Squat Foirm

[Robb Wolf]

Charles-
MUCH improved! Two things I'd recommend:
1-get "very" tight. You have quite a bit of wiggle when standing between reps. Get tight and stay tight...that wiggle is what will drop numbers and lead to injury.

2-make sure the hips are not going up before the bar. I know the cue is "drive the hips up" but that must be in concert with the shoulder/bar complex going up...or a heavier weight will cause you to face plant. Again, remaining tight will help this but think about the whole operation going up at the same time.
Keep us posted!

[Charles Johnson]

Originally Posted by Derek Simonds

Definitely looking better. I will let the coaches comment.

It looks like you have a generator sitting in the foreground of the shot, are you down here in hurricane land (FL)?

Hello Derek thanks for the input and no thats not a generator Im down in the good old land of OZ, Australia!! but with the weather here lately it may break out into a hurricane LOL!!

[Charles Johnson]

Originally Posted by Robb Wolf

Charles-
MUCH improved! Two things I'd recommend:
1-get "very" tight. You have quite a bit of wiggle when standing between reps. Get tight and stay tight...that wiggle is what will drop numbers and lead to injury.

2-make sure the hips are not going up before the bar. I know the cue is "drive the hips up" but that must be in concert with the shoulder/bar complex going up...or a heavier weight will cause you to face plant. Again, remaining tight will help this but think about the whole operation going up at the same time.
Keep us posted!

Hello Rob thanks for the excellent cues I must say that this is the best source for technique issues on the web,I made sure I stayed as tight as I could squatting tonight and I am amazed that it made the whole squat feel so much easier, I am really glad to be a part of this site, everyone here has helped so much and I thank all for your input!!! if it was possible to Email you all a round of beers I sure would!! And you can bet that I will keep you all posted.Thanks again guys

[Robb Wolf]

Right on Charles! Careful buy drinks around here...Ron is NOT a cheap date, no matter what he sez.

[John Alston]

Nice improvement between the two videos!
Any reason you don't go to full depth?

[Charles Johnson]

Originally Posted by John Alston

Nice improvement between the two videos!
Any reason you don't go to full depth?

Could you elaborate please mate??

My understanding of full depth is when the hips drop below the level of the knee,going below paralell.

[John Alston]

Originally Posted by Charles Johnson

Could you elaborate please mate??

My understanding of full depth is when the hips drop below the level of the knee,going below paralell.

I mean good ol' ass to ankles depth, like

I know that's a front squat (actually, a clean rack), but I can't seem to find a backsquat to olympic depth pic online.
I am a big fan of the deep squat, whether front, back or overhead.

[Greg Everett]

Originally Posted by John Alston

I can't seem to find a backsquat to olympic depth pic online.

from the PM front page today...

[Derek Simonds]

John my front, overhead, sotts press and clean rack are all A2A. On my back squat I don't usually go that deep, still below parallel just not quite that deep when the weight gets heavier for me.

I am guessing that you see a transferance in muscle movement going that deep on the back and you also probably are doing a more upright O-Lift style instead of powerlifter style. So would you go slightly lighter and really drop down low versus going heavier and not getting that deep? I am asking the question relating to training in O-Lifts specifically.

By the way that is an awesome picture!

[Charles Johnson]

Well I dont even think my body would let me get that low on squats!! But the other reason I dont is because I bought Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe and Lon Kilgore and am trying to squat like that.Is it safe on the knees back etc to get that low? It looks painful!