Squat form check -

[thefinalsql]

Thank you in advance

[Tiburon]

not deep enough.
knees caving in.
not sure if bar is staying over middle of foot, tough to tell from that angle.

you have some weird "folding" on the descent, haven't seen that before. TomC what is your dx?

[thefinalsql]

Excellent! Thank you!

I will video from the side tonight to see if the bar is over mid foot. Will concentrate on knees out. I have been losing weight so I might even be able to take a narrower stance.

[thefinalsql]

Here is my follow-up video:

[Milo's Ghost]

Are you trying to high bar or low bar squat? In the first video the bar is in a HB position and you're trying to LB squat it. Which leads do you basically doing a good morning. That's the source of the weird folding over, plus a pretty obvious lack of tightness.

Second one seems sort of halfway between but because of the angle I can't really tell.

Answer this and we'll go from there. Lots to do but gotta know where we're headed.

Btw you're moving four plates+ pretty easily with form that is ... less than textbook, shall we say. Once we get your squat unfucked you're gonna turn into a genuinely strong dude pretty quickly.

[thefinalsql]

I am trying to squat low bar. How much further down do I need to bring the bar?

Should I de-load to improve form?

Thanks!

[Supertec]

Wrists bent backwards under the bar, elbows down. You're going to cause some severe pain in your elbow joints, my friend.

Try to focus in getting your wrists in line with your forearms, and keeping your elbows up.

Fix one problem at a time. As Milo's Ghost suggested, you look like you have a lot of potential to work with. Good stuff.

[Milo's Ghost]

I am trying to squat low bar. How much further down do I need to bring the bar?

Should I de-load to improve form?

Thanks!

Ok. We're gonna fix this. We'll start with some of the most obvious things, then go from there.

1) Bar placement and grip: It needs to be lower. It also (I think) is rolling up your back a bit, which isn't helping - chalk the back of your shirt. You want to grip the bar with your thumbs on top and your wrists neutral (straight); you want to pin the bar between your back and your hands, not hold it up with your hands as you are now. Once you get your grip correct, it will allow you to raise your elbows, which acts to solidify the bar on your back and keep you tighter.

Watch this video for exact bar placement and more on grip; it will show you much better than I could tell you without being there with you. http://vimeo.com/m/30763907

2) Your back is collapsing on the way down. It's why you're flopping over so much. Your back should maintain absolutely rigidity and neutral position (i.e. not flexed) throughout the entire rep. Think of your back as a steel rod - its angle changes (vertical to more horizontal back to vertical), but it never bends. How to do this?
A) Big breath in at the top of the rep, held through the entire rep;
B) Squeeze your abs HARD;
C) Keep your chest up. This is done by engaging your upper back muscles. Right now, at the bottom, your chest collapses and the result is a flexed back, the bar rolling up your back, and a good morning to get the bar back up. Not good.

3) Narrow your stance - shoulder width is what you want - and then SHOVE YOUR KNEES OUT. Shove. However hard you think you're shoving, it's almost certainly not hard enough. I have a feeling you're taking such a wide stance because you're trying to leave room for your belly, but a better way to do this is to have a narrower stance but shove your knees out of the way. Your adductors will fight you, but you must win. KNEES OUT.

Here's what I would do for your next squat workout: warm up normally, but focus maniacally on the above three points. Once you get to a weight where your form degrades even the slightest bit, do three sets of five across there, focusing on keeping your form as perfect as possible. I wouldn't go above 315 - it'll be light, but you have to focus on your form for a bit, which gets harder when the weight is actually testing your strength.

Film the last set and upload it. We'll see where you're at and go from there.

[Calvo]

Once we get your squat unfucked you're gonna turn into a genuinely strong dude pretty quickly.

you look like you have a lot of potential to work with. Good stuff.

Just so y'all know, he totalled 1700 or something like that a couple years ago at APF raw nationals. thefinalsql is strong.

[Milo's Ghost]

Just so y'all know, he totalled 1700 or something like that a couple years ago at APF raw nationals. thefinalsql is strong.

Damn. If I give him bad advice he's gonna break me in two. This is pressure.

Thefinalsql: Are you still competing? Do you have a coach? If you do, listen to him; I don't want too many cooks spoiling the broth. If not, I'm happy to help.