Starting Strength-Basic Barbell Training-3rd Edition: The Squat – HIPS, pages 44-51

[milon]

1/. Page 45, paragraph 3rd:
“A common error is the tendency for some lifters to drive the hips forward instead of upward (Figure 2-41)…”.

In this situation, what happens first? The hip angle opens first because the lifter drives his chest up (Instead of his hips), resulting the knees to move forward to get the bar again in balance over the midfoot, resulting the hips to move forward? Or because the lifter driving his chest up, pushes his hips forward, resulting the knees to move forward?
In this wrong position there are three things going wrong: Hips forward, knees forward and hip angle opened. Which of these three things happen first, second and third?
You also say that in this situation, with the hips forward and knees forward, the weight is shifted forward to the toes. I don’t understand why the weight is shifted forward to the toes, because in this wrong position the hip angle opens also, so the bar remains over the midfoot?

2/. Page 45, paragraph 4th:
In this situation where the hips shift backwards instead of straight up out of the bottom, the reason is because of the hamstring and/or gastrocnemius failer? If the answer is yes, what muscles fail first? The hamstrings fail first (Anchoring the back angle) or the gastrocnemius fail first (Anchoring the knee angle)? The failer of one muscle causes the failer of the other muscle, or the failers are independent?

[Mark Rippetoe]

All this chaos happens simultaneously. But what do you intend to do with this information?

[milon]

A problem often encountered in more advanced trainees, is the tendency to let the knees slide forward as the bottom approaches. To avoid this, the quads, the hamstrings and the soleus with the gastrocnemius must be kept tight.
a/. The trainee keeps all these muscles tight, with his mind, voluntarily, or does this happen by itself unconsciously by maintaining the right position?
b/. When this happens (Relaxing forward) there is an increased risk of injury because low-back relaxation often comes along for the ride. Can you explain why the low-back relaxes in this situation?

[milon]

1/. Relationship between stance width and knee angle, page 57, Figure 2-52:
A closer stance places the knees more forward relative to the toes (And a wider stance places them farther back). Why?

[milon]

These are questions that i have from reading the "Starting Strength - Basic Barbell Training - 3rd Edition" book which i have bought. The more i read, the more questions i have. I want to learn the biomechanics of the basic barbell movements, so as a trainee, to execute them with the right technique to become more effective and efficient with the safest way.

[Mark Rippetoe]

a. Nothing happens unconsciously. Everything is kept tight. You should have read that in the book.

b. The low back relaxes if you let it relax. Don't do that. You should have read that in the book.

[Mark Rippetoe]

You should have read that in the book. Everything is explained in the book, and your assumptions are wrong.

[milon]

I can keep the quads, calves and low back tight, but how do you keep the hamstrings tight? You keep the hamstrings tight only by sitting back with a horizontal back angle, close hip angle and open knee angle, or you have to put your mind in too?

[Bill Anders]

I can keep the quads, calves and low back tight, but how do you keep the hamstrings tight? You keep the hamstrings tight only by sitting back with a horizontal back angle, close hip angle and open knee angle, or you have to put your mind in too?

Just do it. Seriously.

Get the hips back and the knees out, get down to just below parallel as your nipples point to the floor. Stop. Keep those knees out, drive up with the hips, and, under enough load, you will feel those hamstrings doing the work. Just like it's described in the book.

[milon]

1/. Relationship between stance width and knee angle, page 57, Figure 2-52:
A closer stance places the knees more forward relative to the toes (And a wider stance places them farther back). Why?
2/. What is the relationship between stance width and hamstring function? With a wider stance the hamstrings get involved less, more or the same in the Squat?