Real Video, Real Ugly, Real Squats

Sigh.

The good news is I can barely friggin’ walk.

The bad news is my squat form stank like a dead sperm whale.

On a whim I decided to videotape my squat workout today to observe my form. I workout at home (generally) and don’t have mirrors or anything.

Since I came back from a knee injury a couple years ago I’ve just been doing squats to parallel, not full ROM. According to the School of Thought (SOT) I used to subscribe to, this is easier on the knees and will prevent your glutes from taking over your body. (Another SOT says this is hardest on the knees.)

Anyway, I cringed when I saw my form on tape. I was doing some sort of squat/good morning combo. Got both my thighs and back almost parallel. It looked scary. (Cleared up any doubt as to why my lower back is so strong through.)

Anyway, after I saw that I stripped a couple plates of each side and went ALL the way down. Did two or three sets and my thighs felt like someone had beat them with baseball bats. My glutes felt virtually untouched.

I guess the point to the ramble is that when I only went to parallel I was missing out on some major quad action. My other point is that even if you’re a veteran you might want to tape yourself to make sure your form is good.

Oh come on. You must have something to say on this…

Get a mirror.

I’m on a budget and the only one I can afford is over the bed.

My first thought was buy a mirror, but someone beat me to it…

So now after your last post…start having sex in your weight room and move the mirror to where you do the squats or video tape the sex and pay attention to your form when squatting in the mirror or attach the mirror with heavy duty velcro and then move it when you squat.

No excuses!

DO NOT BUY A MIRROR.

Looking in a mirror that is in front of you will cause you to lean forward in the squat. And if you’re looking at a mirror to the side of you while squatting, well…

Hilarious.

(I hate mirrors, personally.)

I’ve done the mirror thing in the past and it doesn’t help the whole front to back thing on squats.

Even with a mirror at my side it would screw up form to be looking over at it.

Some things are best left in the bedroom.

Hmmm. I do like the velcro idea Iron Maiden…

Velcro has many uses and you can buy it by the foot at Lowe’s or Home Depot…or so I have heard. ;o)