Trouble Maintaining Thoracic Extension in the Squat

[Jason Donaldson]

Thanks Jason and Gio, that explanation makes a lot of sense. I definitely do feel the weight shift forward right when the lift gets difficult, basically after I lose the help from the stretch reflex. So that's where the bar *wants* to be. I never thought about it that way.

I *have* read the book and watched the video Jason linked, and I know Rip repeatedly emphasizes the importance of leaning over sufficiently, but I guess somehow I still failed to internalize the message.

You're welcome. Learning to DO the lifts requires a process of recalibration between the concept and the feelings in motion. Really, it requires ongoing calibration against form creep. This is what is so productive about competent, real-time coaching, if you can at all manage it.

Case in point: The first time I got a coaching session with an SSC for my squat, I was sure that I was squatting too high, or just barely to depth. His first feedback was that I needed to cut out off nearly six inches HIGHER. My mental model was correct, but my proprioception was way off. Fixing that immediately put 20 lbs on my squat. I wish I'd done that sooner in my training.

[Jovan Dragisic]

I *have* read the book and watched the video Jason linked, and I know Rip repeatedly emphasizes the importance of leaning over sufficiently, but I guess somehow I still failed to internalize the message.

Leaning over in the squat is the most difficult thing in this program. Unless you are doing it with a coach, I guess they fix that in the first couple of sessions or so.