While squatting my Throacic spine rounds over and I can’t seem to keep my chest puffed out. This seems to be limiting my progress on squats.
I squat low-bar with a medium to close stance. It happens even with 135.
Any tips, links or cues that can help fix this? I am currently lost as to why it happens and how to fix it. Thanks in advance.
I’m working on correcting this, too. The safety squat bar would be the best way to strengthen the upper back for squatting, I think. Do you do good mornings?
i am no means an expert, but where are you guys looking when you squat? perhaps if you raised your eyeline (not crank your neck back) the thoraic spine might flaten out
Are you wearing a belt? What shoes do you squat in?
Your chest shouldn’t be puffed out, your belly should be full of air and pushed out, and your elbows should be pulled under the bar.
A low bar position lends itself to hunching over
had the same problem, at the bottom my upper back would collapse every time.
wider stance and hip mobility worked for me, but if upper back strength is a problem, try thoracic extensions on a hyper bench.
safety squat bar hands down
Don’t have access to a safety squat bar. Don’t use a belt (never have) and I wear Dunlop Volleys which are flats (http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/sneakers/all/images/81416_600.jpg).
Do you guys reckon it might have to do with grip positioning or thoracic flexibility?
Is strengthening the area the general consensus? Goodmornings, T extentions, what else?
Thanks again guys, your help is appreciated.
alright, your arm position might be caving your chest in, so make sure you can keep your elbows where you want without rounding your chest. stretching your shoulders and chest before squatting helps me a lot.
the next best thing to a ssb in my opinion would be front squats to a box.
use a foam roller to do all that t-spine shit too.
Hise shrugs might help too, i dont know, i’ve never done them.
[quote]humanimal wrote:
I squat low-bar with a medium to close stance.
[/quote]
Forgive my ignorance but does this make sense? I suppose rounding would be the normal thing to happen in low bar narrow stance squatting. Why not bring the stance out, and the bar up while you’re at it. See if it helps. It really helped me to push out the knees at the bottom, but that is best done from a wide stance.
[quote]humanimal wrote:
Is strengthening the area the general consensus? Goodmornings, T extentions, what else?
Thanks again guys, your help is appreciated.[/quote]
Front Squats will carry over more than anything, save the safety squat.
I’ve noticed moving my grip in as narrow as I comfortably can forces me to retract my scapula, engage my back musculature, and just make my back so tight that I couldn’t bend the thoracic area.
Worked for me, maybe give it a try
