Squat form check

[PDC]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWZVe...e=plcp#t=0m35s

I made a thread before, and got my form fixed at a lower weight - but the form issues continue to happen when the weight gets heavier. I'm finding it really difficult to keep the back angle constant, have good hip drive, and not let my heels leave the floor - and yes, I have weightlifting shoes.

[Jonathon Sullivan]

I suspect a view from the side might show a minor bar path problem; you might be coming forward onto your toes just a bit. So try the Master Cue: keep the bar over the middle of the foot. Think about keeping the bar in a slot rising vertically from the floor at the middle of the foot (a sort of mental Smith Machine, if you'll forgive). I think you may find that will help. I didn't actually see your heels leave the floor, but if they do so, try mentally moving that slot just behind the middle of the foot to compensate (that is, think about moving the weight more toward your heels).

Yeah, your chest is just a tad behind your hips on some reps. No great sin, although it will get to be a problem at heavier weights and you don't want to start doing good mornings. You're aware of it and your fundamentals are strong. It will improve with the chest up cue.

Overall there is nothing terribly wrong with these squats. I see good bar position, good gaze direction, knees out, butt back, hip drive, and a manifest vigilance about form. So you're on track. Don't obsess. Add weight. Carry on.

[PDC]

I suspect a view from the side might show a minor bar path problem; you might be coming forward onto your toes just a bit. So try the Master Cue: keep the bar over the middle of the foot. Think about keeping the bar in a slot rising vertically from the floor at the middle of the foot (a sort of mental Smith Machine, if you'll forgive). I think you may find that will help. I didn't actually see your heels leave the floor, but if they do so, try mentally moving that slot just behind the middle of the foot to compensate (that is, think about moving the weight more toward your heels).

Yeah, your chest is just a tad behind your hips on some reps. No great sin, although it will get to be a problem at heavier weights and you don't want to start doing good mornings. You're aware of it and your fundamentals are strong. It will improve with the chest up cue.

Overall there is nothing terribly wrong with these squats. I see good bar position, good gaze direction, knees out, butt back, hip drive, and a manifest vigilance about form. So you're on track. Don't obsess. Add weight. Carry on.

Ok, thanks..I'm gonna keep posting videos for a while, while adding weight, to keep myself accountable and make sure the issues improve, not get worse as the weight gets heavier. I'll start using the ball again, so I don't have to think about head down and can focus on chest up.

Did the bar position look right to you? I have a tendency to put it too low.

[Jonathon Sullivan]

Did the bar position look right to you? I have a tendency to put it too low.

I see bunched-up tissue under the bar, which suggests proper placement, but on the reflection in the mirror it did look a bit low at first. I squinted at it for a while before I posted my remarks, and decided it was probably okay. But if you want a more accurate opinion, post a vid to highlight the bar position and I'll comment.

I'll start using the ball again, so I don't have to think about head down and can focus on chest up.

I'm really doubtful that's necessary. You seem like a guy who can walk and chew gum at the same time.

[PDC]

I see bunched-up tissue under the bar, which suggests proper placement, but on the reflection in the mirror it did look a bit low at first. I squinted at it for a while before I posted my remarks, and decided it was probably okay. But if you want a more accurate opinion, post a vid to highlight the bar position and I'll comment.



I'm really doubtful that's necessary. You seem like a guy who can walk and chew gum at the same time.

I see bunched-up tissue under the bar, which suggests proper placement, but on the reflection in the mirror it did look a bit low at first. I squinted at it for a while before I posted my remarks, and decided it was probably okay. But if you want a more accurate opinion, post a vid to highlight the bar position and I'll comment.



I'm really doubtful that's necessary. You seem like a guy who can walk and chew gum at the same time.

Ok, if you think it's good and my wrists are still straight when I rack the bar, and my elbows aren't in agonizing pain, I think I'm good. If the oppurtunity presents itself I'll get a close-up pic though.

I think you have more confidence in me than I do right now, haha. Thanks

[PDC]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J0Rw...e=plcp#t=0m20s

This is my 2nd set, my third set is taking forever to upload..I don't know if you can see, but my hands are slipping farther and farther out as the set progresses. This is because my gym has forbid me from using chalk, and the bar I selected has been painted, making the knurling useless. I'll remember to avoid it in the future, not only for it's lousy grip, but also because this was a wasted workout - I had just done my first set of presses when a PT informed me the bar weighed 41lbs(fats bars are 46, the silver are 41, the rest are 45 - I usually use these), so I didn't squat 195 as planned, I squatted 191.

[Jonathon Sullivan]

Yeah, it sucks about your gym, but I don't see new form issues here, and bar placement looks good to me.

Chest up. Find new gym.

[PDC]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQImT...utu.be#t=0m18s

^200lbs...last rep in particular was ugly...last 2 sets were uglier. I've cut down on the warm-up, and it may have helped today..same amount of sets, but tapered down to 1 rep on the last set, I think I've been doing that wrong. For example, for 195 my last warm-up set was 165x5. Today I did 165x1 before my work sets.

I got 5/5/4 on presses w/ the proper weight on the bar(112.5), would've gotten the last rep, but I let it get ahead of me and got stuck halfway up.

Quite frankly I've figured out that deloading or staying at the same weight to work on form does absolutely nothing for me, at least for the squat. It's obvious when I have good form - the weight moves up faster and more smoothly. My body will just have to learn that.

Btw, would you mind commenting on my deadlift Sully?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJJWR...utu.be#t=0m12s

Seems I have the same problem here with "chest up!" which I have written numerous times in my training log. You may want to cut out the audio btw >.>

[PDC]

I failed again @205, despite forcing my head down and knees out and all that, that third rep wouldn't go up..I started the whole lift hips/raise chest ridiculousness that I do when I can't finish the lift, which for some reason allows me to move more weight than a straight up hip drive, but thought..what's the point? Right now my pride hurts more than my elbow tendonitis. I only got 6 hours of sleep Tuesday night, but got about 9 Wednesday night..

Here's 205: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPC4_Gzskyk#t=0m35s

160(back-off set @80% of Tuesdays weight) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqfX0Juk6QE#t=0m30s

I thought those looked pretty good, no?

Anyway, it's clear that for whatever reason I'm not recovering, whether it's something inherent that I can't fix, or sleep, or something else, there's nothing I can really do about it right now until after the semester ends, so I've decided to give the advanced novice program a try..if I can add 10lbs to my squat each week, I'll be a pretty happy camper, considering I've basically made negative progress over the past 2 months. Right now, it's crunch time, and I got about 4 1/2 hours of sleep last night, so I don't see Saturday being a productive workout. I think it would be wise to take off Saturday, give myself some extra recovery time, and then reduce my weights to something I can handle for the prescribed sets/reps and begin the program on Tuesday, when most of this will be over. Does this sound like a reasonable course of action? I'm really frustrated with myself, but there's no point in failing over and over if I can make progress, albeit a little slower than most of my peers are capable of. If I start with 185, advanced novice gets me to 315, and then I begin the texas method we're still talking 350-370 by my 20th birthday.

I plan to cut my available hours at work, so that this isn't a problem next semester(if sleep or working are in fact my problem).