What’s a little trick that made a huge difference in your form?

[fitnessfreak158]

@bkrolex I record my lifts from time to time to see if my form is matching how I feel. Helped me sort out my deadlift and squat bc I can see exactly where I'm going wrong and at what point.

Also pointing my toes out in the squat so I don't lean forward has helped a ton

 

[dawn16]

@bkrolex I’ve also found that bringing awareness to my feet and toes—making sure my whole foot is active and in contact with the floor—helps with stability, abduction, knee tracking, etc. During lockdown I was recovering from a knee injury and worked with a trainer at home over Zoom. I did most of my lifting barefoot, and I saw improvement really quickly. It makes sense… your feet are the means by which your body senses its contact with the ground. But with heavily padded shoes on all the time I’d sort of lost cognizance of what my feet were doing down there lol. Now I lift at the gym and wear Metcons or Drop Lifts, but my movements feel a lot more confident and fluid.

**edited for typos

 

[carllundin]

@dawn16 THIS! I’ve always had hip issues and while most of it comes down to form, lifting barefoot helped SO MUCH.

 

[erinarden]

@bkrolex The advice to push your butt as far back as you can when deadlifting. I was so focused on my knees, my gaze, keeping a straight back, my feet and and my hand placement, and couldn’t not feel it in my lower back.

Don’t get me wrong, m I still feel an intense leg day in my lower back a bit, it’s hard not too, but dead lifts don’t kill my back like they used to.

 

[brokenjohninchrist]

@erinarden just to clarify -- conventional or sumo ?

 

[erinarden]

@brokenjohninchrist I’m more referring to conventional.

 

[brokenjohninchrist]

@erinarden okay! just making sure since i pull sumo and do not use a cue like that. i almost use an opposite one (pulling pelvis into the bar). thanks!

 

[jamestvresearcher1985]

@bkrolex What has helped my squats is just opening up my legs more and pointing my feet out. For the longest time I always thought I needed to keep my legs closer and feet forward. Also foam rolling my calves prior to squatting, it helps with some of my ankle mobility/tightness

 

[bkrolex]

@jamestvresearcher1985 The opened legs and pointed toes definitely helps! I will have to try the foam rolling.

 

[geoff_mann]

@jamestvresearcher1985 A squat wedge/heel lift will help w this too

 

[pandaman]

@geoff_mann 100%. I have tight calves, and I just put a small kettlebell handle under each heel and voila - my squat form is a million times better and way less painful

 

[gisherjohn]

@pandaman Oh kettlebell handle is a great idea. I resorted to standing on the feet of the adjustable bench for my last squat day (small apartment gym and limited options/no plates) but I'll give this a try.

 

[goldladyslipper]

@jamestvresearcher1985 Absolutely this. I read somewhere that women should have a more open and wider stance compared to men due to our wider hips/pelvis.

 

[truthnottradition7]

@goldladyslipper Thank you for this! I always wink my butt if my knees are more parallel but thought I was doing it wrong to have them wider.

 

[anon103]

@goldladyslipper Nah, it's individual. There are men who do best with a wide stance and women (like myself) who need to be super narrow. Everybody should experiment to figure out what works best for them.

 

[scmcbride24]

@anon103 THIS - i was squatting so often with wider stance and i find with my shitty ankle mobility my more narrow stance is more better stability-wise for my squat

 

[samira96]

@goldladyslipper This is so true! I remember once a rather buff looking man came up to me during my squats at the gym and tried to tell me that I would have better form and be able to push more weight if I narrowed my stance and had my feet forward. I chuckled a little and then told him that women's bodies are quite different than a man's and he shouldn't go around giving unsolicited advice on something he isn't an expert on..

 

[hazeleyesis]

@jamestvresearcher1985 Yes, this has helped me so much with squatting! I think it has something to do with our specific anatomy (long femurs I believe)