Squat Form Check

[EminentFront]

Hi Rip, hi Guys

I live in Germany and am an avid believer in the logic behind Starting Strength. Unfortunately I am one of few people in the gym who does that.

So a 50plus yo buff guy in the Gym comes to me and says I will have extreme back problems: My torso is too horizontal. I tried to tell him, that the program I am following (Starting Strength) says my back should be like that. He did not budge and left.

But being a scientist, I always doubt my theories. I really feel my back might be too flat, so I wanted to make sure.

So I went to the gym employee, who knows about Starting Strength but prefers a vertical squat, to make this video. And indeed my back is too horizontal. (check link below)

BUUTTTTT

I have extremely long legs, compared to my torso!!!

So the bar is more or less, above my mid foot. or is it not?



In any case, this was the last working set. What annoys me is this:

Before Vacation I did: 127.5kg

Then I was sick and had vacation. Then I started training two days before this video. I was extremely exhausted.

The is only 115kg. and I am barely making the last two reps.

Check video here

YouTube

best

[Chris76]

It’s a little difficult to see but your bar position looks too low on your back . The barbell should be just on top of your rear deltoid muscle, it looks like you have it lower, the bar looks like it’s on your upper arm. The barbell should be just below the spine of your scapula and elbows in tight towards your sides so that your upper back makes a shelf for the barbell. Starting Strength has videos on YouTube if you search proper grip in the squat or elbows in the squat . But you should start there. Find some Starting Strength vidéos on YouTube that demonstrate proper low bar position. And your also squatting high. Everything after your second rep is high. Lower the weight and practice squatting correctly. Start with the empty barbell and work to a weight that you can squat correctly but is slightly challenging. The book explains how to find your starting weight for your first workout but Rip aslo explains in a YouTube video.

[Satch12879]

The absolute first thing you need to work on is standing up straight and learning how to control your upper and lower backs. Your back is pretty well concave toward the floor. This is causing all kinds of form problems. Search for the articles about back control and thoracic extension.

[EminentFront]

[QUOTE=Chris76;1702590]It’s a little difficult to see but your bar position looks too low on your back . You maybe right. Thanks for the observation. I trained to get it lower and it seems I got it too low, but what is the harm?

And your also squatting high. I agree. I was extremely tired that day

@ Satch: Your back is pretty well concave toward the floor. I am not so sure. I have a strong pelvic form. If you look at the position of the Balt against my pelvic bone and compare it to the end, where I get off the bar, I think my back was straight. Spectators said also that my back was straight. Can you please check it again and see if you agree?

[Mark Rippetoe]

They will not agree.

[Chris76]

You asked about what is the harm in having the bar so low on your back? Well for one thing you don’t have good safe control over a weighted barbell that’s on your back the way your positioning it in the video. And Satch is right about your back being flexed forward. Your gonna need hold a strong neutral spinal position. Satch is correct , I was even thinking that if you correct your low bar position that would help your thoracic extension but your rounding forward.

[EminentFront]

Thanks Rip, Chris and Satch a lot.

Do you mean my upper back is flexed forward due to the very low bar position, or the lower back is concave? (thoracic extension is upper back right, sorry me no english?).

So what about the horizontal back position. I assume increasing bar height would result, hopefully, in a more vertical angle, right?

[Chris76]

Your entire back is rounded forward. It needs to be straight . Not rounded forward or over arched. It needs to be straight and keep it straight. Thoracic spine is your upper back area. And yes holding the bar higher on your back than where you have it in the video you will have to have a back angle that keeps the barbell balanced over the middle of your feet.

[Chris76]

The videos about bar position and the videos that Satch mentioned would be good for you to see.

[EminentFront]

Although it hurts figuring out I am doing so much wrong, and that I probably have to lower weight, but thanks again for the support.

If I lower the weight, is it easy to bounce back with the weight, once technique is right, or i will have to wait longer?

Thanks again for the support. Can I contact you guys with improvements?