How do I get more horizontal? Can I even?

[Tom Lang]

Hi Coaches,

Again with the squat? Yes, sorry.... Rip's box squat video got me thinking about squatting as if the box were there, but without the actual box, since it takes the lifter out of the knees and more into the hips, with a more horizontal back angle. I asked Rip if box squats would help me, considering my long torso/shorter legs anthropometry, and posted the following video:



This is a PR single for me. I don't think it's a terrible squat. My other part of my question to Rip was: "Or do I just have a coaching issue?"

His response: "Coaching issue."

So: What I am not doing? My knees (not darting in the above video, at least) barely reach out to my toes. I'm in balance. It certainly feels like I'm leaning a lot as I squat, but I see that my back angle is fairly steep, which I'm convinced is because of my relative segment lengths. I suppose I could get my ass back farther, but then I'd pretty much have vertical shins. We're not supposed to have vertical shins, right? Or should I, so I get more horizontal? Would box squats help, or fuck me up? Or, am I doing just fine as I am and Rip just didn't take the time to really look at my video and just assumed (reasonably, probably, given the great load of crap he must have to sift through) that I have a coaching issue?

I've been trying to nail my squat down since 2012. I will find a coach if I need to.

Thanks for looking, and, for your immense patience.


Tom

[Tom Campitelli]

You are overextending a touch and not doing a great job of driving with your hips, but I've seen a lot worse on a heavy single. What is it that you fear about getting someone to coach you? You live in Seattle and have a lot of resources out there.

[Tom Lang]

Tom C, thanks for responding. Glad that squat is not the worst you've seen.

No, no fear... just time and money. Frances was my platform coach for the PC; I'll give him a call.

Not sure what I am overextending... first time I've heard this in comments about my squats.

I am probably, as usual, over-thinking things. However, I did do some paused box squats yesterday:



To me, they look like how a regular squat should look, in terms of back angle and hip drive. I liked them, if only for the variety. I was lifting only 205, but the last set of 5 had me blowing a bit. I don't want them to become a crutch, but I think the act of reaching back and down is what's really helping here. I wonder if staying with them for a while will help lock that pattern in.


Thanks again!

[Tom Campitelli]

Not sure what I am overextending... first time I've heard this in comments about my squats.

What is the one body part you are most likely to overextend while squatting? Hint: it is not the knees nor the hips.

You have a tendency to become a little more upright on some of your reps as you approach the bottom of the box squats. That is not what you want. You also don't appear to be driving up very strongly with your hips. However, since this is shot from the side, which I repeatedly ask people not to do unless I have a special request, I cannot say more. You can probably lean over a touch more. Not a lot, but a touch. Stay leaned over, too. Don't become more upright towards the bottom. You need to drive your ass up. For reals. I don't know that you really need to mess around with box squats at this juncture, either. It is probably more of a distraction than anything.

[Tom Lang]

What is the one body part you are most likely to overextend while squatting? Hint: it is not the knees nor the hips.

You have a tendency to become a little more upright on some of your reps as you approach the bottom of the box squats. That is not what you want. You also don't appear to be driving up very strongly with your hips. However, since this is shot from the side, which I repeatedly ask people not to do unless I have a special request, I cannot say more. You can probably lean over a touch more. Not a lot, but a touch. Stay leaned over, too. Don't become more upright towards the bottom. You need to drive your ass up. For reals. I don't know that you really need to mess around with box squats at this juncture, either. It is probably more of a distraction than anything.

My back? As shown by how I cock my hips at the top, before descending?

I'll work on the lean and ditch the box. I hadn't originally intended to post that video, BTW. I shoot from the side because we don't have much room to shoot from the rear; and, the side view lets me evaluate for knee slide and, yes, back angle.

And a correction, it's Francis, not Frances, whom I'll call.

Thanks again!

[Tom Campitelli]

My back? As shown by how I cock my hips at the top, before descending?

Yep. Overextending, or overarching your back, will keep your more upright and it tends to make a number of things more difficult while squatting.