Core seems to be the weakest link

[hammock23]

When it comes to both my squats and deadlifts, it seems like my core is the weakest link. This seems like a common problem on Deads, where the fight is often to keep the lower back from rounding, but for me the same thing applies to my squats. Every since my squats passed 250 or so, the fight on my squats is always wether or not I can keep my back from rounding, or keep from leaning forward. Whenever I'm pushing out of the whole, it's never a question of wether my quads/glutes/hams are gonna lift the weight up, but wether or not I can keep my core stable.


Is this common? Is there anything I can do to alleviate this? Good mornings maybe?


Here's an example of my last heavy set of high bar squats, the struggle is most obvious on my fifth rep

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jjmi...2ZvI8-J9fblq9Q

[Paul Horn]

The problem with your squat is not your core strength, it's your squat. This is a high-bar squat, 2-3" above parallel, with the wrong grip and knees caving in. You need to get the technique right, then you can address your perceived weaknesses. Until then, poor technique is your weakness.

[hammock23]

What may I ask is the problem with my grip?

[Paul Horn]

Your thumbs are wrapped around the bar, your elbows are pointing straight down, and your wrists are bent.

Here, this might help: http://startingstrength.com/index.ph...t_bar_position

[hammock23]

Isn't that the video for the low bar squat position? Everything I've read on the high bar squat says to get your elbows under the bar?

[Paul Horn]

Isn't that the video for the low bar squat position? Everything I've read on the high bar squat says to get your elbows under the bar?

My mistake. I didn't realize you were intentionally squatting high-bar.

[hammock23]

My knee cave used to be significantly worse than it is now. I've been doing a lot of ankle mobility work which has definitely helped, but it's obviously still an issue.

[Paul Horn]

If you were in my gym, I'd tell you to look straight down (about 6-12" in front of your toes) and watch your knees out of your peripheral vision. You'll see them come in, and when you do, you intentionally shove them back out. But, it's hard to do that with the high-bar position. Can I ask why you prefer to squat high-bar?

Also, as I mentioned, you're squatting a few inches too high, but that will be fixed by getting the knees out.

[hammock23]

If you were in my gym, I'd tell you to look straight down (about 6-12" in front of your toes) and watch your knees out of your peripheral vision. You'll see them come in, and when you do, you intentionally shove them back out. But, it's hard to do that with the high-bar position. Can I ask why you prefer to squat high-bar?

Also, as I mentioned, you're squatting a few inches too high, but that will be fixed by getting the knees out.

I tried twice, both at the beginning of Starting Strength, and again a few months ago to squat low-bar. Both times I ended up with a debilitating case of elbow tendinitis. I tried everything possible to alleviate this, from dialing in my grip on the bar, keeping straight wrists, chalking my back, wearing neoprene sleeves, but nothing worked. I would prefer to squat low-bar but it seems like a lost cause at this point.

[Kundahli]

Coach Horn, I hope you don't mind me interjecting here. I suffered some of the same issues as OP.

OP, I watched some of your videos and even at 340 your reps were high, the last 2 were veritable half squats! You should not be adding weight at this point. Among other things, you will need a deload.

What is happening with your squat is not a weakness, it is a form issue as Horn suggests. You are trying to HBBS yet your mechanics are fucked. They are fucked because you lack the ankle mobility to drop straight into the hole all the way to depth. Watch your knees, they stop moving during your descent and your hips slide back. [Side note: that's what happens in a LBBS]. When your hips slide back in absence of forward knee travel in a HBBS the bar moves forward of midfoot, you rock onto your toes, and fall forward. Watch you videos or feel it yourself in your squat, it will be clear that this is not a strength issue.

To correct this you have two options:

1) Switch to LBBS. This is the best option, trust me. I, like you, used to squat HBBS and suffered the EXACT same problems. I switched to LBBS this year and although I am still learning and dont have a great squat, my form has never before felt so good.

2) If you decide to continue to squat HBBS you need to either improve your ankle mobility or just get some heeled shoes.

In either case you need a deload. Your squats are blatantly high.