# Squating Form - with Videos.



## XRichHx (Mar 7, 2012)

Guys, after reading this thread http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/form-technique/204580-form-check-squat.html Im looking for some help with my squat form, I took some videos to show what current state is.











Goals are; correct form, add some mass to quads and make sure im 'balanced' would love to hear from @ewen

@Mingster

@MattGriff

@Rick89 that posted in the original thread giving some good advice.

I've always worked out in the house and probably because of that I've injured my lower back a couple of times and also I've never been able to go heavy, but Im heading to start an actual gym mid January so will have access to squat rack etc.

I've also been doing some stretches to help loosen my hams and hips.

Much appreciated


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## Lukeg (Mar 6, 2011)

On the straight on video it looks as though as you're pushing up you're dropping your left hip slightly and pushing with your right leg slightly more..


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

*vid 1, wider stance for glues and hamstrings and were the big lifts come from:*

you need to snap your hips forward , looks like your just standing up, imagine sitting down as loading up a coil spring, coming up is firing the coil spring off, so your hips shoud shoot forward. also work on slexibility to get a bit lower as your abolve parallel.

*vid 2 narrower stance for quads: *

your ROM is less and thats down to flexibility also.

work on glute, hip flexor, IT band and hamstring stretches.


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## sunn (Apr 11, 2011)

No expert but push through your heals, don't lean to far forward to protect you back and probably go a little deeper than you are imo!

Maybe do some lower back work to strengthen it also as it could simply be a weakpoint as it is for most


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

lower back injures are down to muscle imbalances (flewxibility) and a weak loose core, are you pushing your belly out as hard as possible when squatting? if not the you should be.

pushing your belly outward should prevent you from breathing this is your core fuly suported, once your past the sticking point and you relax you can breath out.

also get a pair of squat stands about £60-90 on ebay, you wont frow big strong legs if the weight your using can be lifted off the floor and over your head


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

also vid1 your at the max level you can reach as you can see your ass slightly tucking in, so you need to work on flexibility to get lower, if you drop lower with the same flexibility you have now, then your lower back will curl in and you will get a bad injury to your lower spine.


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## Prince Adam (Mar 17, 2012)

Check out Mehdi on his stronglifts website or his youtube channel.

Your not going deep enough.


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

flexibility is a big issue , your upper doesnt look like its tight you look like you just picked the weight up and squatted slow the neg down then as you push up drive knees apart like a frog .


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

also just noticed in video 1 your knees are coming abit to far forward, again will be a flexibility issue. your kness want to be above your toes not behond them, behond your toes puts soke of the load on your knees not your hips, and can lower your lift and over stress your knees and adds potential for injury.

a little bit past isnt so bad, but the ore your knees go past the feet, the more the pressure goes on the knees and off the hips, you want more closure on your hip joint at the bottom and less on you knees.

not all the reps are past the knees but some of them are as you speed up mid set and loose form.


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

you see his knees are above the center of his feet, you need this stance for wide stance back squats, narrow back squats will look difrent.


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

narrow to shoulder width squats the knees will come forward more as youve not made the space for your belly to slide into as you do with a wide stance with the legs out the way (depending on how much bulk and belly you have lol, and flexibility)

View attachment 105759


i prefer front squats or a hack squat for quads, than a narrow back squat..


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## ditz (Jun 5, 2012)

While all the form experts are here (also may help this fella)

What's the general thoughts about knees passing toes while squatting?

I've always had the issue of leaning forward too much when weights get heavy and killing my lower back.

I've tightened that up now.. Hips drop before torso and standing up nice and straight with the bar, feels much more comfortable, but seems a trade off for my knees going forward


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## Robbie (Dec 31, 2007)

Why don't you redo the video, this time with no weight and see if you can squat deep and hold it there then come up (all slowly). Might give a better idea of whats happening.


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

stone14 said:


> you see his knees are above the center of his feet, you need this stance for wide stance back squats, narrow back squats will look difrent.
> 
> View attachment 105758


thats a power squat stance though .

rich is simulating a narrower oly style squat which is more beneficial to a bodybuilder .


