Keeping it tight

[travelgirl1978]

I think I am going to told off for asking a question that is dealt with in the book/on the forums, but here goes, and apologies in advance.

When you say that someone needs to keep it tight at the bottom of the squat, or at any point in any lift I guess, do you mean that all the muscles need to be tensed?

i.e. As I am setting up to start a squat, do I get my back into a proper degree of flexion and then tense all my muscles, legs and back especially, and then keep them tensed during the whole movement? Or does tight mean something else?

[Mark Rippetoe]

That's a pretty good summary of tight. You mean back extension, of course. One way to visualize tight is to tense all your muscles from the floor up to the bar just before you squat, and try to keep them that tight through the whole movement.

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

That's a pretty good summary of tight. You mean back extension, of course. One way to visualize tight is to tense all your muscles from the floor up to the bar just before you squat, and try to keep them that tight through the whole movement.

Blimey ! someone puts 'girl' in their nickname, and you suddendly go all mellow.

IPB

[travelgirl1978]

That's a pretty good summary of tight. You mean back extension, of course. One way to visualize tight is to tense all your muscles from the floor up to the bar just before you squat, and try to keep them that tight through the whole movement.

Ok good thanks.

[travelgirl1978]

Yes I meant extension of course... Jet lag...