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Thread: Ugly Squats

  1. #1
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    Default Ugly Squats

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    25 year-old male. 6'1" 205-ish.

    I came back from a layoff roughly a month ago. I was an early intermediate before the layoff, but I came back pretty detrained so I dropped the weight and ran the Novice LP again. The weight is starting to get heavy again, which is exposing some form flaws. The video is of my third and final set at 270.



    Some things I noticed:
    1. It's hard to know for sure because of the power rack (sorry about the angle, I should've checked the video before I left the gym) but I feel like I'm not quite hitting depth. This is partially because I experience some slight pain in my left hip flexor when I get close to parallel. Maybe this is caused by my stance being too wide? I did not experience this problem before the layoff.

    2. I go into lumber flexion on the way up on the last couple reps and the bar path drifts forward onto my toes. I think this was just a matter of losing tightness coming out of the bottom because I was getting fatigued (as I mentioned, this was my last set) but it could be something else.

    Let me know what you all see. Thanks!

  2. #2
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    1. You need to bring in your stance by an inch/inch and a quarter on each side. Keep the toes pointed out 30 degrees.
    2. The bar looks too high. Are you sure it's just below the spine of your scapula.
    3. Stand all the way up at the top. Proud chest. Take a big, big breath. Hold it in. This will help the collapsing/losing tightness you have on the way back up.
    4. You are sliding into your knees. Instead, push your hips BACK. Bend over more.
    5. You're rocking onto your heels to start the squat, and then you shoot forward so then you end up doing a good morning at the bottom when you come back up. You see it in the last rep especially. This is why you see your elbows drive up so much on the way up. Keep the elbows down. Proud chest. Stay in the middle of your foot throughout the entire lift.

  3. #3
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    Everything Matt says is spot on. I would add that you need to keep your knees out and over your feet - they're caving in. Narrowing your stance a little will help, but you'll still have to make them stay there.

    I'd also recommend finding a different rack to lift in. Normally, in the set up you're using, I'd have you turn around so that you can get your feet under the bar and your head more forward. But, because the gym platform is too short, that won't work. So, try some other racks.

    Wear a belt.

  4. #4
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    I knew they felt ugly and they looked ugly, but I was hoping they weren't this ugly. I'll definitely be revisiting the squat part of the book, since I feel like I'm basically going to have to completely reteach myself the movement. Frustrated I didn't try to fix these bad habits before they got to this point.

    #4 and #5 of Matt's list are things that I've always struggled with. When I feel balanced over mid foot, my knees go past my toes and I feel like I slide into them even worse. Rocking back onto my heels is actually my (futile) attempt to push my hips back, which is clearly counterproductive. I feel like the solution should be as simple as getting my back angle more horizontal earlier in the descent, but when I try to make myself do this, it feels like the bar is going to roll up on me. Any suggestions or cues on how to fix this? Since stance width, knee valgus, and tightness issues should be fairly straightforward corrections, I feel like this is going to be the biggest challenge.

    I'd also recommend finding a different rack to lift in. Normally, in the set up you're using, I'd have you turn around so that you can get your feet under the bar and your head more forward. But, because the gym platform is too short, that won't work. So, try some other racks.
    I'm not entirely sure what you're saying here, Jeff. I will wear a belt from now on, though.

  5. #5
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    Think about keeping a proud chest throughout the lift. Then when you push your hips back think about only keeping the bar in the middle of your foot.

  6. #6
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    To add to the above, you're taking far too long to get the first rep in - it's nineteen seconds from the bar leaving the hooks to the beginning of the first rep. All that time you're devouring energy better used to move the bar.

    Set you stance, get off the hooks, step back with one foot, step back with other foot, (if necessary) get them aligned right, deep breath, squat. It shouldn't take more than six seconds.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by NEB92 View Post
    I'm not entirely sure what you're saying here, Jeff. I will wear a belt from now on, though.
    I'm saying you are setting up under the bar poorly. As with all the lifts, getting set up with the bar when it's still in the rack/on the floor is important and not doing it right makes the rest of the lift harder to do right.

  8. #8
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    I'm saying you are setting up under the bar poorly. As with all the lifts, getting set up with the bar when it's still in the rack/on the floor is important and not doing it right makes the rest of the lift harder to do right.
    I understand now - I'm unable to properly center the bar over my feet and the rest of my body because the edge of the platform is too short and I physically can't get all the way under it. I can see how that would be important. It's the only rack with its own elevated platform like that at the gym, so I'll just pick a different one next time.

    To add to the above, you're taking far too long to get the first rep in - it's nineteen seconds from the bar leaving the hooks to the beginning of the first rep. All that time you're devouring energy better used to move the bar.
    Jesus, you're right. I never really gave it a second thought. I'll try to be more deliberate from now on.

    Think about keeping a proud chest throughout the lift. Then when you push your hips back think about only keeping the bar in the middle of your foot.
    I often fight the important distinction between keeping a proud chest vs. forcing my chest upright/at the wall in front of me. Proud chest, nipples at the floor. I'll just have to force myself to do it until it becomes second nature.

    Thanks for all the advice, everyone. I'm going to take 20 lbs or so off the bar for tomorrow's session and try to implement some of these changes. Hopefully there'll be some improvement.

  9. #9
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    So this morning I dropped the weight down to 245, threw on a belt, and tried again. The main things I was thinking about during the sets were proud chest, hips back, balance over mid-foot. I also brought my stance in a little and made sure to push my knees out. They still don't look great, but I feel like I'm on the right track.



    And a side-view for good measure:



    Please let me know what you see and how I can keep improving!

  10. #10
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    Better. The main thing you need to work on with these is going to be consistency.

    I would suggest turning away from the mirror. You are showing a slight tendency to want to look up as you start your ascent. It's easier to keep your head down and your mind on your hips if you aren't facing a mirror. In a couple of reps, it looks like you're shoving your knees too far out. The knees shouldn't be shoved out any further than the feet and your feet shouldn't "roll" onto the side. Keep your weight centered along the midline of the foot.

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