End of 2012 Squat Form Check!

[Keilza]

So, as 2012 and the Squatr Bowl comes to an end, I thought now would be a good time to recieve tips on my form so I have a jump on next year.

The thing that's always bothered me about my squats is my depth, caused by a lack of flexibility in my lower spine. It's not that I can't get atg, it's just that my lower back tends to round too much for me to feel comfortable going heavy. Anyway, I think I have improved this greatly this year (helped immensely by the members of this board) and I thought I'd let you guys decide:



As a reward for your insights, here are some squat related pix:

 

[JauntyAngle]

I'll start you off until someone better/stronger chips in.

The depth on the earlier reps/lighter weights was fine, I think. Looked to me like you were getting comfortably below parallel, getting right into the hole and getting a nice controlled bounce out of it. It looked to me that for your heaviest reps you just held back from going all the way in (something that I do frequently). All I can say with this, and I say it to myself all the time, is just have the courage of your convictions: go for it, really let yourself drop into the hole, be sure to stay tight and keep your knees out/spread the floor coming out of the bottom- it makes a big difference to your speed and power coming out.

Regarding your lower back, your lumbar position looks okay to me but it looks like you have a small amount of tail-tuck. It might well be nothing to worry about at that level. I noticed that your lower back doesn't look that tight when you start. One of the things that I find is that once you lose good position, it is not coming back, so to a large extent it is about starting tight and staying tight. So what I do is to extend my lumbar, so I have a real arch, and do it hard. I try to keep the same tightness that I do in my abs and upper back. And then as I am going down, that is the main thing I am thinking about- just getting all the way down without losing that arch. That's what I do anyway. I am weak as a kitten, but I think my lower back position in the squat is alright. And I have definitely improved it a lot over the last year.

 

[CRZA]

I dont see any excessive lumbar rounding. Maybe a little, but most people have some tail tucking. Your squats looks great to me, tbh. I dont see any problems with them.
Keep it up

You can try bringing your elbows more forward. So that they are straighter and under the bar. Also try to push your abs out more

 

[AtlSteel]

Rippetoe likes the elbows back, like he's doing, so its probably just what feels most comfortable.

 

[Keilza]

Thanks for the tips folks. Addressing a few points:

- Yeah I could feel myself holding back slightly on the last weight. It wasn't a mechanical problem it was a moment of hesitation, like you said Jaunty. I'll have a bit more conviction next time.

- My thoracic is tight as soon as I unrack and take a deep breath to drop down, but for some reason my lumbar tightness is something I don't really concentrate on until I am actually swinging my hips back to start the descent. No idea why this is, but I'll correct it. When I squat I am trying very hard to maintain my arch through the entire lift, but there's no reason I shouldn't get into position sooner.

- As for the elbows, AtlSteel nailed it when he said they sit simply where they feel most comfortable. However, one of the reasons they don't naturally sit more forward is that I have pretty poor shoulder mobility, which I'm working on. I also seem to have some kind of imbalance in my traps, as the bar always drops very slightly to one side and my elbows don't look the same from a head-on position. Weird. Anyway, thanks for the advice, and I will try to work on that.

- Regarding pushing my abs out more: I've never came across this but how is that supposed to help me? By promoting greater core stability?


Additional Question

When I'm at my lowest point in the squat, my back feels slightly rounded and my knees come forward. This doesn't bother me, but at the same time these things happen, I feel like the weight pulls me forward a bit, and I have to stabilize by using the front and mid-foot. This isn't ideal, but it's the only way stop from toppling forward/GMing the weight.

Does anyone have this problem? And is the answer just to squat more?

 

[CRZA]

Yea, breath into your stomach and then push your abs out, like you would when you use a belt.

Not sure what to do with your additional question, does this happen only on heavy sets?

 

[Keilza]

Yea, breath into your stomach and then push your abs out, like you would when you use a belt.

Not sure what to do with your additional question, does this happen only on heavy sets?

Ok, will do.

Yeah that question is a bit jumbled. It only happens on heavy sets or sets where I'm getting fatigued and my form breaks down.

I think the answer is just to squat more like this. I haven't been squatting that low for months and it's probably a technique issue.

 

[CRZA]

Probably just form breakdown, it happens at heavier weight, unless you've been doing it for years. I think your answer is right too. Just keep at it