Squat Form Check

Training Powerlifting
21

FWIW, I think bilski is on the right track. If I were coaching you I’d have squat to a box (not a real box squat, just a depth gauge) that was high enough to keep you out of excessive butt tuck. There is no front view so I don’t know what is going on there but sometimes it helps to think about externally rotating the leg instead of simply shoving the knees out. (This is subtle, don’t overdo it) The main thing you seem to need is to get the chest up (thoracic extension) before descent and keep it up. (Especially changing directions at the bottom) This will allow you to drive straight into the bar with the hips and legs instead of the good morning motion you currently have.

Do you use thoracic extensions on a foam roller? Besides curing cancer, this is a great way to get a feel for proper thoracic extension, which is awesome for a lot of lifts. The big thing to be careful with is to brace the core and make sure the movement comes from the thoracic spine and not the lumbar.

Once you can get down without excessive butt tuck and good thoracic extension, then spend some time down there with some pause squats or true box squats.

22

I’d agree with the box squats, and it looks like you might be breaking from the knees in some of the reps. Varies person to person I think but starting the rep by shoving my ass as far back as I could helped my squat considerably.

23

It looks to me like the biggest problem is that you kick your butt out before you begin the squat. Don’t push your butt backwards, the squat should begin just like you are sitting down on a chair. Keep your chest and chin up and concentrate on just making a sitting motion. Drive from your heels and make sure your back stays upright on the way up.

Honestly - I don’t think you’re far off on your form. It’s really not that bad.

24

[quote]doublelung84 wrote:

[quote]AzAthlete008 wrote:
Just a quick response, take it with a grain of salt, but it looks like your “core” needs more work. Try adding some situps, hypers or whatever, to build some added strength/reinforcement in that area. Also try and “tuck” your tailbone in on your way up, as this helps to get your hips underneath the weight, transfering the load to your quads…hope you can understand what i mean…good luck.[/quote]

kind of curious, what makes you think her core is weak.[/quote]

The reason I have to believe this was in her first video, the weight was controlling her top half of her body on the way up. It’s obvious that the weakest part of her entire lift was the uncontrolled portion of her core. (When i say weak, it’s in relationship to the entire lift.)

Now, as I have had this problem before, so I completely understand what she is going through, It wasn’t so much that I was so weak in that area, (it being partially the problem) it just helped mentally that I could make the muscle mind connection to recruit these muscles when performing the lift, as your core has to stay rigid on your way up and down. When i did this my form started getting better, and better.

There are other good points that have been made, now after the fact, but i think everyone can agree that she needs to keep her head and chest high, drive her hips forward while coming out of the hole.

One last thing that helped was having someone “spot” me from behind, all they would do is put a finger/palm in the small of my back and when coming out of the hole would push it to remind me of driving my hips forward. I only needed this on a few ocassions, as this would just be a reminder…

Im just an average lifter who has studied my own progressions, and failures. Take anything I say with an open mind. Im not here to try and offend anyone, as Im sure many are well more qualified than I to respond.

25

Box squats? Good morning squat? WTF?
Squat form looks pretty damn good to me.
Hardly a heavy forward lean.
Also, some of the best PL raw squatters have a strong forward lean.
You just need to get stronger.
Any minor form improvements will come to you as you progress.

26

ok lets squat here first your upper back is not tight you need crush your shoulders together…second get your elbows under the bar this will help you keep a straight line third get wider your stance is to close…

fourth learn to push your butt out not bend your knees i know this sounds wierd but if you push your butt out you will begin to lower yourself…fifth remember to push your knees out over your feet.in order to learn all this i have to pieces of advice…LOWER the wieght and practice,practice with the bar only.second piece go to elitefts.com and search for the video series so you think you can squat.you are not stuck my dear you just have bad form from top to bottom…

i am not being mean just my advice oh and one more thing in reference to your core…the one person was right loose the belt learn to fill your belly with air right before you squat and hold your breath till after you have exploded back to the top…squating is the most difficult move out there in my opinion.