more on your back work (if your "pulling" muscles are considerably weaker than your "push," then you'll notice a huge increase in your bench if you focus on bringing up your back).

-This is a minor one, but it's another example of something your mind probably isn't thinking about: Look at your knuckles on that 205 - they're pointing behind you, when they should be pointing up to the ceiling. The way to correct that is to grab the bar really hard and don't stop holding it tightly until the set is done. If you keep letting your wrists "cave" like that, then your grip is eventually going to be a weak point in this movement for you.

Squat:
-The weight looks really heavy for you. When you unrack it, it looks like you're really struggling and using a lot of energy to get into place - your whole body doesn't look like it can handle that much weight yet (i.e. you can get down and back up, but your body is really overcompensating for the weak points in your lift).


And I'm in love with my foam roller - once you get one you'll never know how you got by without it.

[Joshua_B]

foam rollers are made for improving tissue quality, and can be used for breaking up scar tissue. For the back, you only want to roll on your upper and mid back, NOT your lower. Things like thoracic extensions over the foam roller are good.

check these out.

http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_repair/the_essential_8_mobility_drills


this is a good read. #3 is what i'm talking about.

http://stronglifts.com/how-to-improve-your-thoracic-mobility/


the thoracic stuff is not your only problem though. You could be tight in the hips/hams, etc.


Just glancing through those look like great links. You guys have given me so much to read, lol! Good stuff though. I actually did several of the ham/hip exercises today (my job thankfully allows me a few minutes here and there usually), and I'm gonna do some of the thoracic stuff later this evening. I never would have thought about mobility of the middle back, but considering my rather poor posture, this could definitely be an issue.

Again, thanks for the help, man.




Bench:
-On the 205 set you aren't really using any leg drive - your feet just kind of dangle toward the end, and you're pushing all that weight with just your upper body. You're really missing out on some extra power by not getting your lower body involved.

The first step toward correcting that is to get your feet under your knees, so you have a more stable base. If you look at how your feet line up on that 205 set, it looks like they're under your hamstrings (before you kick them out). Work on spreading your hips wide (you're going to have to squeeze your butt to keep them held apart) and that should make it a little easier for you to remember to get your feet under your knees.

-It looks like you're letting gravity take the bar down on your descent. This could be an upper back strength issue, or it could be that you don't even realize that you're just letting the weight come down on its own. I'm not advocating that you "fight" the weight on the way down, but there is a midpoint between the two extremes (fighting the weight, and letting it drop).

Your thought process for the descent should be to control the weight - you're the one who is pulling the bar down to your chest, and if you can't control the weight, then you might want to think about concentrating more on your back work (if your "pulling" muscles are considerably weaker than your "push," then you'll notice a huge increase in your bench if you focus on bringing up your back).

-This is a minor one, but it's another example of something your mind probably isn't thinking about: Look at your knuckles on that 205 - they're pointing behind you, when they should be pointing up to the ceiling. The way to correct that is to grab the bar really hard and don't stop holding it tightly until the set is done. If you keep letting your wrists "cave" like that, then your grip is eventually going to be a weak point in this movement for you.

Squat:
-The weight looks really heavy for you. When you unrack it, it looks like you're really struggling and using a lot of energy to get into place - your whole body doesn't look like it can handle that much weight yet (i.e. you can get down and back up, but your body is really overcompensating for the weak points in your lift).


And I'm in love with my foam roller - once you get one you'll never know how you got by without it.

Those are some really good insights, thanks! I can't believe I've been caught without my wrists being straight. This is something that I'm constantly preaching to myself on bench and military press. But I clearly did and completely didn't realize it. Thanks alot for pointing that out. That's something I'm really going to have to be more aware of.

As for kicking my feet out, that's actually a traction issue with the floor in my basement. I'm trying to push down into the floor and it seems like they always start sliding. I'm going to have to figure something out with that, because you're absolutely right, I lost all arch and stability that last rep.

You're right that I was pretty much letting gravity bring the weight down. I'll work on that. I don't know about my back being weak, but it could be. I do wide grip pull ups, Rows obviously and deadlifts but it does feel like my lats are pretty weak (comparatively speaking to the rest of me, of course), so that may be an issue. I'll try to focus more on controlling the descent though.


I think you're right on the squat but I don't know what to do. That was the most I've ever done and it took a couple fo resets and some bad form just to get up to those weights. I guess I don't really know how hard it should be, you know?

Actually that's a great question...How difficult should your heaviest set be? Because to be honest, yes 225 feels like it's too heavy for me. But at the same time if your weights don't go up you arne't progressing, so what's the point? I've reached 225 a couple of other times, and had to reset the weight and work my way back up to it because I could never complete a set of five. So now...I dunno. Do you do the set even if it feels like too much (Assuming you CAN do the set), or wait until it doesn't feel like too much?

