The Fundamentals of the Back Squat

[ImStylinOnYaBro]

Can I get some advice on how to fix shoulder blade pain while squatting? I recently got my squat rack and after the first session doing high bar, the bone going across my bar, sort of oposite my collar bone was sore as hell the next day , so i started doing low-bar. I can do the movement fine, its just when i go to grab the bar, get it placed on my back, and do the reps, my right shoulder blade has a sharp pinching pain. i did a few shoulder breaker warm ups and that did no help. I'm kind of at a loss here on what to do because after 1 or 2 sets, the pain is so sharp in the shoulder blade its hard to even finish the last few sets.

[Richardwu23]

Nice write up vox

[Farley1324]

squat

Strong spammer

[tjayphilly]

No matter what I try I cannot get a ATG or parallel squat to save my life! Can anybody help? I feel like if I maintain a flat back I fall backwards and when I dont I compensate by leaning forward too much and in both situations I cannot break or reach parallel my hips feel locked and painful past a certain point.

[Darrenf1]

No matter what I try I cannot get a ATG or parallel squat to save my life! Can anybody help? I feel like if I maintain a flat back I fall backwards and when I dont I compensate by leaning forward too much and in both situations I cannot break or reach parallel my hips feel locked and painful past a certain point.

Try front squats for a while, you'll strengthen your core and help you to squat more "upright".

And well... If you lean to far forward front squatting your gonna end up dumping the weight.

[schoobs]

Try front squats for a while, you'll strengthen your core and help you to squat more "upright".

And well... If you lean to far forward front squatting your gonna end up dumping the weight.

Will this help with knee issues as well? I just started working out, but when i do the 45deg. leg press or smith machine squats my knees feel extremely weak.

[Farley1324]

Will this help with knee issues as well? I just started working out, but when i do the 45deg. leg press or smith machine squats my knees feel extremely weak.

Solution: Squat (with proper form)

Get out of the smith machine. If a leg press hurts your knees just don't do it...it's a leg press, you'll be fine without it

[schoobs]

Solution: Squat (with proper form)

Get out of the smith machine. If a leg press hurts your knees just don't do it...it's a leg press, you'll be fine without it

Im overseas right now, gym here doesn't have a squat rack or anything like that so smith is pretty much the only tool i have available. damn, thanks though

[flexnhard]

good read

[EvertonFC2010]

awesome information! repped

[noxx04]

which one is better...front squat or back sqaut?

[ss4vegeta1]

I am confused about a few things.

1. The setup of a squat with respect to hip drive. I hear two things. Either the way Mark Rippetoe explains it in the last video or the way others explain it using the hip flexors and zero gravity technique. Also In the Youtube video you think you can squat video the instructor has the guy lean very far forward, putting the spine in a weird position. Is that really good or way the spine is suppose to look. Idk...

2. Glute Activation, now... I can feel all my muscles contract and learning my glutes was hard. I found out by putting on construction boots, digging my feet into the ground and pushing my legs outward. But...that caused me to tweak an area between my tibia and knee. The "cue" was a double edged sword. So..? But squatting wide seems to help a little.

3.Bracing, not sure why some powerlifters who squat beltless do so pushing their stomach out. Shouldnt they contract the abs in to balance out the lower back arch and prevent hyperlordosis?


Edit: I think all in all though, like Bret Contreras mentions we are all born different with different morphologies and bone structures and such. There isnt one way to squat. The most critical thing is safety of course and I believe muscle tension.

Also

[nikomlehtonen]

It's hard work guys! The Title tells all.
What kind of routine should use for legs after surgery and how bounce back quickley?
two months now and i can do squats. Will the win is the key! How i feel after my injury and how i bounced back! Read all about the injury and the training after surgery from here:

Follow my blog and journey in Wordpress: nixduchamp from ashes to glory. This is important for all of yall how have problems with the knees.

Instagram: Nixduchamp

I'm sorry that i cant yet attache the link, but you should find it from wordpress/nixduchamp/fromashestoglory.

Very informative!

-Nixduchamp

[roylee13]

Awesome info and form's always #1

[MI40xProgram]

In this program has great workout tips see it in my signature

[SkinnyTina]

Anyone have any tips for butt wink? I think my form is pretty good but I always struggle with this, especially on the higher weights.

