Squat form check please

[tsmiles]

Hi everyone, I'd appreciate any feedback on my form here.

I'm 6'1" 255lb
I'm squatting 245lb, this is my last set of 3x5 and I only manage to get 4.

 

[dawn16]

@tsmiles You keep changing the arc of your lower back. This might cause problems. Take a deep breath and fill your stomach with air, then flex your core as hard as you can, then you sit down and do the squat.

Keep in mind that each squat is separate from the others, and you repeat this for every squat. Don't just rush through your set.

You're not reaching competition depth, but that might not be important for you. if it is, you will solve it by not moving your knees so much forward, and sit back a bit instead of sitting down.

You might also want to grip the bar with both hands and hold it tight and hard, to get the tightness up in your upper back.

 

[dawn16]

Agree with all of this except the depth check... Of course he could go lower, but even trying to eyeball from behind and below, they looked on the line for IPF.

 

[dawn16]

I could be mistaken.

 

[dawn16]

As could I, it's not a great angle.

polite nod

 

[ffm1967]

@dawn16 Part of the trouble with that kind of power cage though, is sometimes you can't actually reach depth if the bars aren't adjustable.

I'd personally struggle to make depth (I think) using static bars like that. I feel most comfortable with adjustable bars, and I put them 4 or 5 notches down from the top. Otherwise I'm self conscious of the bar hitting the rails.

 

[dawn16]

I agree with all of this.

Your setup is rushed, which leads to inconsistent form.

I'd recommend box squats, this helped me with the 'sit back' cue.

 

[dawn16]

@tsmiles Move your hands in tighter towards your head. This will squeeze your lats and give yourself a nice little shelf for the bar to rest on.

 

[notsonicely]

@tsmiles I am always hesitant to comment on form when the lifter is fatigued (last set) and the weight is too heavy (only got 4) but you looked good for a 5th rep -- why'd you quit? You are taking way too wide of a grip on the bar, but I didn't see anything else that was a major issue. Just keep getting stronger.

 

[tsmiles]

@notsonicely Since I don't have a spotter I'm hesitant to lift till failure. The 4th one was a struggle and I could probably have gotten a 5th but without a spotter I didn't want to take that chance.

 

[rashpal]

@tsmiles You have safety bars. Why do you think you need a spotter?

 

[dawn16]

@tsmiles If that fourth one was a struggle, my sets last night were both World Wars, Apartheid, and Suffrage all rolled together. You looked fine.

Stance looked stable, probably could have focused more on breathing and getting set for each rep.

Hands: mine are there too, thumb over, just covering the ring. I'm trying to bring my grip in a bit too for stability and being better able to swing them under the bar and keep chest up in the hole.

 

[marsbars]

@tsmiles Learn to fail lifts safely, without a spotter. You won't make great progress without pushing yourself to failure every now and again.

 

[tsmiles]

Thanks for the tips, everyone. I take a wide grip on the bar because that's what's comfortable for me, but I'll work on bringing the hands in more.

I saw that lower back arch and thats what got me thinking about my form. Up until now I had been very happy with it, but once I videoed myself and saw that I wanted to get others opinions.

 

[lovegod4ever23]

@tsmiles As part of my squat warmups, I've been doing shoulder dislocations to loosen up my full range of motion and make a narrower grip feel more natural.

 

[emoore80]

@lovegod4ever23 This. Do the dislocations and keep sticking with what's comfortable. As you stretch more you should be able to slowly move your grip in.

Do NOT force a narrower grip, it's not worth fucking up your elbows.

Source: I did that and ended up having to lay off pullups for a 8 weeks until I discovered shoulder dislocates and let everything heal.

 

[tsigano]

@tsmiles Shoulder dislocations, band pull aparts, scapular pushups, scapular wall clock...etc. Mobility work to help you with scapular retraction, along with always trying to stay tight in your shoulders for the squat, will help you eventually get your grip a bit more narrow. Don't force it.

 

[smm]

@tsmiles Head up, chest out. Fix your gaze on something in the mirror above your head.

 

[fredg61]

@smm He's doing low bar squats, which are recommended to look down.

 

[ffm1967]

@fredg61 I low bar squat, and I do better when I look up. I don't mean arch your whole head up abnormally, though.

Looking up is a good cue (for me, at least) to keep your chest up, especially coming out of the hole.
I'm not a competitive lifter, though. I just try to train like one.