Advice on Squats

[Undercover]

Continuing to squat poorly will only make things worse.

I always hate how people ask these things without posting a video lol.

Could be many things - weak abs, not activation abs, weak hips, not activating hips, poor thoracic mobility, poor hip mobility, trying to squat too deep. I'd be willing to bet it is one of these but without seeing your squat it is hard to tell which, and then obviously how to go about correcting it

Fair point, as said I'll be making a video to help demonstrate. But as you highlighted I believe it's a hip issue mainly. I think I'm over breaking at the hips and leading into a awkward bottom position, which rounds my lower back (not enough break from the knees).

 

[M@YHEM]

Ive changed the location of my hands on the bar. Seems to have made a difference. Have also tried stretching the shoulders before squats as tight shoulders can pull you forwards, though hand positioning seemed to fix this for me. My grip is now very close.

 

[Undercover]

Here is my video I took today. Only did a quick video of 5 reps @60kg. Tried a few things you guys said, did feel better. (apart from rep 4, lost it). This was easy but wanted to focus on form.

http://youtu.be/QFvjPxvFMsc
[MENTION=10061]Brick[/MENTION]; [MENTION=7877]RyanF[/MENTION]; [MENTION=8583]nazzysmith[/MENTION]; [MENTION=7188]The Hamburgler[/MENTION]; [MENTION=8606]Neddysmith[/MENTION];

 

[siiiski]

Definitely no expert but from what I'm seeing you look to be coming forward on your toes a little bit and your knees are caving n a little, try squatting without shoes and keeping the weight on your heels. Also try doing some light sets with a band around your knees making sure you are pushing them out on the way down and when you are coming out of the hole. the band will help you keep your knees out, I'm pretty sure someone mentioned this earlier . But the others will probs have better advice, just my 2 cents

Sent from my HTC_PN071 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Undercover]

[MENTION=14031]M@YHEM[/MENTION]; [MENTION=15891]siiiski[/MENTION];

Thanks guys for those points, all
valid and appreciated. Lots of trial and error ahead of me, excited but, I have been missing out not doing proper squats so I want to ensure I get it right before I progress.

 

[Grippy]

Fuck the soft squishy Nikes off and get something with a hard flat sole or go bare foot for a bit.
Try and push through the heels and keep em planted, your heels are lifting a bit.
Push you knees out, makes a world of difference.
Put some real lifting music on!

 

[Undercover]

Fuck the soft squishy Nikes off and get something with a hard flat sole or go bare foot for a bit.
Try and push through the heels and keep em planted, your heels are lifting a bit.
Push you knees out, makes a world of difference.
Put some real lifting music on!

I have thrown some old Vans (flat) into the bag.

Push Knees out on a 45 degree when going up?

I usethe phone as my iPod but had to film this, otherwise would have been on and banging some Chillies or Nirvana. That was the gyms over loud faggy jukebox.

 

[solarbear]

When I squat I focus on squatting down so that my nipples drop down behind my knees, just behind where the teardrop connects to the knee area, and push the knees apart. Never squatted so deep or so pain free.

 

[McKwl]

Yeah, fix the shoes. Really - it is that important.

And maybe have a look at articles or vidoes along these lines: 7 Ways to Keep Your Heels on The Floor on Squats | StrongLifts StrongLifts

If not for that, your form might be alright, I reckon. Hard to tell.

edit: And the knees, yeah. Missed that at first. Push them out, and keep them out. Maybe try this: http://www.google.com.au/search?q=squat+stretch&tbm=isch (every day) - second or third image, say.

 

[The Hamburgler]

1 - lose the shoes
2 - shorten your set up (really you should be in place within 2 steps and a slight adjustment; not going for a 2km walk with the bar on your back lol)
3 - either move your feet out another foot width so they are outside your shoulders and/or point your toes out further so you can push your knees sidewaysdiagonal more than forwards
4 - your chest/upper body position is fine. fix what your hips are doing wrong and everything else will fall into place imo

if you're wandering about #3 pause at 0:14 of this video and it will give you a highly exaggerated version of what I'm crapping on about
[youtube]5jxNYG_YlZA[/youtube]

 

[NJA82]

Piss off the bitch pad on the bar, having the bar not gripping your back tight against your skin will cause it to roll forward and backwards giving you all sorts of dramas.

