Squat form check

[MightyB]

I'm unsure about my squat form and wanted some tips. I know I'm not going down far enough, but I also feel somewhat unstable. I made these videos before reading the faq's. Hopefully, people can still provide critique. I will take new ones next time I squat. The weight used was 205.

My Stats
38yrs old.
240 lbs
Squat 1 RM 225lbs
Dead lift 1 RM 315lbs
Bench Press 1 RM 285lbs (Used to be one of those guys that only did bench)

Following is the 3 work set from today. The first link was the last set.








All critique is much appreciated. Thanks!

[MikeC1]

Well these squats are very high, and it doesn't look like a stability issue, it looks like you never squatted deep enough in the first place. You should go back to 135 and squat below parallel, and work your way back up. It's not hard, just imagine you're taking a dump on the ground, you wouldn't do it in a quarter squat position, you would do it squatting all the way down.

[Steve Hill]

When we coach people on the platform, one of the very first things we coach is foot placement. Due to your clever camera angle, I can't help you with this. I would hazard a guess that you feet are either not far enough apart, toes are not turned out far enough, or both. So, aside from your obvious depth issue which I can only guess at the reasons why at this time, in order, you need to do the following:

1) Read the two stickys at the top of this forum on filming form check videos.
2) Knees OUT. As I said, I'm guessing at this time but I'm pretty sure you will need to turn your toes out more and jam your knees out harder. But it's just a guess due to the vid angle.
3) Elbows UP.
4) Head DOWN.
5) STAND UP. Knees should be locked out at the top. End of the 5th rep of the 3rd set is proper, the rest are not.
6) Read the active hip 2.0 article, which can be found here (http://startingstrength.com/articles...2_rippetoe.pdf) and come to an understanding between back flexion and back extension - you want the latter, not the former, and also understand how to properly set the low back by watching the low back video, found here (http://startingstrength.com/index.ph...sition_control). Note the difference in your low back in the first video at the start of the first rep, when you "set" it, and the start of the second rep, where it has been drawn into the correct position by the first rep. The latter is proper, the former is not.
7) Kill whoever selects the music at your gym. I am serious - this needs to be done.


Once you do all of these things, film another video (properly this time) and we'll see what else needs fixing.

[JStrong]

I concur with Steve on everything except #7, where he is tragically wrong.

[shootwillus]

I concur with Steve on everything except #7, where he is tragically wrong.

Your right, keep him alive as long as possible. You want to make the suffering last. Also, squats are high.

[JT in MD]

7) Kill whoever selects the music at your gym. I am serious - this needs to be done.

Yeah, I really would never step foot into that gym simply because of the "music" - if you can call it that.

[MightyB]

Thanks for the advice. I changed gyms as suggested (not sure music improved).

Here are some more videos. I dropped weight as suggested and worked back up; however, I'm still having problems with the work set.

I took 3 videos from different angles. I couldn't get my head in the shots due to space limitations today. The sets are with 225 lbs.







I'm a little frustrated since the weight didn't feel that heavy, but I am unable get deep.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated. I'm trying to figure out a way to take better videos.

[DutchPancakes]

Your're still very high. The tops of your thighs should be breaking parallel, not the bottom.

You are also not looking down. You aren't looking straight up either, but it doesn't seem that your head is in a neautral position. Trying looking down more, as though you are looking at the floor six feet in front of you.

Both the above are explained well in the book, the dvds, and in plenty of vids on youtube.

You also seem to be shaking about a lot under the bar before you start squatting. Tighten up your whole body. Squeeze all your muscles (glutes, legs, lower back, stomach, arms, everything) as hard as you can from the moment you unrack the bar, all the way through the set, and until you rack the bar again.