Tina

[RedNightWing]

Try front squats for a while, you'll strengthen your core and help you to squat more "upright".

And well... If you lean to far forward front squatting your gonna end up dumping the weight.

I can say front squats at first almost made me throw up doing 10 sets but it did give me some insane strength

[necomanis]

Nice post!

[xDavex88]

No matter what I try I cannot get a ATG or parallel squat to save my life! Can anybody help? I feel like if I maintain a flat back I fall backwards and when I dont I compensate by leaning forward too much and in both situations I cannot break or reach parallel my hips feel locked and painful past a certain point.

I'm having close to the same problem. I've been lifting for about 8 months. When i started i couldn't do a squat to save my life. I've lost a significant amount of weight (65lbs) which helps. I can do several reps on the leg press with 12 plates, but still struggle squatting. I can do 135 front squats with good form and stay balanced, but even with 95lbs when i drop the hips i get unbalanced and i lean forward to compensate. Even when the few times i can hold an upright back i have very little power to drive back up. For example, Friday i did some sumos, and front squats, and then tried back squats with 95lbs. Did a few while still leaning forwards to far, then stood a little straighter and couldnt come back up. I picked the bar off my shoulders and brought it in front of me and stood right up with it no problem. I'm at a loss at this point.

[curtisfisher1]

Nice dude....should be sticky.
Repped.

What's sticky

[Wilzoh]

cool!

[dlw2107]

Fantastic information in this thread. I have been struggling to keep good form since I started squatting. Even at only 90 I already realized I was heading down a bad path. So today after once again leaving the gym frustrated with my squat I came on here looking for help. This is EXACTLY the thread that I was looking for and prayed I would find. Thank you SO much for taking the time to write this.

[MuadDib80]

Very nice. Thanks

[cjmcfarland317]

Will this help with knee issues as well? I just started working out, but when i do the 45deg. leg press or smith machine squats my knees feel extremely weak.

Ok, so here's something you might need to start looking out for. Are your knees going past your toes when you squat? If so, this can put a lot of stress on the patellar and quad tendon causing the patella to feel strained and cause this knee pain. So if your knees are passing your toes when squatting on the smith machine then when you start, your foot position has to be about a foot in front of the bar so that your body is slanting to the bar (this will ensure when you squat down your in perfect form). Let me know how this adjustment feels after the next workout.

[cjmcfarland317]

No matter what I try I cannot get a ATG or parallel squat to save my life! Can anybody help? I feel like if I maintain a flat back I fall backwards and when I dont I compensate by leaning forward too much and in both situations I cannot break or reach parallel my hips feel locked and painful past a certain point.

Ok, so lets drop everything and go back to the basics. The next time your going to workout stand about a foot away from a flat wall. Push your butt all the way back until it is touching the wall(focus on bending at the hips(the hip hinge) at this point your knees should hardly be bent) from there gradually drop your butt down so it slides on the wall. Do this for a couple of sets then move into goblet squats. This will help with muscle memory and ensure good form when you progress into the goblet squats. Let me know if you have any question.

[YoanaOrton]

A topic which deserves a share in every social media.
Good job!

[pharmacysell]

Really so nice post! I'll try to convey your message as much as possible.

[MisterNovember]

Yeah, props for a great read!

[kmiller9959]

When I squat I have a tendency to compress my right side down and lean a little to the right on the way up. I saw a strengthcamp video where another person did the exact same thing and it was shown to be a hip flexor issue. The coach performed some stretches on the guy and helped out his form a lot. Unfortunately I don't have anyone to perform these stretches on me so I don't really know what to do to help this situation.

I'm at an intermediate level and I've been lifting for a little bit now, but whenever I go heavy my right side compresses. It's extremely frustrating and in my weaker moments has me wanting to just give up because I cannot for the life of me find a fix. The only thing I do is de-load to a weight where I don't have this issue and sure enough every time I add it pops up again.

If anyone has any advice, has overcome this problem personally, etc I would love to hear from you. Thanks

[L00pinator]

So what we basically have to do is push the ass backwards and then drop the knees down simultaneously?
And the knees shouldn't go past your toes?