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Thread: Squat form check please!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Syracuse, NY
    Posts
    31

    Default Squat form check please!

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    All,

    First & foremost, I want to say thank you for taking the time to help. I'll try not to make this too complicated.

    For background:
    6'5, 265 lbs., probably a lot of bodyfat, not sure the percentage.

    I have a ~50 degree kyphosis in my thoracic spine, a very slight scoliosis (~10 degrees), and some lordosis (not sure of the number, but it was enough that my chiropractor mentioned it to me). My pelvis is higher on the left side by about 1/2 an inch. I got this fact wrong when getting coaching from Simma, and mistakenly told her that my legs were asymmetrical by about 1/2 an inch; I do not know whether or not my legs are actually asymmetrical.

    For a few workouts, I had been using a makeshift shim (putting ~1/2 inch plates inside my WL shoe) which seemed to alleviate a good deal of the back/hip pain, but was causing knee pain, so I stopped using it. (I realize how dumb this whole situation actually is now that I type this out).

    Since not using it, I have been having pain in my left elbow, left hip/lower back and butt lately, so I started filming my squats from behind and realized my rack is pretty damn asymmetrical (the picture illustrates how bad it is at worst, from my most recent workset).




    Can you please look at this squat video & tell me 1) what I'm doing wrong (when I watch it again I notice my knees are caving even more than I'd realized), & 2) what changes I should implement? I would really, really appreciate it.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGMHK...ature=youtu.be


    Thanks for your time!
    Attached Images Attached Images

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    10,378

    Default

    Your squat looks better than most. Widen your feet slightly and keep your chin down, especially on the way up. When the dude in your video cued you with "hips," he was correct. Initiate the ascent from your hips. You are slightly asymetrical. If a shim helps with that, use it. If it bothers your knee too much, don't. You may actually set up with the bar a little too low. Check out the bar placement video on the resources section of this site. You've got a back with extra curvature. You may never be completely symmetrical when you hold the bar. At the same time, I don't see anything consistently problematic about how you carry the bar. Just keep doing what you are doing. Take care of your sore bits with some foam rolling and stretching. Every day. See if that helps. Get a massage. Be patient and keep pushing your squat up north of 405.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Syracuse, NY
    Posts
    31

    Default

    Tom,


    Thanks so much for the insights. I will work on my bar placement, keeping my neck neutral, and hip drive. Are there specific stretches I should be doing?

    To be certain: I don't need to try to "shrug up" on the side where the bar is consistently lower, as I'd seen you advise in other threads?

    & is the pain in my knee the only reason not to use a shim? I talked with Simma about this when I got coaching from her, but I am worried that her analysis was marred by my giving her bad information, & I don't have a baseline for the scoliosis or kyphosis because I only went to a chiropractor and had x-rays done well after I'd already started. In short: my concern is less with the actual aches and pains; I'm more worried about exacerbating existing asymmetries in a way that will make weightlifting and normal body function harder in old age...

    Thanks again for your time and your thoughts; you are more helpful and encouraging than you probably realize.


    Best,
    -Nick

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    10,378

    Default

    You are asking me for more than I can tell you over the Internet, I am afraid. Do try shrugging up on the left side and see how that works/feels. Also, the bar being a little uneven doesn't bother me. The knee pain and hip pain will bother you, however. Keep doing your best to move symmetrically. If foam rolling your quads near your knee or stretching your back makes you feel better, do so.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Syracuse, NY
    Posts
    31

    Default

    Understood. Thanks again for your time.

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