Programming through form faults.

[tescott]

Hi KSC,

I've had long-term form issues in doing a good-morning out of the bottom of my squat. When I concentrate hard and don't push the weight too much, I'm okay, but once I push the weight, I tip forward. It means that I've had trouble moving my squat up for quite a while, since its hard to know when to drop weight and when to keep pushing.

So, I'm wondering how you might suggest programming to train through this. For example, do you recommend more light sets before work sets for practice? Or working with lower reps at high weight? Or using assistance work to fix imbalances? I have tried extra hamstring work, but not sure that its making a big difference.

At the moment, I'm doing a 2-day a week TM style setup. 3x5 plus 3x5 RDLs for volume, 1x3 for intensity.

Thanks

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Love a heavy light medium set up for this.

It gives you lots and lots of practice working with submaximal weights to build your form. 3-5 x 5 each day. You may consider ramping up weights over the course of 5 sets as Starr used to recommend to build form or you could do sets across. Doesn't matter, as long as you can recover from it and you are following the basic protocol:

Mon - Heavy
Wednesday: -20%
Friday: -10%

[tescott]

Thanks, I'll give it a go.

I'm guessing that since I'm going for lots of sub-max work, I should keep the heavy day light enough to avoid form breakdown... right?

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Heavy day should be heavy. I'm never going to advocate form breakdown, but training heavy often leads to slight technique issues. Once you are past the novice stage then you should not be having major form issues anyways. Things like squatting high, inability to arch your back, coming up on your toes, etc are all novice problems.