help with squat form

squidsrock RemoveThis @yahoo.com wrote in news:1153448383.724533.58940
@m79g2000cwm.googlegroups.com:

> I uploaded a video of myself doing some squats. If someone with some
> knowledge about proper form can tell me what I am doing wrong (it
> doesnt exactly feel right), I would really appreciate it.
>
> Here is the link:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIcU700IVj4
>
> thanks,
> Matt
>

I'm no expert, but I squat.

You can't diagnose your squat with an unweighted bar.

If you watch the bar move from top to bottom (comparing its path to the
vertical lines on the door behind you), it ends up perhaps a foot
'ahead' (towards the toes) of its starting location. As you squat with
weight, the bar will, for the most part, move straight down, then back
up.

Your torso leans over appreciably, and it looks unnatural. If it looks
unnatural, it is probably not optimal. The super-slow speed is also
unnatural. Squat like you're training to fight a lion, not like you're
practicing tai chi. In my opinion, you should smoothly sink into the
squat, then explode out of it.

As far as I can tell, you are performing squats with the unweighted bar
in a different manner than you'd do them with a proper amount of weight.

My advice is to put some weight on the bar and work on stretching and
range-of-motion for a while. Some people suggest squatting while your
heels are on something like a 10-pound plate. This is supposed to help
you increase the depth of your squat when flexibility is a concern. I've
never tried this myself, but others swear by it. Since the top of your
quads didn't go beyond horizontal, you probably could use some
flexibility training.

Maybe you're worrying too much about keeping your knees behind your toes.
My toes come out a bit past my knees when I'm at the bottom of my squat,
but it has never caused any problems that I'm aware of. If you jump up
in the air without much thought, you'll land with your feet in a
'natural' position - shoulder-width with a natural camber to you toes.
This is a good configuration for your feet when you are squatting, but it
will tend to cause your knees to come past your toes when you squat. A
wider stance will keep your knees back.

Do you have some sort of squat rack -type thing? If you are picking the
weight up from the ground and squatting it, you'll never be able to use
enough weight to really challenge yourself, in my opinion. At best,
you'll be able to get a good stretch with high-rep squats.
 >> Stay informed about: help with squat form 

In article <1153448383.724533.58940.RemoveThis@m79g2000cwm.googlegroups.com>,
squidsrock.RemoveThis@yahoo.com wrote:

> I uploaded a video of myself doing some squats. If someone with some
> knowledge about proper form can tell me what I am doing wrong (it
> doesnt exactly feel right), I would really appreciate it.
>
> Here is the link:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIcU700IVj4
>

This isn't bad. You are trying too hard to keep your body upright and if
you put some weight on the shoulders you'd find it would get out of the
centre of gravity. If you want to keep your knees back you have to let
the torso incline forward.

You've got a couple of problems with flexibility. Your lower back starts
to round in the bottom position. Stretch the hips, gluts and hamstrings
a lot. And just continue trying to get as low as you can without letting
your pelvis tilt - keep the lower back 'neutral'.

You obviously have read something about keeping the knees back. Remember
that a lot of the reason for this is to allow powerlifters to get a
squat passed with minimal knee flexion. You can let the knees come
forward some. If I were you I'd get some weight and learn to squat by
front squatting. If you want to learn a wide stance powerlifting squat
(which is excellent for the posterior chain) get a box and learn to box
squat.

Either way there is nothing really wrong with this squat - just things
to tweak.

--
Keith
 >> Stay informed about: help with squat form 

On Fri, 21 Jul 2006 06:16:24 -0600, Hobbes <khobman800 RemoveThis @yahoo.com>
wrote in misc.fitness.weights:

>In article <1153448383.724533.58940 RemoveThis @m79g2000cwm.googlegroups.com>,
> squidsrock RemoveThis @yahoo.com wrote:
>
>> I uploaded a video of myself doing some squats. If someone with some
>> knowledge about proper form can tell me what I am doing wrong (it
>> doesnt exactly feel right), I would really appreciate it.
>>
>> Here is the link:
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIcU700IVj4
>>
>
>This isn't bad. You are trying too hard to keep your body upright and if
>you put some weight on the shoulders you'd find it would get out of the
>centre of gravity. If you want to keep your knees back you have to let
>the torso incline forward.
>
>You've got a couple of problems with flexibility. Your lower back starts
>to round in the bottom position. Stretch the hips, gluts and hamstrings
>a lot. And just continue trying to get as low as you can without letting
>your pelvis tilt - keep the lower back 'neutral'.
>
>You obviously have read something about keeping the knees back. Remember
>that a lot of the reason for this is to allow powerlifters to get a
>squat passed with minimal knee flexion. You can let the knees come
>forward some. If I were you I'd get some weight and learn to squat by
>front squatting. If you want to learn a wide stance powerlifting squat
>(which is excellent for the posterior chain) get a box and learn to box
>squat.
>
>Either way there is nothing really wrong with this squat - just things
>to tweak.

And he needs to go lower.
 >> Stay informed about: help with squat form 

squidsrock.RemoveThis@yahoo.com wrote:
> I uploaded a video of myself doing some squats.

Technically, I suppose two qualifies as "some squats" but you almost
lost your balance on the second one. Wtf?

> If someone with some knowledge about proper
> form can tell me what I am doing wrong (it doesnt
> exactly feel right), I would really appreciate it.

Matt, so far as form goes, you look like you're doing fine, however
that's irrelevant as...

1) I's hard to tell anything useful to your training besides "form with
an empty broom handle" with you using a broken broomstick for a squat
bar.

