Form Check: Squat

[somekindofnick]

I've been doing the program for about a month now. Please provide me some feedback on my squat form.

I tried to follow the posting rules, so please excuse a lurker's first time mistakes. This is my last working set (5x170lb), so you can see me at my worst.

My video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzZC7...embedded#at=20


Issues I'm focused on:

1. Knees keep wanting to move in as I ascend out of the bottom. If you watch closely, you can see I try to move them back out.
2. I can't grip the bar without bending my wrists. I'm working on stretching the shoulders with dislocates but it hasn't worked so far.

I'd really like to hire someone to help me work on my form. Does anyone know someone in the Long Beach, CA area that can help me improve my form?

Thanks in advance.

[the dio]

The bar is too high, which may be part of your problem with the grip. I didn't get my grip sorted out until nearly two months in (literally last week). You just gotta push and deal with the pain; it gets sorted out after a while.

Here you can see the way to do squat grip Rip-style:

[the dio]

Oh, and re: coach..

There's a directory on the main site.

I see someone in Newport Beach and El Segundo.

http://startingstrength.com/index.ph...0511b73ea772f/

[somekindofnick]

Oh, and re: coach..

There's a directory on the main site.

I see someone in Newport Beach and El Segundo.

http://startingstrength.com/index.ph...0511b73ea772f/

I sent an email to the listed coach in Newport Beach. I still haven't heard back, yet. Nonetheless, it'd be nice to find someone closer to LBC. El Segundo and even Newport is a haul in LA traffic.

[somekindofnick]

The bar is too high, which may be part of your problem with the grip. I didn't get my grip sorted out until nearly two months in (literally last week). You just gotta push and deal with the pain; it gets sorted out after a while.

Here you can see the way to do squat grip Rip-style:

I can't keep my wrists straight relative to my forearm. Consequently, when I lower the bar it strains my wrists when I try to press the bar into my back. This becomes problematic as the weight increases.

It looks like a closed fist pushes the bar into the back in the video. I will try that next time. Thanks!

[the dio]

Yeah, traffic :-(

Your fingers should be pretty loose. Only the outer two or so are actually wrapped around completely. Place your wrists on the bar, not below it.

[MikeC1]

Well, if your forearms are unusually long you might have to place your wrists on the bar, but really you want to 'grip' it in the base of your palm. You want to have the hand placement in place before you duck under the bar to unrack it. Watch how Justin walks up to the bar and puts his hands where they need to be before doing anything else:

[Elementi]

Aren't you kind of just dropping into the hole rather than squatting into it?

[somekindofnick]

Well, if your forearms are unusually long you might have to place your wrists on the bar, but really you want to 'grip' it in the base of your palm. You want to have the hand placement in place before you duck under the bar to unrack it. Watch how Justin walks up to the bar and puts his hands where they need to be before doing anything else:

I try that. Starting with palms on the bar, I can't even get the bar behind my neck. My flexibility sucks. I will, however, continue to stretch so I can approach the bar with this in mind. Thanks.

[somekindofnick]

Aren't you kind of just dropping into the hole rather than squatting into it?

I will focus on slowing my descent. Thanks.