Form Check | Squats | 192lbs

[Kyle Williams]

I was squatting 237lb and started experiencing dull pain in the front of my knees starting about a month ago. After checking my form I realized I was not performing hip drive properly. I dropped the weight to 192lbs to be safe and am addressing hip drive in this video. I'm looking for feedback on the results of my correction and anything else. Apologies for wearing black pants. Not sure about the depth on the first three reps.

https://youtube.com/shorts/95p6lcMg_Yk?feature=share

[Ryan Arnold]

You need even more hip drive so lean over more. It will help to slow down the reps. Keep your head, chin and chest down throughout the whole set. Narrow the stance one inch on each side

[BruceTrout]

Looks like you're pulling the chest up early. Watch your head as you go down and then drive up--you lift your head. It's not 100%, but if you're not aware of it happening, the chest will pull up as the head does. Head goes where the eyes go, chest goes where the head goes. I don't necessarily disagree with Ryan, but I do wonder if it would look more like what he wants if you keep your chest down.

Do you have a focal point? Are you looking at it the whole time? Point your nose to that point so that the head stays put. See if that helps.

[Kyle Williams]

Looks like you're pulling the chest up early. Watch your head as you go down and then drive up--you lift your head. It's not 100%, but if you're not aware of it happening, the chest will pull up as the head does. Head goes where the eyes go, chest goes where the head goes. I don't necessarily disagree with Ryan, but I do wonder if it would look more like what he wants if you keep your chest down.

Do you have a focal point? Are you looking at it the whole time? Point your nose to that point so that the head stays put. See if that helps.

In this follow-up I see how I'm bringing my head up out of habit. I'll work on this.

Also it feels awkward with heavier weights as if I might fall forward sometimes. This affects me psychological during the lift and makes me want to go vertical. I've squatted up to 230lbs with incorrect form. I'm assuming because I've been lifting without correct form the muscles in and around the hips including hamstrings are weaker than if I was doing correct form. Is it best to drop the weight until these muscles catch up?

This is a video 11/18/24 where I focused on leaning over more but I can see my head coming up a lot.

[BruceTrout]

In this follow-up I see how I'm bringing my head up out of habit. I'll work on this.

Also it feels awkward with heavier weights as if I might fall forward sometimes. This affects me psychological during the lift and makes me want to go vertical. I've squatted up to 230lbs with incorrect form. I'm assuming because I've been lifting without correct form the muscles in and around the hips including hamstrings are weaker than if I was doing correct form. Is it best to drop the weight until these muscles catch up?

This is a video 11/18/24 where I focused on leaning over more but I can see my head coming up a lot.

There are a couple different things to address here, lets start with "falling forward". So, I'm sure you've been told--and you might have a pretty good reason to not--that you should get some lifting shoes. The feeling off balance might very well be because you're wearing a shoe that's only going to make staying in balance harder. A proper lifting shoe is going to help you stay in balance much better, there's no question about that. Now, let's say that isn't the issue: Are you shoving your ass back properly? The chest down happens in concert with the ass back; bend over without getting the ass back and you'll fall forward, get the ass back without bending over and you fall backwards. I don't really see the heel coming up on this recent video, but is that happening as the weight gets heavier? Maybe.

As for the deloading to let muscles catch up, "I don't know" is the short answer. I really have no idea how incorrect your form was, but generally minor form errors are just a part of the deal and do not typically warrant a deload. You've already deloaded, so you can just stick with that and ramp back up. But this set at 202 is fine, add weight.

**Not necessarily advice, but if it were me, I'd go to 205 or 210 just to avoid the annoying plate set up moving forward haha.

[Kyle Williams]

Thanks! I've been saving up for a pair of lifting shoes, and now that it's Black Friday Sale I just picked up a pair. My thought is that because I have been doing the form incorrectly it will feel awkward to do it correctly under heavy weight (feels fine with the hands pushing out knees exercise). I'll start again at 205lbs.

[BruceTrout]

Thanks! I've been saving up for a pair of lifting shoes, and now that it's Black Friday Sale I just picked up a pair. My thought is that because I have been doing the form incorrectly it will feel awkward to do it correctly under heavy weight (feels fine with the hands pushing out knees exercise). I'll start again at 205lbs.

Let's say that it does "feel awkward" or any other similar description, who cares? Most of what you "feel" doesn't matter and the squat always feels worse with 200 on your back than when you air squat lol. It's part of it. Record your work, watch it back, and decide based on how it looks--don't worry how you feel in the moment.