Back squat form check, please?

[James White]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MS0xQqfqHo (WFS)

I noticed that I twist a little at the bottom, causing the left side of the barbell to come forward some. Not sure why that is...but I'll try be cognizant of it and keep it steady.

Also, need to tell the wife to step back a bit...LOL

Any other advice will be greatly appreciated.

[Júlíus Magnússon]

I'm not sure whether you're trying to do a low bar back squat (Rippetoe style) or an Olympic high bar squat... Kinda looks like some kind of hybrid.


Anyway, my first impressions based on what I can see (next time a 3/4 view would be better so we can see more of what's going on):

If you're trying to do a low bar squat: Your knees are going forward throughout the whole movement and go way too far forward. They also seem very "wobbly" for lack of a better word. Have you been experiencing any knee pain? Only let the knee come a tiny bit forward for the first third of the movement and then they stay there for the rest.

If you're trying to do a high bar Olympic squat: Your torso needs to stay more erect.

In any case, you're not reaching proper depth. My guess is that you're not getting much hamstring involvement out of these either, am I correct? (Where do you feel sore after heavy squats?)

The quickest way, in my opinion, though would be to just read Starting Strength to learn how to squat.

[Richard Allen Pagel]

Originally Posted by James White

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MS0xQqfqHo (WFS)

I noticed that I twist a little at the bottom, causing the left side of the barbell to come forward some. Not sure why that is...but I'll try be cognizant of it and keep it steady.

Also, need to tell the wife to step back a bit...LOL

Any other advice will be greatly appreciated.

Yeah not much seems correct here.

I think you need a complete reboot.

[James White]

Originally Posted by Júlíus Magnússon

I'm not sure whether you're trying to do a low bar back squat (Rippetoe style) or an Olympic high bar squat... Kinda looks like some kind of hybrid.

They also seem very "wobbly" for lack of a better word. Have you been experiencing any knee pain?

In any case, you're not reaching proper depth. My guess is that you're not getting much hamstring involvement out of these either, am I correct? (Where do you feel sore after heavy squats?)

The quickest way, in my opinion, though would be to just read Starting Strength to learn how to squat.

Good question to start. I wasn't particularly trying for either. I just want to back squat. (Honestly didn't know the differences between them).

My knees don't hurt.

Almost all quads after squatting.

SS, it is. I had ordered a copy from someone on these boards at the beginning of August, but the USPS lost it, so I never got it. Guess I'll be ordering from Amazon or something tonight.

Thank both of you for not being buttholes about it.

[James White]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyTG4bZKEmI

Read the BS section in SS and reviewed the pics pretty thoroughly.

I know:

~my knees need to remain in same position after first part of descent - but not sure how to make that happen...

~the bar might be a tad high - I think it's a shoulder flexibility issue...


Whether I'm wrong or right on those please advise. Any further advice is MUCH appreciated.

I really want to get this right so I can start CFWF 2.0

[Júlíus Magnússon]

Off the top of my head:

Start by taking a little bit wider stance.

Then, notice, in the video, how your butt seems to go straight up and down. This should not happen. You want to sit back. Imagine a chair behind you, that you're sitting down in. You wouldn't sit straight down, you'd sit back.

Elbows up. Rippetoe wants people pushing their elbows up to reinforce a tight back and to prevent wrist injuries. Remember the tape test in SS? Your wrist should be straight, but the elbows should be behind the bar and not below it.

Also, if you're too inflexible to reach the proper low bar position, get a wider grip and gradually narrow it as your flexibility improves.

[Justin Keane]

Originally Posted by James White

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyTG4bZKEmI

~my knees need to remain in same position after first part of descent - but not sure how to make that happen...
:

Push your knees out...aggressively. If you're looking to low-bar as Rip teaches, hips and knees break together, knees come forward for about the first third of the squat, and then you sit back and down while shoving your knees out (if they're moving out correctly and aggressively enough, they won't move forward).

[Robert Callahan]

you break at the knees first, then the hips. this is the opposite of what you want.

As said above, think of sitting back, so that you break at the hips first, then the knees