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Squat check at 320
My original thread, "Squat form check at 305#, please" has been closed, probably because I took too long to submit another post, so here's my latest. Since my 305 video, I bought a pair of lifting shoes and moved up to 320 pounds. This is a PR for me so you're seeing me at my limit. This video is also from the rear oblique, as requested by Tom C.
YouTube.
Looking forward to any comments.
Thanks again for your time.
-Rob
✓ Member
Those are fine squats, although since they were filmed from standing, they all look above parallel. They may be above parallel, but I cannot say for sure. Most of the big things are in place, with the notable question mark on depth. Some polish: move your feet an inch wider. Drop your elbows a little and get your chest up. Jacking your elbows that high only causes you to round your upper thoracic. Shoot for a more upright posture at the top.
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Tom,
Thanks for the comments. Your comments on my earlier 305 # squat really helped me out (and finally got me to buy a pair of real shoes).
The video was shot by a guy who saw me struggling with getting the phone to balance on an incline bench and he graciously offered to hold the camera. I was very grateful for the offer so I wasn't going to make him squat down to get a better angle. :-) I think the depth is pretty good on most of the reps but I'll keep an eye on that for sure. And I certainly see what you mean about getting my chest up, although sometimes it feels that if I lower my elbows, the bar is going to drop right off my back.
One thing I noticed but didn't mention is that it appears that my left knee doesn't go out to the side as far as my right knee and I'm not sure what to do about that. Obviously can't see that in the video but I saw it while looking in the mirror on the lighter sets. Is this a technique thing or is my bone structure asymmetric? I'm pushing out as hard as I can.
In the video I see that the right end of the barbell is slightly lower than the left at times. Is that normal or could it be related to the asymmetry in my knee position at the bottom or am I just not centered under the bar?
Thanks again, Tom. Your time and knowledge and the willingness to share it are all greatly appreciated.
-Rob
✓ Member
Tough to say what is causing your asymmetry just from text. No one is perfectly symmetrical and bars are frequently slightly higher on one side than another. We'd need a video directly from behind at hip level to say a little more about whether your tilting is problematic, or not. I did not rewatch your video, but I didn't notice anything the first time I saw it.
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One thing to check in regard to symmetry is that your feet are both pointed out at the same angle. I have a tendency to want to point my right foot out more than the left. I struggled a lot with asymmetry and came to realize that this was the primary culprit. I went through the whole ordeal of measuring my leg lengths looking for a discrepancy and shimming my left leg with a board or some mats. I felt kind of silly when I realized that, even though I was conscious of it, my right foot was still pointing out more than my left, causing me to shift to the right as I would descend. I have to just "feel" like I'm pointing my right foot more forward to even them out.Originally Posted by RJPinAZ
I did a lot of filming directly from behind at hip level too.
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Tom and sking,
Thanks for the comments. I'll double-check my foot position and work on getting a video from a more useful angle.
-Rob
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Video Tip: If your gym has those weighted cylinders (not sure what they are called), you can stand one up on its end and place a 10lb plate on top. It's a nice height from which to video squats. I set my phone on top in a RetiCAM Smartphone Tripod Mount.
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