Squat Critique and Missed Rep / Set Advice

[D0sten]

I'm a 27 y/o male weighing 245 at 6'2" with 295 on the bar. My 285 sets look good, but this set was clearly too much for me. I let my breath go way too early getting the bar out of the rack, I divebomb my second rep, and my head reflexively comes up when I start grinding my on my last reps.

I've got two questions: because these reps were so awful should I deload and work my way back up, try the weight again, or continue my progression (I got all 3 sets in, technically didn't miss any reps), and was there anything else glaringly wrong with my form?

[Mark Rippetoe]

The First Three Questions | Mark Rippetoe

And just like everybody else with this problem, you're trying to lift your chest instead of staying in your hips.

Bend Over When You Squat | Mark Rippetoe

Correcting Squat Back Angle | Mark Rippetoe

Hip Drive | Mark Rippetoe

Hamstrings and The Squat | Mark Rippetoe

https://startingstrength.com/trainin...ches-the-squat

https://startingstrength.com/trainin...n-in-the-squat

https://startingstrength.com/trainin...e-in-the-squat

[D0sten]

I've taken weight off the bar and focused on keeping my vision focused 4 - 5 ft in front of me (little difficult with a mirror, might end up finding something to block it) and pushing up with my hips (boing, imagining the weight on my waistband). Do these look any better?

Apologies in advance for the wardrobe malfunction.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Going Too Deep in the Squat | Mark Rippetoe

[D0sten]

Going Too Deep in the Squat | Mark Rippetoe

Shaved a few inches off my depth here while keeping the aforementioned advice in mind.

[Satch12879]

Hips are breaking before knees. Your back is not set before you descend; you sort of snap it into place. Your ass gets thrown back to start the movement.

The biggest thing is that instead of leaning over, you are cranking your elbows up, tucking your chin, and “coming over the top” going into upper back flexion. I’ve struggled with that form error for a long time and I understand that the SSCs see it a lot.

You’ll probably need to look at a spot on the floor much further out than you are now, really focus on keeping your chin up, and squeezing the shit out of your whole back before you start the movement.

[D0sten]

Hips are breaking before knees. Your back is not set before you descend; you sort of snap it into place. Your ass gets thrown back to start the movement.

The biggest thing is that instead of leaning over, you are cranking your elbows up, tucking your chin, and “coming over the top” going into upper back flexion. I’ve struggled with that form error for a long time and I understand that the SSCs see it a lot.

You’ll probably need to look at a spot on the floor much further out than you are now, really focus on keeping your chin up, and squeezing the shit out of your whole back before you start the movement.

Any advice for breaking at the knees and hips simultaneously? I know it sounds stupid, but that's probably been the biggest issue for me since I've started.

I'll deload and take your advice Sunday, much appreciated.

[Eric May]

Any advice for breaking at the knees and hips simultaneously? I know it sounds stupid, but that's probably been the biggest issue for me since I've started.

(Not a coach or an expert so take this with a grain of salt). I'm struggling with the same issue and have been for a while. One thing that helped me on my last session was to focus on setting my knees in their final position right away and not specifically cueing the hips.

I had to slow down the whole movement and it took a while to feel natural because I felt like I wasn't getting bent over far enough or fast enough but eventually it started to click.

If someone else has a better cue I'll be eager to hear it as well.

[Pete Troupos]

Your two main issues are getting the upper back set, like Satch mentioned, and getting leaned over more and sooner.
Getting the elbows down and upper back tight will give you confidence in getting leaned over sooner. Getting leaned over sooner will keep the knees from over-traveling as you approach the bottom.

[D0sten]

(Not a coach or an expert so take this with a grain of salt). I'm struggling with the same issue and have been for a while. One thing that helped me on my last session was to focus on setting my knees in their final position right away and not specifically cueing the hips.

I had to slow down the whole movement and it took a while to feel natural because I felt like I wasn't getting bent over far enough or fast enough but eventually it started to click.

If someone else has a better cue I'll be eager to hear it as well.

Thanks for the advice, I'll give it a try this upcoming workout.

Your two main issues are getting the upper back set, like Satch mentioned, and getting leaned over more and sooner.
Getting the elbows down and upper back tight will give you confidence in getting leaned over sooner. Getting leaned over sooner will keep the knees from over-traveling as you approach the bottom.

Is part of getting my upper back set the "proud chest" cue? i.e. should the red line here be straight(er)?

1.jpg

If so, I think this article may help and I'll learn from it:

Identifying and Correcting Thoracic Spinal Flexion in the Squat | Bill Hannon