I don’t know much about geared lifting, but I think DCA is right on the money for a raw squat, and if I really knew what I was talking about, I’d fix it on my own squat. For the record, your form is very good, but that’s just something I noticed because I do the same thing. I know that when I get close to my max, I lose it forward, and my ass slides a bit instead of driving straight up out of the hole, and I miss squats that I know I am physically strong enough to hit. I have done that on 455 3 or 4 times now which is significantly lower than the rep-max calculator says I should be squatting, and I’m convinced its because I drop into the hole too fast and get pitched forward. Slowing down the decent and controlling it a little more is something I am going to focus on during the next month when I go a little heavier for meet prep.
[quote]kpsnap wrote:
145 lb. A rough liftoff. I’m still not used to the unevenness of my shoulders. Still looks like maybe I’m dipping a little deeper than I need to. I came so close to losing this squat but fought it out. Felt like the battle lasted a lot longer than it looks. But isn’t that always the case? [/quote]
I don’t know enough about technique to offer an informed opinion about your technique here, but I can say that I’m seriously impressed by the fact that you finished that off after hitting almost a dead stop halfway through.
Plus, you’ve got a nice rack there…
Snap, speed is my issue too in that I’m trying to get more of it. Speed is important particularly in geared lifting because that’s what’s going to increase acceleration out of the hole. I find that when the weight gets heavy, I either slow down or sacrifice a tight back for speed. That’s what I was working on last night. My first rep at 265 I was so focused on going fast that I just kind of stopped in the hole because my back went loose.
I wish I could offer some constructive advice other than I’m battling the same problem.
I’m really impressed that you kept that back arch while fighting it up. Very impressed.
Personally I think your technique is excellent. It’s just that your style is far closer to an Olympic squat than a Powerlifting squat. I know they say that the way to tell an elite squatter from a good squatter is the speed of the descent (ie the slower the better) but the highest and most impressive raw squats I’ve ever seen were all done by olympic lifters, using a narrow stance and grip, a higher bar position and a pretty quick drop and they use the stretch reflex at the bottom, like you.
I think one way to stop going so deep would be to widen your stance a fair bit. If you look at lifters with a wide stance they tend to control the negative better by slowly releasing their hips backwards, similar to a box squat, rather than just unlocking the knees. Mind you the wider stance lifters have the most trouble hitting depth.
I think if improving your numbers is your main goal you might have to think about adopting the powerlifting squat. Wide stance, wide grip, bar lower on back etc. I think it would be a shame though as there’s nothing more impressive than a really deep, heavy squat!. Just my opinion, feel free to ignore it, I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about!
[quote]FarmerBrett wrote:
Personally I think your technique is excellent. It’s just that your style is far closer to an Olympic squat than a Powerlifting squat. I know they say that the way to tell an elite squatter from a good squatter is the speed of the descent (ie the slower the better) but the highest and most impressive raw squats I’ve ever seen were all done by olympic lifters, using a narrow stance and grip, a higher bar position and a pretty quick drop and they use the stretch reflex at the bottom, like you.
I think one way to stop going so deep would be to widen your stance a fair bit. If you look at lifters with a wide stance they tend to control the negative better by slowly releasing their hips backwards, similar to a box squat, rather than just unlocking the knees. Mind you the wider stance lifters have the most trouble hitting depth.
I think if improving your numbers is your main goal you might have to think about adopting the powerlifting squat. Wide stance, wide grip, bar lower on back etc. I think it would be a shame though as there’s nothing more impressive than a really deep, heavy squat!. Just my opinion, feel free to ignore it, I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about![/quote]
All opinions are welcome here.
I used to do Oly lifting. Got pretty good at the form required for Oly C&J from the floor, but since I didn’t train where I could drop the weights, I never could get very strong. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to lift like that again because of the strain on the shoulder.
I have a PL coach who helps me. He has recommended that I carry the bar lower on my back and suggested widening my grip/stance. But it doesn’t feel good to me. Regarding the speed, my coach wants me to drop with speed rather than slowly. He believes that helps with acceleration out of the hole in gear.
Yes, strength is my goal. I really try to squat just a hair below parallel, but always seem to drop a bit too low. I’ve actually hit rock bottom on the platform before on first attempts and had the audience laugh. Of course, I get it back up since I usually open light.
Good fight getting that last one up. I have no advice (obviously) but I’d love for you to keep posting video. It helps me motivate my own self to work through my squat rehab purgatory.
Snap, that’s a sexy looking picture you have there. I got a sexy(ish) one recently when we were benching. BB had the shirt sleeves on my arms before he put my shirt on and I was wearing grey Titan sweat pants, a pink lace bra and titan shirt sleeves. He took a picture. The combination of the lacey bra and the PL gear was oddly compelling. He got to keep the picture. Plus my abs were looking kick ass 
Who took that one of you?
Hot, hot avi picture. Call me impressed with the sex-ay.
[quote]ouroboro_s wrote:
Snap, that’s a sexy looking picture you have there. I got a sexy(ish) one recently when we were benching. BB had the shirt sleeves on my arms before he put my shirt on and I was wearing grey Titan sweat pants, a pink lace bra and titan shirt sleeves. He took a picture. The combination of the lacey bra and the PL gear was oddly compelling. He got to keep the picture. Plus my abs were looking kick ass
[/quote]
So where’s the pic, O? Please share! I bet the juxtaposition of the PL gear and lacy bra is super sexy.
Umm, well I took that pic myself. I was trying to photograph my shoulders to see how uneven they are. And I got kind of carried away with the ten-second self-timer feature.
