For years I’ve been struggling with the squat. I can never seem to get past 130 kg. My form starts to fall apart around 100-110 kg and it gets worse from there.
I think the main issue is bracing, because the only thing that feels worked after a squat session is my low back.
Here’s a video of my latest session:
I did 3x5 with 107,5 kg. Two sets I used 1 belt, 1 I didn’t. After the sets I did some singles with and without belt with 100 kg for the purpose of this form check.
What it feels like: very awkward all the way through, I never seem to hit a ‘strong’ position anywhere. My low back takes the brunt of the exercise. It feels like my quads don’t have the opportunity to contribute anything.
What it looks like to me: I have an excessive extension in the low back, which I am aware of and I cannot get rid of no matter how I brace. My hips shoot up and back first thing out of the hole. I have very long legs/femurs and I keep my stance pretty wide and feet pointed out.
The belt seems to provide stability, but it still doesn’t feel secure enough… btw, the only time i actually hurt my back squatting was while wearing a belt…
I am 6’1 and weigh over 225 lbs, so this is a really weak squat and I want to fix it. This is obviously not my max, but as I said, the higher I go, the worse my low back feels.
This issue also impacts my deadlift (also all low back), so that’s why I think it’s a bracing issue…
Your squat looks fairly good to me.
Have you got access to a leg press machine?
I would try them also, as your lower back has much less involvement. See if you can feel either your hips or thighs becoming the failing body part.
What’s your primary reason for squatting? If it’s quad work, as RT mentioned there’s the leg press, if you want quad work but want squats to do it, there’s front squats - you tried them before? If so how do they feel?
Just wanting an awesome back squat is also legit. Have you tried different bar positions on your back and different feet positions? If so how’d they feel?
Final thought:
When it gets heavy, it doesn’t feel exactly comfortable, how long you been squatting, how often have you tried really pushing the weight? Awkward and dangerous aren’t always the same thing.
I cannot emphasis enough the benefit of leg presses. I built much of my leg size doing heavy leg presses, especially when my back wouldn’t allow me to squat for about 12 years.
As others have said, there really isn’t anything noticeably glaring with your squat. If you want to go down a rabbit hole though squat university will take you there.
There are plenty more videos on squat shoes and breaking down about every part of the squat that you want to dig into to.
I also have long femurs and found that heal elevated shoes actually made my squat form worse. This can be very individual as how deep set your hip joints are matters too.
An easy test would be to wear some flat sole shoes, if you have them. If you don’t, try to squat barefoot and see how it feels.
Back when I was hammering my squat stance, I liked to run Wendlers 531, big but boring. You will do a ton of squatting, with sub maximal loads, where you can really grease the groove and work on your form.
And how! Dude certainly knows his stuff, and I like his presentation style, but just to take the other side of this coin: a lot of these videos make you think no matter what you do it’s wrong and you’ll spontaneously combust if any form deviation enters your mind.
To be fair, I actually think the squat university guy is pretty good about chalking a lot up to individual anatomy.
My personal advice would be to stay relatively conservative on your squats and hammer your accessories. Also if its purely strength your shooting towards throw in some paused reps and some speed work. Both of these will let you add to your volume while working with a lighter load, and they are extremely helpful in building bigger numbers
I believe that you would like the feel better using some accommodating resistance. The weight feels light in the hole, and increases as you push higher, and max at the top.
Yep. I have spent way too much time analyzing my own squat.
I heard someone use an old Bruce Lee quote in regard to learning to squat.
Bruce Lee said, before I learned the art, a punch was just a punch and a kick was just a kick. After, I learned the art, a punch was no longer a punch, a kick, no longer a kick. Now that I understand the art, a punch is just a punch and a kick is just a kick.