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## martin brown (Dec 31, 2008)

In a word - shocking lol 

Needs a bit of work. Forget the bar and bodyweight squat. Start at the bottom to find where you need to get and work up. It's probably not flexibility just you need to learn the right technique.


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

ditz said:


> While all the form experts are here (also may help this fella)
> 
> What's the general thoughts about knees passing toes while squatting?
> 
> ...


If your in the bottom position with your knees above your feet then slide forward so knees are past the toes, the bar level doesn't change, the only thing that changes is the joint angles, knees past the toes puts more weight and stress on your knees. So all your doing by bringing your knees past your feet is unneseseraly stressing your knee joint and the ankle joint, once the weight creeps up you will damage your knees. There is no benifit to your you max lifts or muscle growth by bringing your knees past your toes. Don't do it. If you can't keep your kness above your feet then you have a form issue.

If your using higher reps lighter weight then to get a full rom on your ankle knees and hips then you can bring your knees over, but for big lifts to protect your knees keep them above your feet.


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## XRichHx (Mar 7, 2012)

stone14 said:


> lower back injures are down to muscle imbalances (flewxibility) and a weak loose core, are you pushing your belly out as hard as possible when squatting? if not the you should be.
> 
> pushing your belly outward should prevent you from breathing this is your core fuly suported, once your past the sticking point and you relax you can breath out.
> 
> also get a pair of squat stands about £60-90 on ebay, you wont frow big strong legs if the weight your using can be lifted off the floor and over your head





ewen said:


> flexibility is a big issue , your upper doesnt look like its tight you look like you just picked the weight up and squatted slow the neg down then as you push up drive knees apart like a frog .





stone14 said:


> also just noticed in video 1 your knees are coming abit to far forward, again will be a flexibility issue. your kness want to be above your toes not behond them, behond your toes puts soke of the load on your knees not your hips, and can lower your lift and over stress your knees and adds potential for injury.
> 
> a little bit past isnt so bad, but the ore your knees go past the feet, the more the pressure goes on the knees and off the hips, you want more closure on your hip joint at the bottom and less on you knees.
> 
> not all the reps are past the knees but some of them are as you speed up mid set and loose form.





martin brown said:


> In a word - shocking lol
> 
> Needs a bit of work. Forget the bar and bodyweight squat. Start at the bottom to find where you need to get and work up. It's probably not flexibility just you need to learn the right technique.


Thanks for all the help so far guys. Ill send reps out soon  Key points for me to work on then,

1, Flexibility - ill spend some time looking at stretches hips, glutes etc.

2, tighten up upper body, slow the negative down and drive knees apart for better form.

3 - push belly out to support core and work on core exercises to help support.

4 - work on bodyweight squats and work weight up again.

Ill post another couple of videos In a months time to see progress. Thanks again.


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## XRichHx (Mar 7, 2012)

@stone14 I must have gave you reps for something before, wont let me rep you again. :huh:


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## Robbie (Dec 31, 2007)

Sitting in a deep squat with no weight is a great way to build flexibility for squats. I think it's called a 3rd world squat or something...


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

best lower body flexibilty vid on youtuber imo, if for doing the splits, but it works all the hip and leg muscles, all the stretches you need for better flexiblity.


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## Jim78 (Aug 20, 2010)

Theres a lot of good pointers but a lot to take in, id start back to basics, do some free weight squats and NAIL ur form and depth before u do it again.

Sit back into the squat, chest and shoulders up, head straight forward or up, don't look down, that will encourage falling forward, on the positive...tighten glutes and push feet out, power from hips, glutes, push neck back into the bar.....so much to take in, breathing is one aspect that was mentioned too, Ed Coan used to say do all ur reps like ur doin it with ur max, no matter how light. Good advice cos it'll drum technique into u.

Its not easy lol


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## XRichHx (Mar 7, 2012)

stone14 said:


> best lower body flexibilty vid on youtuber imo, if for doing the splits, but it works all the hip and leg muscles, all the stretches you need for better flexiblity.


Ill check this out tonight. Cheers.


