Required reading before posting

[Pete Troupos]

Technique Forum: Form checks and technical discussion of the lifts

Before you post a form check, we encourage you to look through the hundreds, or possibly thousands, of form checks we have already done. Watch the video, try to figure out what we'll say, then go check what the SSC says, and follow up with the further re-checks. Your issue has almost certainly been addressed at least a dozen times before.

Good topics for the Technique Forum:

• Form checks
• How to correct form problems
• How to modify technique to accommodate special cases

Want feedback on your form check from a Starting Strength Coach? Make sure to see Starting Strength Forums General Information on how to get answers to your questions from Starting Strength Coaches, plus other information on participation, moderation/moderators, and more. Verified forum members will get preference.

First rule: Once a video is posted and people have taken the time to comment on it, the video remains posted. If you delete your video, we delete your account. This is not negotiable.

And make sure the link is working before you post it. Duh.

Here are several general recommendations when posting questions to the technique forum:

• Post a video. Really, sometimes we have to say this.
• Try and film in landscape if possible and at the very least make sure the video is right side up.
• Use support for your camera. A tripod, a shoe, a kettlebell, whatever. If you have a friend film, please tell them to hold still in the proper spot. We dont need a sweeping dolly shot of your lift, Kubrick.
• Learn to edit your videos. Wed like to see the initial setup for the lift, but please dont have 30 seconds of you setting up in the beginning.
• Post your last working set. We want to see you at your tired worst. That means the tape should show 5 reps - 3 for cleans, at your working weight. Please dont post 1RMs for form checks. Don't post a "light weight" because you were "working on your technique." Please don't post sets of 6/9/12 reps.
• If you are having pain that you believe is related to technique, you need to be specific about where the pain is exactly, when it occurs, how long you've had it, etc. Generalizations such as "I'm having hip pain when I squat" are not really helpful.

General Filming Guidelines

• See the appropriate angle to film for each lift below.
• If you have to choose between being too far or too close, film from too far. We need to see all of you in the video.
• If you have to choose between filming from too high or too low, film from too high.
• Don't wear black or other really dark colors - it's hard to see some of the landmarks that we're looking for. Grey is usually good and youre not Johnny Cash.
• Get as much light as possible on you. Let me repeat: You are not using enough light. USE MORE.
• If it is a follow-up video, post a link to your previous technique thread.
• Upload to YouTube (do not use "YouTube shorts" upload normally) or some other streaming service. We won't download files to watch videos.
  
  If you've filmed a short video in portrait mode and YouTube is displaying it as a short, it is your job to grab the non-short url and post that instead of the short:
  

  Short URL pattern: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VIDEO-ID
  Replace "shorts/" with "watch?v=": https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VIDEO_ID
  
  Example:
  Short URL: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ItXX5VcuZjQ
  Corrected URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItXX5VcuZjQ

• Be careful uploading videos to YouTube with music in the background. Sometimes they'll block the video for a copyright violation.
• You must be wearing shoes of some sort. Not lifting barefoot.

For each of the lifts, here are some requirements:

SQUAT

Watch this video first.<--

From Rip:
Do not post clearly above-parallel squats on these forums. This wastes the forum's time and it is the most basic responsibility you have if you're going to train using this method. Look at the video before you post it. Learn what depth is. If it is high, do not post it.

• From the rear quarter, at eye level is usually the best, but sometimes from the side will be necessary. We will tell you when this is so. Position the camera at roughly hip height at a 45-degree angle from whoever is exercising. Videos from the side and back or front have their uses, but if you can only post one video, please choose a 45. This keeps the plates out of the way and allows us to see all of the joints and what they are doing. No angle is perfect and shows everything, but the 45s are a nice compromise.
• Try to keep obstructions to a minimum. We need to be able to see your knees, hips, feet, and upper back.
• Put the camera at what would be eye level, just like we were there with you. Don't put the camera 6" off the ground.
• Since you're doing 3 sets, try to take one set from the front quarter, from the rear quarter, and then your last set from the side. That way you have the other two angles if needed.
• LEAN OVER MORE. Most of you will not lean over enough.
• KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN. A lot of you will make this very basic mistake.

DEADLIFT & POWER CLEAN

Watch this video first.<--

• Show your set-up.
• Best if filmed from the front quarter. We need to see where you put your feet / hands / knees / shins, and this can be done from a high, front 45 degree shot. Make sure that your head and feet are in the frame at all times. This means you may have to back up a good way from whoever is lifting.
• We need to see the entire bar path. That means we need to see the close end of the bar for the entire range of the rep.

PRESS

Watch this video first.<--

• Shot best from the front quarter. Need to be able to see the lockout position, and the entire body at least from the knees up. Include the feet if possible. Wed like to see the hands, wrists, and elbows.

BENCH PRESS

Watch this video first.<--

Do not post thumbless-grip videos on these forums.