Starting Strength: Advice on Form

[Raeffnix]

Hey guys,

I just started doing SS two and a half weeks ago. My current lifts are

Squat
working sets 3x5 205

Press
working sets 3x5 110

Deadlift
working sets 5x3 250

Bench Press
working sets 3x5 175

So far I have videos of Bench and Squat. Unfortunately did my battery run out and I could not complete all the videos. Took more videos yesterday of bench, squat and deadlift. Monday I will get videos of press as well.

Bench Set 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p6ov92x5BE

Bench Set 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAFPK5Pkmmw

Bench Set 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mixWqvqb2IA

Squat Set 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHdnJ-bU0x8

Squat Set 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vh3EIZcmKos

I already heard that my bench is way too loose and I tried to tighten up yesterday. Watched Tate's video on benchpressing but it seems harder than it looks.
Will get the other videos uploaded tomorrow and post them here as well.

Thanks for your help.

[LudwigVan]

Your squat looks like it's high bar, not the low bar squat recommended in SS. Also your knees are caving in pretty badly.

[gzt]

Note how your knees are moving around. Don't do that. Maybe have your feet a little closer, too.

[gzt]

On the bench, I think you need a slightly wider grip. See on set two: it looks like your forearms end up pointing in instead of straight up and down. You should also tuck your elbows more and touch lower on your chest. Reread the chapter on the bench in the book.

[Raeffnix]

First of all, thanks for all your advice! will try to implement all of them into my next workout (tonight).

Here is some more videos of bench, dead lift and squat. On the squat I tried to narrow my stance and push my knees acively out. not sure if i did it correctly though. On the bench press I used 10 kilos less on each side in order to work on form. Would like to know if these are better (or worse).
On deadlifts I filmed all sets to see if my form got worse with more weight or not. pretty sure my back is rounded and my descend is far from perfect. I try to unlock my hips first.

Anyways, thanks a lot. Here are all the videos, great job you guys are doing! really appreciate it.

EDIT: Oh yeah, about the bar position. I think it is mainly due to flexibility, have been working on that with Magnificient Mobility but would love to hear aditional ways to increase flexibility in that region.

Squat Set 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPFJ0MO965E

Squat Set 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Zx1YLUWv78

Squat Set 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-GXWsM1fB8

Bench Set 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_dohqGQZM4

Bench Set 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGQvpgiDm2E

Bench Set 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gzu85KZCrws

Deadlift Warmup Set 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pltVmiyOMA

Deadlift Warmup Set 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFy_2bypcEA

Deadlift Warmup Set 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAlowQKrGzY

Deadlift Warmup Set 4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2BYacF55Jg

Deadlift Workset:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48mBpVYOetg

[Raeffnix]

Squat was good, tried to place the bar further on my back. Have taken a sideview video of the first set, maybe that helps to spot other errors im making. not a good angle but my gym is really small and crowded.

Finally managed to take videos of the press as well, hope to get some critique on them as well.

Deadlift was ok, taped all of them again. workset was really hard, i think i need to change my grip soon. My back was awefully rounded. not even sure if that still counts as a deadlift. was better on the sets before but i guess i didnt focus properly.

Tonight i will reread the chapter on benchpress in the book and hopefully tomorrow i will be able to go back to my old weight on those.


Squat Sideview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwKZaNuwk48

Press Set 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IuAy8t8Ul4

Press Set 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qpf5bwpRK8

Press Set 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NtzXpc4gK8

Deadlift Workset (Viewer Discretion Is Advised):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XTTYaHOelY

[LudwigVan]

I'm still not sure about your bar position and mechanics on the squat, but it could be the angle and your anthropometry that's throwing me off.

Your press looks decent, but be careful about the bar moving away from your face.

Your deadlift is all over the place. You're not setting your back at all prior to pulling, you're not standing all the way up at the top, and you're moving your neck all over the place. You need to relearn this one.

[Raeffnix]

thanks for the response!

I read on another forum that the bar is not exactly a low bar squat. Should I move my hands out further to get the bar as low as possible?

Will definitely work on my deadlift again! I think that last set was especially horrible, were the ones before (maybe even just the warmup sets if my form gets worse with more weight) better?

Cheers

[LudwigVan]

It's not about getting the bar as low as possible, it's about having it in the right place as described in Starting Strength, which is just below the ridge at the top of your shoulder blade. With your elbows raised and your upper back tight, this will create a shelf for the bar to sit on and you use your hands to hold it down against your back. This isn't a great view, but here's a picture of me carrying the bar.

[Raeffnix]

Will try to replicate that at home, any tips on how I could achieve that position? what specifically will I have to change? Elbows further up? back tighter?

Pretty awesome weight btw