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Thread: Squat Check

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2019
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    Post Squat Check

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    19M, 6'6", 260lbs

    Currently running the Texas Method, This is my last set of 5 on my volume day. Weight is 385. I don't know if I should be running the Texas Method over Starting Strength, as Texas Method is my first real linear progression (I messed around with 5/3/1 when I first started lifting just over a year ago) but I am playing college basketball and didn't know if it would be too much stress to recover from to run a progression that aggressive. Would there be any downsides to switching over to SS, or would the program hop ultimately hurt more than it would help? Anyways, here is the squat video. I notice my heels come up a little bit, would love some advice on how to stop that. Also notice a lot of movement from the elbows.

    Thank you.

  2. #2
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    Jun 2014
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    Did you film this on an old-timey camera and film that had to be hand developed?

    Let's get your grip fixed. See how your wrists are bent forward and draped over the bar? Get them either neutral, or just slightly extended back at the most. It will save you from potential elbow pain down the road and you'll be able to get the upper back extended and keep it tight.

    You're dropping straight down, so the knees are slamming forward and that's why you feel yourself on your toes with the heels up. Lean over and reach your ass back as soon as you start. Keep the hips away from your feet and you'll be able to control the knees, stay midfoot, and keep a more vertical bar path. All of that with more control into the bottom, of course.

    You started with TM instead of doing a basic novice linear progression? So you're doing 5x5 for volume day, then a light day, then 1x5 for intensity day? What's your training like outside of the weight room now?
    This flew for a last set of 5x5 at 385.

  3. #3
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    Jul 2019
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    Thank you for the form advice.

    I started TM 5 weeks ago. I didn't really train for the first half of my basketball season as we were travelling a lot and I was pretty spent. I thought that because I had a 450 squat I didn't "qualify" for a novice linear progression. Upon recounting my past programming, I realized that I don't really have much squat training, or training in general.

    I started lifting semi-seriously last spring but I kind of hopped from program to program and didn't take it too seriously. While I have read SS and PP, I didn't really have much practical experience in the weight room and thought that I couldn't add 5 pounds every workout lifting the weights I was lifting. Now that I have a little more insight, I am beginning to think that I am much more of a beginner than I thought. I don't really know why I believed I was an intermediate, probably down to the naivety of youth.

    I am running the Texas Method like you described it. My training outside of the weight room consists of relatively intense basketball practice 5-6 nights a week.

  4. #4
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    Yeah, so as you've come to realize, the training maturity designations have nothing to do with weight on the bar. It's how quickly you can adapt and put more weight on the bar. The highest I've ever seen a legit late-novice linear progression get to was 505x5x3.
    What's your intensity day? 425x5?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
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    Fix your grip
    Hips more back
    Don‘t dive bomb into the bottom

    That‘s what I saw.

    Impressive numbers by the way!

  6. #6
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    Jul 2019
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    Thank you for the reply.

    I switched to a novice linear progression today and squatted 425 for a 3x5. I tried to descend slower and fix my grip. My grip looked okay, in my opinion until about the third rep and then I went back into over-extension - on my last set anyways, didn't have someone to film my first two. I watched Rip's "on the platform" video that dealt with this subject and tried to implement some of his advice, but I guess I can't really detect the underlying problem. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Attached is the video. Hopefully the quality doesn't offend you this time.


  7. #7
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    Thank you for the advice.

    Would my hips being back more result in a less vertical back angle as well, or is my back angle fine?

  8. #8
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    If the bar stays over mid-foot, the back angle must adjust horizontally to compensate if the hips move back.

  9. #9
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    Film from more of a 45 degree angle next time, I'd like to see your stance.
    Along with what Rip said, you still need to fix the grip and the upper back. See the pic below and how your wrist is cranked forward. That's likely going to piss off the elbows eventually, which will fuck up the rest of your training. There's a couple videos on the grip on our youtube channel. Look for the one with Chase. Another issue with the wrists flexed forward like you have them is that the elbows tend to creep up. When the elbows creep up, the upper back starts to round/flex. As you start each rep, lift your chest to get the upper back tight and pull the elbows down as part of the setup before you descend. Then get your eyes down where the cross bar is on the floor at the back of the rack. All of this to get you to lean over more at the start and send your hips back away from your feet. Which will keep you midfoot and keep you from ending up on your toes in the hole.
    To be clear, I wasn't saying you had to switch to an NLP. I was just probing what your approach, background, and other training were. If you're in the middle of intense training for the basketball season, and that's your main focus, consider just going to a late novice LP and taking a light day in the middle of the week. 70ish % of Monday's workout.
    And for heaven's sake, get a belt!
    Screen Shot 2020-02-14 at 2.07.46 AM.jpg
    Last edited by Pete Troupos; 02-14-2020 at 01:32 AM.

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