Squat Check

[zackpassman]

So this is my session following a failed session that I believe was caused by switching from Vibrams to Rogue Do-Wins and adjusting to the lift in the heel. Here's the thread regarding that: http://startingstrength.com/resource...ad.php?t=41939

That was Monday. This was last night's session.

www.youtube.com/embed/HnI-JntvwnQ

I ultimately followed the advice to stick on 285 and see how it goes.

Clearly, this time was better, but still needs improvement. I felt the 3rd rep in the 1st set was good, the 3rd and 5th reps in the 2nd set also. I think the last set was the best with slight knees forward on the first rep.

Anyone with a better eye think otherwise?

Thanks!

[Edge]

Since no one has chimed in, I'll give it a crack.

It looks like your knees are coming forward as you get into the hole. This is causing the bar path to move forward just before you begin your bounce losing a lot of the drive you could have. Can you feel the weight shifting a bit towards your toes? Pushing your knees out more and trying to get them into position earlier should correct this.

I'm lifting the same as you at the moment, so perhaps someone with more experience may see more.

[zackpassman]

Yeah. I know this is happening. It's something I had fixed over the course of July but then I got real shoes (I had been lifting in Vibrams) and the lift is causing me to shift forward again. This was my second session in them and it was better than the first (the video in the thread I linked has video of me falling forward). Did the 3rd set look better to you? I focused on maintaining a straight bar path rather than not shifting knees forward and I feel like it worked better.

[Edge]

watched the third set for you several times. If you pay close attention to your feet, you can actually see the weight shift causing what looks like your feet to roll slightly inwards.

Question on the shoes, they looked like they squished down a bit. Are they solid heels? Maybe it was your foot.. Did they come with multiple insoles? Sometimes they give you a padded and non padded one... (not sure why anyone would put a padded insole in a squat/oly shoe... maybe for new people trying them on to think they are more comfortable.. anyways, I'm rambling now...

As I was saying, it looks like you may have a slight knee collapse going on in the hole... Same fix.. knees out, set them early and keep em there. When they are shoved out and maintained, they tend to stay put... I find focusing on one thing at a time in warm ups helps get it ingrained and transfers to your work sets.

Good luck!

[zackpassman]

yeah. you're right. I'm still coming forward on my toes. knees aren't as bad but the weight is still shifting. The shoes aren't squishy, so I have to assume it's that I'm either still not used to them or my form just sucks in general. will work on it.

[Edge]

The weight shifts to your toes because the bar moves forward, the bar is moving forward because your lever angles are not maintaining ratios....

Your form is not bad, not by a long stretch. It's a minor fix that I'm sure you'll figure out in a week or 2 max.

[zackpassman]

What do you think... stick on 285 tomorrow or go for 290 while working on it?

[LJ5.0]

I've been working on low-bar as well. Got some good advice, and it's getting better. But it's a lot to learn, and to do right all at once.

To me, based on what I've been told, it looks like you ought to reduce the weight and solidify your knee positioning.

Your knees should be done moving by 1/3-1/2 of the way down. Most/all of your reps show your knees moving forward till you drive upward. Something that helped me was the suggestion to think of the squat in two phases. The first is the portion in which you initiate movement and push the knees to their "set" position. Then, the second is mostly a matter of sitting back till depth is hit, and then reversing to the top.

Not sure if the above is clear; you might check my thread in here as my issue is very similar.

[Edge]

Keep adding weight if you can. The form is not THAT off... Add extra warm up sets and focus on your issues every time. Even with an empty bar.

The only reasons to deload that I can think of is multiple failures (which can be argued other ways as well), injuries, or such bad form that an injury is imminent.

Keep your linear going as long as you can. Besides, you want to be increasing while you fix your form so it doesn't fall apart again when you push yourself.

[zackpassman]

I think that makes the most sense to me