Squats are "choppy" on the way up?

[pantsaregood]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LiDAOLQz7o

It looks like they start with a bit of knee extension, followed by pushing the hips through. Any issue with this?

[Carnivroar]

A couple of things wrong...

He's breaking at the hips first, which causes the knees to slide forward at the bottom position to compensate. That takes always the tension from the posterior chain, and it will fuck up your knees. I know this because I used to squat that way, too. On the plus side he has some decent hip drive on the ascent.

[Carlos Daniel]

Knees are going back on the ascent, they should stay put for the first 2/3 of the ascent.

[pantsaregood]

My knees aren't sliding forward at the bottom. They actually stop moving forward around "half squat" level.

As for my shins/knees moving back on the ascent, I don't know what to say about that. It's definitely happening, but I've never heard it shouldn't happen. Wendler does it, albeit not as pronounced: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWW8rSJdQSs

[Carlos Daniel]

I see what you mean, but Jim's knees go back after he is over the 2/3 of the ascent. The knees have to go back eventually, but yours seem to be doing it too early. I think Rip doesn't mention this problem specifically in SS:BBT, but I think he does mention that the knee shouldn't move very much in the beginning of the ascent or something like that (I'd have to check that).

[pantsaregood]

Watch his second rep. I do believe his knees clearly extend a bit before his hips begin extending on it.

To me, it looks like I have a very hip-dominant Squat. My knees extend a little out of the hole, lose momentum, and then my hips push through to finish the movement.

Wendler was just the first lifter I saw that had a video from a good angle to show this. In retrospect, his Squat form is different than that advocated in SS, as Powerlifters (or former Powerlifters) tend to use hip dominant Squats.

[Carlos Daniel]

It seems like he kinda lost balance, I don't think it was intentional.

[LudwigVan]

My knees aren't sliding forward at the bottom.

Yes they are. Get them in position earlier.

[Carlos Daniel]

Yes they are. Get them in position earlier.

+1

[Carnivroar]

Yes they are. Get them in position earlier.

This. You have to break the knees and hips at the same time. Stop throwing your ass back.

As for the ascent. I was under the impression that knees back was a good thing. For me, it helps initialize hip drive and put all the tension on my posterior chain. But mine is not as pronounced as his. Is this really wrong?