# Squat form critique (side and front view)



## yeti (Mar 11, 2014)

Hi guys. Sorry for starting a new thread, but I got the side and front view vids for the squat.
This is 330lbs. The gym I go to back home has a monolift and a squat bar. It felt weird to use the monolift for the first time... I couldn't bang against the rack to get tight. 
Also, this is with the new reebok power lift (?) shoes vs the oly shoes I was wearing before. I like it...
Things I tried to do:

"bend" the bar
use my glutes more
push my feet out (this was something I still can't seem to do)
arch my back
keep my head up
I know there's a lot lacking here... 
Once again, thanks for watching and for the advice. It means a lot and it helps tons. 

PS - not my fault if you're blinded by the fug on display here. LOLL


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## PillarofBalance (Mar 11, 2014)

Little butt wink at the bottom but nothing too crazy. Strengthen the low back - reverse hypers are great for this.  And focus on keeping your arch.  

Work on your shoulder mobility. It might be the low bar position or how you actually are supporting the bar with your hands, but you will keep a tighter upper back with your elbows forward.  You'll have to play around with that to find what works.


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## Big Worm (Mar 11, 2014)

LOL @ using the mono.


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## yeti (Mar 11, 2014)

PillarofBalance said:


> Little butt wink at the bottom but nothing too crazy. Strengthen the low back - reverse hypers are great for this.  And focus on keeping your arch.
> 
> Work on your shoulder mobility. It might be the low bar position or how you actually are supporting the bar with your hands, but you will keep a tighter upper back with your elbows forward.  You'll have to play around with that to find what works.



Thanks. I'll try to find a replacement for the reverse hypers though since the gym I go to at school doesn't have that machine... 
I'll try to play with the grip a little more. The video's about as far forward as my elbows go at that grip. 
Thanks!


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## yeti (Mar 11, 2014)

Big Worm said:


> LOL @ using the mono.



LOLLL nobody else was squatting and the rack was taken by somebody so... yeah. I don't even know how to use the thing.


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## snake (Mar 11, 2014)

Well the most important thing is that you got the lift!

Here are my thoughts; take them for what it’s worth.
1. If that’s a false grip you are using, that’s not a good idea. (I hope you don't do that on the bench either)
2. You should be in a rack. It’s much safer.
3. Most guys can hold form with lighter weight; you have a lot more lbs in you. See how it goes with the same reps and more weight but do it in a sack.
4. For me, you're a bit too low and have a nasty bounce. That can cause you to lose form with heavier weight and can invite injury. If you “Feel for the bottom” that will stop. Knee wraps will help with this when the time comes.
5. And my biggest gripe is when guys snap the top. The job is done by that point, don't risk injury.

In all, you are headed in the right direction.


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## yeti (Mar 12, 2014)

snake said:


> Well the most important thing is that you got the lift!
> 
> Here are my thoughts; take them for what it’s worth.
> 1. If that’s a false grip you are using, that’s not a good idea. (I hope you don't do that on the bench either)
> ...



Hey, I'll take any advice I can, especially from the jacked and tan dudes LOLLL
But really, thanks. 
I'll try to slow down the descent. I just always see people bitching about depth so I just decided to go as low as possible. 
I guess I should get smoother at the top. My quads are so much stronger that I think they just take over by that point. 

I've learned a lot from the this thread and the one before so there's plenty I'll need to be working on.


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## PillarofBalance (Mar 12, 2014)

Your shoulder mobility is bad enough, don't start wrapping your thumbs around the bar.  That will just bring elbow and shoulder pain.


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## snake (May 21, 2014)

Yeti,

I was just checking to see how your squat was going since you last posted here.


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## Dtownry (May 21, 2014)

snake said:


> Well the most important thing is that you got the lift!
> 
> Here are my thoughts; take them for what it’s worth.
> 1. If that’s a false grip you are using, that’s not a good idea. (I hope you don't do that on the bench either)
> ...




Thumbless grip is perfectly fine for a low bar squat.  Whatever keeps you tight and doesn't cause arm pain and mess up your pressing.  If it works for you use it.  However if you are going to go through the trouble to wrap your wrists then maybe try to grip the bar.

I used thumbless grip for years, tore my shoulders and forearms up.  Now I grip fully a hair wider and use my wraps.  No issues at all now.


