More Squats - Form Check Plz

[ExtraMile]

Ok, overhead squats and front atg squats. Just want a form check again please. Not the best quality video but ah well you can see what Im doing.

One is a 30kg overhead squat, going light cuz Iv never done these before. Other is narrow stance, 50kg front squat ATG with 3 sec pause at the bottom. - 30kg = 66lbs, 50kg = 110lbs.

MOV00269.flv video by racing_nut - Photobucket

MOV00268.flv video by racing_nut - Photobucket

 

[Jocques Straap]

Next time you film, make sure we can see your feet and legs.

Your form looks like you've got the general idea of how you need to be performing these lifts. It just looks like you need more practice!

Your knees are pretty shaky/wobbly (possible weak/inactive VL, but can't be sure) - Focus on keeping them still and hopefully in a few weeks they will feel much more stable. If you find it's not improving, add in some single leg work.

Also watch for lateral movement in the hips, You are shifting your weight from side to side. Try and stay balanced over both legs.

You might still have your weight a little too far forward. Too much weight on the ball of your foot, not enough on the heel. Hard to tell in these vid though.

Flexibility looks good. ROM looks good.

 

[ExtraMile]

Front squat flexibility has been a problem for a while, you cant see but I have a 10lb plate under each heal and that would explain my weight being forward, on front squats also, since I started doing them on the first few reps when I come "out of the hole" my knees wobble outwards, Idk why it always happens though.

Things like placement of the bar on front squats I have got nailed now and I think Im getting better overall at squatting, I just wanted to check, overhead squat - hows form on that? Iv never done them before with weight...?

You said about knees weak/inactive VL... Im guessing this means Vastus Lateralis (sp?) which is the teardrop isnt it? My teardrop and outteer thigh have actually grown quite a bit lately so I think its just a stability and flexibility issue, hopefully will come with practice and when I get back into the habit of training the dreaded abs LOL

 

[b fold the truth]

Really, not bad. Few questions:

Where are you in school? My wife is getting her PhD at Strathclyde. I plan to be there a few times this year.

Any certain reasons why you aren't just doing regular squats instead?

Why pause at the bottom of your front squats or use the plates under your heels? Yours didn't look that bad, I bet you can sit back and down just fine without them. Watch a few of your reps, when you are pausing you can see that you did something in the hole that will cause you to miss a big weight. You let your breath out, lower back rounded or flattened, and your hips came up first. Remember, always lead with your head and neck out of the hole on the squats!

I don't see the pauses doing you any favors...but they are a good variant.

Why the OHS? I just see the regular squat doing you so much more good in the short and long run.

 

[dabuffguy]

I love how you smacked the plate rack when you started the OHS vid.

Doing good bro. Your front squat stance seemed a touch narrow. I noticed the knee wobble. That's weird and you need to correct it. They jump outward upon standing. They should not do that at all.

 

[iggy]

yeah bro, fix that need wobble, practice form more. try and watch some older more skilled lifters squat and correct you at the gym. are you in high school and do you play any sports? if you are some older coaches could help you. there has to be at least a couple that know about form.

no need for the pause. i dont know about everyone else but i was taught to go down slow and explode up. an easy way to work on your form is to try some box squats. then helped a shitload with my form back when i was 16. but your making hella progress bro. keep it up!

 

[ExtraMile]

Really, not bad. Few questions:

Where are you in school? My wife is getting her PhD at Strathclyde. I plan to be there a few times this year.

Any certain reasons why you aren't just doing regular squats instead?

Why pause at the bottom of your front squats or use the plates under your heels? Yours didn't look that bad, I bet you can sit back and down just fine without them. Watch a few of your reps, when you are pausing you can see that you did something in the hole that will cause you to miss a big weight. You let your breath out, lower back rounded or flattened, and your hips came up first. Remember, always lead with your head and neck out of the hole on the squats!

I don't see the pauses doing you any favors...but they are a good variant.

Why the OHS? I just see the regular squat doing you so much more good in the short and long run.

Well when me and SaiBot were making this routine Im doing now I wanted to include a little oly lifting to get some explosive power which is why I do hang cleans now, I just do OHS because... Idk I just wanted to try them lol, help build core stability and they warm me up for my front squats.