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## ditz (Jun 5, 2012)

^that was what I was asking.

I sort of feel that to keep my chest up and back straight, knees have to go over toes.. If I put my knees behind the toes so shins are parallel to floor, I feel like I'm gonna fall over backwards. OR

I try to counter that by leaning forward too much and killing my lower back


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## ditz (Jun 5, 2012)

Like ronnie here - albeit without counting I have a suspicion he's lifting a plate or two more than me here :lol:


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## Jim78 (Aug 20, 2010)

If knees are goin over toes sounds like foot placement is too close and ur NOT sitting back into it, if u can't sit back without feelong unsafe ur lifting too much.


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

bio-mechanics do effect it but for the vast majority its a flexibility issue not the length of your bones. a bodyweight squat is the perfect squat to check your flexibility since there is no resistance, if you cant sit into the squat without the weight then your have a muscle length issue.

once weight is added the weight can help press you down into the lift but your best off having good flexibility to get into the correct form before you add the weight.

also how some of the pro's do it doesnt realy mean its right, if you see in this vid how mark felix deadlifts, how high he has his hips, if an average joe tried to deadlift big weight they would distroy there back lifting like that.


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

the more acute the angle on your ankles and knees the more stress and weight load is on them its as simple as that, and for squats and deads you realy want the load on your hips as much as possible not the smaller weaker knee and ankle joints, jmo.


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

one of my mates is a competing oly lifter, has done for over 20years since he was a kid, and his knees shoot far past his toes, he gets calve tears injuries etc, and you see some oly lifters knees behind the toes, so there probably no right or wrong way, but there is a better wat to reduce the chances of injury and imo its keeping the bar in line with the middle of the feet and the hips back to keep the load on your ass not your knees.

or a front squat or hack squat (machine or smith) is good for the quads and the knees also since your feet are infront of you.

also when i do lunges i keep my knees above my feet also, never go past, there no benifit from the knees going over the toes, you dont get lower from doing this you just take the weight from your hips to your knees+ankles.

if you cant sit down into a squat position with no weight with your knees above your feet then you have a flexibility issue, normally you will end up leaning forward and hips will stay high, this is either/or a combo of hamstrings IT bands and glute muscles being too short which when weight is added you will curl your lower back in, bringing knees forward will remove the curl as there is less of an angle on your hips but this shifts to put stress on the knees.

if you do a few weight squat and exagerat the knees coming over the toes and you will feel it on your ankles and knees, then imagine that with 100kg's on your back....

jmo


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

heres a simple squat stretch most people do


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

iv fukd my back from sh1t form over the years, only realy looked into it properly after i injured my back, its to late now will cause me problems for life i think. so just trying to pass on the info ive picked up. flexibility is a massive part of it. if you have full flexibility of all your muscles then injury is very slim. women are naturally more flexable than men in the lower body and you see wome squat ass to grass still with knees above there feet easy, havnt seen many men do that without many years of stretching.


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

i think it just depends how your taught and what sport your weights lean into, because all iv just said would suggest i disagree with knees over the but as you say aswell oly lifters kness shoot far over there toes like this guy.


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

when i was doing my fitness instructor course some of the ways they taught the exersises are totally wrong compere to how there taught in sports, the clean and press for fitness and health it a joke, its been changed from the oly version which imo is wrong, the olympics techniques been around alot longer than some fitness course.


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

Dublin said:


> Thanks for all your input, I hope i dont come across as disagreeing with you. QUOTE]
> 
> no you dont dude its cool lol


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## Pkant2002 (Nov 4, 2011)

Hi Everyone,

Just reading what Stone has put he basically describes my squat exactly in that if i squat with no weight i don't get to parallel, but with weight it forces me down but because of i presume the lack of flexibility my back rounds. It's not a problem until i start lifting heavy weight. I follow HST programme so it comes around every few weeks and then i suffer badly with back pain.

Now people say just improve your flexibility and often say to just sit in the bottom position and push your knees out etc. However i cannot get into this bottom position. This leaves me with a problem in that I have no idea how I should improve this flexibility.