I guess what's pushing me rihgt now with my squat is that it's so embarassing when your bench is almost the same as your squat. I've gotten 215 for 4 reps on bench (really good day), and yet I can't squat 225 without it feeling like I'm going to rupture something. Very frustrating.

My ranting aside, I think you're absolutely right, and I appreciate your suggestions.

[TrettinR]

your form is fine put some more weight on the bar, no should be posting squats with less than 300 lbs. on the back

Most here do speed squats with that

You suck. He posted his squat in here asking for help, and that's what he's getting and it will help him out greatly in his pursuits. Stop being a little bitch and putting people down so you feel better about yourself.

[TrettinR]

no he wants people like you to kiss his behind and praise him when what we should be doing is giving him a kick in the behind so he could get his lifts to respectability.

Amusing yet brilliantly stupid observation. He never asked for praise, admitted his numbers aren't stellar and has been taking criticism in a very positive manner.

You on the other hand are all butt hurt over being banned in the past, and creating a stupid thread and knowing you are about to get banned are putting everyone down to feel better about yourself. Congratulations. 27 years old too.... something I would expect from a 13 year old in the teen section. Actually most of them are more mature than you too.

I've always wondered what its like being so pathetic that I would feel the need to go onto an internet forum to put others down just to feel better about myself. So whats it like?

[SoaringSwine]

This thread should be stickied for the benefit of noobs. Not so much for the content (though the content is awesome), but just to demonstrate that if you have a good attitude people in this section will put a lot of effort in to help you.

[Joshua_B]

form didnt look too bad, at least u got good depth unlike all the ppl at my gym quarter squatting 135, so dont feel bad as far as strength goes, for as long as uve been lifting it seems like good progress. i didn't read the whole thread, but make sure u got the bar across ur shoulders/upper back, not on ur traps. this will help correct the other aspects of the lift ppl have been tlaking aobut. although maybe u do, cant really tell from the vid

be careful doing so though, as if ur neck/shoulders are not used the this stretch it could hurt them. warm them up and stretch em good b4 doing this.

btw, im no expert, just a guy thats been squatting for a while and noticed that this helped his lifts.

Thanks, I appreciate that. I actually do have the bar in the low position. I have to really, because my traps aren't big enough to support it without it sitting on my spine. Hurts like hell. It's pretty hard to tell from the angle of the videos though. Thanks for the advice.



This thread should be stickied for the benefit of noobs. Not so much for the content (though the content is awesome), but just to demonstrate that if you have a good attitude people in this section will put a lot of effort in to help you.

That is 100% true. Everybody has been IMMENSELY helpful. To be perfectly honest, I don't think I'd be getting this much reponse, with such helpful and welcoming attitudes if I'd posted this in the exercises/workout program sections. I think I'm probably going to be hanging around this section alot more.

Really guys. thank you. Everyone's been great.

As for the content of this thread...lol. If I can be the "what not to do" guy, and it helps someone else out, that's fine with me. As long as I don't STAY the "What not to do" guy.


Well everyone this evening I'll be doing light squats (heaviest set it 170#), military press, and deadlifts. I'm planning on recording these and posting them as well. Definitely want to check my form on the military and deadlift, but I really want to try to put into practice everything everyone's said on the squat too. We'll see how it goes.

Thanks again everyone.

[Reggie20x6]

Actually that's a great question...How difficult should your heaviest set be? Because to be honest, yes 225 feels like it's too heavy for me. But at the same time if your weights don't go up you arne't progressing, so what's the point? I've reached 225 a couple of other times, and had to reset the weight and work my way back up to it because I could never complete a set of five. So now...I dunno. Do you do the set even if it feels like too much (Assuming you CAN do the set), or wait until it doesn't feel like too much?

I guess what's pushing me rihgt now with my squat is that it's so embarassing when your bench is almost the same as your squat. I've gotten 215 for 4 reps on bench (really good day), and yet I can't squat 225 without it feeling like I'm going to rupture something. Very frustrating.

It kind of sounds like your body is lacking the foundation needed for the squat (posterior chain). You need to look at the squat (or any exercise, for that matter) as a team effort - When you get under 225 pounds, your quads can handle the weight, but your posterior chain (hams, glutes, etc) can't. So as you squat down, your posterior chain is only firing at 20% of its capacity and your quads are firing at about 80% to overcompensate. That's could be an explanation for why you can complete the up/down portion of the squat, but also why it looks like you're struggling to handle any part that isn't working in that plane of movement (keeping your chest up, going back in the descent phase instead of down, etc).

