Squat form check

**blindprop** · 30-11-2011 09:30 PM

Finally managed to get a video of my form after about 2 years of on and off training (was off with a knee injury until June this year).

Any critique welcomed. I believe my lower back round slightly on some reps and my knees keep falling in on struggling reps. I'll get a front view shot soon hopefully. Cheers guys!

Here's the press video. Meant to be getting 3x5 at 67.5kg but I'm hitting a bit of a wall at the moment.

Rows:

**stavrog1** · 30-11-2011 10:05 PM

Keep your head up and stick your chest out every rep...should help the rounding of the back.

**blindprop** · 30-11-2011 10:33 PM

Good shout, I have done that in the past but I'm always stuck between doing Rippetoe style (neutral spine, looking 6 feet ahead at the floor) or the more widely recommended 'look straight on'. I'll keep it in mind for next time.

**blindprop** · 01-12-2011 06:53 PM

Bump! If a mod reads this, can you change the title to "Various Form Checks (Squat, Press, Row)" or something to that nature.

I've added the press video. Row video coming up shortly!

**SpiderDan** · 02-12-2011 08:45 AM

Squats not too shabby actually.

Like stavrog says keep your head up or at least in the same position when you drop it I can see the weight coming forward a little.
Cant quite tell from the angle but are your feet turned out quite a bit? If they are try to bring them in a bit by wrking hip mobility, you'll get better torque and drive from the glutes and find it easier to keep the knees tracking.

Press looks alright just make sure you're using your lats in the press and flex your glutes and quads to keep the base stable.

Row is okay. I prefer to go quite fast on concentric when going from the floor as I want to develop a bit of power but thats just me.

**PAS** · 02-12-2011 08:52 AM

Hi,

I may be wrong but on the rows should your body not be a bit more upright, so not as much horizontal to the floor? I always thought that it was llike looking at clock, your legs at at 6 and your body is at about 2 (if that makes sense) what do you think?

**SpiderDan** · 02-12-2011 09:08 AM

Quote

Originally Posted by PAS

Hi,

I may be wrong but on the rows should your body not be a bit more upright, so not as much horizontal to the floor? I always thought that it was llike looking at clock, your legs at at 6 and your body is at about 2 (if that makes sense) what do you think?

Not for pendlay rows.

**Chiefboy** · 13-12-2011 12:30 PM

thanks for the vids will really help me with my form also! looking at your squats I dont go down anywhere near that level!

**blindprop** · 14-12-2011 10:57 AM

Glad it helped. I have fairly good flexibility in the squat I think, I can go down so far that my glutes are touching my calves but it causes my lower back to round so it's obviously not preferable right now. I'd say the thing that helped me most was to stand side on from a mirror, squat and watch your depth and once you've reached parallel (or about 1 inch below) hold it for as long as possible. Also, try it before squatting and you'll have the feeling of the correct depth in your head once you're squatting. I think that's what I did on the day I filmed my sets. Hope that helps.

I've decided to deload down to 100kg now and really concentrate on the form and hopefully I'll get past this plateau I've been having.

Honestly, after videoing those sets, I think it's the best thing you can do to fix your form. I'd highly recommend it to anyone.

**Waterfield** · 14-12-2011 01:57 PM

Couldn't tell from the video if your rows were a bit high but if you find yourself not hitting upper ab / lower chest area I find that shifting your weight forward helps so you don't hit your knees when pulling it in, you should also find some tightness in your hamstrings and harder to use your hips (if I can recall). Glenn Pendlay has a video on youtube describing how to do them with Max? some dude who has a 300kg + squat raw.

Newbie suggestion mind you, read my sig

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