Is there a recommended course or something to follow to improve this or should I try and find a PT or a squat specialist to teach me how to perform the exercise. If the latter is the case what sort of people should i be searching for as I wouldn't want to use the PTs in my DW gym in Northampton, not sure they would be the best people. Anyone have a recommendation?

Appreciate your help,

Pkant


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

Only thing I can sugest is those stretch vids iv posted, hamstrings are a big part of your back rounding, you should adleast be able to touch your toes cold, if you can't then that's a problem simple hamstring stretches will fix.

If your wanting to lengthen a muscle you need to hold the stretch for 30-60 seconds per stretch and do it a good few times, even 30min sessions when your at home watchn tv. 10sec stretches are just ok to loosen up your muscles but no good to lengthen them, this is why some guys get no were from stretching as they don't hold it long enough.

I find stretching cold is more effective than warmed up muscles, it feels more uncomfortable and if you push too hard there's more potential for injury, but know your limit and it pays off.

When I damaged my back it was because it rounded in squats and I couldn't get my hands far past my knees, not my palms touch the floor and there's no round in my back. Too late now like but never mind.


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

Also them split vids are just about every lower body hip and leg stretch there is, no1 will teach you better than that, that's the lot.

The more flexible you get them more you need to keep it up tho, its like weights, if you don't train for it then you will loose it.

It used to take me about 30-45mins to get 4" lower from mid shin to my toes, takes 5mins if that to get to my toes now. So it does get easier, it just not nice and an uncomfortable pain when your too stiff and inflexable at the start.

I found eod stretches more effecctive than everyday since the day after I feel sore and stiffer, but you loosen off once you've recovered, you cause miro-tears to your muscle fiber from 'lengthening stretches' so need a day or 2 to recover, once the aches gone then stretch again. x3-5 ew can do maintainance stretches on the days off if u like 10sec stretches a few times but I don't feel there needed unless your at full flexibility ie doing splits cold and feet behind your head sort of flexibly level lol. You won't need that sort of flexibility for squats, just touching your toes will do. But the more flexible you are in general the less injuries from muscle imbalances you will get.

You shouldn't have muscle imbalances anyway as there bad all round, you shouldn't be a stiff ass not good at all.


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## Mingster (Mar 25, 2011)

As long as you break at the hips before you break at the knees during the negative portion of the lift it shouldn't matter if your knees extend a little beyond your toes.


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## Pkant2002 (Nov 4, 2011)

stone14 said:


> Also them split vids are just about every lower body hip and leg stretch there is, no1 will teach you better than that, that's the lot.
> 
> The more flexible you get them more you need to keep it up tho, its like weights, if you don't train for it then you will loose it.
> 
> ...


Ok thanks so much for the above two posts will get on it, I do quite alot of foam rolling as well now so will incorporate the stretching etc into that and hopefully work on it. Squats there such a tough one lol.


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## Pkant2002 (Nov 4, 2011)

FML its so hard, I am literally sweating and i have only done the first part. I didnt realise how inflexible I am, I just tried to body weight squat after doing it and it still looks horrible.


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## Jim78 (Aug 20, 2010)

Mingster said:


> As long as you break at the hips before you break at the knees during the negative portion of the lift it shouldn't matter if your knees extend a little beyond your toes.


This is what the OP needs to listen to ffs!

Hip mobility all comes into it but ive literally just stood and tried to figure how knees shoot over hips and its one reason.

Bending knees straight away.

To the OP.....u really just need to imaging sticking ur **** out whilst keeping head and chest up whilst lowering. Literally as if sitting on a chair. Even with poor hip mobility u can manage this.

You'll find (il wager) ur hips, hams and glutes are **** poor strength wise.

Only one way to build em is proper form...literaly lower as if sticking ur **** right out, its impossible for knees to shoot over feet if done like that.


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## XRichHx (Mar 7, 2012)

Jim78 said:


> This is what the OP needs to listen to ffs!
> 
> Hip mobility all comes into it but ive literally just stood and tried to figure how knees shoot over hips and its one reason.
> 
> ...


