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Thread: Squat Form Check

  1. #1
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    Default Squat Form Check

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    I was making good progress on squats in NLP until I filmed myself and realized I was really doing high bar with the bar in the low bar position. I did a massive deload and tried to reteach myself the low bar movement using the SS book and SS form videos. Camera placement wasn't ideal in this clip as it doesn't show my head at the top but is hopefully good enough. Set weight is 230 pounds. Thanks in advance for the feedback!

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    Last edited by Brent Miller; 03-26-2019 at 05:43 PM. Reason: Typo

  2. #2
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    In inches, how far are your knees sliding forward at the bottom?

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    In inches, how far are your knees sliding forward at the bottom?
    I would estimate my knees are 3 to 4 inches past my toes at the maximum forward point at the bottom of the movement. Is that too much knee slide for low bar?

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brent Miller View Post
    I was making good progress on squats in NLP until I filmed myself and realized I was really doing high bar with the bar in the low bar position.
    You missed another typo my man These are still high bar.

    You're far too upright, and reaching depth with knee slide and lumbar flexion. Hip drive is nonexistent. You should really break it right back down to the teaching progression.

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    These look easy for you, so you don't have to strip it down to the empty bar. Find a weight where you can execute a proper low bar squat, and work back up in bigger jumps. Post another video, but please film it according to the sticky at the top of the board. Not being able to see your head isn't a huge deal, but not being able to see your feet and stance is problematic.

  5. #5
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    Thanks, I was afraid of that. I'll deload again and will give it another shot using that link and the squat chapter in SS as my guides. Appreciate the feedback!

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brent Miller View Post
    I would estimate my knees are 3 to 4 inches past my toes at the maximum forward point at the bottom of the movement. Is that too much knee slide for low bar?
    That's not what Rip was talking about. Knee slide is either continual movement of the knees throughout the whole movement or late movement of the knees after the point by which they are to be set and held in place, usually after 1/2 to 1/3 of the descent. As such, we want zero knee slide for various reasons.

    What you are talking about is the position of your knees past your toes, which is dependent upon anthropometry and the type of movement you are doing, i.e., low bar versus front squat, etc.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Satch12879 View Post
    That's not what Rip was talking about. Knee slide is either continual movement of the knees throughout the whole movement or late movement of the knees after the point by which they are to be set and held in place, usually after 1/2 to 1/3 of the descent. As such, we want zero knee slide for various reasons.

    What you are talking about is the position of your knees past your toes, which is dependent upon anthropometry and the type of movement you are doing, i.e., low bar versus front squat, etc.
    Thanks and that makes sense. And if I understand the mechanics correctly, your knees can move forward a little in the initial descent in low bar but should not move forward during the lower part of the movement (shins should stay close to vertical). I will focus on getting my back more horizontal and getting my hips back more (pointing my rear at the wall behind me). I am hopeful that this focus, along with keeping my knees out, will help me transition to a proper low bar squat without knee slide.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brent Miller View Post
    Thanks and that makes sense. And if I understand the mechanics correctly, your knees can move forward a little in the initial descent in low bar but should not move forward during the lower part of the movement (shins should stay close to vertical). I will focus on getting my back more horizontal and getting my hips back more (pointing my rear at the wall behind me). I am hopeful that this focus, along with keeping my knees out, will help me transition to a proper low bar squat without knee slide.
    Not quite. You don't want close to vertical shins. Your shin angle will be determined by anthropometry. The rest is correct though. However far your knees are going to travel forwards, you want them to do it in the first 1/3 to 1/2 of the descent. If your knees are still travelling forwards in the bottom half of the descent, or if they crash forwards at the bottom like yours were here, it's knee slide.

    That being said, a low bar squat will have your shins more vertical than a high bar squat (which you're basically doing here), due to the mechanics of the lift. That doesn't mean you should strive for a strictly vertical shin.

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