Do you currently do good mornings and back extensions as part of your assistance? If not start doing them, high volume light weight focusing on strengthening the glutes and hammies.

Also as mentioned above shoes, you are falling forward onto your toes as you come out of the hole, i would suggest maybe incorporating box squats into your assistance after your done with your heavy squats. Really focus on pushing your ass back and sitting back putting the load and stretch into the glutes and hammies.

 

[Brick]

Piss off the bitch pad on the bar, having the bar not gripping your back tight against your skin will cause it to roll forward and backwards giving you all sorts of dramas.

Do you currently do good mornings and back extensions as part of your assistance? If not start doing them, high volume light weight focusing on strengthening the glutes and hammies.

Also as mentioned above shoes, you are falling forward onto your toes as you come out of the hole, i would suggest maybe incorporating box squats into your assistance after your done with your heavy squats. Really focus on pushing your ass back and sitting back putting the load and stretch into the glutes and hammies.

SLDL is better then gm's and back extensions, harder to fuck up the form anyway.

Never been a fan of box squats I know efs and westside preach them but I can't say I thought they helped. I think he just needs to focus a little more at breaking from the hips, shooting the arse out. Get into flat shoes and concentrate on keeping weight on tge heels.

Do you get much out of box squats NJA?

 

[Goosey]

One new to squatting should squat every day until they are doing it right.
Then you can start adding wieght and drinking lots of milk.

 

[The Hamburgler]

SLDL is better then gm's and back extensions, harder to fuck up the form anyway.

Never been a fan of box squats I know efs and westside preach them but I can't say I thought they helped. I think he just needs to focus a little more at breaking from the hips, shooting the arse out. Get into flat shoes and concentrate on keeping weight on tge heels.

Do you get much out of box squats NJA?

A back extension easier to f*ck up than a deadlift? hardly

The Russians incorporate good mornings and box squats into their beginner programs so it may be worth a try.

otherwise the old codger above me and his suggestion to practice til you get it right is also another option

 

[M@YHEM]

Did anyone notice the twist off the bottom...? look at the shift in the position of his knees. Is he favouring his stronger leg, could be throwing everything out.

 

[NJA82]

Brick, I actually find GM`s and back extensions much easier to hold solid form than SLDL to be honest but thats just me.

Box squats have taught me to break at the hips and sit back rather than break at the knees and squat down, I reckon for beginners box squatting is essential to learn proper form safely. Even if they perform box squats only just lightly touching the box with their arse lightly rather than fully pausing it still teaches you to sit back to the box which is the motion you need when squatting to activate the glutes and hammies at the bottom.

Each to his own, everyone has strengths and weaknesses based on lots of variables.

 

[Bazza20]

The whole break at the hips and sit back is mostly for equipped squatters. Most raw squatters need to break more at the knees and sit down. Could never get my squats to work decent until I stopped listened to all the westside geared squatting shit.

 

[Undercover]

I have started some assistance work for for my hamstrings/glutes/quads but will squat each day I'm in the gym to practice. Will stretch more, feels awkward when I go so low, not the most coordinated person. I have no arse/ long lower back so finding it hard to stick out without arching my back to much.

Is the bar in the right spot on my back? My elbows?

Will make a better front and side video, did rush making that one.

Thanks all for the above.

 

[nazzysmith]

The whole break at the hips and sit back is mostly for equipped squatters. Most raw squatters need to break more at the knees and sit down. Could never get my squats to work decent until I stopped listened to all the westside geared squatting shit.

Somewhere in the middle is the answer... Everones leverages are different...

I prefer sitting back...

 

[Undercover]

The whole break at the hips and sit back is mostly for equipped squatters. Most raw squatters need to break more at the knees and sit down. Could never get my squats to work decent until I stopped listened to all the westside geared squatting shit.

Read and watched conflicting advice about breaking at hips or knees....