Please - Form Check Request - Squat / Deadlift - Novice

[SimplyMeAngieD]

Middle aged jiggly lady is requesting a form check. It's not pretty.

Back Squat 3x5 - front, side, and back.
Weight is approx 87.5lb.
Video is approx 3 minutes (sorry)
Form Check - Backsquat - 87.5lbs - 3x5 - YouTube


Deadlift 2x5 - front and side
Weight is 100lbs
Video is approx 1:15.
Form check - deadlift - 100lb - 2x5 - YouTube

[Pawn]

Greetings,

I can see some basic stuff. Somebody with a more experienced eye will need to help once things get a little cleaner.

Squat:
- Grip width makes if very difficult to maintain a tight upper back and a good 'delt' shelf for the bar. The hand spacing you use to re-rack the weight (46 sec) should be more appropriate. Push your elbows 'back' and 'up' to tighten up your back.
- The bar is high... try to bring it down (combined with the grip thing)
- Your decent is very fast, slow it down and try to keep everything nice and tight for a good stretch at the bottom.

Deadlift:
- You should be able to rig up some deadlift blocks so you can rest the weight a little better. (Platforms as opposed to the car jacks so you don't need to be as precise when lowering the bar.)
- Once you have those you need to focus on starting the reps from the bottom and less so from the top. Get tight, pull the bar up, lower it back down, relax, get tight, pull... and so on.

Keep at it ☺

[Mia Inman]

Squat:

First, for safety, do not EVER, ever, ever, walk forward out of the rack and try to back up to re-rack the bar. You may have been doing it only for the purposes of the video, but just don't.

As Pawn said, your grip is too wide and the bar is unstable across your back. Once you take your grip on the bar, your hands should not move until you have finished the set and re-rack the bar. I suggest reading two articles and watching some videos to bring in your grip and secure the bar in a better position against your upper back. (Make sure the bar is just below the spine of the scapula):

Identifying and Correcting Thoracic Spinal Flexion in the Squat | Bill Hannon
Preventing Elbow Pain in the Squat | Nick Delgadillo
A Clarification on the Squat Grip | Mark Rippetoe

Next, you need to get some squat shoes, or at least some stable shoes with a slight heel. Turn your toes out a few more degrees.

Okay, onto the squat.

First, find a point on the ground a few feet in front of you and stare at it throughout the rep. An object or a piece of tape on the ground will serve as a reference point.

Next, with your nice tight and secure bar position, take a huge breath, brace/squeeze/tighten all the muscles in your torso as hard as you can. This should be uncomfortable. While holding that braced position, squat down and drive the hips up.

Make sure that you shove your knees out sideways harder, and keep them shoved out as you descend/ascend. Your right knee especially has a tendency to cave in.

With regard to your elbow position, I'm going to disagree slightly with Pawn. I think your elbow position is fine, if you can maintain it while you bring in your grip width. However, watch the side view of your squat and note that your elbows drop down in relation to your torso as you descend. Instead, they should not move in relation to your torso throughout the rep. So, squeeze your arms in tight to your sides and don't let them move.

Finally, as Pawn noted, slow down just a bit and control your descent. This will be easier to do if you are braced harder. In fact, if you focus on staying braced/tight as you descend, you'll have better control.

Summary:
1. Bring in your grip width, per the articles/video above.
2. Get some shoes and turn your toes out a little more.
3. Eyes down.
4. Big breath, braced torso as hard as you can
5. Keep your knees shoved out
6. Keep your elbows/arms in tight to your torso.
7. Control your descent.

Pick one thing to work on each set. Don't try to fix everything at once.

If you're anywhere near an SSC, they could help you to clean up a lot of this in a session or two.

[Mia Inman]

Deadlift:

As Pawn said, car jacks - not the best. Go to your local hardware/lumbar store. Get some cheap pine boards to the correct thickness and use those instead. If you put small strips of wood on either end as bumpers, that will prevent the bar from rolling either side. Alternatively, get some 10 lb bumper plates from Rogue or other company and use those to get the bar at the correct height.

What you're doing is essentially an RDL, starting from the top, rather than a DL that starts from the bottom.

- Stand in front of the bar such that the bar is 1" away from your shins. Turn your toes out slightly. From this point forward, do not let the bar move forward or back from this position.

- Grab the bar outside your legs such that when you stand up, your hands are positioned just outside your hips. Grip the bar hard. Do not let the bar move.

- Bend your knees slightly until they touch the bar, and then shove your knees out a little towards your elbows. Do not let the bar move. Your shoulders should be slightly ahead of the bar.

- Look at a point 10-15 feet in front of you.

- Take a deep breath, drive your feet into the ground a little, brace your abs and erectors as hard as you can, and squeeze your chest up to flatten your back. It is CRITICAL that YOU DO NOT LET YOUR HIPS DROP. Do not let the bar move.

- Squeeze the bar off the ground, see Squeezing the Bar Off the Floor | Niki Sims

- Drive your feet into the floor harder to start the pull, and drag the bar up your legs.

- To reverse, shove your hips back and let the bar slide down your legs (keeping your back flat), until the bar passes your knees, then you can bend your knees and continue lowering the bar to the floor.

- Make sure you hold your breath throughout the rep

Important points:
1. Bar 1" from shins, toes out at the start
2. Do not let the bar move during the setup
3. Big held breath and braced torso (just like the squat), squeeze up chest to flatten the back
4. Make sure the bar maintains contact with the legs throughout the rep

Give that a go and report back. Good luck.

[carson]

Deadlift: Don't breathe at the top. Breathe while bar is resting on the floor. See if you can get some full sized tech. plates or even bumper plates so you can put the weight on the floor. Set up at the bottom. Do not use car jacks.

Go visit a certified SS coach so he/she can make sure you do the lifts correctly and safely before you go too far in the program.