Form Check Please!

[mateus]

Just starting out with SS 2 weeks ago. Looking for some critique on my squats and my deads. I know after watching the video that on the squats I need to look down more and wow the bar is tilted. Don't think I need to got that low either. On the deads, I think that I am letting my shoulders pull forward too much right at the beginning of the pull and my back is leaving its neutral position and rounding slightly. Let me know what you think. Btw, I am 14 yo and just starting to lift for B-ball.

Squats:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izRxuBR4UUk

Deads:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCcPjWd2SdU

[imnotbncre8ive]

I am curious: what is white towel/foam (I'm not sure what it is) for on the squats?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel like your bar position is too high on your back. Unless you're intentionally aiming for high-bar squats. Otherwise, try low-bar?

Good luck!

[TSCollier]

Congrats on starting SS! You won't be disappointed.

You've caught some of your errors, and that's great. Your depth started off ok, then got progressively deeper. Your speed was consistent, so I don't think the amount of weight is a problem for you. Knees out is ok, but your right about the bar tilt--it looks like you're shifting to your right as you lift. And your arms seem pretty far out--how tight is your upper back to hold the bar?

Focus on your eye and bar position now. I agree w/imnotbncre8ive--it looks like the bar is higher than it needs to be. Once you fix your eye/bar position, work on your hip drive--you're extremely flexible, but keeping thinking of starting the hip drive at the same point in the descent. Think "up" even as you're going down to remind yourself.

Best of luck!

[MazdaMatt]

Don't try to jerk the bar off the floor. Grip it tight, straighten your arms, lock your shoulder blades back and down, pull the bar towards your shins hard and start the motion by driving your heels into the floor.

Also, no need to heave your upper body backwards at the top. Just stand up.

Squat - read about low-bar. In summary, get your thumbs off the bar, get the bar lower on your back, bring your hands closer together and reach back/up with your elbows. But don't pay attention to this, read about it in detail.

[mateus]

I am curious: what is white towel/foam (I'm not sure what it is) for on the squats?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel like your bar position is too high on your back. Unless you're intentionally aiming for high-bar squats. Otherwise, try low-bar?

Good luck!

Yeah, the white thing is a towel. My traps are not nearly big enough to hold that bar without totally killing me. I will give it a try in the lower position. Thanks!

[mateus]

Don't try to jerk the bar off the floor. Grip it tight, straighten your arms, lock your shoulder blades back and down, pull the bar towards your shins hard and start the motion by driving your heels into the floor.

Also, no need to heave your upper body backwards at the top. Just stand up.

Squat - read about low-bar. In summary, get your thumbs off the bar, get the bar lower on your back, bring your hands closer together and reach back/up with your elbows. But don't pay attention to this, read about it in detail.

Yeah I noticed that I jerked the bar on a few reps. I am trying to get all the slack out right before the pull. Need to focus on that more. As far as the squat goes, I am still trying to work on the lower trap bar position. It is far from comfortable. Wrist and shoulder flexibility is not where it needs to be yet so that is hindering my positioning. Have the SS book and i am trying to get the correct form dialed in. Thanks for the tips!

[Tom Campitelli]

Yeah, the white thing is a towel. My traps are not nearly big enough to hold that bar without totally killing me. I will give it a try in the lower position. Thanks!

It is time to become more tolerant of discomfort in that case. Here is a picture of a woman with considerably smaller traps than you high bar squatting somewhere between 150 and 160 pounds (I can't tell if she is using a 15 or 20kg bar in the photo).

http://cathletics.com/wod/images/100604-audraBS.jpg

Note the lack of a towel. A towel will get in the way when things get heavy. Accustom yourself to squatting without one now because it will not be any easier later.

[anchor]

Agree with TomC about the need to ditch the towel. Also, are you anywhere near Nashville? If so, you might consider going to see Stacey at CrossFit Middle Tennessee..

[LudwigVan]

Yeah, the white thing is a towel. My traps are not nearly big enough to hold that bar without totally killing me. I will give it a try in the lower position. Thanks!

The problem isn't that your traps are too small, it's that your upper back isn't tight enough and you aren't gripping the bar correctly. Solving this problem will also fix the bar tilt. Refer to the grip/bar placement segement of SS.

[tescott]

Good stuff, mateus!

I think the cue 'Big chest' might help on both your deads and your squats.

Good luck, and keep training hard!