new squat video

[needsize]

first time squatting 485lbs, but got 6 reps, raw with no belt and ass all the way down. On some of the reps, I am leaning too far forward, not too happy about that, but I'll fix it and maybe shoot another video with 495 next week

BTW, be patient, video will likely load slow

squat 485 x 6

 

[drbones2]

Fuckin sick man...

 

[supersizeme]

huge.

nice job!

 

[Gambino]

sweet bor, thought i can't watch the link

 

[mayhems]

omg thats amazing man... ur a tank btw

good job

 

[needsize]

thanks guys, my goal was 5 plates(495) by summer, but it looks like I'll hit that 3 months early. But its really about the huge quads, and this is the biggest they've ever been, so its working out

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

I don't know what you're seeing man, but those squats look very good to me amigo.

Unless you have an absolute perfect build for squatting, most people have to lean forward with the weight a certain amount. trying to stay too upright will mess with your leverages and cause you to use less weight.

I have recently realized that I have been staying a little too upright when squatting and have been cutting off my leverage by a good amount. A heavy squat is as much back and hips as it is legs.

 

[needsize]

I don't know what you're seeing man, but those squats look very good to me amigo.

Unless you have an absolute perfect build for squatting, most people have to lean forward with the weight a certain amount. trying to stay too upright will mess with your leverages and cause you to use less weight.

I have recently realized that I have been staying a little too upright when squatting and have been cutting off my leverage by a good amount. A heavy squat is as much back and hips as it is legs.

very true, but most people dont realize that, especially when you hit rock bottom, your back automatically leans forward, but it really felt like I leaned a lot on a few of those reps

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

Nahh, looked fine man, and I lift around competitive powerlifters, 3 who can squat over 600 and 1 who can squat 1000. Nothing wrong with those squats.

I don't think the forward lean is what one should be worried about so much, but whether or not you maintain an arch or at least a flat back. The guy that squats 1000 at my gym uses a slightly wider than shoulders stance with only moderate toe flare, but his back easily goes down to 45 degrees or more, but he maintains at least a flat back. I don't feel an arch is a must so long as you can keep your back flat.

Ever see Dr. Squat-Fred Hatfield's +1000 squat. Narrow stance and an assload of forward lean, but his back is still flat.

I guess it depends on the goal. One guy may only be impressed by an upright ATF squat while another guy might not care if it's just below parallel with alot of lean. Either way, if it's over 400lbs then the person doing the squatting is still strong imo.

When I squat for heavy weights I like to lean forward enough that it becomes a combination of back extension and leg drive when I come up. In order to feel like I am getting my back and hips into it I have to lean forward a fair amount so that I can feel my back pushing the weight up as well as my legs pressing it up. If I stay too upright it places most of the stress on the quads and I can't squat as much because I am not using the hips, glutes and hamstrings to there full potential.

But since you are after quad size, I still don't think you were leaning too much at all. In fact, if I were trying to squat that weight I would look more like the last rep than the first because as your legs fatigue during the set you lean forward more to bring the powerful back muscle into play to get the weight up.

Excellent squatting regardless of style used though.

 

[Madcow2]

very true, but most people dont realize that, especially when you hit rock bottom, your back automatically leans forward, but it really felt like I leaned a lot on a few of those reps

First of all, that's a rock solid set. Very nice. Second, everybody's squat will have a hitch somewhere with heavy enough weight. I think what you are feeling is that when you hitch your hips don't continue to move forward and stay in line (hard to explain), this shifts the center of gravity forward a bit and you end up using your back more. This is really common. That said, there's a few things you could do.

You might try "pulling back with your torso out of the bottom". This is another of those hard to explain things but when coming out of the hole if you concentrate on either pulling your torso back by the chest or pulling your shoulders back you will find that it creates a much smoother more efficient groove since your whole posterior chain is working together. This gives you some more acceleration and you'll be able to maintain that extension and drive your hips through better. So another way of thinking about it is that you are all the way down (no bar), I am to your side with on hand at the top of your sternum and another between your shoulder blades. Your torso is angled forward as you are in the hole. As you squat out I am pulling your torso back. Obviously I won't be there in a lift, but by generating this pulling by yourself you'll have your entire posterior chain activating to lengthen the angle of your body (think being torso being bent at 45 degrees in the hole and standing tall at 0 degrees straight up - by driving your legs AND pulling your torso back it's easier to get to 0 and you'll carry more momentum through the hitch). A long and shitty explanation that can be solved in 30 seconds in the gym but hopefully one of those examples made sense.

If you are serious about squatting (and it doesn't need to be 1RM - you can be serious about setting records in other rep ranges) you might look at some of the westside techniques. Namely box squats, good mornings, and using chains and bands (any combo - box squats are really good, everybody should experience bands at least once, good mornings are awesome....on and on). This will make a HUGE difference in your squat. You will be stunned. You have a lot more strength in you than you think right now. If you take care of some weak links and improve your efficiency you are good for a solid chunk more and that means a lot more stimulus making it's way to your legs without a massive amount of work on your part.