Rack Pulls are a great movement for teaching your posterior chain to fire (if that is the issue in your case), as you have to initiate the movement from your glutes/hams in order to pull your hips through to the finish. It also teaches you good habits, while handling heavy weights, as you have no other option but to keep your chest up and a natural arch to safely get the weight up (which other people have already suggested that you need to do).

Your squat, just like your bench and deadlift, will increase if you bring up your weak points (as opposed to squatting more, and ignoring the weak points). You could go two months without performing a back squat, but if you really concentrate on bringing up your weak points in that time, then I think you'll find that you can handle 225 with relative ease the next time you attempted it.

[Gaash]

Well, my bench IS bigger than my squat which is embarassing.. working on it though.


Just glancing through those look like great links. You guys have given me so much to read, lol! Good stuff though. I actually did several of the ham/hip exercises today (my job thankfully allows me a few minutes here and there usually), and I'm gonna do some of the thoracic stuff later this evening. I never would have thought about mobility of the middle back, but considering my rather poor posture, this could definitely be an issue.

Again, thanks for the help, man.





Those are some really good insights, thanks! I can't believe I've been caught without my wrists being straight. This is something that I'm constantly preaching to myself on bench and military press. But I clearly did and completely didn't realize it. Thanks alot for pointing that out. That's something I'm really going to have to be more aware of.

As for kicking my feet out, that's actually a traction issue with the floor in my basement. I'm trying to push down into the floor and it seems like they always start sliding. I'm going to have to figure something out with that, because you're absolutely right, I lost all arch and stability that last rep.

You're right that I was pretty much letting gravity bring the weight down. I'll work on that. I don't know about my back being weak, but it could be. I do wide grip pull ups, Rows obviously and deadlifts but it does feel like my lats are pretty weak (comparatively speaking to the rest of me, of course), so that may be an issue. I'll try to focus more on controlling the descent though.


I think you're right on the squat but I don't know what to do. That was the most I've ever done and it took a couple fo resets and some bad form just to get up to those weights. I guess I don't really know how hard it should be, you know?

Actually that's a great question...How difficult should your heaviest set be? Because to be honest, yes 225 feels like it's too heavy for me. But at the same time if your weights don't go up you arne't progressing, so what's the point? I've reached 225 a couple of other times, and had to reset the weight and work my way back up to it because I could never complete a set of five. So now...I dunno. Do you do the set even if it feels like too much (Assuming you CAN do the set), or wait until it doesn't feel like too much?

I guess what's pushing me rihgt now with my squat is that it's so embarassing when your bench is almost the same as your squat. I've gotten 215 for 4 reps on bench (really good day), and yet I can't squat 225 without it feeling like I'm going to rupture something. Very frustrating.

My ranting aside, I think you're absolutely right, and I appreciate your suggestions.

[Joshua_B]

It kind of sounds like your body is lacking the foundation needed for the squat (posterior chain). You need to look at the squat (or any exercise, for that matter) as a team effort - When you get under 225 pounds, your quads can handle the weight, but your posterior chain (hams, glutes, etc) can't. So as you squat down, your posterior chain is only firing at 20% of its capacity and your quads are firing at about 80% to overcompensate. That's could be an explanation for why you can complete the up/down portion of the squat, but also why it looks like you're struggling to handle any part that isn't working in that plane of movement (keeping your chest up, going back in the descent phase instead of down, etc).

Rack Pulls are a great movement for teaching your posterior chain to fire (if that is the issue in your case), as you have to initiate the movement from your glutes/hams in order to pull your hips through to the finish. It also teaches you good habits, while handling heavy weights, as you have no other option but to keep your chest up and a natural arch to safely get the weight up (which other people have already suggested that you need to do).

Your squat, just like your bench and deadlift, will increase if you bring up your weak points (as opposed to squatting more, and ignoring the weak points). You could go two months without performing a back squat, but if you really concentrate on bringing up your weak points in that time, then I think you'll find that you can handle 225 with relative ease the next time you attempted it.


You're right. I know you're right. Especially aftr my workout tonight. I struggled to maintain the arch and the sitting back movement on just 140, and I'm not sure I did to be honest. I still haven't watched the vids yet (takes forever to copy them over to the PC). I know for sure that I completly lost it on 170, and that after the 140 set my lower back felt completely shot. Not hurt pain just muscle burn pain, but it was bad.

I did get 325 for 5 on the deadlift, which is a PR for me, so I'm hoping my form is pretty good there so I don't have to drop that as well.

I'll get some vids up in a bit and we'll see.



Well, my bench IS bigger than my squat which is embarassing.. working on it though.

I hear ya bro. Well my squat just went WAY down, so now mine is too by quite a bit. Work on it is all we can do. Sucks man, but we'll get there.