[quote]kpsnap wrote:
[quote]ouroboro_s wrote:
Snap, that’s a sexy looking picture you have there. I got a sexy(ish) one recently when we were benching. BB had the shirt sleeves on my arms before he put my shirt on and I was wearing grey Titan sweat pants, a pink lace bra and titan shirt sleeves. He took a picture. The combination of the lacey bra and the PL gear was oddly compelling. He got to keep the picture. Plus my abs were looking kick ass
[/quote]
So where’s the pic, O? Please share! I bet the juxtaposition of the PL gear and lacy bra is super sexy.
Umm, well I took that pic myself. I was trying to photograph my shoulders to see how uneven they are. And I got kind of carried away with the ten-second self-timer feature. [/quote]
My picture is kind of sexy in a weird contrasting kind of way. It’s just for BB though. It’s a training partner/boyfriend perk. One of them at any rate.
You did a nice job with the picture. I’ve taken ones of myself. I tend to do my back mostly because backs fascinate me and the development of my own gives me endless entertainment. I’m constantly amazed at the degree to which I’ve managed to change my own body.
Do your shoulders show any appreciable or visible difference or unevenness?
[quote]ouroboro_s wrote:
My picture is kind of sexy in a weird contrasting kind of way. It’s just for BB though. It’s a training partner/boyfriend perk. [/quote]
Lucky man. I totally understand.
[quote]ouroboro_s wrote:
Do your shoulders show any appreciable or visible difference or unevenness?[/quote]
Absolutely. I can see why I feel unstable unracking in the cage. But I will adapt. I’ll put up a pic when I get a chance. It saddens me a bit from a vanity standpoint because my shoulders used to be one of my fave body parts. And the one that was surgically repaired looks like the delt was removed. Very flat. But I’m so grateful my shoulder is working. That’s way more important.
The delt/shoulder development will return with time. The way you work, it may return sooner rather than later.
Snap, to throw in the 2 cents from this side of the world:
Overall, you already have a great squat. narrow, upright, close to olympic, high bar placement… and that works great for your body structure. When you have something that really works for you, be VERY tentative about changing it up. I’m not saying don’t try new things. Working a wider squat will make you stronger in that range of motion and can have mechanical advantages. but it’s more as an auxiliary exercise, not replacing your main lift… in terms of competing - part of competing is finding the motion that works best, mechanically, for your body structure. And there isn’t a single formula that is appropriate, or best, for every single lifter. There are cues to follow that will improve every squat, but no “one right way” to squat.
In terms of dropping quickly, it can be advantageous with an Olympic lifting squat to drop quickly and get rebound out of the hole. But in a powerlifting style squat that tends to throw your shoulders forward and it is very difficult to reverse it while staying in your groove. From personal experience, and knowing that you’ve been doing this for a while and have some experience of your own, don’t be too hasty to change your best lift. It can make for a very frustrating and fruitless series of months - mostly because by messing with it you can loose your original squat that worked so well for you.
Also, from more personal experience, dropping quickly (for people like us) makes it next to impossible not to squat ATG. If you are going to drop quickly, then you are doing that with the intention to use that elastic power at the bottom to help with the start upwards. If you had a natural stop point, like my husband, that was just at legal - that technique would be one way of getting help out of the hole. However, from your videos you appear to squat much more like me. Meaning your natural stop is when your butt touches your calves. If you’re trying to groove a stop point, you have to drop controlled into that point and then explode out of it. With gear, and the right type of suit, you can drop much faster because the suit is supposed to catch you at the right stop point.
My main thought was: You have a great squat. I would encourage trying other methods of squatting in terms of getting stronger, but don’t lose the squat that has worked so well for you.
Okay - that was possibly more than 2 cents… And btw, HOT new avi.
Smolov Week 3, Day 3
Almost done. My lower back is very tired. The last three times I’ve squatted I’ve only had 36 hours break between workouts.
Squat
8/45
5/80
5/105
8/4/120
A) Flat Bench DP Press
3/8/17.5
B) DB Row Elbow Out
3/8/17.5
No problem handling the weight. Just had to keep telling myself to stay tight in the lower back
Thanks for your input, Ms. Alaska. I will respond to it later. Right now, I’m off to the Museum of Nature and Science with five kids.
New avatar is…yup. Delt will come back quickly the way you’re progressing.
I wouldn’t get much done if you were in my gym wearing an outfit like that. Keep that delt moving around and it’ll get back to normal in short order.
[quote]Frzn_Arctc wrote:
When you have something that really works for you, be VERY tentative about changing it up. [/quote]
I’m not looking to really change anything major. But I always, always appreciate feedback. I know I can get better even if it doesn’t involve major form/setup changes.
[quote]Frzn_Arctc wrote:
With gear, and the right type of suit, you can drop much faster because the suit is supposed to catch you at the right stop point.
[/quote]
I compete geared and the gear does, indeed, keep me from bottoming out. Hence I train my squat with a fast descent because that’s how I squat in gear.
[quote]Frzn_Arctc wrote:
From personal experience, and knowing that you’ve been doing this for a while and have some experience of your own, don’t be too hasty to change your best lift.
[/quote]
Squat is not my best lift. I open my deadlift higher than I top out my squat. But I understand what you’re saying. And thanks so much for all the feedback.
I’ve finally returned after five hours at the museum with five kids, which included two hours in the car. I’m way exhausted.
[quote]DaCharmingAlbino wrote:
I wouldn’t get much done if you were in my gym wearing an outfit like that. Keep that delt moving around and it’ll get back to normal in short order.[/quote]
I never dress like that in the gym. I look like a frump and mind my own business.
The avi is for a limited time only. I’m really not a poser.
Snapper! Didn’t realize you had moved to this forum (I was wondering where you were!!). I’m SO glad to see you are able to lift big after your shoulder surgery. Yes, the avi is hot 
You look a lot taller in your vid than I had imagined (granted I’m pretty short). Looks like it’s time for me to start increasing my squat numbers!