Member
I'm starting to realize there's always going to be something wrong with my form. Perhaps it's better to postpone my strength journey and focus on gymnastic type training or something similar, until I can get a good coach live that can help me?
I understand your point but it's really hard to correct these things even if I have had read your inputs and the information in the book. Perhaps it works really well for others and not me
EDIT: Although, deadlift seems fine and the other exercises too. But Squats are the most important lift and it's the one I have problems with and it's not worth grinding through with bad form and getting injured
Last edited by SSDino; 03-19-2017 at 02:41 PM.
Starting Strength Coach
No, don't give up. Just focus on one correction at a time, rather than trying to incorporate all of the suggestions and get a perfect squat instantly.
We've all struggled with this at one time or another (and still do sometimes). Be patient with yourself and you'll get it in time.
Member
I will try practicing one cue at a time. I'll update with a new video tomorrow, with relatively light weights like 60kg or something so I can focus on form. I believe why I am not trying to sit back and it instead results in a bend is because when I sit backwards it makes my back hyperextended slightly (only for a short duration) which seems to be inevitable. Is this normal?
Starting Strength Coach
Your back hyperextends when you shove your hips back because you're still trying to keep your chest up. Think about the top of your chest pointed to the floor.Originally Posted by SSDino
Member
Some people have a problem with overextending their lumbar spine when initiating a squat. You just need to learn to stay neutral. Crunch your abs down hard at the top, and then let yourself sit back. If you are accustomed to overextending your lumbar spine, you may even feel like you are rounded (in flexion) at the beginning.
When you come out of the bottom of the squat, shove your butt straight up in the air. If your butt leads your shoulders a little, that's okay.
Echoing Mia's advice: don't give up. Getting a good squat takes time. Even those of us who have relatively polished and strong squats are still continuously refining and correcting little mistakes. Becoming takes time and is a long term process. Being stubborn helps.
Member
So as promised I re-did my squat and tried to follow your advice. This is what it looks like:
Low bar:
It didn't feel good at all to be honest and just seemed overly complicated. Either way, I tried doing a set of high bar squats which I feel are a lot easier than low bar. Perhaps, if my form is acceptable I can just do high bar instead of low bar so I can continue gaining strength rather than being stuck on improving technique.
Video High Bar START AT 0:40 :
Member
The low bar squats you show here are a lot better than what you posted previously. You are actually using your hips out of the bottom (although you lift your chest early on rep #2) and are staying in balance over the mid-foot for the most part. You are however going a couple inches lower than you need to and you are pausing unnecessarily at the bottom. You still need to brace harder at the top before you go, and bend your hips and knees at the same time, not hips first.
The high bar squat is more intuitive for a lot of people than the low bar squat at the beginning. You will run into technical challenges with a high bar squat as well once it gets heavy, but with the downside that you won't be moving as much weight or getting as strong. I have a couple people I coach who I have do a high bar squat, but that is because they are physically unable to get into the low bar position. Everyone else does a low bar squat.
My advice to you is to work on not letting yourself get frustrated so easily. Lifting is hard, and especially after the novice progression, can be very frustrating at times. Giving up on a low bar squat so easily (especially given that these are far from the worst squats I've seen) is just kicking the can down the road. Learn to push through the frustration.
Member
Thank you and I'm glad I could implement a few of your points from yesterday. The thing is I got "injured" doing low bar squats two weeks ago, due to bad form as you all pointed out. I have a hard time getting into good form even when I am doing light weights with low bar squatting. The high bar squat, at least as I can see I can perform (although with light weights) with good form. Then the problem becomes to increase weight rather than working on technique: Big +.
My thinking is this: My #1 is not getting injured and it seems I personally perform the high bar better and therefor safer (Do you think it looks safe?). Secondly I want to add weight to the bar, it seems I can do that with high bar instantly rather than waiting and improving technique.
I understand Starting Strength has a very strong opinion of low bar squatting being superior and I agree it lifts the most weight but it's clearly debatable as I see many powerlifters discuss the topic where some say High Bar is better for general strength and some low bar. In my world it doesn't seem to matter as I can always change later to low bar. I want to train for a long time, I'm 19 now so I figure I got time wasting my time improving at high bar :P
Member
Unfortunately, injury is an inevitable part of training. If you lift heavy to get strong, you will eventually get injured in some way, shape, or form. If you are doing it correctly and intelligently, hopefully your injuries will be fairly minor and you'll recover from them. This is true whether you are doing a high bar squat or a low bar squat. You sustained a minor back injury a couple weeks ago and are fine now. If you want to lift, you'll just have to accept the risk of injury as part of the price to be paid of getting stronger.
The high bar squat feels safer to you because you were barely using any weight. For that matter, your low bar squat is light and the bar is moving very quickly too. I don't see any reason you cannot work on your technical issues and improve your squat within the context of adding 5 lbs at a time to the bar. Mechanically consistent and perfect squats are the ideal, but in practice this is not achievable. Even very good lifters have technical issues they are always working on, have sets where one rep is not quite as good as the others, have bad days, etc. If the bar actually does get too heavy to hold together your technique, then put a pause on the weight increases or even back off a little and fix it, then work back up.
It's also worth saying that if you're so concerned about injury, there are a couple simple things you can do: one, work on gaining weight rapidly. You're only 19, so you can do it quickly and have it be mostly productive weight. You ultimately need more mass to perform the movements properly. Second, get lifting shoes. They will help make your squat more consistent by giving you a stable platform to push off.
✓ Member
Personally, I think you need to film a better form check (rear 3/4 view at hip height) before making adjustments. We have no idea r.e. your stance, grip, or gaze.
Greg
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