Squat and Press form check

[Mr.City]

Squat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QbEbrqVxOU

I feel like there's something off with my squats, but I just can't put my friend on it. So far in this video I've noticed that:

-I fidget around with the bar on my bar. This is due to my feet (usually my right one, which likes to turn out) moving when I squat.

-butt wink at the bottom. I notice that my depth is close to ATG and wonder if this could be due to relaxation of my posterior chain on the bottom.

-A very dramatic lockout at the top. I don't know what causes this.

- A possible issue with ab tightness. I felt that I was having trouble keeping my back arched so I put on a belt for the last set.

Press: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GT_VW3bSZjA

These look like shit. I seem to be bringing the bar back down too far away from my body and look like I lose tightness mid-set. I've been stalling every other pressing session while my bench still grows, so I know it's a form issue. Any feedback on either video is much appreciated.

[nisora33]

Mr. City, these squats are damned good. You're over-analyzing your squat to hell. These are some of the best squats I've seen pop up on the board in a while. All of the concerns you mentioned in your post related to the squat are nothing to worry about. Great job!

-S.

[Bloodninja666]

The main problem I observe is Elton John playing in your gym.

[nisora33]

Press:

I think that you *might* be touching too far down on your chest on some of your reps. It's hard for me to tell, so take that with a grain of salt. One thing of note, however, is the speed of your descent on some of these reps. There's a fine line between fast enough to take advantage of the stretch reflex and so fast that you have to overcome the momentum of the bar coming down on top of you. Slow the speed of your descent so that it takes place over the course of a 2-count and see if this makes a difference.

-S.

[BryanM]

On the press, if you're holding the bar up with your arms when you unrack, you're wasting a lot of stamina.

[Mr.City]

Bryan, you're right. It's amazing the bad habits we develop over time.

[PVC]

It's funny: your squats at 285 were great, and the ones at 205 need some work

[nisora33]

It's funny: your squats at 285 were great, and the ones at 205 need some work

Yep, his form tightened up as the weight got heavier.

MC, your work-set squats were particularly good, and those are the ones to which my comments apply.

-S.

[Platus]

On the the presses, some of the reps look good, but on others you are definitely moving the bar around your body and letting it drift too far in front.

When I notice the bar drifting too far out in front, I usually try to get my elbows slightly in front of the bar, as this forces me to keep the bar closer to my body. But, I am no expert, so I am not sure if this is an appropriate cue.

[Tom Campitelli]

Your first work set looked a bit different from your last two. I wonder how much the camera angle has to do with that. The first set was inconsistent with your knees wobbling around a bit and your torso a bit too upright for a low bar squat. Your last two sets were solid and spot on.

I would have been interested to see what your feet and lower body were doing on the press. You move your feet a lot on the squat between reps and and I wonder if you were doing the same on the press. At the top of the press, it looks like you are kind of shifting around with the lower body. I think you would benefit from cutting out the shifting of the feet on the squat and possibly the press. Tightness is key. Belts are good, too.