[Joshua_B]

Okay, so here are the videos from tonight's workout. The first two are squats at 140 and 170 respectively. You can see how much I struggle with maintaining a tight arch and sitting back on the 140 set, and how I lost it pretty badly on the 170 set. I tried a second set at 170 and managed three decent reps but they weren't very good and I didn't want anymore imperfect reps.

This really depresses me a bit. I feel like I have to start over completely with squats. Which is true I suppose. Better now than later, I guess, just a tough pill to swallow.


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These next two are two sets of military press at 100 and 15 respectively. I feel like form is pretty decent here, but I don't really know. I did notice my wrists caving again. I really thought I was doing better than that. I've got to watch it.

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And finally two sets of Deadlifts at 285 and 325, the most I'ver ever done. I feel okay about these, but I can see that my back is more round that it should be. Let me know how bad this is.

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So let me have it. We're making progress here. It's brutal progress and I have a feeling it's going to be slow but phoenix from the ashes and all that.

Thanks again everyone.

[Mustrainhard]

Wow, dude, those DLs are really bad. You have to keep your back straight, or else risk serious injury. Who taught you such bad technique? I find it difficult to watch even, seriously.

[TrettinR]

Wow, dude, those DLs are really bad. You have to keep your back straight, or else risk serious injury. Who taught you such bad technique? I find it difficult to watch even, seriously.

Wow. This x2. Your setup looks bad then you just round your back even more. You REALLY need to make sure your lower back is straight and tight. The weight doesn't look heavy at all to you but I'd drop some weight and really work on your technique before you get hurt

[Mustrainhard]

I figure he has been working in his basement or whatever all by himself and just watching youtube videos.
OP: If you are serious about this, you need to get into a gym, even if for a short period and train with some powerlifters. Buy them lunch or something afterwards. You have good attitude and seem like a strong guy, so once you get your technique right, you will make good progress. On the other hand, if you continue to lift with such bad form, you will start accumulating injuries real quick past 30 and then give up on this magnificent sport. So, dont do that!

[BrotherWolf]

I am just repeating what others have said
Your squat form is not bad in fact it's actually pretty good , some of your issues will correct themselves as you get stronger and more flexible.. get lifting shoes, it will help

the row however, as it was already pointed out is not very good .. take off some weight and focus on keeping the back straight.. it's ok to start with a slight arch but you need to correct it as soon as you start pulling.

I like your rack .. pretty nice

PS
watching your deadlift made my back hurt for you.. same issue you have with the rows perhaps you have weak back muscles
again take off 30% of the weight get your ass a little lower and add an accessory exercise for the back such as hyper extensions and even weighted chinups . Your press setup is ok but you need to get your head forward and under the bar to get into the locked position.. like this
Zm1KxY8Me3Y&NR=1

[Joshua_B]

Wow, dude, those DLs are really bad. You have to keep your back straight, or else risk serious injury. Who taught you such bad technique? I find it difficult to watch even, seriously.


Wow. This x2. Your setup looks bad then you just round your back even more. You REALLY need to make sure your lower back is straight and tight. The weight doesn't look heavy at all to you but I'd drop some weight and really work on your technique before you get hurt


I figure he has been working in his basement or whatever all by himself and just watching youtube videos.
OP: If you are serious about this, you need to get into a gym, even if for a short period and train with some powerlifters. Buy them lunch or something afterwards. You have good attitude and seem like a strong guy, so once you get your technique right, you will make good progress. On the other hand, if you continue to lift with such bad form, you will start accumulating injuries real quick past 30 and then give up on this magnificent sport. So, dont do that!

Well, hell. Lol, there goes the one lift I thought I was pretty good at. That's okay, that's why I'm doing this. Yeah, you're right about doing this on my own. A gym is not an option for me right now, for various reasons. I really appreciate what you're saying (and that fact that you're kind enough to say it), and I'm not saying forever, but for right now, it's just not. So for now, I just have to work on it this way.

And I will fix it. I will do this. That's why I'm here.

So my back is too rounded. I figured that, I just didn't realize it was that bad. Hmmm....I guess I'm completely misunderstanding the lift. So what do I need to do here? Drop my ass and straighten my back, I understand. Then where does the power come from? I thought the bulk of your power was supposed to come from your middle/upper back, and then from pushing your hips forward? If your butts low and your back is straight aren't you levering against your lower back? Or is DL more leg dominant than I thought?



I am just repeating what others have said
Your squat form is not bad in fact it's actually pretty good , some of your issues will correct themselves as you get stronger and more flexible.. get lifting shoes, it will help

the row however, as it was already pointed out is not very good .. take off some weight and focus on keeping the back straight.. it's ok to start with a slight arch but you need to correct it as soon as you start pulling.

