ANKLES!
[quote]Spock81 wrote:
ANKLES![/quote]
That’s what I was thinking!
Hey Dave, me and my gf (who’s a total genius) had a look at your squat videos. Hope it’s ok that I comment.
First, I think the biggest problem, and the one causing you the most frustration is just your stance width and foot position. Your toes are pointed way out, bring those in a bit, and bring your stance into shoulder width. You’ll get depth much easier, and your back position should improve right away. you’ll have to push your knees further forward to stay upright, but that’s a good thing. Youtube, Kstar ankles, he’s got a ton of stuff.
Also are you going low bar?
As well, you have some tight hamstrings. They’re so tight you can barely keep your legs straight after you unrack a squat, I know because I have the same problem.
I’d start this warm up immediately, and do it daily, especially before training sessions, it will help you get into the right position.
My other advice is to consider going high bar with your current stance, and make no changes. I think you’re a great lifter right now, but I also believe to get to the next level you’re going to have to take a step back, and let your squat numbers go down, and they will at first. The way you want to squat takes a lot of quads, and the way you squat now takes a lot of glutes and hamstrings. So at first, you’ll have 240 hams, and maybe 200 quads… that will be rough, but it will come around. Tons of front squats help.
I had to do it, my squat dropped, but now I’m so happy I did. We used to squat the exact same except you got better depth.
Try that to start, and maybe go a bit lighter, and get those weightlifting shoes. Don’t go low bar, if you are, I couldn’t tell. Go moderate bar, in between highbar, and lowbar. Push your knees forward, and sit in between your legs, you still have to sit back a bit, but don’t go crazy.
get videos!
talk soon
ps, great deadlift and bench. PPS, why do you grip so narrow on bench? just like it better?
Thanks for the write up Larry (and gf)!
God, did we ever squat similar. Tomorrow I’m going to be borrowing my roommates squat shoes, and I’ll be getting lots of video. What angles would you like to see? Side and front?
I squat pretty low bar, one of the lowest I’ve seen, but it’s also the only place that I have any sort of shelf that feels natural. Why the hate on the low bar?
I’ll keep working on my flexibility, I might have been slacking lately now that I think of it. Life got in the way of my nightly mobility and flexibility training.
I don’t know if I’d call the deadlift and bench great haha, but thanks! I took that bench grip due to a pec strain, but during my last session I moved my grip back out to pinky on rings and it actually hurt my pec a lot less. I think I’ll just have to vary my grips until it’s fully healed.
Thanks again, I’ll get back to you.
Box squats for warm up. My way of keeping track of this is arbitrary to everyone here, so I’ll just say it was a PB height.
Tried out my roommates squat shoes today. Basically videotaped everything from 60kg up to 200kg. Here’s the 200kg:
Here’s the 120kg front squat:
Fuck, there was supposed to be so much more writing after that first video.
Summary:
Bench
82.5kg x 4 x 2 sets
95kg x 3 x 2 sets
110kg x 3 x 5 sets
102.5kg x 4 x 2 sets
Also, I ordered these today 
Yo dave I saw your issue with depth and I was hoping to chime in.
I use to have a hell of a time hitting depth with my tight ass hip flexors and my squat looked alot like yours.
Try giving 3-4 sets of extreme range of motion split squats a go for 6-10 reps with a light-moderate weight.
These made all the difference when it came to hitting depth for me.
http://www.T-Nation.com/strength-training-topics/extreme-range-split-squat
Really nice squat Dave, I see a big improvement, you got depth much easier, and I believe it was quite a bit deeper than your other ones.
Did you bring your stance in? and point your toes more forward?
I really like how you got your knees over your toes, that helps keep you more upright.
Speaking of which, that’s why I don’t like lowbar as much, as well as you can’t get as much quads in the lift.
A lot of research suggests that the quads are the limiting factor in the raw squat, where do you usually miss your lifts?
I’m not saying go highbar, but I’d really consider going moderate bar, and working to find that shelf. I’m pretty sure that when you get the hang of it, your tendency to have your mid back round slightly will go away.
