How to keep your back straight when doing squats?

Ive been trying to keep my back straight when im going squats ive tried without the bar but i just cant keep my back straight it bends a little i am not on my toes i am on my heels. When i try to keep my back straight when i go down i fall backwards try to keep it as straight as i can when i don't fall back I know that my back bent a little because i can feel it bending. Is there something i can do to keep it straight, or is it ok for my back to bend a little bit? Im new to all of this and any help would be appreciated

Thanks

Lower the weight until you can perfrom the movement properly.

/thread

scoot your butt out like your going to sit on a chair and keep your chest up during the movement.

[QUOTE=KevinConflict;186212161]scoot your[b] butt out[/b] like your going to sit on a chair and keep your chest up during the movement.[/QUOTE]

That would cause him to scissor as I like to call it... you want an almost sitting "in between your legs" type of movement

Look up. Not straight up but like a 45 degree angle. This will create an arch in your lower back.

[QUOTE=eagle54;186217821]Look up. Not straight up but like a 45 degree angle. This will create an arch in your lower back.[/QUOTE]

not even close.

everyone needs starting strength. not to do Rippetoe - but to learn the lifts.

Ok, I find it easier to have flat feet and push off with your heels, but keeping your feet flat. The important part of course is not pushing off with your toes. But if you are leaning to much back to use your heels, that might be throwing you off...

Also, when you come down, the bar should be over the mid-section of your feet... the bar should basically travel in straight line up and down.
Force your chest out and stick your ass out like a cat in heat... maybe not quite that much, but you get the idea... :)

And as others have said, you might want to lower the weight, good form is important.

OP - if you are falling backwards it means your back is too upright. when they say that you have to have a straight back while doing squats it doesn't mean that it has to be at a 90 degree angle to the floor.

look at his form for the squat -
[url]http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?MainMuscle=Quadriceps[/url]

at the bottom of the squat his back is angled at more or less a 45 degree angle to the floor.

as the others have said - stick your ass out and you'll get there

At the start of this deadlift instructional video there is a simple drill that can be used to teach and reinforce the proper position of back extension for the squat and deadlift.

[url]http://youtube.com/watch?v=CfgqfmjZBC0[/url]

[QUOTE=themills;186211941]Lower the weight until you can perfrom the movement properly.

/thread[/QUOTE]

normally it is a form issue (or strength imbalance), but some people just lean over naturally.

OP, if you are some of those people, keeping your upper back tighter and trying a somewhat wider stance with toes pointed more forward (not necessarily completely forward) as well as hammering ab work will help but you might just lean over no matter what you do.

i lean forward quite alot when i squat with out wieght but with weight my back is a little more striaght but not much. i lean forward for two reasons having tight legs muscles(manily quads) and having to much fat and a weak core.

you could try streching more but something that i found that helped me was to squat whilst holding a pole or something so you get used to the technique.

I'll post this.

[IMG]http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b333/zaoxbreakdown/img033.jpg[/IMG]

butt back and sit..chin up (find a place high on the wall to stare at)

[QUOTE=KC101;186353121]chin up (find a place high on the wall to stare at)[/QUOTE]

How about..... no.