Form Check - Squat

[Justin Shive]

I'm seeing some continued issues but I don't know how to fix them. What I'm seeing, likely missing more, my knees are shooting back (and coming in some?) as I come out of the hole and my hips increasingly shoot back as I fatigue, but I can't for the life of me figure out how to fix this at heavy weight. What adjustments can I make?

Set 1 - 280#

Rear Quarter

Side

(Set 2 failed early, I was worried about fatigue prior to this workout, programming issue I am correcting, so I completed a back off set for Set 3)

Set 3 - 250#

Rear Quarter

Side

[Mark Rippetoe]

Think for a second: is it possible to extend the knees with feet stuck to the floor and not have some backward hip movement?

[Justin Shive]

Think for a second: is it possible to extend the knees with feet stuck to the floor and not have some backward hip movement?

If I understand what you're getting at... Geometrically speaking, because of the fixed length of my leg segments, if my knee angle opens (extends) like in my video my hips must move backwards, and I note my back angle temporarily gets slightly more horizontal at the same time for balance.

[Justin Shive]

So what I think I'm doing is extending my knees a bit too quickly, which is causing my hips to go back more than they should instead of straight up. Essentially I think I may be near to what you're describing in the "There Will Be No Good Mornings" section of this article, Squat Mechanics | Mark Rippetoe, while not exactly. Maybe I'm misunderstanding what I'm seeing in my video. Maybe I should be cuing hip drive up better in my mind?

[Maybach]

These are like, a good inch too deep, maybe more.

The "shooting back" you are experiencing is at least partially the effect of the hamstrings having to "re tighten" as you move yourself back to the correct depth, where the movement properly resumes. Widen your stance a bit, slow your descent, and try to "bounce off" the hamstring tension instead of dive-bombing through it.

[Mark Rippetoe]

They are a little too deep, as Maybach observed, but other than that they are pretty good squats.

[Maybach]

Yeah literally everything you are observing is a byproduct of going a bit too deep. Your hips are not "shooting back" and your back angle is not getting "too horizontal": you are having to move your hips forward to achieve this depth, and, as a result, also make your back angle a bit more vertical. Everything from the point where your back and hips get back to correct depth on the ascent is correct. Just eliminate the extra inch of movement from the end and your hips and back will never move out of the correct position.

[Justin Shive]

They are a little too deep, as Maybach observed, but other than that they are pretty good squats.

Thank you Coach, I'll work to find the right amount of depth.

[Justin Shive]

These are like, a good inch too deep, maybe more.

The "shooting back" you are experiencing is at least partially the effect of the hamstrings having to "re tighten" as you move yourself back to the correct depth, where the movement properly resumes. Widen your stance a bit, slow your descent, and try to "bounce off" the hamstring tension instead of dive-bombing through it.

Thanks! Ah, that does make sense... I wondered when I was watching the video before if I was "dive bombing" to the bottom a bit.

Widen stance, how much should I try, maybe an inch or two?

[Maybach]

An inch works. You're just trying to make sure the adductors are as stretched as possible at the bottom position. Adjust slightly.