Thanks for commenting mate. I've been doing stretching and body weight squats to try and get form a lot better. I would agree my glutes and hams are weak, I never bothered doing anything for them directly on leg days, this resulted in me have a painful lower back for a good while, I added in ham curls and the pain eased off a lot, so im now trying to get good form and strengthen everything else otherwise im literally going to cause my self long term problems.


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## XRichHx (Mar 7, 2012)

I filmed a short video of myself doing BW squats - I think someone said it may help.

When start coming back up, this is where it gets tight at the hips.


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

they look fine mate, back looks ok no curl, still need to work to get deeper tho, looks like your getting a good stretch at the bottom, also remeber its a hip thrust out the bottom rather than standing straight up, your hips want to lock out at the top, even feel a stretch on your groin area/ hip flexors at the top,

slow going down and speed coming up, thrust forward at the hips like your trying to nail your lass, just think about squeezing your glutes they want to be squeezed tight at the top pushing your groin forward, but looks ok that vid just a few more tweeks, once your more flexabily you should get to parralel without weight then your ready to add the weigh imo.


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## XRichHx (Mar 7, 2012)

stone14 said:


> they look fine mate, back looks ok no curl, still need to work to get deeper tho, looks like your getting a good stretch at the bottom, also remeber its a hip thrust out the bottom rather than standing straight up, your hips want to lock out at the top, even feel a stretch on your groin area/ hip flexors at the top., slow going down and speed coming up, thrust forward at the hips like your trying to nail your lass, but looks ok that vid just a few more tweeks, once your more flexabily you should get to parralel without weight then your ready to add the weigh imo.


Nice one, so the movement back up comes from the hips, I get you. I think before I was focssing on pushing with legs and not concentrating on hips if that makes sense.


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

aslong as you think about staying tight all the way you should be ok, if you only stand up then standing up wont activate all the muscles as they should be. tighter you are the stronger the contraction and the more speed you have so can lift more weight safer, making it more effective.

dont sacrifice form and tech of going deeper or speed etc, form 1st then work to improve the rest.


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

XRichHx said:


> Nice one, so the movement back up comes from the hips, I get you. I think before I was focssing on pushing with legs and not concentrating on hips if that makes sense.


depend what you want to target realy, pushing with the legs is more quads, hips is more ham and glutes, just practice both ways and eventually it will be 2nd nature and you will activate all your muscles correctly. id defo try both ways tho so you no how difrent it feels and how activating the difrent muscles should feel, then when you add weight, you no how you should feel.

if its muscle growth then id do both ways to build the legs all round, if its bigger lifts you want then it has to come from the hips so hams and glutes.


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

so there more to squats then just standing up with a weight on your back, the more you understand it the safer it will be, same with deadlifts. plenty people get on fine with it simply just doing it. but imo its best to know it from all angles.


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## XRichHx (Mar 7, 2012)

stone14 said:


> depend what you want to target realy, pushing with the legs is more quads, hips is more ham and glutes, just practice both ways and eventually it will be 2nd nature and you will activate all your muscles correctly. id defo try both ways tho so you no how difrent it feels and how activating the difrent muscles should feel, then when you add weight, you no how you should feel.
> 
> if its muscle growth then id do both ways to build the legs all round, if its bigger lifts you want then it has to come from the hips so hams and glutes.





stone14 said:


> so there more to squats then just standing up with a weight on your back, the more you understand it the safer it will be, same with deadlifts. plenty people get on fine with it simply just doing it. but imo its best to know it from all angles.


Its quads ideally I would like to develop, I want some size on them. I don't want chicken legs, and in order to get there I need to be lifting heavier than I am. I think the most Ive squatted was 60kg and I fcked my back going heavier. now it has eased off I want to make sure im doing it right or ill end up causing more damage.