 

[needsize]

thanks for all the feedback

madcow, i see what you're saying, actually the guy that taught me to squat does over 900lbs, and uses all those techniques, so I am familiar with them. Some I cant use, like good mornings, whatever is wrong with my back, wont let me do them anymore. I've been to several docs and they arent sure what is causing the pain, but for the last few years its has left out good mornings. It also stops me from locking out when I squat, when i do, it feels like I'm being puched in the lower back. My lower back has always been really strong, when I was doing them, I was using more weight for good mornings than for squats.

As for what you are describing, I think thats what I was taught too, but it was described as when you come out of the hole, thrust your hips forward like you are trying to screw someone, it straightens out the torso, but I tend to forget the little things when hitting weights I've never moved before. But I know I have things that I need to work on. Its hard as I always squat alone. This time I was lucky, the guy spotting me is a bodybuilder that has won shows all over the world, and is a judge up to the nationals level in ontario, but every other time its just me....maybe because I squat fridays, and everyone else has more important things to do on a friday....

 

[Sub-Zero]

very true, but most people dont realize that, especially when you hit rock bottom, your back automatically leans forward, but it really felt like I leaned a lot on a few of those reps

i th ought they looked really good...

 

[Sub-Zero]

thanks for all the feedback

madcow, i see what you're saying, actually the guy that taught me to squat does over 900lbs, and uses all those techniques, so I am familiar with them. Some I cant use, like good mornings, whatever is wrong with my back, wont let me do them anymore. I've been to several docs and they arent sure what is causing the pain, but for the last few years its has left out good mornings. It also stops me from locking out when I squat, when i do, it feels like I'm being puched in the lower back. My lower back has always been really strong, when I was doing them, I was using more weight for good mornings than for squats.
\.

does your back stop you from deadlifting? also i remember u saying u round ur back a bit too much on deads, maybe that did something

 

[needsize]

does your back stop you from deadlifting? also i remember u saying u round ur back a bit too much on deads, maybe that did something

its an injury I've had since I was a teenager. I generally dont round out on deads, but when I do, my back falls apart pretty quick

 

[musketeer]

Love it!!!

 

[Madcow2]

As for what you are describing, I think thats what I was taught too, but it was described as when you come out of the hole, thrust your hips forward like you are trying to screw someone, it straightens out the torso, but I tend to forget the little things when hitting weights I've never moved before. But I know I have things that I need to work on.

By pulling back on your torso you'll facilitate the hip thrust (to thrust your hips which is the lever both arms must be extending and just from the short video it's something I suggest giving a try - it's actually all the same thing just different ways of saying it but the upper arm attached to the lever, torso, is getting stuck out in front as the lever, hips, aren't driving underneath it adequately on a few of your reps) . Try focusing on it some in warm ups to get the feel. Personally, I suffer from the same hitch and focusing a bit on this even in light warm ups makes for an immediate "ah...I see" improvement. It's really worth a try as a botched rep can zap your reserves significantly.

 

[needsize]

By pulling back on your torso you'll facilitate the hip thrust (to thrust your hips which is the lever both arms must be extending and just from the short video it's something I suggest giving a try - it's actually all the same thing just different ways of saying it but the upper arm attached to the lever, torso, is getting stuck out in front as the lever, hips, aren't driving underneath it adequately on a few of your reps) . Try focusing on it some in warm ups to get the feel. Personally, I suffer from the same hitch and focusing a bit on this even in light warm ups makes for an immediate "ah...I see" improvement. It's really worth a try as a botched rep can zap your reserves significantly.

I'll give this a try, I have a period of 4 weeks coming up where I'm lowering intensity, so it'll be a good time to practice

 

[b fold the truth]

Looks impressive big man...

B True

 

[needsize]

Looks impressive big man...

B True

thanks bro, how is europe treating you?

 

[Hugesquat]

Nothing wrong with those mate. Medium stance power squat! If you want to be more upright,just have the bar higher and break at the knees first eg BB style or OLY style. Good work anyway.

 

[b fold the truth]

thanks bro, how is europe treating you?

Very well. Did a contest in Poland last weekend...Serbia on May 7th, Poland again hopefully in June, US 'maybe' in July, and lots of shows in the Fall hopefully.

B True

 

[d3track]

great work needsize
your quads are friggin HUGE!

 

[sweed]

Awesome video. I love going all the way down. Last year i noticed i wasn't going to parellel so i lower the weight a little and made sure I went at least to parellel if not more, because I can't stand to watch guys go down about 2 inches and then go back up.. time to start loading the weight on now! GL with the 495!

 

[needsize]

Very well. Did a contest in Poland last weekend...Serbia on May 7th, Poland again hopefully in June, US 'maybe' in July, and lots of shows in the Fall hopefully.

B True

awesome, I would love to be able to spend time over there like that, and doing the thing you love at the same time.
I was just talking to a buddy of mine, the powerlifter who taught me to squat and deadlift, and he says he knows you from some of the boards...his name is Dave Gratton

 

[needsize]

little update, squatted 5 plates(495lbs) for an easy 5 reps today, but today is the last week of this current bulking cycle, so i am going to drop the weights and intensity for a bit now

 

[stickme]

More videos please. Loved it. I play it when I'm working out now to get the gym effect at home.
thanks

 

[chewyxrage]

Wow, INTENSE!

Great stuff.....always impressed by your squat videos

 

[Growth&Courage]

GhettoStudMuffin, excellent squatting analysis you gave there.