I like your rack .. pretty nice

PS
watching your deadlift made my back hurt for you.. same issue you have with the rows perhaps you have weak back muscles
again take off 30% of the weight get your ass a little lower and add an accessory exercise for the back such as hyper extensions and even weighted chinups . Your press setup is ok but you need to get your head forward and under the bar to get into the locked position.. like this
Zm1KxY8Me3Y&NR=1

Thanks man. I guess I must have a weak back, and maybe my inflexibility is adding to getting into the starting position on rows and deadlifts. All of my weights are definitely coming down. I do weighted back extensions and wide grip pull ups, though I'm strong enough to do those with weights yet. Are there any other back accesory exercises you think I need?

That was a great video, and I see what you're saying. I'll work on it.

By the way, I do really appreciate all of the help from everyone. I can't imagine what you guys must be thinking, but I am very thankful for you all taking the time.

[SoaringSwine]

You're sinking those squats too low for your flexability. Focus on keeping a tight arch as much as possible. You'll get to a point when you can't get any lower while keeping an arch, go up then. It looks like that should be about parallel for you anyway.

And the reason why you're so rounded while deadlifting is your setup. You never get tight. Here's kiknskreem's deadlift vid. I'm pretty sure he covers how to setup. Do that :)

8u899wRnwqs

[BrotherWolf]

Thanks man. I guess I must have a weak back, and maybe my inflexibility is adding to getting into the starting position on rows and deadlifts. All of my weights are definitely coming down. I do weighted back extensions and wide grip pull ups, though I'm strong enough to do those with weights yet. Are there any other back accesory exercises you think I need?


Good mornings are good but there is no need to add more exercise if you already are doing hypers and chins, concentrate on what you're doing now



Or is DL more leg dominant than I thought?

in the traditional DL the initial part of the lift is done by your legs, the back takes over
in a stiff legged DL.. well the legs are stiff so it's all back but still you can't round it .
here's another video for you... notice how he moves his butt down in preparation for the pull
Syt7A23YnpA




That was a great video, and I see what you're saying. I'll work on it.

By the way, I do really appreciate all of the help from everyone. I can't imagine what you guys must be thinking, but I am very thankful for you all taking the time.

Everyone here had to start somehow ;)
I suggest you look into Mark Rippetoe's BB training video
http://www.aasgaardco.com/

[Joshua_B]

You're sinking those squats too low for your flexability. Focus on keeping a tight arch as much as possible. You'll get to a point when you can't get any lower while keeping an arch, go up then. It looks like that should be about parallel for you anyway.

And the reason why you're so rounded while deadlifting is your setup. You never get tight. Here's kiknskreem's deadlift vid. I'm pretty sure he covers how to setup. Do that :)

8u899wRnwqs


That makes sense but it feels like I lose the arch above parallel. Maybe just don't have that sense of depth yet? I'll work on it. I've been doing doing ham and hip stretches/exercises several times a day since I started this thread and it already feels like they're loosening up a bit so I hope that will help.

great video, he really explains it well. WAtching his video back to back with my own I see how horribly my back is rounded. I'm still not clear on the initial movement and where the force is generated though. He says the hips, which I can see play a large role, but it still looks like a back movement to me. I mean, it looks like you're lifting with your back. I'll watch it a few more times and see if I can get the movement better.

Thanks for the help, man. I really appreciate it.


Good mornings are good but there is no need to add more exercise if you already are doing hypers and chins, concentrate on what you're doing now


in the traditional DL the initial part of the lift is done by your legs, the back takes over
in a stiff legged DL.. well the legs are stiff so it's all back but still you can't round it .
here's another video for you... notice how he moves his butt down in preparation for the pull
Syt7A23YnpA



Everyone here had to start somehow ;)
I suggest you look into Mark Rippetoe's BB training video
http://www.aasgaardco.com/

I think I'll stay away from good mornings until I gett better about keeping my back straight, lol. I obviously have a problem with that at this point.

That's a good video, I always enjoy Rippetoe's instructions. I'm still a bit unclear on the mechanics of it all but I'm getting it slowly I think.

I'll look into that DVD, I'm sure it's great.

Thanks again for your help, man.


Well here's my dilemma guys...I've been doing the 5x5 for four months now give or take, but give my current situation - finding out every single one of my lifts has to drop considerably and that I have injury producing form on most of them - I can't really continue it, or not as I was anyway. I really really hate to say it, because it means that basically nine months of work was for nothing, but I'm kind of thinking that I have to start over completely right now. Maybe go back to a Starting Strength type workout, I don't know. I really don't know where to go from here, and I'm completely open to suggestions.

