Form Check: Squat 150 lbs (beginner)

[slimchopra]

I've been having some knee pain so I wanted to get feedback on my squat. I'm new to filming these so I understand if the video isn't the best. I'm open to any advise about filming it better.

Also, given I've been experiencing pain, I'm going to stop squatting, do some PT exercises to strengthen my leg muscles, and then see if the knee pain gets better.

https://youtu.be/S5Qk_IGb_UI

[xtatdsm]

The angle of the camera is not helping, try positioning the camera on a bench that is about knee high and from the side, this way you will get to see the bar path better and assess your depth.
As for knee pain, it could be triggered by a lot of things, laying off for a couple of days is not a bad idea. If you squat with good form and started to have knee pain (again not sure what kind of pain you are dealing with) it could be recovering issue and a deload/reset may be all that you need. Also if you are not allowing your body to recover properly between leg days (Volume and/or frequency) you may also benefit from lowering your total leg weekly volume.

Good luck

[WakingOp]

Yeah that's ugly. It's hard to tell cause angle/ plates in the way but it looks like your knees are way past your toes, and tracking outside of your feet.

And it looks like you are trying to low bar squat. If that's the case get more back angle and roll the bar further down on your shoulders. That'll make you feel more stable getting your hips back/ down.

Idk if it'll actually happen, but with that posture it feels like you are gonna fall backwards, so you shift everything forward. That's what I see

This might help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG0JlnfBOWI

[vristang]

tough angle to view from, but it looks like your toes are pointing out wider than your knees, which can create a torque in the knee.
Try pointing your toes a little more straight ahead, so that they come back in line with your knees.
Might be a little wide of a stance as well, but play with the toe angle before experimenting there.

[slimchopra]

Thank you all. I'm going to study that video and then record another form check using the advise I was given but with no bar.

I definitely need to take a break from doing squats because my knee is hurting. I have been doing some leg exercises to try to help, but if you're saying that my form may be off, then I will definitely focus on that.

[LifterWest]

Yeah that's ugly. It's hard to tell cause angle/ plates in the way but it looks like your knees are way past your toes, and tracking outside of your feet.

Knees past your toes is not always a bad thing. If you have long legs like I do your knees will go past your toes at the bottom. I suspect this is the case with the OP too. The key is to keep the weight of your body and the barbell right over mid foot.

https://squatuniversity.com/2016/01/...g-squat-myths/

OP, from the limited view, I think you stance is too wide and your knees are caving in at the bottom. Get two angles, one from the side and other from the front maybe.

[slimchopra]

Hi All,

I went back to the gym and squatted with just the bar and took two new videos from the side and the back.

I watched some of the videos I was given and made sure I focued on the below:

-Putting the bar in the right place on my back
-Tilting my head down and looking at the floor
-Driving my hips up
-Keeping my feet shoulder width apart

Could I please get some advise?

Side:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ktuQeM7imuxKLuBg6

Back:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/99LkMtoZA62gGBQh9

[slimchopra]

I'm bumping this because I'd love to get some feedback!

[Garage Rat]

More than likely it's your squat technique thats causing issues unless you've had pre existing pain already.
Examine other things you may be doing that could also contribute to your pain.
Things like running on a treadmill or bike riding.
I would get a qualified coach or trainer to help with your squat technique.
I can't see any glaring faults on your squat technique but as the others mentioned the video is not ideal.
A front and direct side view would help a lot.

[slimchopra]

More than likely it's your squat technique thats causing issues unless you've had pre existing pain already.
Examine other things you may be doing that could also contribute to your pain.
Things like running on a treadmill or bike riding.
I would get a qualified coach or trainer to help with your squat technique.
I can't see any glaring faults on your squat technique but as the others mentioned the video is not ideal.
A front and direct side view would help a lot.

Were you looking at the new videos or the one in the original post?

[TolerantLactose]

There's butt wink in the first vid which is concerning to see with an empty bar.

The second vid shows your knees tracking inside your toes. They should be be in line.

On an another note, don't take so many steps back. You're almost outside the rack.

[xtatdsm]

As mentioned, Major butt wink, it also looks like your stance is too wide which is not allowing your knees to track over your toes. you also seem to be too "loose" you need to pull the bar hard towards your back (to tighten your back) and also imagine griping the floor with your feet (tripod foot) and don't just drop down, think very controlled mindful decent with emphasis on mind muscle connection.

Good luck

[slimchopra]

Thank you both for your feedback. I will study what you said and post updated videos.

On a side note, I bought a muscle stick and started using it on my right leg and it's making my knee pain feel much better. There's a a muscle right near my knee cap, and when I massage that it actually makes it feel better. It's very sensitive though.

[slimchopra]

I have a dumb question.

When you guys say that my knees should track over my toes, do you mean that my knees should be over my toes when I'm squatting down? I see that in the video I posted my toes are pointed outside of where my knees are pointed when I squat.

[sooby]

I have a dumb question.

When you guys say that my knees should track over my toes, do you mean that my knees should be over my toes when I'm squatting down? I see that in the video I posted my toes are pointed outside of where my knees are pointed when I squat.

they should more or less track each other at the same angle.

for example if your toes point outwards and your knees just buckle inwards that is pretty much the opposite of that.

[slimchopra]

they should more or less track each other at the same angle.

for example if your toes point outwards and your knees just buckle inwards that is pretty much the opposite of that.

I apologize for not being more clear. I don't know what tracking actually means, but it sounds like the knees should point in the same direction as my toes. Is that correct?

[xtatdsm]

There are two things here, your knee, throughout the range of motion, need to be above your feet (don't allow your knee to cave in also don't the opposite is also true) and your toes have to be pointed the same direction your knee is (10 to 30 degrees outward feet angle seems to be a good starting point).

[vristang]

My suggestions...

Your toe angle is pointing too far out, which is why your knees aren't tracking with your toes. Leave your heels in the same place, and rotate, on your heal, so your toes point more in front of you.
I like the diagram xtatdsm posted...

As for buttwink, here is what worked for me (I think a Thrall video is where I learned it). When you start a squat with your low back arched (the way every ergonomics instructor seems to incorrectly instruct), you are putting yourself in a weak position. When you hit the bottom of the squat, your body tries to fix this, by rotating your hips under you. This is pretty bad though, as you then lose all rigidity in your core.
The fix is to not start the squat with a low back arch. Envision locking your spine in a straight position. One line can pass from your arse through the base of your skull. This will eliminate your bodies desire to roll the hips at the bottom of the hole, as you are already in the position your body wants to be in.

This will feel weird at first. I felt like I was leaning forward. But the first time I came out of the bottom of squat, I knew I was on to something. I felt like I was being pushed up out of the hole. Take some time to get used to it, but it should feel like a major improvement, very quickly.
When I started doing this, I found I was able to low bar squat much easier.
Another point to consider is to actively pull the bar into your back, as if you are doing a cable pulldown. This tightens all those massive back muscles, in support of core rigidity.

This is a lot to think about, and I only mention all of it now because when I started making changes for buttwink, it led to low bar and then pulling the bar into my back.

For walk out, try for 1-2 steps back with each foot. The fewer the better, the smaller the better. You don't need to be very far from the rack. Conserve your energy for use squatting, not walking the gym, lol.


When making changes to squat form, I like to use a weight that would challenge me for 5-8reps, but stick with singles and doubles. The idea is to learn the form changes and get used to them...