SSB squat check. 290# form is beginning to break down.

[PizzaDad]

Due to shoulder issues I can't low bar squat.
For some reason, adding 5 lbs made a tremendous difference today. I really felt the weight folding me forward. Holding the form is getting tough, as the weight gets higher.

I know that my 5th rep of the 1st set was high. I did a 3 rep follow up set because I felt like that 5th rep cheated me.

YouTube

2nd set. YouTube


3rd set. YouTube

3 rep follow up set.
YouTube

[Meshuggah]

Didn't you just squat yesterday? You probably need a little more recovery.

[KangaJoo]

To me it looked like most of your reps are high not just the last one on the first set. If you pause the vid near the bottom of each squat and go frame by frame using the , and . keys, the lowest point has the crease of your hip above the top of your knee on pretty much every rep.

[PizzaDad]

Didn't you just squat yesterday? You probably need a little more recovery.

I posted yesterday from Tuesday's squat sets.

[PizzaDad]

To me it looked like most of your reps are high not just the last one on the first set. If you pause the vid near the bottom of each squat and go frame by frame using the , and . keys, the lowest point has the crease of your hip above the top of your knee on pretty much every rep.

So I repeat the weight next week when I squat again.

[Meshuggah]

I posted yesterday from Tuesday's squat sets.

Ah, I see. Good luck with your progress.

[Ryan Arnold]

You're losing tightness and not taking advantage of the bounce at the bottom. Hold your breath and only breathe at the top

[PizzaDad]

You're losing tightness and not taking advantage of the bounce at the bottom. Hold your breath and only breathe at the top

I appreciate the advice. Do you mean losing tightness in my back and shoulders or in the squat itself, and my hips, glutes, thighs? I have always been kind of afraid of the squat reflex. I started learning to squat properly about 4 years ago and felt like I was likely to tear a muscle relying on the reflex....and maybe I don't really understand what it is. I tore myself ACL 2 years ago so I have a fear of too much dynamic stress on the knee.

[KangaJoo]

I pretty much only feel the stretch reflex in my hips and hamstrings so I don't think it would hurt your knees. In fact, every time I see my coach and he reinforces the bounce at the bottom and hip drive, my knees feel better. Usually, knee related injuries in the squat are from over emphasizing the quads due to a lack of hip drive/tension in the hamstrings and of course from twisting the joint by allowing the knees to cave in.

I would practice feeling the stretch reflex with air squats at first and then with warmups to see if it irritates your knees.

[Ryan Arnold]

I appreciate the advice. Do you mean losing tightness in my back and shoulders or in the squat itself, and my hips, glutes, thighs? I have always been kind of afraid of the squat reflex. I started learning to squat properly about 4 years ago and felt like I was likely to tear a muscle relying on the reflex....and maybe I don't really understand what it is. I tore myself ACL 2 years ago so I have a fear of too much dynamic stress on the knee.

Yes what I mean is that instead of holding your breath you are letting it out and groaning once you reach depth, which is going to prevent the valsalva and consequently the stretch reflex. You should not be afraid of the stretch reflex. At the bottom of the squat the hamstring shortens from the attachment at the knee and lengthens from the attachment at the hip, resulting in it being at resting length at the bottom. This is enough to create tension to "bounce" off of, but not as much as say something like an RDL or deficit deadlift which will overstretch the hamstring. Additionally, the low bar squat puts zero stress on the ligaments of the knee, which is why people who have had their ACL's removed have been able to perform the low bar squat without issue. All the work is done by the surrounding musculature.