Please Critique My Squat Form - Video

[SoSadBtTrue]

Hi All,

I have a tendency to hurt my lower back every couple of months, and it's usually from squatting or deadlifting. Can you please check out this video and let me know how I can improve my form so as not to hurt my back anymore? I'll upload a deadlift video when I deadlift again.

Thanks in advance!


This is me squatting 0, 45, 135, and 195 pounds.

[jammyo40]

They look alright to me.

[adsteve]

Looked alright to me, maybe try to keep your line of sight parallel, looked like you were looking down. Looked like you got low enough, kept your upper body in the same position and didn't arch your back.

[Farley1324]

I only watched the 195. They look pretty good. Add some weight and keep going!


Minor point: Sit back a tiny bit more and make sure you keep your weight over your midfoot/heel.

Looking down is fine. Keep going it.

[LTalbot04]

Do you feel that you push more from your toes or from your heels?

[SoSadBtTrue]

Do you feel that you push more from your toes or from your heels?

Thanks for the input guys. I try to look down because that's what it says to do in Starting Strength. Regarding toes or heels...I try to stay on my heels, but occasionally I'll feel myself swaying forward a bit. I also think I have a tendency to straighten my legs first and then good-morning the weight up.

I never realized it, but I noticed from this video that my knees tend to go out way past my toes. Is this something I should work on, or is that just the way my body is made (long legs, short torso, etc.).

Thanks again!

[GymMeathead]

Pretty good form. I would make sure your always pushing from your heels. And as for your knees passing your toes, try box squats, they should help you.

Keep up the good work.

[DrastiiK]

Looks like your knees give out and you just let the weight down too quick. Use your hips more first on the way down from the top position. As if you were trying to push your butt back to sit on something.

[SoSadBtTrue]

Thanks for everyone who commented so far. I appreciate the feedback. As promised, here is a video of me deadlifting (135, 185, and 265 pounds). Again, the reason I'm posting is I tend to hurt my back every once in awhile, so let me know what you think of my form. You can see when I'm setting up for the 185, I'm really thinking about trying to keep a straight back, but I end up rounding again anyway...

[BereTTa]

Thanks for everyone who commented so far. I appreciate the feedback. As promised, here is a video of me deadlifting (135, 185, and 265 pounds). Again, the reason I'm posting is I tend to hurt my back every once in awhile, so let me know what you think of my form. You can see when I'm setting up for the 185, I'm really thinking about trying to keep a straight back, but I end up rounding again anyway...

To me it looks like your legs are straightening out to fast in the lift causing the other half of the lift to put all the strain on your back. Your back and legs should lock out at the same point, the top of the lift.

[PeterGibbons316]

I can't see anything that screams lower back injury. Sit back more on your squats, and let your deadlift come to a dead stop between all reps - slow them down a bit.

Increase the weight and report back when you are starting to struggle.

[Nebenif]

what bertta said is correct haha during your deadlift your knees lockout a lot sooner than your back does, if you look at it you'll see how much work your back is doing to get the remainder of the lift up. its like your doing two seperate movements?
kinda just a co-ordination thing, just practice at it at a lower weight and it'll be fine.

[Carjack]

Your squat doesn't look alright to me.

First of all: You're sloppy in how you rack and unrack the weight. Get under it in a nice squat to get it on and off the pins, no split stance and no bending forward and pulling it.
This is how you set up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtPN-ftmxG8

Second: Are you trying to do a low bar or a high bar (Olympic) squat?
Rippetoe doesn't advocate looking straight down as far as I know. He advocates neutral head position for the squat where the bar is low, over your rear delts, and you're squatting by sticking your butt way back and folding. The shins have to stay more or less vertical.

I did the low bar squat for a year except I looked forward and kept my head up (because I like having a healthy spine). Now I've switched to a high bar Olympic style squat where the bar is high on my traps and my knees go forward. I squat so my butt is right behind and between my heels and my body stays erect. Knees track in line with toes but they go past them.

Here's an illustration of the Olympic squat from a Tommy Kono article:


Real Olympic squats have the bar on top of your upper traps. You retract your shoulder blades and use the trapezius like a pad, and this helps you stay more erect in the squat.

Your squat is a mix of the two styles.
The bar seems to be low but you're shoving knees forward. You're not as erect as a typical Olympic squat and not as folded as a typical powerlifting squat.
By looking down in this squat, you compromise your spine. There's a slack that will allow it to bend at the worst moment and injure you.

especially in the high bar squat, you need to keep your head up like in figure A.

The high bar squat is excellent for preserving your back and building up the quads and glutes. The low bar is more of an ass and back lift. But whichever you choose, you have to do it right and not confuse the two styles.

High bar vs low bar comparison vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRMiUtscrHw


On to the deadlift:

Like the guys above said, you lock your knees and then stiff leg it up. Fix that.
You need to hip hinge way back, pull the bar to your knees and then thrust your hips like you're making love to it.
Your body should act as a counterbalance. Bar is close to shins, body weight is back, you lock out with the bar on your thighs and chest out.

For demonstration of proper technique, there's one deadlift video to end all deadlift videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nRRlk6264I
I've used this video's technique from day 1 and never had a problem.

Hold the bottom position of an RDL (Romanian deadlift) for hip flexibility if it's an issue.

[fightingfalcn91]

Deadlifts look good! Kept the bar close to your leg throughout. Ya have a good lockout as well. Thumbs up.

[fslima0]

Deadlift doesn't look alright to me. Bring your chest out more. you appear to be rounding your upper back

[Thewix]

It looks like you are starting off with a rounded back from your heavier dead lifts and carrying this on throughout the movement.

[PeterGibbons316]

Nothing wrong with rounding your upper back on heavy deads.

[SoSadBtTrue]

Nothing wrong with rounding your upper back on heavy deads.

That's one of my main questions...I have a tough time keeping my back straight just reaching down to pick the weight off the ground. I assume this is bad hamstring flexibility causing that. Is it okay to have a rounded upper back?

Thanks again for all the comments.

[Thewix]

Nothing wrong with rounding your upper back on heavy deads.

Really, rounded back all the way up not a problem?