Reason I dont do normal squats on Friday is because Monday I have back Squats to parrallel 3sets 5 reps then 1 set back squats ATG. Then on Friday I have OHS and Front Squat ATG.

About pausing at the bottom, SaiBot helps me alot with training and he just told me to do that, I havnt really asked him why...

I cant sit back with out the plates behind my heals cuz I fall backwards lol, Im workin on flexibility.

Ah and yeah about letting my breath out, I never even knew about taking a breath down until I posted up the 225x4 squat video which turned out to be pretty bad form lol, so I guess I just forgot.

Oh and in school? Im in England bro, did you know that or just assume I was in US?

 

[ExtraMile]

yeah bro, fix that need wobble, practice form more. try and watch some older more skilled lifters squat and correct you at the gym. are you in high school and do you play any sports? if you are some older coaches could help you. there has to be at least a couple that know about form.

no need for the pause. i dont know about everyone else but i was taught to go down slow and explode up. an easy way to work on your form is to try some box squats. then helped a shitload with my form back when i was 16. but your making hella progress bro. keep it up!

I do need to fix that wobble yes, it may be what dabuffguy said I might be a bit narrow cuz it doesnt happen on my back squats...

Oh and I cant watch some skilled lifters squat - everyone does leg press instead LOL. Well there are a few squatters but I rarely see them which is why Iv posted it up here. While I was going OHS there was some guy in the squat rack with 85kg, his feet narrower than mine then his toes pointing out and hit knees out so like from his hips to his feet was a diamond shape... his knees went really wide and his feet very narrow as if he was doing some fucking ballet move lol.

Yes ok Ill stop the pause and explode more out of the hole. Thanks iggy +every one else

EDIT: Done some HIIT today, 25mins of it, my knees were aching for the last 10mins of the run and now I got back walking up the stairs is so painful because of my left knee. yes I think I have weak knees

 

[artificialaspirations]

looks good. keep squatting deep and the strength will come

 

[V-Machine]

Strathclyde is in the UK. BFold is a big lifter...maybe he could help you out.

Your into powerlifting right? Have you tried changing your foot placement? With your build you might find it easier using a wider placement. Then if you concentrate on pushing your knees out you will feel more stable and the weights fly up easier.

Well when me and SaiBot were making this routine Im doing now I wanted to include a little oly lifting to get some explosive power which is why I do hang cleans now, I just do OHS because... Idk I just wanted to try them lol, help build core stability and they warm me up for my front squats.

Reason I dont do normal squats on Friday is because Monday I have back Squats to parrallel 3sets 5 reps then 1 set back squats ATG. Then on Friday I have OHS and Front Squat ATG.

About pausing at the bottom, SaiBot helps me alot with training and he just told me to do that, I havnt really asked him why...

I cant sit back with out the plates behind my heals cuz I fall backwards lol, Im workin on flexibility.

Ah and yeah about letting my breath out, I never even knew about taking a breath down until I posted up the 225x4 squat video which turned out to be pretty bad form lol, so I guess I just forgot.

Oh and in school? Im in England bro, did you know that or just assume I was in US?

 

[ExtraMile]

Strathclyde is in the UK. BFold is a big lifter...maybe he could help you out.

Your into powerlifting right? Have you tried changing your foot placement? With your build you might find it easier using a wider placement. Then if you concentrate on pushing your knees out you will feel more stable and the weights fly up easier.

Yes but Strathclyde is in scotland, Im in England...
Yes Im kind of into powerlifting, obviously at 14 years old I cant go to heavy, I lift in the 5-8 rep range, its a good compromise of strength and mass. I do 5-6 reps on my 4 biggest lifts - back squats, hang clean&pushpress, flat bench. I do 8 reps on the big lifts but which are assistance like rows, db military, incline db etc and then I do 8-10 reps on the smaller exercises I have in there because I enjoy - assisted pullups, cable crossover, lateral raise etc.

So yes I have tryed moving my feet, on monday I have heavy back squats with a wide stance and my knees are find. I think the reason they wobble is because of the narrow stance, I dont think the plates behnid me heels do much help either.

Hang on B fold Ill pm you about you being over in england...

 

[V-Machine]

Were the back squats you recorded in your wide stance?

