Squat Form Check - weight shifting out of the hole

[heinz83]

Changing your stance doesn't automatically fix your knee cave. You have to deliberately shove your knees out, as in the squat exercise I mentioned. If the bar is still moving forward you might try narrowing your grip.

[Tank50]

Here are my latest…my sets from the other day felt and looked terrible, so today I started at 135 and worked up by 25s and 45s at sets of 5 until they started to “feel heavy” just to try and get things dialed in. Made it to 275 before I felt like I should just do a few sets to see what they looked like. I tried to narrow my stance (based on bare steel’s recommendation and place the bar higher based on Heinz’s recommendation.

Set 1- front view
Squat Set 1- 275lbs front view - YouTube

Set 2- rear quarter
https://youtu.be/-mPjddaU_8E?si=AhLcvkSusfnwgiVP

Set 3- side view
https://youtu.be/ZiuenfP90VM?si=C4RhPLAXzNfwY59f

A few questions based on what I am looking at.

Are my feet angled out too much, and as a result am I pushing my knees out too far? Are they “caving” back in to get into the correct position?

Is my bar position ok? It still feels really high on my back compared to what I was doing before and feels like it rides up some during the set. I feel very “vertical” compared to my back position previously, but my perception may be off.

It seems I am still shifting forward out of the hole. I assume this still is just my knee movement problem and if I get this solved the weight shifting will take care of itself?

Thanks again for the feedback.

[heinz83]

Tank,

Overall these look pretty good. I do see the bar moving forward a bit on the last 3 reps of the 3rd set. It could be that you were just fatigued/bored and forgot to pinch your shoulder blades together. Generally I feel the tighter the upper back, the more secure the bar is, which is why I suggested narrowing your grip, which it looks like you did. I don't see a whole lot of knee cave, just a bit on some reps, again probably because you forget to shove them out. It makes sense that you feel too vertical, because you may indeed be more vertical than you were, but to my eyes the back angle looks fine. (It is possible to be too horizontal).

If I were you I would keep this form, staying conscious of your knees and upper back, and drive your weights back up to where you were before, maybe in 10 lb jumps. By that time, hopefully you are signed up with a SSC.

[Tank50]

I wanted to post one more set before I start running with this, just to double check.

I tried to implement the advice given.
Jumped 10 lbs
Narrowing grip and keeping upper back tight.
Continue to push knees out.

Overall, these felt good…even more so than my previous lighter sets. The only thing that still doesn’t “feel right” is the bar seems to be creeping up, but I’ll keep working on it.

Again , just wanted to post once more as a double check before I keep trying to get the weight back up.

I am also trying to set up a session with Trent Jones, an SSC in my area for a session.

Set 1-285- rear quarter
Squat Set 1 - 285 lbs - YouTube

Set 2- 285- front quarter
Squat Set 2-285lbs - YouTube

Set 3- 285- side
Squat Set 3- 285lbs - YouTube


Thanks.

[heinz83]

Those knees just wont quit. Think about freezing your knees half way down. Set them in concrete.

[Tank50]

Yeah. I’m trying…wondering if it’s possible that I am shoving them too far out to begin with? I can shove them out past alignment with my feet and they are more in line with my feet when they come back in.

I have a session set up with an SSC next week, so hopefully we can get it nailed down.