Do I flex the lower part of my back (right above the tailbone) as if I'm trying to bring it up to the ceiling? I've read around but I still can't understand what I'm supposed to do...
Do I flex the lower part of my back (right above the tailbone) as if I'm trying to bring it up to the ceiling? I've read around but I still can't understand what I'm supposed to do...
[QUOTE=xxxplosive;1038604833]Do I flex the lower part of my back (right above the tailbone) as if I'm trying to bring it up to the ceiling? I've read around but I still can't understand what I'm supposed to do...[/QUOTE]I'm not even sure what you're trying to ask!
Your spine should be neutral. Like Fig.1 in this picture (Fig.2 is incorrect).
[img]http://saptstrength.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/squat-fig-12.jpg[/img]
Great picture, but I think the torso should be a bit more upright.
OP, I'd say what you're describing sounds accurate. I was once told (for Oly stuff) that you want to try to make your ******* point at the wall behind you. If you get into a squat position - without the bar - and really activate the outside of your hips, you will get a good feeling for what the bottom of your squat should feel like. It's when you stop activating the outsides of your ass that you get the butt tuck. (Well, and if you're just insanely inflexible, that could cause some issues too... so don't be!)
[QUOTE=xxxplosive;1038604833]Do I flex the lower part of my back (right above the tailbone) as if I'm trying to bring it up to the ceiling? I've read around but I still can't understand what I'm supposed to do...[/QUOTE]
I'd do some visual research on YouTube. There's really only one way to arch. The other way would be rounded.
Pull your shoulder blades together and try and touch them to your ass
Some coaching cues I use that work well:
-Shoulder blades tight and dug into your lats
-Abs braced as hard as possible
- Head and neck driven BACK into the bar
-Drive your knees out hard
Doing these things will usually keep your lower back in a good position.
More crude coaching cue:
-Try to touch the back of your head to your ass.
[QUOTE=HamburgerTrain;1038878533]
-Drive your knees out hard
[/QUOTE]
Should this be a.) only on the descent portion of the lift, b.) the ascent portion, or c.) both?
Also I have heard to keep the weight on the heels of your feet. Should this be interpreted as if you curled your toes towards the ceiling as you drive up thus keeping all of the pressure on your heels? I always feel like I would start to fall forward if I really tried to keep the weight on my heels at all times, am I interpreting this advice wrong or do I just have a form problem (maybe hips shooting up first and back rounding on lower reps so I transfer the weight forward to correct this wehn I start to come up?)
Knees out all the time.
Weight on heels and outsides of your feet. Weight on your toes over stresses your knees and will more often than not cause a stutter step or dumping the bar