[BrotherWolf]

Well here's my dilemma guys...I've been doing the 5x5 for four months now give or take, but give my current situation - finding out every single one of my lifts has to drop considerably and that I have injury producing form on most of them - I can't really continue it, or not as I was anyway. I really really hate to say it, because it means that basically nine months of work was for nothing, but I'm kind of thinking that I have to start over completely right now. Maybe go back to a Starting Strength type workout, I don't know. I really don't know where to go from here, and I'm completely open to suggestions.

The first thing you should do is get a pair of decent lifting shoes, your squat will improve for sure.
Your press is not bad you are strong and all you need to do is move your head forward
under the bar as far as I see it you only need to work on your deadlift ,lower the weight for a while and concentrate on keeping your back arched (not rounded) look up if you have to and stick your chest out , I can't see it from the video but maybe you are using a too narrow of a grip widen it a bit . The lift is very simple , Rippetoe's YT video is really all you need to get it right.
Doing starting strength is never a bad idea even if you have done it in the past, perfect to learn or relearn the lifts

[Joshua_B]

The first thing you should do is get a pair of decent lifting shoes, your squat will improve for sure.
Your press is not bad you are strong and all you need to do is move your head forward
under the bar as far as I see it you only need to work on your deadlift ,lower the weight for a while and concentrate on keeping your back arched (not rounded) look up if you have to and stick your chest out , I can't see it from the video but maybe you are using a too narrow of a grip widen it a bit . The lift is very simple , Rippetoe's YT video is really all you need to get it right.
Doing starting strength is never a bad idea even if you have done it in the past, perfect to learn or relearn the lifts

Well my squat and my deadlift both have to come down quite a bit. Not sure how much on the deadlift, but I know that I can't maintain perfect form with more that probably
150-160 on the squat. I would imagine the deadlift is going to be similar. I really have trouble maintaining that arched back. I'll also have to bring down my bench press and row, though probably not as much, to really get my form in check. The military presses...well, I haven't been doing them long so I haven't had as much time to develop bad habits. I think I can probably leave those the same and just tweak here and there.

What I really hope is that I can bring my weak points up quickly and rise back up to the numbers I've been doing within a few months. I don't know that this is possible, but I think I can do it. I just have to be diligent about recording myself and making sure I'm not cheating. Gotta keep the form PERFECT thsi time around.

Yeah, the more I think about it, the more I think it's time to just go back to basics, really work on the form hard, add weight as I can - with perfect form - and try to bring myself up to respectable weights.

Oh, and get a good pair of weightlifting shoes! I will do this sir, just as soon as I have some free cash.

Thanks to everyone who helped in this thread. I really wish I had done this sooner and maybe caught some of these bad habits before they were so pronounced, but that's okay. You guys have really helped me and now I just gotta help myself, and get it perfect this time. Thanks eveyrone!

[Reggie20x6]

Watch the Dave Tate video in this thread (second post):
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=117732541

It's a great video for benching, but you can carry the general theme into any exercise you perform:
Always keep your entire body tight.

One suggestion I would give to you for re-learning form, would be to do just 1-2 working sets of every exercise - but perform those sets with the strictest and tightest form possible, until you can recreate that feeling over multiple sets. Bracing your entire body is going to be a lot of work, and your body is naturally going to want to revert back to the easier (looser) style of lifting that you're used to.

Anyone can lift weights while going through the motions, but the real success stories come from the people who try to do things the right way. Lifting is just like anything else in life - the more you put into it, the more you'll get out of it.

[Joshua_B]

Watch the Dave Tate video in this thread (second post):
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=117732541

It's a great video for benching, but you can carry the general theme into any exercise you perform:
Always keep your entire body tight.

One suggestion I would give to you for re-learning form, would be to do just 1-2 working sets of every exercise - but perform those sets with the strictest and tightest form possible, until you can recreate that feeling over multiple sets. Bracing your entire body is going to be a lot of work, and your body is naturally going to want to revert back to the easier (looser) style of lifting that you're used to.

Anyone can lift weights while going through the motions, but the real success stories come from the people who try to do things the right way. Lifting is just like anything else in life - the more you put into it, the more you'll get out of it.

Great video, thanks! I'm really going to have to make notes before I go into the gym this afternoon. There's so much to remember.

That was a great post, man, and I totally agree. Like I said, I really wish I would have done this sooner and realized how badly I was cheating myself. I really think you have a good idea with just one or two working sets. When I tried to do squats the other day with perfect form, it was immensely harder. Much harder than I wouldve guessed. And I've been sore everywhere but my quads for the last two days. Never felt it so much in my hips/glutes/lower back.

I know this is going to be tough, trying to break bad habits that have been there awhile, but I will do it. Just have to be super diligent. I'll get it.

Thanks for all your help. I really appreciate it.

