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Thread: Squat form check

  1. #1
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    Default Squat form check

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    First form check post. These felt really good while I was doing them and I thought I felt the weight over my midfoot the entire time, but in the video I've noticed some things that may be wrong and I'd like to get feedback from the experts.

    YouTube

    1) Lumbar flexion at the bottom (sorry to use the word here, but "buttwink").

    2) Bar path is vertical in the descent but moves forward slightly in the ascent.

    3) I think I may be moving my hips back instead of straight up. Not sure if this is the cause of the forward movement of the bar, but I suspect it's making my chest collapse slightly causing me to lean over.

    Aside from that, maybe I should widen my stance slightly as suggested by my friend, but I'm not sure, and I'm hesitant to do so after aggravating my knee 2 weeks ago. What should I cue to fix these issues? I blame the lumbar flexion on soreness from Saturday's deadlifting, since I just came back from a terrible flu that caused me to miss a workout. Sorry if the angles aren't good, I can take another video on wednesday if necessary.

    Stats: 5'10 190lb, squatting 225lb in the video.

  2. #2
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    That is a pretty bad video, with the constant moving and shifting and zero footage taken from where we ask for it, the rear oblique. I'm sure you've read the sticky in all it's glorious detail, and could get an A on it in a book report.

    Lumbar flexion is not caused by a recent DL workout. It's cause by your inability to control your lumbar spine. Have you watched the video here on low back position control and read the relevant section in the book? Can you independently control your lumbar spine without moving your chest or upper back *at all*?? Is your low back flat when you deadlift.

    It also looks like you need to lean over a bit more. Then, make sure you KEEP your chest up as you drive your hips, without lifting your chest and making your back angle more vertical. Just keep it as one rigid unit that rises exactly in time with your hip drive.

  3. #3
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    I tried to reply to this thread earlier and I guess it didn't go through. I read the sticky about posting form checks but I misunderstood the part about filming from 45 degrees, sorry about that.

    Have you watched the video here on low back position control and read the relevant section in the book? Can you independently control your lumbar spine without moving your chest or upper back *at all*?? Is your low back flat when you deadlift.
    Yes I have watched the videos and read the relevant material in SS. My low back is flat when I deadlift. I can produce lumbar extension while standing, but even without weight on my back when I squat down I can't hold my lumbar spine in a neutral position. I don't think my hamstrings are too tight so I don't know how to fix this. Am I just so uncoordinated that I can't force my spinal erectors to contract when I squat?

    I'll try your advice to lean over more, but I suspect this will make it even harder to prevent lumbar flexion. I'll record squats tomorrow from the rear oblique outside of the rack, if you'll please look at those. Thank you for the feedback.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gavin F View Post
    I tried to reply to this thread earlier and I guess it didn't go through. I read the sticky about posting form checks but I misunderstood the part about filming from 45 degrees, sorry about that.
    You didn't read the sticky carefully, where it says this is a moderated board and it can take some time for us to get to your posts.

    Post a video of your DL, let's see if it's a squat problem or a general low back problem.

  5. #5
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    Deadlift: YouTube From the angle requested in the sticky.

    If it's more relevant to what you need to see I also recorded from the rear 45 angle, but for some reason, youtube takes a very long time to process my videos so I don't have it up yet.

  6. #6
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    Looks to me like it's a low back control problem. The video is shot too low, and also a little too close and a little too front to say for sure exactly how much - but there is clearly low back rounding here. This is not a flat back DL, like you claimed. Which means not only is your low back rounding, but you don't have the awareness to even know it's rounding.

    DL.jpg

    This is a tricky issue to resolve remotely, unfortunately, as those who aren't even aware of what their low backs are doing (seems to be somewhere between 20-30% of guys) need a bunch of tactile cues, which are impossible to deliver remotely.

    That said, try the Reynolds special - When you deadlift, simultaneously think about:
    1. Present your nipples to the wall in front of you (chest up/thoracic extension)
    2. Present your butthole to the wall behind you (lumbar extension)

    If you can gain the control to do that, you should also then be able to hold it in extension when descending in the squat.

  7. #7
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    Well, I took your cues and spent 2 hours deadlifting light weight trying to keep my lumbar from rounding, but it's not looking much better. Same thing with the squat. I think I'll have to get in-person coaching to fix this. Thank you for your feedback and help.

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