Squat formcheck 105x5 (injury rehab)

[Toasterleavings]

Greetings all. A formcheck of my squats while late stage rehabbing a torn hamstring (22/12/14) would be massively appreciated. This 5th set, 105kg x 5. Slooooow and light on purpose. I absofuckinglutely do not want more injury dramas.

Squats 105kg x 5

I know I'm stuffing around for an eternity setting my feet. Been playing with finding the right width and angle and I'm matching my feet up to some markings on the platform.

Background: Mac advised me as part of this thread (Squat injury whinestorm) to work on knee slide issues by pushing my knees out hard and reaching back with hips. Here's an older vid of 150kg x 5 the workout prior to blowing the ass out my hamstring that provides an example of the knee slide issues (and really bad camera angles): Squats 150kg x 5.

Thanks!

[Toasterleavings]

Thanks for the evaluation mate. You've nailed it - I can now see those knees looking for a place to call home early on. I probably broke more at the ass on the early ones. I recall reminding myself to shove knees out about half way through the set.

On the width bit - I can't seem to stop stuffing around with foot position - but that definitely felt a smidge wide. I'll try it an inch or so in next time.

That's about as far in as my hands can get without more substantial shoulder pain. Shoulder ROM is still a work in progress.

Cheers!

[depictureboy]

Thanks for the evaluation mate. You've nailed it - I can now see those knees looking for a place to call home early on. I probably broke more at the ass on the early ones. I recall reminding myself to shove knees out about half way through the set.

On the width bit - I can't seem to stop stuffing around with foot position - but that definitely felt a smidge wide. I'll try it an inch or so in next time.

That's about as far in as my hands can get without more substantial shoulder pain. Shoulder ROM is still a work in progress.

Cheers!

I have shoulder rom issues as well. I have found that shoulder dislocations with a heavy band help. Start wide then move in a couple fingers. I also have started to setup by really pushing the bar down my back and then setting it in position. Doing this I find by my third warmup I'm pretty loose.

[Toasterleavings]

I have shoulder rom issues as well. I have found that shoulder dislocations with a heavy band help. Start wide then move in a couple fingers. I also have started to setup by really pushing the bar down my back and then setting it in position. Doing this I find by my third warmup I'm pretty loose.

Thanks very much for the advice. I trialed rotating shoulder dislocations as part of my warmup - I definitely felt less tension and ache in my shoulders but after a couple of weeks my left arm developed an aching common flexor tendon. Not sure if this was the result of the dislocations or just a coincidence. At any point in time an easy half of my joints/muscles are complaining about some damn thing.

Since then I've found grabbing a towel in a wide grip, putting it behind my shoulders and then straightening my arms while pushing it back behind me seems relatively kind on my elbows but also gets a nice stretch in my shoulders. At this point discomfort is the major limiter with my shoulders - they'll move to where I want them to be - but then just bitch about being there. It might be age stuff I just have to work around - my shoulders are pretty crunchy.

I'll give your aggressive bar setup tip a spin tonight and see how things pan out. Cheers!

[Toasterleavings]

FWIW, I'm going to refer to your video because you do a great job of nailing hand position as best as possible to get stress off of the forearm. The hands are nicely visible.

Hey cool - I do a right thing

I've posted the 4th set 110kg x 5 I did tonight. Brought the feet in about 2 inches, and also brought the hands in quite a bit. My shoulders and forearms did not like that particularly but I could still manage some bench. I'm in the air on the foot width - last session at a wider stance I might have felt a little more in control.

Squat - 110kg x 5

I believe I'm definitely high on rep 4, maybe on 5. Felt a little 'crampy' in the injury area on those reps so I wasn't keen to bottom out (and why there was no set 5). And still mixing up knee v hip v simultaneous breaks. I think at a normal rep speed they will look less ugly and feel smoother. Very much appreciate your take on the comparison and thanks for the advice so far. Cheers!

[Toasterleavings]

Rep 2 looks like the "worst" in that your knees were a little out of sorts.

The depth is super close. A raised heel probably would make that a non-issue.

It's a pretty clean set to my eyes.

Thanks again for your critique MG - I appreciate it a great deal.