[Joshua_B]

Well, I didn't do a formal workout yesterday so much as just spend time trying to find weight I could keep form good on with each lift. It was tough, and eye-opening just how far I had to drop the weight. You can watch the vids and see for yourself.

I actually made notes about each lift from everything everyones told me and tried really hard to follow it all. It's alot to take in so if I missed something don't think I'm not listening. Just alot to work on.

I'm having REAL trouble maintaining a straight back when doing Rows and Deadlifts. IT doesn't matter what the weight is, it's just really hard for me to keep my back straight in those positions. I really have to focus on it and strain to even keep it close. Hopefully the flexibility work will help there. I'm also having trouble knowing when to breathe on all the lifts. I still want to breathe out on the concentric and in on the eccentric. I'm really having to focus on it alot. It also feels like I lost a ton of tightness every time I take a breath. Not sure how to maintain it and breathe at the same time, lol.

Anyway, I hope these videos show improvement. I know they're far from perfect but I'm working on it.

oh, and yes, I do realize I only did four reps on the Bench Press set. I most definitely could have done another but I was really trying to only go for perfect reps. Didn't always succeed, I know, but I was really trying.

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[BrotherWolf]

Great improvement.. your squat is good just need to get a couple of inches lower
and keep from leaning forward you tend to do that a bit , the oly shoes will correct that.
Your row is good , there is no rounding good job the only small issue I see is the back could be a little more parallel to the floor so bend you knees a little less.

the deadlift.. you are rounding badly on the first few reps but you try to correct it in the last 2 , there is still some rounding but significantly less.. the starting position is similar to the row but you're not rounding during the row .. why? because of the weight difference !

I think you can take off more weight and try again don't be afraid to deadlift with only the bar or just 135lbs until you stop rounding.
Look up more, really really accentuate that and drop your ass a few inches

Do you do warmup sets?? if not start doing them for every lift 4-5 sets 5 reps
with moderate weight .
It serves 2 purposes : warming up and correcting the form prior to the workset, if that gets you so tired that it interferes with your working sets , reduce the sets or reps .
You're doing well so far

PS
the breathing should be very natural, breathe in before you initiate the pull or press and exhale (or big grunt..LOL ) at the top or 3/4 of the way there .
Rippetoe's uses the analogy of pushing a car that's run out of gas.. you take a big breath, tighten up and push.. that's pretty much it

[Joshua_B]

Great improvement.. your squat is good just need to get a couple of inches lower
and keep from leaning forward you tend to do that a bit , the oly shoes will correct that.
Your row is good , there is no rounding good job the only small issue I see is the back could be a little more parallel to the floor so bend you knees a little less.

the deadlift.. you are rounding badly on the first few reps but you try to correct it in the last 2 , there is still some rounding but significantly less.. the starting position is similar to the row but you're not rounding during the row .. why? because of the weight difference !

I think you can take off more weight and try again don't be afraid to deadlift with only the bar or just 135lbs until you stop rounding.
Look up more, really really accentuate that and drop your ass a few inches

Do you do warmup sets?? if not start doing them for every lift 4-5 sets 5 reps
with moderate weight .
It serves 2 purposes : warming up and correcting the form prior to the workset, if that gets you so tired that it interferes with your working sets , reduce the sets or reps .
You're doing well so far

PS
the breathing should be very natural, breathe in before you initiate the pull or press and exhale (or big grunt..LOL ) at the top or 3/4 of the way there .
Rippetoe's uses the analogy of pushing a car that's run out of gas.. you take a big breath, tighten up and push.. that's pretty much it

Yeah, I know I need to be lower in the squat. I'm having trouble getting to parallel while maintaining the arch. That's flexibility I guess. I'm working on it. I'll try to keep from leaning forward. I think I'm doing that to compensate for the the sitting back movement whcih feels awkward to me at this point.

I'll raise up a bit on the row.

Maybe it is just that there's more weight on the bar but the whole deadlift movement feels very weird too me (now that I'm trying to do it correctly, lol). But I didn't notice it being significantly harder to keep my back straight on the 245 set than I did on the prior set whcih was 185. Seems like they were both hard as hell. I did do deadlifts last so my legs/hips/lowerback all felt pretty wrecked by then. That maybe have had something to do with it.

I had been doing the 5x5 so yeah, I pretty much had three warm up sets per lift and only really worked hard on the last couple. Yesterday I did several sets of all the lifts, just trying to find weights that I could maintain form with, so I was continually ramping the weight up from nothing.

I see what you're saying about the breathing and that's pretty much how I did it, but it seems like when I would take in a breath in between reps I lose all tightness. This really only felt weird on the squat and bench press, I guess because I'm trying to maintain such a pronounced arch on both of those.

Thanks for your help, man.

