Squat Form Check - 235lbsx5 (Please read before watching)

[ThisIs1P]

Hey guys,

I recently posted this a few weeks back to get my form checked. The conclusion was that I need to fix my knees caving in.

I've since deloaded down to 180lbs and worked back to 200lbs, but I still have an issue where on the way back up I will lean on my left leg more than my right. I'm not sure how to fix this. I think it may be my stance is too narrow.

Here is the SAME video I had posted previous. I haven't had time to get a buddy to record another set.

Again, this is the same video. Please trust I have fixed the knees caving and instead I would appreciate any insight into the leaning on 1 leg issue.

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0jn8...ature=youtu.be

Much appreciated.

UPDATE: Please read post #4 below. I have realized I have been doing most of this wrong.

[John Hanley]

There's quite a bit wrong here. If you live in a city with a coach nearby, lay out the cash for some private squat sessions. It's nearly impossible to unfuck an asymmetry on video. If that's impossible:

- get your legs measured. If one's short, shim it....if it's some crazy muscular imbalance, you may be able to squat your way out of the imbalance (I did).

- your lumbar spine is terribly over-extended. You're fighting like hell to high bar squat with low bar mechanics. Post a video or photo of yourself replicating the pose from figure 2-13 in Starting Strength. Post this with a second video of a squat set filmed side-on.

[kessg]

OP, your squat looks similar to mine; I do apparently have a shorter / weaker left leg, so I was pivoting around my right hip on the way up.

I've been working on fixing this issue since March, once I became aware of the discrepancy. It's slowly getting better, but it's an ingrained movement pattern and hard hard to break.

What's been helping:

- Squatting with a shim under my shorter leg
- Focusing on controlling the knees, both on the way down and up. Once I let my knees cave, I lean forward and then have to pivot as the only way of getting up.
- Staying tighter in general; using the belt helps here.
- Not letting the bar drift over the mid foot (related to the knees, above).

Here are two videos with the same weight on the bar (105 lb); in the April one, my squat looks more controlled (I hope!)

March: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaGv4dw4CpI

April: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Dom7UTEl4

Compare them to yours; see if this helps. This has been a very slow process for me, so be patient as you work out what the issue is, and try to fix it.

Final comment: what you are doing in this video looks pretty dangerous to your back. I would deload and work on form. Try to get some local coaching if you can.

[ThisIs1P]

Thanks for the responses guys and girls. I've come to the conclusion that I've really had no idea how to squat.

I'm going to try to discover and solve all of my issues before looking to hire a personal trainer. I'm broke, so please bear with me.

What I've found out so far:

• My stance is way too narrow. I'd say it's barely wider than my normal 'standing stance'. No where near the suggested heels at shoulder width to permit 'squatting between the legs'. Not even close.
  
• My bar placement is also way wrong. Way too low.
  
• I don't think my back is horizontal enough, but I haven't yet had an 'aha moment' where that seems to click.

I'm going to continue the rest of the evening reading more into what exactly I should have been doing to try and reveal any other errors.

Any insight into getting the correct back angle or others things I may be doing is appreciated. I'll post a new video tomorrow with a few different angles, hopefully I can work this out and get back to progressing.

[modenacart]

The bar is leaning like crazy when you are just standing there. Do you have less flexibility in one shoulder than the other? If so, you might have to have one arm out farther than the other to balance it out. Also, if you don't fix you overextending, you will have much worse problems. I learned that the hard way.

[John Hanley]

Any insight into getting the correct back angle or others things I may be doing is appreciated. I'll post a new video tomorrow with a few different angles, hopefully I can work this out and get back to progressing.

If you do as I suggested in the last paragraph of my post, I will help you unfuck your squat.

I know I sound like a dick, but your efforts at self-coaching are off: stance is certainly not 'way too narrow', nor is the bar way too low. You're correct about back angle though. Surely you see the corkscrew in your lower body during the ascent? Does one side of your low back always ache??

[ThisIs1P]

If you do as I suggested in the last paragraph of my post, I will help you unfuck your squat.

I know I sound like a dick, but your efforts at self-coaching are off: stance is certainly not 'way too narrow', nor is the bar way too low.

No offensive taken. I very much appreciate your advice and donation of time towards helping me. I'll take blunt advice over candy coated advice any day.

Surely you see the corkscrew in your lower body during the ascent? Does one side of your low back always ache??

The middle of my lower back feels sore immediately after squats, and I occasionally feel stiff on one side of my hips, but never one particular side of my lower back.

You're correct about back angle though.

I believe part of the reason for my back angle is I've always been thinking of sitting down in a chair to try and push my butt back.

Post a video or photo of yourself replicating the pose from figure 2-13 in Starting Strength. Post this with a second video of a squat set filmed side-on.

Did you mean this (2-11)? Or 2-13, the one with the rope? I assumed you meant 2-11 and took a picture replicating that pose.

Picture replicating 2-11 here
Video trying 135lbsx5 with back angle in mind here (skip to 0:30)

Another possible minor thing is I've been looking down at my feet, not at the ground ahead of me.

I felt like I was doing better for a couple of those reps, some felt like I was doing it how I've normally done. I'm curious if there's any noticeable improvement at all.

[ThisIs1P]

Bump ^^

[John Hanley]

Sorry man...haven't followed through on my promise to coach you on this. I will as soon as I have a free moment.

[ThisIs1P]

Sorry man...haven't followed through on my promise to coach you on this. I will as soon as I have a free moment.

Appreciate it. I had taken a break until I got feedback from here, I think I'm going to resume working out but leave squats out until I get the thumbs up from you so I don't continue to practice bad form.