Squat Form Check

[david mathews]

Video is below...

Just a note, my hip flexors have been quite a bit tight/sore for the past week. It started with my left hip flexor first and now my right is a little tight. I heard this could be a sign for error with my knee movement. Work set is (3x5) @ 240#.

http://youtu.be/2Ch8PrG12i8

Thank you very much.

[thefinalsql]

Embedded


Go down a peg on the rack. Not a good idea to go up on your tippy toes to rack. Or, if the next peg is too low figure out some sort of flooring to put within the rack that raises the floor such you can rack flat footed. If you go the flooring route make sure it does not move beneath your feet.

[Milo's Ghost]

Not horrible. But ...

You're high-bar squatting with low-bar placement. What do I mean by this? Your back is too vertical, your knees are too forward at the bottom, and your hips aren't back enough. These are all related phenomena. What you want is to start the descent with a simultaneous knee and hip break. Then about 1/3 to 1/2 way down your knees stop moving; the rest of the descent is all hips, going back and down until you hit the hole. As your hips are back more, you will need to lean over more in order for the bar to stay in balance over the midfoot and you not fall over. This produces a more horizontal back.

This movement will allow you to drive your hips out of the bottom. You will be much stronger doing it this way because it involves the posterior chain much more.

You also need to get an inch or two deeper (hard to tell exactly from this angle). Shove your knees out. You're not doing it hard enough now. This will also help with your knee movement issue above. SHOVE. Rip chose that word for a reason. I'm quoting him for a reason.

Get lifting shoes. Something with a non-compressible sole. These wobbly cross-trainers are not your friend. See how they roll side to side? That's not good.

And for God's sake, lower the pins a notch or two. You do NOT want to be tiptoeing the bar back into the rack. Once the weight gets heavy, eventually you will miss, and it will be very very very bad.

Ok, you've got some work to do between these last three posts. Go forth, prosper, and post more checks once you've fixed (or think you've fixed) all of the above.

[david mathews]

Awesome!!! I really appreciate you looking all 3 over. Can I ask, Do you believe that this poor technique, almost front squat technique with low bar placement is what's causing some hip flexor tightness at the bottom?

[Milo's Ghost]

Awesome!!! I really appreciate you looking all 3 over. Can I ask, Do you believe that this poor technique, almost front squat technique with low bar placement is what's causing some hip flexor tightness at the bottom?

First, it's high-bar technique, not front squat. If you front squatted with a barbell on your back you would most assuredly fall over.

As for the cause of the hip pain: Could be. Could be your knees not being out enough - that'll cause some degree of mashing between your pelvis and your femurs, which can fuck things up. I honestly don't know, and anyone who tells you they know for sure is probably full of shit. Sometimes things just hurt. Fix your form and I bet it improves.

Happy to help. Good luck.

[david mathews]

Updated Squats... Tried to get a little deeper by pushing hips back and not letting knees go out. Also tried to lower my chest a bit more. I used the belt on the first work set, my back was a little tight so it helped take pressure off. Didn't need it on the next 2 sets.

http://youtu.be/lnbAIoChIts

http://youtu.be/e8Ex8TSwatk

[Milo's Ghost]

These are much better. You're hitting depth. Couple quick things:

1) You're losing hip drive and raising your chest about halfway through the ascent. You start off well but then get out of your hips. Watch the first vid carefully - see how, on the ascent, the bar path deviates backward about halfway up? That's from raising your chest vs. staying in your hips. Keep driving hips up all the way up.

2) Knees out harder. You're pretty much there but a harder shove will add more adductor to the movement.

3) The first video - rep one you're a bit forward and knees are coming forward; reps 2-5 are much more solid. You'll have to keep thinking about this in order to avoid falling into old, ingrained movement patterns.

4) Unless you have a history of back problems, lose the belt for now. You don't need it and you've got enough things to focus on for now. Add the belt when you hit three plates and this improved from I'd automatic.

Good job. Keep adding weight.