[BrotherWolf]

I see what you're saying about the breathing and that's pretty much how I did it, but it seems like when I would take in a breath in between reps I lose all tightness. This really only felt weird on the squat and bench press, I guess because I'm trying to maintain such a pronounced arch on both of those.

Thanks for your help, man.

No man that's exactly the purpose of breathing like that so that you can reset the "tightness" so to speak so to avoid losing it .. however you can hold the breath longer if you can as long that you can maintain tightness and don't pass out ;)

[Joshua_B]

No man that's exactly the purpose of breathing like that so that you can reset the "tightness" so to speak so to avoid losing it .. however you can hold the breath longer if you can as long that you can maintain tightness and don't pass out ;)

Aha. Gotcha.

[Norse1308]

Still leaning forward on the squat a little.

The more you push your knees out on the squat, the easier it is for you to sit back and keep from falling forward. Hope this helps.

[19george]

Still a bit of a butt wink on the bottom part of the squat. So yeah, you'll need to stretch more.

On deads, your back is rounded in the starting position. Work on your set up more. Also it doesn't look like you are using a lot of leg drive. This might be a strength issue.

[Joshua_B]

Still leaning forward on the squat a little.

The more you push your knees out on the squat, the easier it is for you to sit back and keep from falling forward. Hope this helps.

Thanks, I'll try that.


Still a bit of a butt wink on the bottom part of the squat. So yeah, you'll need to stretch more.

On deads, your back is rounded in the starting position. Work on your set up more. Also it doesn't look like you are using a lot of leg drive. This might be a strength issue.

I know what you're sying about the squat. I evidently have very bad flexibility. I'm working on it constantly right now.

I think the flexibility is an issue with the DL too, because I'm having real trouble just getting into position correctly. Yeah, you're right about the leg drive. I think I'm still trying to use my back out of habit. Getting better, but a long way to go, ya know?

Thanks for the help.

[iwantmyownzipco]

On your squats, try using a 2x4 under you heels. It looks like you're leaning too far forward, putting undue strain on your back. Try to look at the ceiling as your coming up and drive the bar up from your hips. You also need to invest in a good belt. If you plan on continuing to lift you NEED a belt. This may actually help you with your form as well.

When your perform your Bench Press, try to keep your elbows up. It looks like you're bringing them down by your sides which incorporates more of the Triceps into the lift than Pecs. Your grip should be about a shoulder-width apart. Looks good though.

Bent Over Rows are difficult to master. Form is crucial to proper muscle development here. Feet should be no more than shoulder-width apart. Your knees are in the right position. Your lower back should be straight. Imagine a tabletop. You should be bent over at about a 60 degree angle from the hips. Shoulders back. Head up. When you lift the bar, it should touch you body about 3 inches above your navel or about 2 inches below the end of your sternum. Remember: perform the lift in slow motion for about 2 weeks in order to get the muscles to get the feel of the proper form of the exercise, THEN you can work on adding weight. I would much rather see someone lifting 50 lbs with great form than throw 250 around like an idiot and severely injure themselves. You are smart to want to keep your form in check. Keep up the good work and let me know if this helps at all.

[Joshua_B]

On your squats, try using a 2x4 under you heels. It looks like you're leaning too far forward, putting undue strain on your back. Try to look at the ceiling as your coming up and drive the bar up from your hips. You also need to invest in a good belt. If you plan on continuing to lift you NEED a belt. This may actually help you with your form as well.

When your perform your Bench Press, try to keep your elbows up. It looks like you're bringing them down by your sides which incorporates more of the Triceps into the lift than Pecs. Your grip should be about a shoulder-width apart. Looks good though.

Bent Over Rows are difficult to master. Form is crucial to proper muscle development here. Feet should be no more than shoulder-width apart. Your knees are in the right position. Your lower back should be straight. Imagine a tabletop. You should be bent over at about a 60 degree angle from the hips. Shoulders back. Head up. When you lift the bar, it should touch you body about 3 inches above your navel or about 2 inches below the end of your sternum. Remember: perform the lift in slow motion for about 2 weeks in order to get the muscles to get the feel of the proper form of the exercise, THEN you can work on adding weight. I would much rather see someone lifting 50 lbs with great form than throw 250 around like an idiot and severely injure themselves. You are smart to want to keep your form in check. Keep up the good work and let me know if this helps at all.



Thanks man, definitely helpful. I've made some progress since I made this thread. You can see some updated videos here in my log:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=117841761&page=2

Thanks for your advice, I appreciate it!

[m189]

don't flare your elbows. youll feel a significant difference. its the proper wayy of doing them.

[Joshua_B]

don't flare your elbows. youll feel a significant difference. its the proper wayy of doing them.

Didn't realize I was. Thanks for the tip.