Squat Check, Please

[Errant]

I was hoping a coach could help me with this, but I posted in the wrong forum at first, so I apologize for the duplicate thread.

Others have noted that my stance and possibly grip are too wide, so I will try to bring those in.

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I need some serious help with my squats. I've reset from 138lbs a couple of times all the way back down 85 trying to get this right, and I'm not having any luck on my own. I believe my main issues are forward lean and back rounding, and I'm sure you'll find many more.

This is video from my last session at 94lbs (I've been micro loading 1lb at a time from 85lbs to see where form was breaking down). This was the last set and I barely got #4 up. I apologize for the crappy video, my room is really small which makes getting a good angle tough. Also, I forgot to turn off the music, so you may want to mute.

http://vimeo.com/82067258

I'm open to any question and suggestions you may have!

[Paul Horn]

Hi Errant,

Stance and grip are definitely too wide. Those are easy fixes. Take a stance that puts your heels directly under your shoulders. Take the narrowest grip you can that allows you to maintain perfectly straight wrists. I'd also lose the gloves as it puts and unnecessary, unstable layer between your hand and the bar. Your technique is actually pretty good, but your back angle is too horizontal. You get proper depth by shoving your knees out, not by bending down. Keep your chest up more. And finally, when you drive up from the bottom, your hips and shoulders should go up at the same time. Right now your butt is shooting up first. The back angle shouldn't change much until you get up to the top of the squat. I'd take some weight off the bar and dial in the technique. Post another video and we'll go from there.

[Errant]

Thank you, Paul! I do appreciate you taking the time to help. This is hard without having a coach local, and as you can see, I need all the help I can get.

My shoulders just measured at 16", so I will try and keep my heels there by marking the floor. Going to bring my grip in, too, but that will put me inside the knurls. Is that ok? I wear the gloves for the bit of cushioning and warmth on my arthritic hands, but I guess they aren't needed so much on squats since I'm not really gripping the bar. I'll try without and see how it feels.

I'll try to squeeze in a session on Monday and post another video. Was that angle OK, or should I try to adjust?

[Paul Horn]

You may need some technique help (we all do), but the important thing is that you've decided you need to be a stronger person and you're actually doing something about it. That's awesome, and all of us here are happy to help you get there.

Yes, it's ok to have your hands a bit outside the knurl (in the smooth part). Use some chalk if necessary.

The video angle is fine. I'll keep an eye out for the next one. Go forth and squat!

[Errant]

Sorry for the delay between videos, Paul. The Holidays have my schedule messed up. Tried posting the video last night, but must have goofed it up:

http://vimeo.com/82994020

This was my first set at 85lbs. I narrowed my stance and grip from last time, and tried to stay more vertical. It still felt like I was leaning, in fact, I could feel a lot more pressure at the forefoot as though I were pushing with my toes?

[Paul Horn]

The first few reps are much better. You're doing a decent job of keeping your chest up. In the later reps, as you get tired, you're allowing your chest to drop and your butt to come up first out of the hole. That will usually kick the bar forward of the mid-foot, which is why you are feeling pressure on your toes. It's good that you are paying attention to where you feel weight on your foot. That will help you solve a number of problems. Remember, your job is to keep the pressure in the middle. So, if you know that you tend to drop your chest and get on your toes, make the extra effort to keep your chest up and not let the weight shift forward later in the set. This is where The Master Cue comes in handy. Chest up. Chest up. Chest up!

Two more things:

1. It's time to get a little more aggressive driving up from the bottom of the squat. The goal is to bounce off the tightly stretched muscles of the posterior chain and drive the hips up hard and fast. On the last rep, you almost come to a complete stop at the bottom. That kills any chance to use the bounce. Think about this: tight, slow and controlled down, fast and hard up.

2. Your wrists are still bent more than I'd like them to be. When you establish your grip on the bar, rotate your hands so that the knuckle of your thumbs is pointed up at a 45 degree angle. Then go under the bar. We want perfectly straight wrists.

Keep working. Things are moving in the right direction. Happy New Year!

[Errant]

Thanks, Paul. Last night I dropped the weight to 85lbs (my diet of booze and cookies and little sleep over the holidays wiped me out). I think I did a better job of keeping my chest up and wrists straighter. I'm still feeling a bit forward, and unable to find any bounce out of the whole. Maybe I need to go deeper?

Here's the video: http://vimeo.com/83646350

Thanks again. And Happy New Year!

[Paul Horn]

Take a look at your video. Do you see how your ass shoots up first out of the bottom of the squat and the angle of your back changes? That's not good. We want your hips and shoulders to go up at the same time. Hip drive is much more subtle than most people envision. Next time, I want you to think about leading with your chest. Forget about your hips for now. Focus on driving your shoulders and neck back into the bar and up. For most people this is the wrong cue, but for you, it will help counter your tendency to let your chest drop.

[Errant]

That cue actually makes sense when I think about it, thank you! I'll give it a try tonight.

[Paul Horn]

Tool, Chevelle ... I can't wait to hear what's next.