Hip Hinge / Goblet Squat Form Check

Bigger Stronger Leaner
1

Hey guys. I was hoping for some feedback on my form for my hip hinge and goblet squat. I took these videos by myself at my gym last week and was hoping for some feedback.

I do have a little history of back problems from squatting, probably because I am 6’4" and my mobility is not the best. I have really tight hamstrings/hips and so I can suffer from a rounded back/pain sometimes. But I have been working on this for the last few months and I think I have improved somewhat.

As far as the goblet squat… sometimes it feels pretty good. Sometimes I still feel like I can feel a burn in my lower back. Questions/reflections:

  1. I’m trying to “spread the floor”, push my knees out, and push my butt back. How far back is too far back for the butt? Sometimes I feel like I nail it and it feels great. Other times I Feel like I push my butt TOO far backwards, and it causes me to feel a little stretch in my lower back which I’m assuming is not good while squatting.

  2. Is my torso going too far forward/past my knees?

  3. Are my tibias/shins going too far forward? I am under the impression they are supposed to line up perpendicular with the floor from the bottom position. If this is the case maybe I need to have my butt/hips even further back?

  4. Any comments? Does this video suck, do I need to do it again or with a different angle? How can I make it better for the next time I do a form check?

As far as the hip hinge goes, reflections/questions…

  1. I am currently at this progression, I am trying to get to work up my hamstring/hip flexibility/strength so that I can be in a bent-over position and feel strong and eventually work up back into the conventional or trap bar deadlift.

  2. How far should I be able to push my butt back/bend my torso over while keeping it straight before I “run out of room”? It just seems that my crappy mobility that I cannot get my torso as far down as I want to(and simultaneously my butt as far back as I want to) without compromising my straight back.

  3. Thoughts/comments on the video? How can I make it better so that when I do my next form check that its better?

Thanks for any feedback you can give me, T-Nation!!! I understand this is going to be a long process so I’m willing to put in the time to develop this flexibility/strength over time to master these movements! I posted the youtube link that I used to upload under each section.

2

They both look fine to me, and the fact you’ve taken the time to master the basic movements first would make Dan John happy.

Your mobility obviously sucks balls, and this is something you should be working on, but I can’t see any reason for you not to start some heavy lifting while you’re doing it.

3

In my opinion your goblet squat looks like you’re trying to do a back squat instead of the goblet squat. Just try and go straight down and open up your hips (knees out). The weight is in front of you so the more you push your hips back the more your using your lower back (like a good morning or rdl) instead of your legs.

This is why you feel your torso going forward too much. You should be a bit more upright which will help you get to a deeper squat as well for this exercise. So my two points for goblet squat are just push your knees out, and try to sit in that space you just created. Your hips will naturally do what is needed and you shouldnt have to force your hips back. Also knees will be a bit in front of your toes.

Now if you were trying to do a back squat your form would be good, however this is a different type of squat.