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Thread: Squat form check

  1. #1
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    Default Squat form check

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    Hello everyone,

    to make my debut on this forum: The hopefully not yet too annoying squat form check. I worked a lot on my squat form over the past year. Some weeks ago, I had problems/pain with my right knee (more specifically the knee cap or a tendon in this area) when squatting heavier loads. A more pronounced sit back seems to help. Anyways I'm not quite sure if thats it.

    When reviewing the videos, I noticed that I move my head around during the lift. Will work on that as well of course!

    The first video shows the lift from an angle from behind and the second from the side (unfortunately, not too well lit). The third one is from a greater distance (from behind), so you can see my whole setup. (I try to follow the exact same procedure for each squat set.)

    Please let me know if the shots don't help to much, I will try some different angle then. If you need additional information I'll be happy to post them. Anyways, thank you very much for your comments, hints and clues! Your help is very much appreciated since I'm currently bound to train alone. (And another big thank you for the great books of course!)






  2. #2
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    Look at how you start the lift:

    http://img135.imageshack.us/i/77781859.png/

  3. #3
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    Thank you very much! That looks bad. I think this is the result of me trying to sit back first. (I read somewhere to move the hips back before bending the knees.) I will try hard to stay upright and move my butt back. Hope I can fix this on my own. Any further suggestions?

    Apart from this, would you say I round my back ('butt wink') at the bottom? (This was a huge problem for me when I started squatting. Tried to improve it though..)

  4. #4
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    Breaking at the hips for you results in entirely vertical shins at the bottom. You want to break at the hips and knees simultaneously.

    Also I see no problem with butt wink.

  5. #5
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    Again thank you for your quick response!

    In my training session today I tried to pay attention to your advice and simultaneously unlock the knees and hips. Is the technique in the video below better?

    I managed to finish only one real rep (at a weight that counts). As I wrote in my first post, I had some trouble with my right patella (approximately a month ago, some kind of 'dragging pain' at the patella front, stayed away from squatting about two weeks, didn't go to the doctor though) and which was the reason for me trying to sit back more. Unfortunately, this pain has come up again today. (When it hurts that bad while executing the lift, something has to be wrong?)

    Now the strange thing is: If my squat form is better this way (simultaneously unlocking), but I have this stupid pain, something else must be wrong. Please note, I'm not saying your advices are wrong - quite the contrary!

    Any suggestions? Maybe I should consult a doctor. Though I'm guessing he can't help me much..

    (Like the other videos, this one is mirrored as well.)


  6. #6
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    If you're having pain, you should consult someone smart. That includes Rip, but not doctors.

  7. #7
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    Was a bit hesitant to bring up such minor problems, but will do now. Thank you!

  8. #8
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    You didn't happen to learn how to squat from stronglifts, did you?

    EDIT: your second video looks pretty good. Your knees are a little wobbly still, so shove your knees out harder.
    Last edited by hamburgerfan; 03-23-2011 at 09:19 PM.

  9. #9
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    Learned to squat by reading Rip's SS and articles, but recently read a lot on stronglifts and some other places (Smitty Diesel, T-Nation, ..) due to my knee trouble. Might have influenced my sit back. How comes your guess? Bad influence?

    Thanks for the knee hint, I'm working on that!
    Last edited by Ken; 03-24-2011 at 01:44 AM.

  10. #10
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    starting strength coach development program
    A lot of people who learned to squat from stronglifts have the same fucking problems. They stick their ass way back at the beginning and they slide their knees forward at the bottom.

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