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

XRichHx said:


> I think the most Ive squatted was 60kg and I fcked my back going heavier. .


again either and/or muscle imbalances or a weak core. you should have no problem lifting that weight realy, id defo not use a belt as i think they just mask a problem, your core should be strong enough to hold your posture (its you bodies natural belt) and if its not you need to target your core strength, look at oly lifters, no belts and they throw all kinds or weight around over there head. belts are ok for max lifts and powerlifting, but imo for normal gym guys there just a gym fashion accesory and prob do more harm than good, hiding the core problem.

you will get there dude, you look fine atm just need to work on a few minor adjustments, minor problems at bw squats turn into major problems with big weights, so you doing the right thing not jumping the gun.


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## pooky (Jun 20, 2012)

not read all the comments but watched the video and your doing a 'half squat' not a 'squat'


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## Jim78 (Aug 20, 2010)

stone14 said:


> again either and/or muscle imbalances or a weak core. you should have no problem lifting that weight realy, id defo not use a belt as i think they just mask a problem, your core should be strong enough to hold your posture (its you bodies natural belt) and if its not you need to target your core strength, look at oly lifters, no belts and they throw all kinds or weight around over there head. belts are ok for max lifts and powerlifting, but imo for normal gym guys there just a gym fashion accesory and prob do more harm than good, hiding the core problem.
> 
> you will get there dude, you look fine atm just need to work on a few minor adjustments, minor problems at bw squats turn into major problems with big weights, so you doing the right thing not jumping the gun.


i think this is spot on, in the vid the lasy few were starting to look better, still not hitting depth but very nearly, keep practising at these will deffo help easing the hips to open up and let u drop further.

I also agree about belts, they are hard to master because besides learning the technical aspect of the lift which is hard enough at 1st, using a belt brings other probs like pressing the belly against it to form a solid core and keep u stable, and breathing.

Best thing u can do is watch vid after vid OR pick a guy on youtube who squats well and pick up pointers, and break it down.


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## XRichHx (Mar 7, 2012)

Hello again,

As I sad earlier I filed a couple more videos of me completing squats.

I have done the following,

Completed stretches to try and improve overall flexibility.

Core work - planks side planks woodchoppers etc.

The first two weeks after posting this thread I done a lot of bw squats only.

Kept upper body tight

Keep breath in to support core when completing the exercise.

Heres the videos ... hopefully they should show some improvement from the last set. these are also the gym squatting 50kg.











Would be great if I could get follow up advice from you all

@Jim78 @stone14 @ewen @Mingster @martin brown


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## Jim78 (Aug 20, 2010)

XRichHx said:


> Hello again,
> 
> As I sad earlier I filed a couple more videos of me completing squats.
> 
> ...


Little better mate, its ok for knees to come forward but obviously not passed the end of the toes, better but still not to parrallel, do you find it hard to get even lower? its good your facing away from the mirror as people tend to look down for depth but just that little bit more depth needed, really stick ur **** out.

ive a vid il upload and put on, ive started doing atg squats and if its clear (not sure) might give you an idea....

Looks like your heel wants to come up when I watch it? maybe a couple of plates under each foot could work, deffo still a flexibility issue, but form is getting there, you look like ur breaking at the hips a little more than you were, which is good.


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## Mingster (Mar 25, 2011)

First things first. You need to raise your spotters. If you have to bail out you'll need to be a champion limbo dancer to get out from under the weight.

The second thing is still your flexibility. Depth is better, but is still an issue. It gets better as the set progresses which suggests you will get there wither further stretching etc.

You heels are rising as you hit your bottom position.

I would try squatting with an empty bar back onto a bench then up again. This will give you an idea of an acceptable range of movement and also give you the confidence to break from the hips and sit back properly.

Keep it going mate. You will get there. Once you get the form cracked the adding weight bit is easy


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## XRichHx (Mar 7, 2012)

Jim78 said:


> Little better mate, its ok for knees to come forward but obviously not passed the end of the toes, better but still not to parrallel, do you find it hard to get even lower? its good your facing away from the mirror as people tend to look down for depth but just that little bit more depth needed, really stick ur **** out.
> 
> ive a vid il upload and put on, ive started doing atg squats and if its clear (not sure) might give you an idea....





