Squat Foirm

[Greg Everett]

chaz -

looking pretty good. couple things i would say:

1. lead with your chest. that is, coming out of the hole, don't let your hips rise first - you're doing this only slightly, but as the loading increases, it will likely be exaggerated. and when you have high loads and premature hip rise, you end up rounding the back and fighting to not fall forward. keep the chest/shoulders rising at the same rate as the hips.

2. watch your arm/elbow position. i realize rippetoe's thing is really driving the hands against the bar, but you end up lifting the elbows back and up, which encourages rounding of the upper back. if you can instead secure the bar with the elbows down and under it, it will be easier to maintain a tight, upright back.

3. still getting a little soft in the lower back, but not horrible. keep stretching and working on maintaining a super strong lower back arch (and whole spine arch, really).

[Charles Johnson]

Originally Posted by Greg Everett

chaz -

looking pretty good. couple things i would say:

1. lead with your chest. that is, coming out of the hole, don't let your hips rise first - you're doing this only slightly, but as the loading increases, it will likely be exaggerated. and when you have high loads and premature hip rise, you end up rounding the back and fighting to not fall forward. keep the chest/shoulders rising at the same rate as the hips.

2. watch your arm/elbow position. i realize rippetoe's thing is really driving the hands against the bar, but you end up lifting the elbows back and up, which encourages rounding of the upper back. if you can instead secure the bar with the elbows down and under it, it will be easier to maintain a tight, upright back.

3. still getting a little soft in the lower back, but not horrible. keep stretching and working on maintaining a super strong lower back arch (and whole spine arch, really).

Hello there Greg thankyou very much for the feed back its always much appreciated.

This is what confuses me about squatting in general,in rips book starting strength it says that one must drive the hips,ie they should actually rise a little before the chest, but you are right it sometimes makes me feel a little off balance,I think this also has a little to do with point 3 and keeping the tight arch and chest up.

I will definately work on these points and Im really starting to see the difference a tight back makes.I know from rep to rep if I come loose because the weight feels like a ton coming out the hole and when I manage to stay tight it feels so much easier.

Ill keep woking and up another vid when I feel Ive improved enough.Thanks again Guys and or Gals!

Regards Charles

[Greg Everett]

Rippetoe's deal is solid--I don't think he actually wants the hips rising before the shoulders but to encourage the aggressive activation of the posterior chain. I just think that idea gets misinterpreted easily. And I could be wrong about his intentions.

[Robb Wolf]

Rip has a nice cue where he pushes down on the sacral region of the individual in the deep squat and makes them drive up from there. Nice to work on the hotties and it does cue the posterior chain but the WHOLE unit goes up at the same time///hips, bar,chest...one piece, but the fire and drive are certainly emanating from the hips.

[Dave Van Skike]

Rips coaching cues are the veritable bomb, like to review the vids from the xfit site.......his texas accent is hypnotic like the ghost of football coaches past.

[Charles Johnson]

Originally Posted by Robb Wolf

Rip has a nice cue where he pushes down on the sacral region of the individual in the deep squat and makes them drive up from there. Nice to work on the hotties and it does cue the posterior chain but the WHOLE unit goes up at the same time///hips, bar,chest...one piece, but the fire and drive are certainly emanating from the hips.

Oh Ok cool I was under the assumption that the hips must rise a little faster than the rest. LOL you gotta love workin with the hotties!! thats the main reason the wife hates the idea of me ever becoming a personal trainer or something like that! HAHA thanks for the info.

[Charles Johnson]

BUMP !!

Hi guys I havent been around much lately I been plugging away in the gym tho! I have made some good progress on my squat poundages and recently deloaded and reset my program.

I seemed to have lost my mojo though when it comes to form so I thought I would post another couple vids and get you great guys and gals to critique me.I have always had great advice here before so looking forward to what yall have to say this time round.I think Im still having back errors, upper and lower, but we will see what you think.

Heres the links http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjD2fUdkcJQ

These felt pretty good to me I did these monday just gone.

This was todays effort and I dont think they were too great at all
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms-Z5-oUqmo

The last 3 reps are my main high workset in the 2nd vid. i have done a little more weight than that before.

Cant wait to see what you guys and gals say.

[Leo Soubbotine]

Work some on your flexibility.

Rip is awesome. The cue that Rob's talking about definately works. Just gotta remember to keep that back angle same while driving out of the hole.
Butt is leading but the whole upper body should be coming up, not the hips by themselves.

After about 30 minutes instruction with Rip my squat jumped 33 lbs a week later (once I tried to max with his technique). Good stuff!

[Charles Johnson]

Rip has a nice cue where he pushes down on the sacral region of the individual in the deep squat and makes them drive up from there. Nice to work on the hotties and it does cue the posterior chain but the WHOLE unit goes up at the same time///hips, bar,chest...one piece, but the fire and drive are certainly emanating from the hips.

I assume this is the cue you mean? How can I make sure that everything fires at the same time?? or will it just happen when my back angle is better?

2. watch your arm/elbow position. i realize rippetoe's thing is really driving the hands against the bar, but you end up lifting the elbows back and up, which encourages rounding of the upper back. if you can instead secure the bar with the elbows down and under it, it will be easier to maintain a tight, upright back.

Yes this confuses the crap outta me.From reading SS I get the impression that my elbows should rise behind me, but in the pictures in the book I see the trainees arm and elbow position looking more as you describe Ill try it again and see how it goes.

After about 30 minutes instruction with Rip my squat jumped 33 lbs a week later (once I tried to max with his technique). Good stuff!

Soo jealous, Im over here in Australia I got no chance of training with the man!!
Also what areas would you suggest I work on for flexability? hams back ?
Thx mate

[Leo Soubbotine]

Depth.
Visit youtube.com and punch in - Squat Rx. Excellent videos.