starting strength gym
Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Squat form check (back angle)

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Posts
    17

    Default Squat form check (back angle)

    • starting strength seminar april 2024
    • starting strength seminar jume 2024
    • starting strength seminar august 2024
    Hi!

    I'd really appreciate it if you could check my squat: 225 lbs @ 180 lbs BW, 6'1".

    YouTube

    Other people in the gym will often go out of their way to tell me that my back should be more upright. I'm pretty sure they haven't read Starting Strength and I've never seen anyone there do a low bar squat, so they probably don't know what they're talking about. But it's happened so many times that I'm starting to wonder if they might be right. What do you think? Is my back angle too horizontal? I've tried to squat more upright, but I get a really bad pain in my hip joints after a few reps. I'd appreciate your advice.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Camino, CA
    Posts
    1,499

    Default

    You are not too bent over, that's for sure. There are, though, several things that need to be fixed here.

    1. Put the hooks one notch lower and then make sure that the middle of your feet are under the bar before you unrack (basically, in a squat position).
    2. Get tighter, especially on your first rep. Squeeze everything and slow your descent. You're sort of just flopping down to the bottom.
    3. Break at the knees and the hips at the same time and immediately point your chest and face at the ground. Your knees should come forward to just at or a little bit in front of your toes and they should get to this place by the time you're halfway down. They then do not move forward or back ward until you are halfway back up.
    4. Do not lift your head or your chest on the way up.

    It would help you a lot if you gain some more weight.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Posts
    17

    Default

    Thank you so much for the feedback. I'll work on fixing those four problems you pointed out. And yes, I really need to gain more weight. I've gained 15 lbs since I'm doing SS, but I still need to gain much more. I started doing half GOMAD this week and if it goes well I'll go full GOMAD next week.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Camino, CA
    Posts
    1,499

    Default

    Where do you train?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Posts
    17

    Default

    I train in Managua, Nicaragua. I haven't been able to find a strength coach here, let a alone an SS coach, so I've been training on my own.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Camino, CA
    Posts
    1,499

    Default

    If you can't swing the SSOC deal, at least film and watch every set you do. It'll make it easier to self correct.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Posts
    17

    Default

    Yes, I will definitely film my sets from now on, and occasionally post the videos here. This is the first time I post a video for a form check and it was very helpful. I hadn't even thought about the problems you pointed out. Thanks again.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    MS
    Posts
    440

    Default

    starting strength coach development program
    As a general rule, just ignore everything that someone in the gym tells you. It's statistically very likely, if not absolutely certain, to be a big pile of steaming horse shit either inspired by the desire to sound intelligent, make money or born of true ignorance. You're doing just fine man. Keep sending in form checks and figure out whether you like your steak well done or rare.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •