Big 3 Form Checks

[Poseylifts]

I posted this in my log but I thought I might get some more eyes on it here as well. I maxed out on all 3 lifts today per my Texas method template and want to get some advice/critiques on my form. I apologize for not being able to get the embed feature to work.

Squat 325

YouTube - Squat 325 x 1

Squat 345 Fail

YouTube - Squat 345 x F

Bench 235 Fail

YouTube - Bench 235 x Fail

Bench 230

YouTube - Bench 230 x 1

Deadlift 405

YouTube - Deadlift 405 x 1

Deadlift 415 Fail

YouTube - Deadlift 415 x Fail

The big things I can see are that I didn't drive myself out of the hole on the 345 squat attempt; it looks like I sat there too long. Bench I'm having trouble keeping overall tightness. Deadlift I'm new to so I need help on that the most, but I do notice I round my back a bit.

Here's another one of my front squats. The second rep looks HORRIBLE! I thought they looked good other than that, maybe a bit of tail tuck? Any comments are appreciated as always!

YouTube - Front Squat 230 x 3

 

[rckvl]

I only felt like looking at the 405 deadlift so far, lots of things. The bar doesn't look like it's in contact with your shins at the start of the pull, they should be touching the bar. Stop looking in the mirror. Your hips are way too high. Get your hips down and your chest up. Arch your lower back better. Make sure you aren't pulling with your arms at all. Also get a better belt, one that is the same width through the entire belt. It should look similar to this, though it can have a buckle instead of a lever

 

[JauntyAngle]

Your hips are way too high. Get your hips down and your chest up.

This article in the FAQ says that high hips is the 'king of all mistakes' in the deadlift:

T NATION | Dead Zone

Rippletoe teaches with pretty high hips, too. He has people reaching down for the bar with straight legs, then bending the knees just enough to get the shins by the bar. This gives a really high starting position for the hips.

Not that I claim to be anything other than the complete beginner that I am.

 

[rckvl]

This article in the FAQ says that high hips is the 'king of all mistakes' in the deadlift:

T NATION | Dead Zone

Rippletoe teaches with pretty high hips, too. He has people reaching down for the bar with straight legs, then bending the knees just enough to get the shins by the bar. This gives a really high starting position for the hips.

Not that I claim to be anything other than the complete beginner that I am.

The article says hips too low is the mistake. Rippetoe doesn't teach "high hips" He teaches hips at the best angle for the lifter, which will for the most part look like the following picture.

I don't know what you are trying to say though. Regardless, the OP's hips are clearly too high.

 

[Fedorable]

where is the bar on your squats? it looks like they are on your traps, but your arms are bent like they are lower down in a power lifting type squat so I am not sure with that angle. It looks a little like a hybrid squat you always see in the gyms.

 

[Cratos]

You are waiting way too long between unracking the bar and squatting.

Bench - Tighten up your set up. You have no arch and are not able to get much leg drive.

DL - When you start pulling, the bar is still far away from your shins and has to move in before it moves up, wasting energy.

Also, get rid of the vinyl corset and get a proper lifting belt. You'll thank yourself.

InB4Tosa

 

[JauntyAngle]

Rippetoe doesn't teach "high hips" He teaches hips at the best angle for the lifter, which will for the most part look like the following picture.

Think I misunderstood Rippletoe last time I watched the video.

 

[Poseylifts]

Thanks for all the advice. I can see I have some work to do on my deadlift technique as I expected. I read the Dave Tate article on common deadlifting errors and I can tell after watching the video a few more times I definitely start with my hips too high. I figured my bench set up sucks, any tips on how to get a good tight arch? I try to but I never end up being able to do it; maybe a flexibility issue?

The belt I got from one of the sporting goods stores nearby. Where would you recommend online to buy a better one?

For the squats I'm aiming for a lower bar squat but I guess I'm not sure if I'm hitting it correctly. The bar sits a little further down my back than my traps. I've been trying to focus a lot on breaking at the hips first.

The only thing I have a question on is that the Dave Tate article and the Rippetoe video seem to conflict on bar position in relation to the shins. Obviously mine were too far away, but should they be on contact with the bar? I figure that once I get my hips lower to where my lower back has a good arch in it that they will be in the correct position but I would like to hear the opinions on which setup to follow.

To recap: Unrack and squat, tightness and arch on bench for more leg drive, hips lower, shins closer to bar, chest up, and stop looking in the damn mirror.

 

[EZA]

Don't worry about arching on the bench unless you're trying to be a competitive powerlifter. Their goal is to shorten the range of motion as much as possible so they can lift more weight and they also bench with a shirt. That makes the bench press technique far different from someone lifting raw for athletic performance purposes. You don't need to arch much to have leg drive or a good bench and I doubt you're planning on competing in powerlifting anytime soon.

You definitely need to learn how to get leg drive and stay much tighter throughout the entire range, there was nothing but upper body in that lift. You also need to zoom out so you can actually see the whole lift, what you showed makes it impossible to see much other than you were way too loose.

 

[Tosa]

Thanks for all the advice. I can see I have some work to do on my deadlift technique as I expected. I read the Dave Tate article on common deadlifting errors and I can tell after watching the video a few more times I definitely start with my hips too high. I figured my bench set up sucks, any tips on how to get a good tight arch? I try to but I never end up being able to do it; maybe a flexibility issue?

Getting a tight arch takes practice, you have to develop flexibility, but also get used to the amount of lower and upper back tightness...it's not unusual for someone first learning to keep a tight arch to have their back want to cramp up. But it's also about how you get set-up on the bench. Rather than me trying to describe it, rewatch the Dave Tate bench video, and pay special attention to how he works himself into a tight arch, and the placement of his feet relative to his hips.

The belt I got from one of the sporting goods stores nearby. Where would you recommend online to buy a better one?

Both Inzer and EliteFTS sell good belts. You'll have to order online. I've heard of people having issues with Inzer's customer service, although I had none. I think it's only with not-black belt colors that customer service issues are more likely to occur. With the EliteFTS econobelt there's the issue of it not being registered (or something) for use in certain powerlifting competions, but other than that it's a good belt for the price.

 

[rckvl]

Yes, the bar should start in contact with your shins and remain in contact with your body the entire pull.

Tosa, I know what you are referring to about the Elite FTS belt and powerlifting competitions but I think that turned out to be a non-issue and they can be used in any federation so long as the specs of the belt fit the rules of your particular federation. But of course you would want to check with your specific federation beforehand to be sure.

 

[Ghost Ape]

Lay face down on the ground and try to lift your legs and your chest and arms off the ground at the same time, your back should be arched and that feeling is kind of like what you should feel when you deadlift and squat. You want your hips in a quarter-squat position when you deadlift for the most part.

Also stop going to failure, it's about as counterproductive as you can get because it takes forever to recover from.

Squatting 3x5 with 300lbs may take a day or two to recover from, squatting 345lbs x 1 and failing may take a week or more to recover from and the risk of injury is high.

 

[Big H]

ur elbows flail out to the sides on ur bench.

 

[Cratos]

Also stop going to failure, it's about as counterproductive as you can get because it takes forever to recover from.

Squatting 3x5 with 300lbs may take a day or two to recover from, squatting 345lbs x 1 and failing may take a week or more to recover from and the risk of injury is high.

ur elbows flail out to the sides on ur bench.

Strong advice.

 

[Poseylifts]

Thanks again for all the advice, strong stuff to put into use this next week's workout. I didn't plan on failing after getting 325 on squat and 405 on deadlift; I thought I was going to get them. I should have been conservative and stayed there though and that's what I plan on doing from now on. First week of the program so I'm kind of feeling it out.

I'll look into getting a new belt as well. It should be here by Wednesday or at the latest Friday if I find a good one today, I'm leaning towards elitefs because I bought chalk from them and it was cheap, plus it got here quick.