squat form

[luke69]

any tips on not leaning forward when i squat heavy. my buddy told me it is due to weak abs. i feel like i almost am about to tip over. any tips jay or hannibal? i am thinking about doing a meet in aug. so i better fix this problem soon,thanx,Luke

 

[powerlifterjay]

Well for starters make sure you have a nice thick belt. Then whenyou squat move your stance out past shoulder width. Dude the wider the better. Box squats will help you with that if you need to strengthen your inner thighs. Then a good low bar place ment. That will keep the bar in a straight line on the decend. So to sum it up Squat wider, place the bar lower and while you take the time to maybe strengthen your abs get that thick belt on tight. You would shit if you seen how wide i squat, but hittin below parallel is easy as hell. Good luck bro!

 

[bigmag]

I agree with him....wider helps me out too....I was in power lifting in H.S. and I used a wider stance and it makes it easier to reach the 90 degree plain. Strengthening you abs would also help alot.....your abs are your bodies stabalizer muscles. On your descent try not to let your shoulders go futher out than your knees, it will help you keep the weight in the center (rather than leaning to far forward or backwards, it could result in injury). Good luck in the comp.

 

[Hannibal]

Just to add to what Jay said... be sure you are using your abs correctly. Pull your air into your belly not your chest...when you inhale your shoulders should NOT come up. Then when you lift use the air to push your stomach out against the belt. It may help to wear your belt one notch looser while you practice this. Secondly be sure to arch the bar out of the supports. And arch your back hard throughout the lift. Hope it helps.

 

[1-dawg]

actually, if you are power squatting correctly you should have somewhat of a forward lean. The idea is to bring in as many muscle groups as possible at once. Most people get about a 45 degree lean. also, your abs may or may not be weak, the thing most people do wrong is that they don't use their abs correctly. You really have to push your stomach out against your belt. You can get away with it when you're ony squatting 600 or so, but when you get up inthe 700's etc you really need your abs out against the belt. Just tighteneing them is not enuf. A good way to learn how to use your abs is stand in front of a mirror, take air into yoru stomach, ifyour shoulders are moving upand down then the air is not going into your stomach but it is going into your chest. The 600 squat thing is just a base line for a 220'er or 242'er -- obviously if you are a heavier or lighter lifter the number will differ.

 

[Molten]

Just to add to everyone else's advice...your lower back may be a weak link as well as abs (they work together). Add some low back exercises to your routine. I strongly suggest good mornings--wide stance, narrow stance, off the pins, etc. These are essentially working the weak point of your squat--low back and abs. Doing heavy good mornings with a belt really taught me how to push my abs against my belt for stability. Just remind yourself to push against the belt as you lean forward, otherwise you'll collapse.