# Why your squat sucks



## 57muscle (Sep 5, 2014)

Why your squat sucks 
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1.) You position the bar too far up on your neck.
2.) You don't break parallel
3.) You have weak core muscles
4.) You position your feet too close/too far
5.) You do not drive through your heels
6.) You do not flex your glutes at the bottom of the rep (in the hole)
7.) You don't keep your chest high throughout the rep
8.) You underestimate how strong your legs are


-- This is what you should do. Position the bar on your shoulder blades. NOT ON YOUR UPPER TRAPS. Pick a weight that is comfortable for you until your form is perfect. Position your feet slightly wider than shoulder width, and point your toes slightly out. On the negative portion of your rep, pretend as though you are spreading the floor with your feet. During this portion of the rep, keep your head and eyes straight forward and chest high. Once your thighs are parallel with your knees or even past parallel, you have reached the portion of the rep that is commonly referred to as "the hole".

Once you are "in the hole", it's time to complete the rep. The first things you need to remember is that your chest MUST REMAIN HIGH, and your power is going to come from your heels. Drive through the heels throughout the entire motion. Ok, so you are stuck in the hole and you should flex those quads as hard as you can to move up right? WRONG. FLEX YOUR GLUTES & HAMS as hard as possible to start the rep. Once you are about half way up, this is when your quads really come into play. Continue to press your heels through the floor until you are at the top of the rep. Once you are very near the top of the rep, your hips should move ever so slighly forward. Once you are locked out at the top, CONGRATS..you have just successfully completed a powerlifting type squat rep.


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## cashflow (Oct 6, 2014)

Great post / I had the bar to high on my back. Im big on 5/3/1. 
this helped out a lot. 

some time you just have to take a good look the basics 

Thanks !!!!


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## thisisfromwork (Oct 7, 2014)

Sweet. Gonna try this out later when I do legs.


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## bvs (Oct 7, 2014)

Nice. Can I add to that my downfall which is tight hams which put too much emphasis on the lower back


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## PillarofBalance (Oct 7, 2014)

Everyone loves to bash high bar squatting. I don't get it. There are some huge squatters using high bar. It all depends on the individuals mechanical leverages. Long torso equals low bar. Short torso can squat high bar with no issues.


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## DocDePanda187123 (Oct 7, 2014)

PillarofBalance said:


> Everyone loves to bash high bar squatting. I don't get it. There are some huge squatters using high bar. It all depends on the individuals mechanical leverages. Long torso equals low bar. Short torso can squat high bar with no issues.



I mix it up from time to time but actually prefer high bar.


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## JJyaya (Dec 17, 2014)

Great post, much appreciated!!


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## Zombie Killer (Dec 18, 2014)

Switched to low bar awhile back and did box squats just below parallel helped allot.


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## SFGiants (Dec 18, 2014)

PillarofBalance said:


> Everyone loves to bash high bar squatting. I don't get it. There are some huge squatters using high bar. It all depends on the individuals mechanical leverages. Long torso equals low bar. Short torso can squat high bar with no issues.



Most great squatter don't have the shoulder health for a low squat.

I set it high and have a long torso.

Setting it high = straighter upper body lower = more a lean or you'll drop the bar lol.

Shouldn't be on the neck anyway as he said, traps upper back and rear delts.


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## ECKSRATED (Dec 18, 2014)

I can't even attempt low bar. My shoulders and arms will not allow it.


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