Mingster said:


> First things first. You need to raise your spotters. If you have to bail out you'll need to be a champion limbo dancer to get out from under the weight.
> 
> The second thing is still your flexibility. Depth is better, but is still an issue. It gets better as the set progresses which suggests you will get there wither further stretching etc.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the replies guys.

I think flexibility is still definitely a problem for me, it feels tight once I get to about parallel so im going to start increasing my stretching and loose it up more.

As well, that weight I lifted was 50kg and I done 60kg on Monday, these felt good, I didn't feel like I was going to topple over!

Be great to see that video @Jim78

@Mingster could you explain your last sentence a bit more so I understand it better - the bit about 'breaking from the hips' ?

Thanks again.


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## Mingster (Mar 25, 2011)

XRichHx said:


> Thanks for the replies guys.
> 
> I think flexibility is still definitely a problem for me, it feels tight once I get to about parallel so im going to start increasing my stretching and loose it up more.
> 
> ...


If you stand in front of a chair and attempt to sit on that chair you don't do so by bending the knees first. Try it. You start the movement by sitting back from the hips. The knees are forced to bend by this action and so you sit down in a controlled manner. It's the same with squatting. You sit back from the hips first so forcing the knees to follow suit. You are initiating your squat with knee bend. Try squatting back onto a bench as suggested and this will mimic the sitting action and, therefore, the correct squatting action too.


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## XRichHx (Mar 7, 2012)

Mingster said:


> If you stand in front of a chair and attempt to sit on that chair you don't do so by bending the knees first. Try it. You start the movement by sitting back from the hips. The knees are forced to bend by this action and so you sit down in a controlled manner. It's the same with squatting. You sit back from the hips first so forcing the knees to follow suit. You are initiating your squat with knee bend. Try squatting back onto a bench as suggested and this will mimic the sitting action and, therefore, the correct squatting action too.


An right yeah that makes a lot of sense. Ill try that. Now that I think about it I am starting with knees. There's some boxes at the gym, should I use them to to help get the movement correct?


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## Mingster (Mar 25, 2011)

XRichHx said:


> An right yeah that makes a lot of sense. Ill try that. Now that I think about it I am starting with knees. There's some boxes at the gym, should I use them to to help get the movement correct?


Use a box or straddle a bench. Either/or. You should be looking for something with about a 17 inch height to it. That should take you to around parallel.


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## Jim78 (Aug 20, 2010)

XRichHx said:


> An right yeah that makes a lot of sense. Ill try that. Now that I think about it I am starting with knees. There's some boxes at the gym, should I use them to to help get the movement correct?


Yes mate as Ming says, box will do 2 things, give u confidence to sit back and not worry about failing lift, not that you should much on bar yet,and it'll teach you depth, just touch and go though, don't fully sit down on it.

When you start descent you have to let your **** lead you down as in literally sitting back into the lift, at same time keep looking head on, and keep shoulders pinched, when you start to ascend....imagine bending bar over your shoulders - this will keep your chest up....

Il upload vid, thing is with vids is that people will pull form apart regardless, its picking who you listen to that makes the difference, and everyone has a different technique, as long as your depths good and you keep your body nice and tight then its a good lift imo.


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## mikeod (Jan 20, 2012)

op, to help get depth, you need to push your knees out like a frog, your just bending your knees.

and you look like karl pilkington:lol:


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## blueleaf (Feb 26, 2013)

stone14 said:


> best lower body flexibilty vid on youtuber imo, if for doing the splits, but it works all the hip and leg muscles, all the stretches you need for better flexiblity.


Been looking for this, thank you! . Tried it the other day, never felt so awkward. ever.

Suffice to say doing a split is a lofty goal :laugh:


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## MattGriff (Aug 21, 2012)

stone14 said:


> also how some of the pro's do it doesnt realy mean its right, if you see in this vid how mark felix deadlifts, how high he has his hips, if an average joe tried to deadlift big weight they would distroy there back lifting like that.


His hips are not high? Most deadlifters start the pull at that point, they may sit down lower initially but the bar breaking the ground is usually higher up, especially if they are 6ft plus - look at where Andy B or Bennis hips actually are as the bar breaks the ground.


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