Rate My Squat

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

I was wondering whether somebody could give me some constructive feedback on my squat technique…

I worked up to a 2rm… ended up doing 175kg x 2

here’s the video (try the second link in case the first one doesn’t work)

http://mitglied.lycos.de/balle007/squat_small.wmv

http://lampl-orgelzentrum.dnsalias.com/test/squat_small.wmv

thanks

2

A few observations not in any particular order.

It appears you have the hooks set to high as you seem to do a calf raise to un-rack and re-rack the bar.

You do way to much foot shuffling when coming outta the rack.

Your decent into the squats wasn’t bad but you were coming up butt first.

I could see that you were ernestly trying to maintain form which is good actually it is great. I personally think you shouldn’t worry about the poundage right now and concentrate on the form.

Big numbers in the your lifts just like size and strength will come in time remember if you injure yourself in any way it will only slow your progress much better to move ahead slow and steady and make honest gains.

Also for the record the reason my specific comments on your form was limited to just a few things was because I fealt the camera angle wasn’t the best for proper analysis.

Good luck to you.

3

Nice song choice… Metallica’s always good while squatting.

As far as your tecnique… from what I could see, you’re using a powerlifting stance, (low bar placement, heavy recruitment of lower back/posterior chain) as opposed to an olympic stance (bar high on traps, “sitting down” between legs, as Dan John says). You always keep your back straight, so that’s good, but towards the last few sets you bent more and more at the waist, so I’d recommend tensing the abs and squatting ‘abs out’ to maintain core stability. Other than that, nice workout.

4

The first thing I noticed: elbows.

Try bringing your hands closer to your shoulders and get those forearms as close to vertical as possible.

5

thx for your comments

I realised the pins were too high so I changed the for the later sets (last 1/2)

So I should reduce the poundage and go for slightly higher reps (~6)?

Form wise is trying to start the upwards movement with my shoulders the major thing to focus on?

What camera angle would you suggest?

edit:

I’m working on the belly out technique…

I’m not so sure with the ellbows. I’ve tried to use a more narrow grip and felt that it caused pain in my should which disappeared once I started using a wide grip. I’ve read that a tight gript helps to have a tighter upper body but I’ve also seen big WSBB ppl using a wide grip so I though it was allrigt. I might try the tighter grip again and see what happens.

I really appreciate your feedback… thx

6

hey,

on the top what mentioned above:

  • you could go a bit lower - this seem to be a shallow-ish version of the weightlifting squat
  • when you walk out, look ahead, slightly up!!
    -elbows, arms UNDER the bar (look at you movie - especially your heavier lifts - they are somewhat too high up - then you start you movement with your ass and push you head down with your arms and bar)
  • could get a bit more stable on your walkouts and racking - I’d some more core work, obliques, TVA (full contact twists, heavy walkouts and quarter squats).

Ok, I was a bit bitchy here . . . you WILL do a rally good squats. They are already solid looking.

Correct some details and you’ll home!

Good luck

7

I think your depth was fine, from what I could see I think you need to wrok on forcing your knees out and spreading the floor with your feet. On your ascent you are not leading with your head, drive your head into the bar keep that chest up.

8

[quote]nhiron wrote:
I think your depth was fine, [/quote]

I concur.

Not sure if it was mentioned, but on your “up” phase you seem to extend the ankles/knees, while the hips lag behind a little, which is putting a lot of undo stress on your lower back.

Hope that makes sense.

9

I’m no expert, but you look ‘wobbly’ on the ascent. My bet is that your using too much poundage, although you look strong man.

Good shit, don’t sweat the small stuff.

P.S. You have no idea how happy I am that you aren’t another troll. Thank you.

10

You’re EXTREMELY loose at the bottom. This seems due to dropping quite fast rather than lowering. Since you are wobbly at the bottom you lose the tightness in your hips/trunk and your decreasing the angle between your chest and quads the byproduct… your ass is starting the rise.

11

sorry if any of this has already been mentioned…

  • definitely spread the floor more, and maybe concentrate on sitting back more also (do you have a box you can use to squat?)

  • I can’t tell from the videos, but it looks like you may be losing your arch near the bottom (head coming up first instead of butt could help a lot as others have said). Do you do good mornings or reverse hypers for lower back?

BUT, still very sick weight and great lift! Overall, on a scale of 1-10 I would give it a 7.3 (what, you asked to rate it :))

12

cant say too much that has not already been covered, but i will second your music choice, nice.

oh, and an observation about your depth, i no longer can stop my squats where you did without a box or a stiff suit, without either one or both or those, i have to go ass to ground. if i tried that raw i would hurt many different parts of my body. but i am old.

13

thanks a lot…

here’s my to do list:

  • set the hooks lower… done
  • reduce foot shuffling
  • push abs out
  • ellbows under the bar & tighter
  • push up with head from bottom
  • go a bit lower
  • work the core (I do GMs ~100 x 5)
  • spread the floor (I find that really hard)
  • descend with more controll

I did work up to my 2rm because I knew that the heavier I go the more obvious my mistakes will become…

14

IMO, it looks like you have the right idea on form, it’s just that your lower back, glutes, hamstrings, and quads aren’t strong enough to handle that much weight with good positioning. I’d stick with around 5 reps for a little while practicing picture-perfect form - choose a weight that allows this, don’t get tempted to go too heavy. Let the strength of the muscles involved even out a bit.

-Dan

15

Westside guys use a wide grip because they feel it’s easier on their elbows. If a close grip bothers your shoulders, you probably have bad shoulder flexibility. Something to work on.