I feel like I'm in a good spot to continue progressing back up to where I left off, but with better form. On depth - At the moment I'm consciously avoiding any bounce or stretch reflex harnessing when I'm in the hole, as the image of one of my posterior thigh muscles rolling up like a salted leech is never far from my thoughts. I think when I can take a prudently aggressive approach to the turnaround the depth will be less borderline. I've also been considering some lifting shoes - birthday approaches!

Cheers!

[Toasterleavings]

Did you rehab the hamstrings using the Starr protocol?

If not, maybe some high volume at very light weight will help you get confident with those guys. I recently tore a quad and am in this process. I highly recommend it.

I sure did, and I also recommend it. First couple of days I could barely walk. Entire back of my thigh was dark purple and yellow. I began with high rep deadlifts (sets for ~25 reps) and then added bodyweight squats as soon as I could bear it. Gradually increased weight on both as long as the pain felt normal and 'blurry' not sharp and suggestive of reinjury - hard to precisely define that decision process but it's one of those "you know when you know" kind of things. Later started shifting back towards 15s, then 8s, then 5s for reps.

I have full ROM back now and only feel a dull ache under loaded stretch. Slow and steady on sets of 5 with small weight increments, nice squat form and a ridiculous number of warmup sets is the plan now. Deadlifts I'm ramping up faster. If I hit a squat roadblock i'm going to deload again and go with 10s or higher - but I'd prefer a lower rep scheme to keep my knees happy.

I also ordered some adidas power perfect II lifting shoes! they get great reviews and seemed reasonably priced compared to the lunacy of running shoe prices.

[Toasterleavings]

Ok - so my Adidas Powerperfect II's arrived. Not used to massive heels. My workout area slopes so much that without my makeshift angled platform I'd be squatting uphill (dickhead concreters). Removed the platform and now with heels I'm a smidge above dead level. Feel rock solid in the lifting shoes.

Anyway - I'm hoping my form is pretty close now. Still steady and not pushing too hard. Feedback most appreciated: Squats - 120kgx6

[Toasterleavings]

A better eye might see some things, but overall that was a pretty good set! Depth was really good on the first 4 reps and crept up a tad (but still below parallel) for 5 and 6. Knees got into a good position at about 45 degrees and stayed there.

Your progress is telling me I need to stop dicking around and buy some good shoes.

Thanks for the evaluation mate. Felt spot on to me but I'm wary that confirmation bias plays a big role in looking at your own technique. The teenage part of me wont be happy till I'm back at 155 and beyond, but the middle aged part of me is happy with small uneventful increments and obsessing over form. Luckily middle age is winning.

I heartily, but conditionally, recommend the shoes. $136 AU from Wiggle. Lovely build quality and nice simple design. I'd expected added stability and a feeling of being anchored - but was shocked by the extent. It's like being dynabolted to the floor.

But big heel. First session with them I tried lifting on my level platform and experienced acute knee pain to the point I had to stop squatting. The heels are 1.25", compared to the barefoot/flat canvas that'd been my squat footwear previously. I'm pretty sure the knee pain was the same type I got when I last tried any high bar squats over 100k or so, and I presume related to the higher degree of knee flexion combined with higher tension through the patella. Next session I removed the platform - effectively reducing the heel height. No knee pain. Summary - if I had a flat floor - these would be too much heel for me. Doing everything uphill - perfect!

Summary - buy some good shoes! But make heel height a consideration.

[Toasterleavings]

Ok - I feel nicely on track. Thanks so much for the critiques. I've gone over my last session at 122.5 and was satisfied with all reps - but if I can keep the form of reps 3-5 in particular for the forseable future as the weight goes up I'll be chuffed.

Squat - 122.5 x 5

Now I just need to work on my confidence to enable normal speed, weight and some aggression in the turnaround. It's not at the level of a mental block yet but instead of thinking 'up up up' the whole lift I'm thinking "hammy ok? hammy ok? hammy ok?". Also annoying the crap out of me that my bench worksets are now over 100 and I'm fart assing around with 120ish squats. Anyway - barring something you see I didn't, or bad form creep in the future, I'll cut back on the forum clogging. Cheers!