Oh Help Me Great Fitness Gurus!

**ignatzami** · Posted On: 7/27/2012 2:45pm

Here's my current squat form. I'm trying really hard to hit parallel in this video. 185lbs, low-bar.

http://www.facebook.com/v/10100237833327145

Form comments are appreciated.

Please excuse the day-glo shorts, they have pockets, and I do love shorts with pockets.

**Lindz** · Posted On: 7/27/2012 2:51pm

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**ignatzami** · Posted On: 7/27/2012 6:06pm

Originally Posted by Lindz

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Well crap. I guess public doesn't mean what it used to. Here's take 2.

My first three reps I think I'm low enough, my forth and fifth I dislike that I rock forward a bit. This was my third set, and I was starting to fatigue.

**ignatzami** · Posted On: 7/27/2012 6:35pm

Upon further review, and I wish it was a closer angle, I still think I'm not quite parallel.

Also, it's filmed at a downward angle, which makes it hard for me to tell as well.

**Gypsy Jazz** · Posted On: 7/28/2012 2:10pm

To check your squat depth steal anything in the gym that you can place at height for your parallel and squat to it. This isn't a box squat, it's a squat to box. VERY lightly touch the box, do not rest on it, do not excessively sit back to it. http://www.tonygentilcore.com/blog/b...-a-difference/

Your first 2 reps look pretty clean from there, 3 is slightly on the cusp, and 4 and 5 if I were there I'd have you stop.

Pay really close attention to what your low back is doing there. See that little "butt tuck" going on? That's bad news for backs. Give this a try directly before squatting:

Play around with how wide your stance is with that and use the same level you get to with the rockback as you do with your squats.

A couple of quick cues stolen from others smarter than me:
- Wiggle your toes before you squat
- Spread the floor apart with your feet
- Rip the bar apart with your hands
- Pull yourself down actively into the squat with your hip flexors

Hope that helps.

**1point2** · Posted On: 7/28/2012 8:34pm

Originally Posted by Gypsy Jazz

Give this a try directly before squatting:

Thanks for this.

**ignatzami** · Posted On: 7/28/2012 11:47pm

So, if I lose the curve in my back I should stop? I always feel as if my lower back is tight, hence why I tuck when tired.
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**erezb** · Posted On: 7/29/2012 9:24am

Recently the power lifting club started renting space and time in my boxing gym, they are old school russians, they brought their own equipment, and besides the massive weights this guys can lift, you only think you know how to squat, jerk and what have you till you are observed by one of those old timers. If you have a place like that near you it is worth your while to go there even for just a month, learn the basic lifts, and maybe even learn to do some clean and jerk.

**Gypsy Jazz** · Posted On: 7/29/2012 12:45pm

Originally Posted by ignatzami

So, if I lose the curve in my back I should stop? I always feel as if my lower back is tight, hence why I tuck when tired.
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The short answer is yes. Flexing the spine under load is a known injury mechanism.

If you "always" feel your low back is "tight" smart money says there's short and/stiff with your hips (most likely hip flexors) and a good chance your chest/upper traps (most likely pec, pec minor, upper traps) as well.

Hit all those areas hard with with some form of self-myofascial release unless you have the money for a quality massage, which is always better. Following that, do stretching for the stuff you just targeted. Ideally do some form of low level activation drills for stuff on the opposite side of the body. In this case, glutes, mid/lower traps. While you're at it also find yourself a thoracic spine mobility drill or 2 or 3 you like too. I'm being lazy and assume your google-fu is strong.

**ignatzami** · Posted On: 7/30/2012 1:13pm

Thank you for the feedback guys, it's appreciated. I went back to the gym last night, kept 185lbs as the working weight, and tried to focus on form, especially my lower back.

This is the first working set:

Sorry for the angle, it's a phone video.

This is the fifth working set:

After my lower back was sore, not painful, just stretched. I don't know if that was due to form, or if I'm simply really un-flexible. I was focusing on pulling my hips down, and back, focusing on maintaining the arch in my back throughout the reps.

I moved through my working sets fairly quickly. I wanted to see if, by the fifth set, my form might degrade due to fatigue.