9/13/2017 Squat Form Check

[ngilbert]

Hey Everyone,

This is my first form check. I'm 4 weeks into my linear progression, started my squat at 135lbs, this is at 210lbs.

Squat Video

The first three reps went up well, I lost some tightness on the 4th rep, and regained control for the last rep. This was my second work set.

Thanks for taking the time to check this out and give me your feedback.

Nick

[Jeff Illingworth]

Nick, nice gym! Where do you train?

You've got a couple of things to adjust. You're grip on the bar isn't quite right (see how your wrists end up under the bar?). Make sure you read and follow the squat grip, elbow position, and the thoracic extension articles.

You aren't hitting depth. Part of this is because you need to widen your stance about a half-foot's width. You also are missing hip drive. Make sure that at the top of the squat, you break at the hips and knees simultaneously and then bend over. Your knees should stop moving forward by the time you're halfway down and they'll stay there until you're halfway back up. Make sure that, on the way up, you're driving with your hips. Keep your head down.

At the start of each rep, make sure to valsalva hard and squeeze/brace everything.

[ngilbert]

Hi Jeff,

I train at a gym called Rage Fitness in Nixa, MO. It's a pretty damn good place to train. I hear there are some local power lifters that go there, but they aren't there when I go in the mornings.

Regarding my grip. I've recently moved my grip out a little bit to help my wrists have a more neutral alignment, as I could not maintain straight wrists with a narrower grip. Should I be concerned about bent wrists? I've been dealing with some rotator cuff pain, and thought the squat may have been the cause. Also, thoracic extension has continued to be problematic for me, as I have a strong tendency to relax that area subconsciously and do so when sitting. Any specific cuing suggestions for this?

Regarding my depth and stance. You said I need to widen my stance about a half-foot's width. Do you mean half the width of my foot, or 6 inches? Sorry for needing the clarification, I can't discern your meaning with the ambiguity I interpret. Additionally, when doing an air squat for example, I feel like I have difficulty achieving depth and being able to maintain balance. Not saying I'm a special snowflake, but should I be able to comfortably maintain balance in an unweighted squat?

To incorporate these changes and work on my form, how much should I back off on my weight?

Thanks for all your help Jeff.


Kind Regards,
Nick

[ngilbert]

Forget what I said about the air squat bullshit. When I make sure my heels are out, even with my shoulders, my depth seems much better.

[ngilbert]

Grrr. I just want to go the gym and work on this again... I hate waiting 48 hours...

[Matt Stacks]

Hey bud,

You're in Nixa, huh? I'm in KC. Go see Matt Reynolds if you can. He's in north Springfield.

What Jeff said. You have long femurs so you're going to be pretty bent over with your torso when you squat. That means you have to shove your hips back and down and shove your knees out hard, getting them set at the first half of the squat. These are all high. Widen your stance a bit as Jeff suggested and try the hips back/knees out focus. Shove your ass up on the way up.

[ngilbert]

Thanks for your tips Matt. This may yet prove the density of my cranium, but you mentioning that I have long femurs really helps. Until this point I had kind of just considered that my proportions were average, and thus my form should be too. Well shit. Thanks a ton man.

I actually reached out to Matt Reynolds today. I can't afford to meet with him yet, but will hopefully be able to before the end of the year.

[Matt Stacks]

Matt is a great coach. He's coached and mentored me. But yes, you have long femurs so it's going to also be important to push your knees out hard to help artificially shorten your femur length.