Technique help!

[MrsMuscle]

I trained legs with a Bodybuilder last night and he kept picking me up on how I didnt stand up stright when squatting!

We tried everything to sort it out, lowering the weight, looking up, wider stance etc. But I still leaned forward. Not excessively but enough to see the lean.

It was the same thing when i was doing stiff leg dead lifts, my back bent when I went past my knees. Why is this??

And what can I do to correct my form?

 

[psizzle_8]

I would spend some time on the Smith machine until you were fully comfortable...have you tried that?

 

[MrsMuscle]

I havent tried the Smiths machine yet. That was going to be my next point of call if there wasnt an obivous solution.

Will give it a shot - thanks!

 

[psizzle_8]

I think that since you have to lean back a little with the Smith that it'll help you with this issue...then once you're stronger you can take the muscle memory you develop over to the free weight squat.

Let me know

 

[CML0915]

I know some people frown upon Smith squats but honestly, that's what helped me perfect my squat in the beginning.

 

[MrsMuscle]

Thanks ladies - decision made, Smith machine it is!

Just out of interest...what do you all free squat? Need to know how far I have to go. I weight 70kg and was squatting 70kg for 10 reps last night.

 

[psizzle_8]

I hardly have any cartilage left in my knees so I have to be careful, it gets very painful. I don't go over 100lbs with my current workout because I do up to 30 reps. As far as my max goes, my knees have me too afraid to try that

Don't focus on generalized numbers...just focus on adding around +5lbs to your squat each week, you'll surprise yourself

 

[shirlene29]

also, when you do go for a free weight barbell squat you'll find that as long as the bar travels straight up and down there's a very good chance your back does lean forward a bit, this is normal physiology and perfectly acceptable form. Your back roaching in the middle is NOT acceptable form.

I cant recommend a book called "starting strength" enough

bending your back for deads tells me you have too much weight on there and Im guessing for both your back strength and hip abductor strength are the missing links here

go for t-bar bars, bent over barbell rows, cable rows and some pull ups..even if theyre assisted
for hip abductors, cable abductions and the hip abductor machines and well as walking sideways and backwards on a treadmill

a lot of people nail form on a smith but if you were my workout partner I'd have you start on a bare bar and keep adding five lbs until we got into an issue then I'd back it off a bit and call that your working weight, slowly adding 5 lbs a week to that

 

[cangal]

- Push from your heels, you could put small plates under the front of your foot to make sure you are pushing from your heels.
- Eyes up, chest up (think of making a big chest & lift), keep your back tight (you could be lifting your lower body before bringing your chest up, and that can make you lean forward)
- Hips up - remember to lock out (squeeze your glutes)

Shirlene gave some great ideas on how to strengthen your back/abductors. Incorporating those will help a lot

 

[psizzle_8]

- Push from your heels, you could put small plates under the front of your foot to make sure you are pushing from your heels.
- Eyes up, chest up (think of making a big chest & lift), keep your back tight (you could be lifting your lower body before bringing your chest up, and that can make you lean forward)
- Hips up - remember to lock out (squeeze your glutes)

Shirlene gave some great ideas on how to strengthen your back/abductors. Incorporating those will help a lot

Whatever, all she did was copy/paste from google