2) Socks? Stocking feet on a hardwood floor?

3) YOU CALL THAT A HAIRCUT!?!??

> Here is the link:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIcU700IVj4

Seriously, get a weight set and put at least fifty pounds on a bar,
wear some sneakers, and try again. And unless you're planning on
competing in the empty dowel rod olympics, go lower.

> thanks,
> Matt

You're welcome,
Curt

--
 >> Stay informed about: help with squat form 

In article <haj1c25s2abmjqljetuc1asi4l92q463d0 DeleteThis @4ax.com>,
John Hanson <jhanson DeleteThis @northernlinks.com> wrote:

> On Fri, 21 Jul 2006 06:16:24 -0600, Hobbes <khobman800 DeleteThis @yahoo.com>
> wrote in misc.fitness.weights:
>
> >In article <1153448383.724533.58940 DeleteThis @m79g2000cwm.googlegroups.com>,
> > squidsrock DeleteThis @yahoo.com wrote:
> >
> >> I uploaded a video of myself doing some squats. If someone with some
> >> knowledge about proper form can tell me what I am doing wrong (it
> >> doesnt exactly feel right), I would really appreciate it.
> >>
> >> Here is the link:
> >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIcU700IVj4
> >>
> >
> >This isn't bad. You are trying too hard to keep your body upright and if
> >you put some weight on the shoulders you'd find it would get out of the
> >centre of gravity. If you want to keep your knees back you have to let
> >the torso incline forward.
> >
> >You've got a couple of problems with flexibility. Your lower back starts
> >to round in the bottom position. Stretch the hips, gluts and hamstrings
> >a lot. And just continue trying to get as low as you can without letting
> >your pelvis tilt - keep the lower back 'neutral'.
> >
> >You obviously have read something about keeping the knees back. Remember
> >that a lot of the reason for this is to allow powerlifters to get a
> >squat passed with minimal knee flexion. You can let the knees come
> >forward some. If I were you I'd get some weight and learn to squat by
> >front squatting. If you want to learn a wide stance powerlifting squat
> >(which is excellent for the posterior chain) get a box and learn to box
> >squat.
> >
> >Either way there is nothing really wrong with this squat - just things
> >to tweak.
>
> And he needs to go lower.

Yup. This isn't legal depth for powerlifting and personally I prefer
ATTG anyhow - except in contest form.

--
Keith
 >> Stay informed about: help with squat form 

"Hobbes" <khobman800 DeleteThis @yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:khobman800-BC5666.08294321072006@sn-ip.vsrv-sjc.supernews.net...
> In article <haj1c25s2abmjqljetuc1asi4l92q463d0 DeleteThis @4ax.com>,
> John Hanson <jhanson DeleteThis @northernlinks.com> wrote:
>
>> On Fri, 21 Jul 2006 06:16:24 -0600, Hobbes <khobman800 DeleteThis @yahoo.com>
>> wrote in misc.fitness.weights:
>>
>> >In article <1153448383.724533.58940 DeleteThis @m79g2000cwm.googlegroups.com>,
>> > squidsrock DeleteThis @yahoo.com wrote:
>> >
>> >> I uploaded a video of myself doing some squats. If someone with
>> >> some
>> >> knowledge about proper form can tell me what I am doing wrong (it
>> >> doesnt exactly feel right), I would really appreciate it.
>> >>
>> >> Here is the link:
>> >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIcU700IVj4
>> >>
>> >
>> >This isn't bad. You are trying too hard to keep your body upright
>> >and if
>> >you put some weight on the shoulders you'd find it would get out of
>> >the
>> >centre of gravity. If you want to keep your knees back you have to
>> >let
>> >the torso incline forward.
>> >
>> >You've got a couple of problems with flexibility. Your lower back
>> >starts
>> >to round in the bottom position. Stretch the hips, gluts and
>> >hamstrings
>> >a lot. And just continue trying to get as low as you can without
>> >letting
>> >your pelvis tilt - keep the lower back 'neutral'.
>> >
>> >You obviously have read something about keeping the knees back.
>> >Remember
>> >that a lot of the reason for this is to allow powerlifters to get a
>> >squat passed with minimal knee flexion. You can let the knees come
>> >forward some. If I were you I'd get some weight and learn to squat
>> >by
>> >front squatting. If you want to learn a wide stance powerlifting
>> >squat
>> >(which is excellent for the posterior chain) get a box and learn to
>> >box
>> >squat.
>> >
>> >Either way there is nothing really wrong with this squat - just
>> >things
>> >to tweak.
>>
>> And he needs to go lower.
>
> Yup. This isn't legal depth for powerlifting and personally I prefer
> ATTG anyhow - except in contest form.

Keith, John, the OP and whoever else, try this one (credit Pavel, not
me, and credit John DuCane for introducing it to Pavel): Stand a few
inches away from a wall, stance of your choice, and squat. Work on
being able to squat with your toes touching the wall. Don't let the
feet roll to the outside but keep them flat on the ground - that's about
the only rule. It seems to require lifting the chest and the keeping
the back flat in order to make it work without falling over backwards -
that's what's good about it. I do this as part of my joint
health/warmup routine now and really like it, and I think it's got good
things to teach about squatting. Curious to know if anyone else likes
it. I try it in varying stances, the hardest being feet shoulder width
and pointed straight ahead but I think it's more useful for PL to do it
in something pretty close to your preferred PL squat stance.

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com
 >> Stay informed about: help with squat form