Squat Technique Help Please Coaches

[AussieMikeInLondon]

Hi Guys,

I've posted a few form checks over the past couple of months with the last one being 110kg x 5. In that set it was identified:

• Knee control needs work. Potentially pushing them too far out and then losing control as I come up out of the hole
• Depth on some reps questionable, although the filming angle (down low skews this slightly)

I want to strip things back and get this right before proceeding so I've done a few drills and a bunch of sets at lower weight at different filming angles to see if I can get some help to figure this out.

Years of incorrect technique is taking some time to figure out.

• 110kg x 5 3rd Set

This is the set I referred to above. Poor knee control and questionable depth
110kg squat, 5 x 3, 3rd set - YouTube

Now, some drills and deloaded sets to try to get to the bottom of it.

• Air squat with TUBOW positioned to guide knees straight out over toes

Squat fix, air squat rear angle - YouTube

• 60kg on the bar - focusing on direction of knees out over the toes

knees are all over the place in this one. If I dont use all of my force to push them out, I struggle to keep them still but if I do use all of my force they are too far out. One though I had here was to bring my stance in slightly and turn my toes out a little more thus keeping the line over the knees?

Squat fix, 60kg rear angle - YouTube

• 60kg same drill - focusing on direction of

Squat fix 60kg 45' - YouTube

I waited a few days and went back into the gym and decided to put a little more weight on the bar to see if that would help to push me into the right position. In this session I focused on trying to push my hips back, keep the bar path over the mid foot and have a more active hip drive. This was based on some previous feedback I received.

• 90kg Set 1 - 45'

Squat fix 90kg 1st set - YouTube

• 90kg Set 2 - 45'

I can't see a lot wrong with these reps?
https://youtu.be/x8oe065ZgcI

• 90kg Set 3

This looks pretty conclusive to me... Knees are out on the decent, out of the hole they come straight back in...
This is the angle that made me question my stance. at 0.19 in the bottom of the squat my heels are wider than shoulder width.
https://youtu.be/h4oBZ7hhfIo

• 90kg Set 4

My untrained eye tells me these aren't too bad...
https://youtu.be/FkfLV1XSVVw

Thanks very much for any assistance you can provide. I am very serious about getting this fixed so I can progress.

Mike

[cgeorg]

Can't really tell what the knees are doing in the last one, but my thoughts when seeing the first and second videos were that your stance could come in a few inches, which would probably help knee tracking. The rest of the last video (depth, back stuff) all seemed fine.

[Pete Troupos]

I only watched the last 3 videos. You have some knee slide in the last one and a couple depth issues in the others. It does look like you're a tad wide like cgeorg pointed out. Bring it in a bit and focus on pushing the knees out and keeping them there to get to depth rather than letting them punch forward at the bottom to get to depth.

[AussieMikeInLondon]

Thanks guys. Much appreciated.

I brought my stance in a couple of inches, turned the toes in slightly and pushed hard on the knees.

Felt way better. Hip drive and transfer of power out of the hole was way better. Got someone to check the knee tracking and seemed fine...

I'll have to check the knee slide though... forgot that.

Also noted less soreness of the abductors and more soreness in the hamstrings... not from trying to lift heavy... I did a ton of volume practicing form.

Will film a few more sets tomorrow to get a spot check.

Thanks again!

[VikingCellist]

Thanks guys. Much appreciated.

I brought my stance in a couple of inches, turned the toes in slightly and pushed hard on the knees.

Quite a bit of squating variety in this post, but the best ones were when you kept your knees out. By experimenting you figured out that it is almost impossible to keep them "just a tad" further in, thus the stance adjustment. Very good work.

Felt way better. Hip drive and transfer of power out of the hole was way better. Got someone to check the knee tracking and seemed fine...

A bit of an over reaction to the tracking issue; it was never really so bad, but now you know why shoving the knees out is the main, important cue. Focus on that especially when you start to increase the load. It will get harder again.

I'll have to check the knee slide though... forgot that.
Also noted less soreness of the abductors and more soreness in the hamstrings... not from trying to lift heavy... I did a ton of volume practicing form.
Will film a few more sets tomorrow to get a spot check.
Thanks again!

Are you sure you mean abductors (sore glutes) or maybe adductors (sore inner thighs)? Now that you've got it sorted in your head, you'll get more strength, less soreness and improvement on your form by doing the SS program, ie. warming up and doing sets across at work set weight. Use the warm ups to get in the groove. Keep tight on the descent and sit back with your hips so you are hitting depth and you should get good hip drive.

I recommend you post to the SS coaches forum.