Yes but Strathclyde is in scotland, Im in England...
Yes Im kind of into powerlifting, obviously at 14 years old I cant go to heavy, I lift in the 5-8 rep range, its a good compromise of strength and mass. I do 5-6 reps on my 4 biggest lifts - back squats, hang clean&pushpress, flat bench. I do 8 reps on the big lifts but which are assistance like rows, db military, incline db etc and then I do 8-10 reps on the smaller exercises I have in there because I enjoy - assisted pullups, cable crossover, lateral raise etc.

So yes I have tryed moving my feet, on monday I have heavy back squats with a wide stance and my knees are find. I think the reason they wobble is because of the narrow stance, I dont think the plates behnid me heels do much help either.

Hang on B fold Ill pm you about you being over in england...

 

[ExtraMile]

Were the back squats you recorded in your wide stance?

The back squats I posted up last week, yes it was wide stance.

 

[V-Machine]

Okay. You can afford to go wider. It means you can stay more upright and you could then avoid the issues with your back. For example, I squat with feet just inside the frame of the squat rack. You end up doing more of the lift with your hips and hamstrings and invariably lift more (am at 6 plates each end and climbing).

Just a thought.

The back squats I posted up last week, yes it was wide stance.

 

[ExtraMile]

Have you seen it? Ok well on the overhead squats I went very wide and I actually got a strong and slightly uncomfortable stretch on the inner thigh, is this normal? Are my thighs just overly tight?

 

[b fold the truth]

Well when me and SaiBot were making this routine Im doing now I wanted to include a little oly lifting to get some explosive power which is why I do hang cleans now, I just do OHS because... Idk I just wanted to try them lol, help build core stability and they warm me up for my front squats.

Reason I dont do normal squats on Friday is because Monday I have back Squats to parrallel 3sets 5 reps then 1 set back squats ATG. Then on Friday I have OHS and Front Squat ATG.

About pausing at the bottom, SaiBot helps me alot with training and he just told me to do that, I havnt really asked him why...

I cant sit back with out the plates behind my heals cuz I fall backwards lol, Im workin on flexibility.

Ah and yeah about letting my breath out, I never even knew about taking a breath down until I posted up the 225x4 squat video which turned out to be pretty bad form lol, so I guess I just forgot.

Oh and in school? Im in England bro, did you know that or just assume I was in US?

I understand your reasoning now...I didn't realize you were doing the back squats on another day. You are doing well then man!

Always have a plan and a reason for doing everything. It helps you to understand what you are doing and the meanings behind it.

I'm in Cyprus but will be up that way a time or two this year!

 

[ExtraMile]

I understand your reasoning now...I didn't realize you were doing the back squats on another day. You are doing well then man!

Always have a plan and a reason for doing everything. It helps you to understand what you are doing and the meanings behind it.

I'm in Cyprus but will be up that way a time or two this year!

Ah bro ask SaiBot, Im always askin him questions about liftin lol we spend hours on msn just him answerin my questions LOL.

I pm'ed you about comin over bro.

Have you seen my journal? You can see exactly what Im doing if you check it...

 

[V-Machine]

That stretch is normal. It happens to everybody at the start. You just need to make sure you do adequate warm-ups with lighter weight. After doing it for a few sessions you don't get it anymore.

Have you seen it? Ok well on the overhead squats I went very wide and I actually got a strong and slightly uncomfortable stretch on the inner thigh, is this normal? Are my thighs just overly tight?

 

[ExtraMile]

OK so yes if I take a wider stance I will be able to sit back more, Im just worried abuot how little work my quads will get... or is this just clusterfucking?

 

[V-Machine]

Your quads will still get plenty of work. You will end up using more weight with the work load shared across more muscle groups...including your quads.

OK so yes if I take a wider stance I will be able to sit back more, Im just worried abuot how little work my quads will get... or is this just clusterfucking?

 

[b fold the truth]

Ah bro ask SaiBot, Im always askin him questions about liftin lol we spend hours on msn just him answerin my questions LOL.

I pm'ed you about comin over bro.

Have you seen my journal? You can see exactly what Im doing if you check it...

Headed out to the gym now, Events day. I'll try to check out your log soon.

Clint Darden - The Truth that is me. I'm not really a stranger to anyone...lol.

 

[ExtraMile]

OK bro, Ill pm you...