Squat Form Check

Training Powerlifting
1

Issues I’m concerned about:

  1. My knee’s aren’t really moving forward alot, they kinda stay in the same place. Is that okay?
  2. Is my chest high enough?
  3. Am I leaning too far forward?
  4. I’m going below parallel, but I don’t really feel it in my glutes. Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks,
Jeff

2

[quote]jlock wrote:

Issues I’m concerned about:

  1. My knee’s aren’t really moving forward alot, they kinda stay in the same place. Is that okay?
  2. Is my chest high enough?
  3. Am I leaning too far forward?
  4. I’m going below parallel, but I don’t really feel it in my glutes. Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks,
Jeff[/quote]
I am no expert, in fact quite a beginner, but your squat doesn’t look like an olympic style (atg) squat at all and seeing as this is in the olympic thread it makes me wonder if it was meant to be here. So, are you shooting for Olympic style or powerlifting style? Makes quite a difference.

3

[quote]americaninsweden wrote:

[quote]jlock wrote:

Issues I’m concerned about:

  1. My knee’s aren’t really moving forward alot, they kinda stay in the same place. Is that okay?
  2. Is my chest high enough?
  3. Am I leaning too far forward?
  4. I’m going below parallel, but I don’t really feel it in my glutes. Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks,
Jeff[/quote]
I am no expert, in fact quite a beginner, but your squat doesn’t look like an olympic style (atg) squat at all and seeing as this is in the olympic thread it makes me wonder if it was meant to be here. So, are you shooting for Olympic style or powerlifting style? Makes quite a difference.
[/quote]

Hahaha, believe me, I’m trying to get down ATG, but I don’t have enough hip flexor mobility yet.

I’m going for an Olympic squat because:

  1. Legs are shoulder-width apart
  2. Hands are pretty close together
  3. Training for strength

However, I can understand why you think this is a powerlifting squat.

How can I squat so that my torso is more upright?

4

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I’ve been experiencing some knee pain, so I went and got my form checked out by a crossfitter. He told me that I was learning forward too much and putting too much moment on my knee. I’m curious if that’s still the case.

5


Doesn’t look like a terrible squat to me (though you do lean forward a fair bit), just doesn’t look like much of an oly style high bar ATG squat.

If you’re shooting for an oly style squat, there’s a few things you need to look at. Don’t think about “sitting back” think about “sitting down” if you know what I mean. You don’t want to be squatting behind your feet/knees, you want to be squatting between them (I could be screwing up the cue here but do you see what I mean?). The knees traveling forwards helps facilitate this. Do your knees not move forward because that’s the technique you’re using or is that a flexibility/mobility issue? As far as maintaining a tight and upright torso, I personally found moving my hands in to the point where it was uncomfortable at first helped tighten up my back while I’m squatting and I think I’m squatting more erect. Besides that, big air, tight core, keep your head up, that sort of thing.

There’s a picture describing how Tommy Kono teaches the squat, I’ll see if I can attach it.

6


Another potentially helpful picture. Kono again.

7

If you are going for oly style, sit down not back, like Jonty said. Your first motion with your ass/hips should be straight down, right now you scoot them back a few inches before the descent. Strengthen your core and back as well, it will help keep it upright a lot. Practice with no bar, no weight, nothing and once you have it there move to the bar. Get the form right first.

8

Try squatting with your back flat against a wall. I like to do this with a relatively close stance, toes pointed straight out, and without an elevated heel; basically anything to make it more difficult. Doing this for many reps on a daily basis has helped me to maintain a more vertical trunk when I squat.