Squat check -below parallel?!?!

[Mia Inman]

185# looks okay. 225# maybe an inch deeper. Now take away the bucket and try again, then start bringing the weight back up.

Also, drive your hips all the way to the top. You're lifting your chest up on the ascent.

Finally, if you can, have someone watch from the rear and check knees out. It's probably not a deep enough space to take a video.

[Aaron Montgomery]

Thanks Mia. This is really making me frustrated now. I'll retry 225 3x5 in 2 days, and make sure I bury it. As a side note, my lower back feels like it's about to start "rounding" if I go any deeper. Not sure why that is.

[Mia Inman]

This is why I suggest having someone check your knees out. If your knees aren't out enough, that will stop you from hitting depth, and you'll compensate by rounding your lower back. Take a big, big breath, brace abs/erectors as hard as you can and hold that tightness/pressure (this is not easy!) as you descend. Shove your knees out as hard as you can and see if that helps.

[Aaron Montgomery]

This is why I suggest having someone check your knees out. If your knees aren't out enough, that will stop you from hitting depth, and you'll compensate by rounding your lower back. Take a big, big breath, brace abs/erectors as hard as you can and hold that tightness/pressure (this is not easy!) as you descend. Shove your knees out as hard as you can and see if that helps.

Ok. Is it possible to over-tighten my belt?

I was squatting with a wider stance till recently, which was definitely contributing to inability to hit proper depth. I'm guessing I was not shoving my knees out today since all I was thinking about was hitting depth and hip drive.

[ChrisRozon]

Why are you using a belt in the first place? Is there an injury?

[Aaron Montgomery]

Why are you using a belt in the first place? Is there an injury?

Had a triple hernia repair a few years ago. I talked to Rip on the phone afterwards and he strongly recommended I use a belt on my lifts.

[ChrisRozon]

Had a triple hernia repair a few years ago. I talked to Rip on the phone afterwards and he strongly recommended I use a belt on my lifts.

that would do it

[reediculous1534]

Oh they're open enough. If anything perhaps my stance is an inch or two too wide. I'm gonna bring in my stance slightly on Tuesday and see if that fixes my depth issues.

Stance width and knees out are two totally separate mechanics. Knees out refers to the path of your lower leg out over your toes, not how wide your stance is. Naturally they track a bit inside, which is why "shove the knees out" is such a reoccurring theme in this forum.

[Aaron Montgomery]

Did 4 sets of 5 at 185 today to work on hitting depth without a bucket. I noticed immediate improvement in "bounce" at the bottom and knee slide when I got rid of the bucket. I think it may have been causing a number of problems...

Depth-check Squat 185x5 - YouTube

I think these are good now? My lower back felt like it was slightly rounding at the bottom though.

[Aaron Montgomery]

Those are better to my eyes.

Knees also look much better. You would benefit from someone yelling "knees out!" even more. Your lower back didn't look too far off. I'd ditch that belt though.

I'll get a better belt when funding allows. I'll focus on thinking about knees out and not just hitting depth next session.