squat/deadlift form check

[astoler]

Here's the deadlift (275): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY830...el_video_title I know I probably should have reset between each rep.

Squat: I have some issues. When I did 255, my back rounded a lot as the weight pushed my upper body down. This had never happened before and it caused my low back to be really sore. This is the 3rd set in which I tried to not let that happen, so the first two sets were much worse: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruVoM...el_video_title

I went for 260 in my next workout. I really focused on technique, trying to use hip drive and not letting my back round. I only got 4 reps on all the sets. I didn't feel 100% energized and I was thinking about technique rather than using my all out strength. Hopefully I'll get it next time.

2nd set (3rd rep was a disaster): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBySV...el_video_title

3rd set: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjeuH...el_video_title

When I watch it, it doesn't look like my 3rd or 4th reps are extraordinarily slow or anything, so I feel like I should have gotten the last one, but trying to drive out of the bottom, I just didn't have enough in me to even get out.

Can you tell me: is my depth ok? Am I using hip drive (I focused more on it in the 260's than the 255)? Overall technique? Is it common when the weight gets tough to have sloppy looking reps or am I supposed to be able to keep strict form all the time?

Thanks for the feedback!

[MikeC1]

Squat - hold the bar about an inch lower on your back, bring your feet in about an inch, push your knees out a little more on the way down. Try exaggerating extension in your midback through the squat, and I think that will help your back position. The last rep that you missed in the last video was mostly psychological, it looks like a part of you gave up before going down, loosened up a little, etc. Hip drive could use some improvement, and that won't happen until you can figure out how to squat with your back in extension. Depth looks okay, but it's hard to say because the rack is in the way. As the weight gets tough, yes there will be some amount of form degradation, but it should never look sloppy, that's just something that will improve with more experience under the bar.

Deadlift - watch Rip's video on lower back position in the resources section, if you haven't already. When setting up, do the following in this order: set your feet, bend down and set your grip, roll the bar away from your shins, bend your knees, set your lower back as shown in Rip's video (and keep it consciously locked in to that position), roll the bar back into your shins, pull out any slack left in your arms/knees, make any necessary forward/back/up/down adjustments to get your hips/shoulders/etc into final position (while still making sure the bar stays snug against your shins). Then you're ready to pull, get your breath, ease the bar off the ground while keeping your lower back locked in the extension that you just set a second ago.

[Steve Hill]

I really don't think you're far off here (on the squat). Read the sticky on how to film, since I think your feet are a bit wide, and your toes need to turn out more (allowing you to jam your knees out more), but it's hard to tell from this angle (Just looked at your 1st vid - bring your feet closer together by leaving your toes where they are and sliding your heels together about an inch). You appear to be driving your hips mostly in the up direction, though this suffers at the end, and depth appears to be on the OK side of borderline, and your depth decreases a bit as the set goes on, which is not an unusual thing for inexperienced squatters as they try to make the set easier in any way they can as it wears on. Not sure about the shoes though - are they weightlifting shoes? They need to be if not.

And yes, it is common for reps to get a *bit* sloppy, but you need to work on cleaning it up a bit. I'd also say you probably need to eat a lot more. At 260 you've been doing the program (if you are doing novice linear progression) for several weeks and should have put on at least 5-10 pounds of body weight, fi not more, from your starting weight.

I might correct your back, but I'd have to be in the gym with you since I don't see much of a problem in the videos. Your back might be a little loose, or it could just be your shirt. Do this: lift your chest and your elbows after you un-rack the bar, and hold your mid and upper back in that position.

Finally, drop the bar a bit down your back (saw this after watching the first vid).

(Deadlift) Finally, if you're going to follow Rip's set-up, don't roll the bar around as previously advised. The bar over the midfoot sets the angle of the shins, which sets the height of the hips. Rolling the bar around will only result in it being out of position over the mid-foot when you inevitably bend your knees too much (pushing the bar forward of the mid-foot) or, more rarely, too little.

[MikeC1]

It looks like he is trying to follow the Rippetoe set up method, and it is failing for him in spectacular fashion, just like 90% of the other deadlift videos put up on the site.

[Steve Hill]

Well, like most people, he drops his hips instead of squeezing his chest up.

astoler - don't drop your hips. Squeeze your chest up. After your shins touch the bar, imagine that some burly dood will become intimate with your anal orifice if you drop your hips any.

[elVarouza]

Are your knees out to the sides when you deadlift? I can't tell from the side view, but letting the knees buckle in makes it harder to put your back in extension.