Either way, big time improvements man, I think heeled shoes are really going to improve your squat.
Next time try some videos a little to the left and to the right of the one you posted, as well as one in front if that’s possible. That will really help me out.
Also nice front squat! way to get those in there.
You can really tell you’re hamstring dominant the way you shift backwards coming out of the hole.
One thing I noticed for improvement is that you’re going to have to work on your back position. Really drive the elbows up hard as you descend, but also, I’d advise you to use weights that allow you to keep a flat back, and just stick with those, and keep working your form. It’s annoying as hell, but it has to be done.
Keep at it man, and you’ll have a brand new squat, you’re doing great!
[quote]kjmont wrote:
Yo dave I saw your issue with depth and I was hoping to chime in.
I use to have a hell of a time hitting depth with my tight ass hip flexors and my squat looked alot like yours.
Try giving 3-4 sets of extreme range of motion split squats a go for 6-10 reps with a light-moderate weight.
These made all the difference when it came to hitting depth for me.
http://www.T-Nation.com/strength-training-topics/extreme-range-split-squat[/quote]
Thanks kj, I’ll look into these. I’ve been looking for good ways to stretch my hip flexors.
[quote]Larry10 wrote:
Really nice squat Dave, I see a big improvement, you got depth much easier, and I believe it was quite a bit deeper than your other ones.
Did you bring your stance in? and point your toes more forward?
I really like how you got your knees over your toes, that helps keep you more upright.
Speaking of which, that’s why I don’t like lowbar as much, as well as you can’t get as much quads in the lift.
A lot of research suggests that the quads are the limiting factor in the raw squat, where do you usually miss your lifts?
I’m not saying go highbar, but I’d really consider going moderate bar, and working to find that shelf. I’m pretty sure that when you get the hang of it, your tendency to have your mid back round slightly will go away.
Either way, big time improvements man, I think heeled shoes are really going to improve your squat.
Next time try some videos a little to the left and to the right of the one you posted, as well as one in front if that’s possible. That will really help me out.[/quote]
Thanks for the reply, Larry.
I brought my stance in quite a bit, and my toes are quite a bit more straight.It felt more natural, if a little hard yet.
I haven’t failed a lift in a long time, and the last time I failed it was in gear. I don’t think I’ve ever let myself fail a raw lift lol. It would be good for diagnostic purposes, but I don’t think going beyond my means is good strategy either. I think I feel a slight “pause” about 3 inches out of the hole, but it doesn’t look like anything on videos.
I’ll get those angles next time. There are a few more angles on my youtube, I just dont remember which ones haha
BUT my hamstrings are still allowed to do SOMETHING, right??? I feel guilty now if I squat and feel my hamstrings doing stuff :s.
WHy is this always so confusing 
[quote]Spock81 wrote:
BUT my hamstrings are still allowed to do SOMETHING, right??? I feel guilty now if I squat and feel my hamstrings doing stuff :s.
WHy is this always so confusing :'([/quote]
They should still be doing lots.
A1) BPA x mini x 15 x 4 sets
A2) Straight bar pushdown x 10kg x 30 x 4 sets
B1) DB Chest fly x 10 lb x 20 x 4 sets
B2) Seated Band Row x Light x 30 x 4 sets
C1) Leg extension x 40kg x 15 x 3 sets
C2) Ham Curl x something x 15 x 3 sets
D1) Hanging Leg Raise x 10 x 3 sets
D2) Band Anti twist x 2 sets
Deadlift
165kg x 3 x 2 sets
190kg x 3 x 3 sets
200kg x 2 x 3 sets
Bench
95kg x 4 x 2 sets
102.5kg x 3 x 2 sets
110kg x 2 x 2 sets
115kg x 1 x 2 sets
110kg x 2 x 2 sets
102.5kg x 3 x 2 sets
DB Bench
60lbs x 10 x 5 sets
200 x 2, set 1
200 x 2, set 3:
you front squat and deadlift sumo style now???
what else have i missed??!?!?!?