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## Dtownry (May 21, 2014)

PillarofBalance said:


> Little butt wink at the bottom but nothing too crazy. Strengthen the low back - reverse hypers are great for this.  And focus on keeping your arch.
> 
> Work on your shoulder mobility. It might be the low bar position or how you actually are supporting the bar with your hands, but you will keep a tighter upper back with your elbows forward.  You'll have to play around with that to find what works.



You should see my butt wink.  All the chicks dig it.  

Sore the next day though.


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## yeti (May 22, 2014)

snake said:


> Yeti,
> 
> I was just checking to see how your squat was going since you last posted here.



Hey, thanks mate.
I'm back to working with more LRB-style workouts, as that rings truest for me, I guess.
I've been working on my air and grip (it's much wider now), as well as sitting a little more back. 
I have been working a little bit on not going as deep and just breaking parallel. 

Weight-wise, I did 245 x5sets x5reps and 245x8x5 for two weeks, and now I'm doing 275x5x5 and 8x5. After those sets, I'm still hitting pause singles ~330 and regular singles ~355. I think I could work up to 380+ or maybe 405 on even a not so good day. 

Nowadays, I'm looking to add in front squats and improve my deadlift, which has been stuck at 445 for ... forever. lol. While sub-max training has worked incredibly for me in both squats and bench, I think I'm going to need to push it a bit more on deadlifts... both intensity and volume wise.


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## yeti (May 22, 2014)

dtownry said:


> you should see my butt wink.  All the chicks dig it.
> 
> Sore the next day though.



lollllllll


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## snake (May 22, 2014)

yeti,

Good to hear you are progressing. Adding that extra plate to get to 405 is nice, get's the attention of the other dudes in the gym, lol! Keep the good work up; be safe!


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## Dtownry (May 22, 2014)

yeti said:


> Hey, thanks mate.
> I'm back to working with more LRB-style workouts, as that rings truest for me, I guess.
> I've been working on my air and grip (it's much wider now), as well as sitting a little more back.
> I have been working a little bit on not going as deep and just breaking parallel.
> ...



I think you should hammer front squats and high bar back squats when not preparing for a meet. They are like alternative main lifts  This is one mistake I think I have made in my training not adding those enough, hence my pitiful quads compared to my glutes and hams.

Quads are overlooked.  If you have huge quads you are going to get a carry over and be a lot stronger in your power squat. Look at some big squatters, they have big ****ing quads regardless if they are using posterior chain for the majority of their power. 

Closer you get to a meet you can work back to your competition squat and groove it as you need the technique to be tip top.  In the meantime build up strength and muscle.  I am not saying neglect your low bar power squat but don't let it rule your training.

Bottom line train at what you suck at and your main lifts will improve.


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## yeti (May 22, 2014)

snake said:


> yeti,
> 
> Good to hear you are progressing. Adding that extra plate to get to 405 is nice, get's the attention of the other dudes in the gym, lol! Keep the good work up; be safe!



Thank you sir!


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## yeti (May 22, 2014)

Dtownry said:


> I think you should hammer front squats and high bar back squats when not preparing for a meet. They are like alternative main lifts  This is one mistake I think I have made in my training not adding those enough, hence my pitiful quads compared to my glutes and hams.
> 
> Quads are overlooked.  If you have huge quads you are going to get a carry over and be a lot stronger in your power squat. Look at some big squatters, they have big ****ing quads regardless if they are using posterior chain for the majority of their power.
> 
> ...



Definitely true. I know it's not reality, but my quads look smaller than when I was bodybuilding because of the huge amounts of size I gained in my adductors/hips, glutes, and hamstrings. I do have a plan for how I'll be approaching things from now on for a while.

Week 1: low bar PL squat - 275 for 5 sets of 5
Week 2 day 1: front squat - 185? for 5 sets of 5
Week 2 day 2 (not a day later but just for sake of numbering): low bar pl squat - ~275 for 8 sets of 5
Week 3: high bar paused squat - 8 sets of 2? 5x5? I still have to think about this one.

And i know! Everyone knows the quads on Dan Greene are ginormous, but I think Malanichev has some of the biggest quads... the guy has quads that hang over his knees like chicken thighs... 

I think the only time a movement that I sucked at that I hammered didn't help were good mornings... god I hate those so much. lol


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