When performing a FULL squat I tend to get a slight forward lean towards the last few reps. Can this be because I am tall (6,3) OR is it poor technique OR can deadlifting in the same week as squatting be effecting my squat form.

After taking into consideration your advice on my last post, here is the video of my new squatting style:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTbvFcwBlzA&feature=user

british_bulldog786@hotmail.com

you can do with wearing some decent footwear for squatting, it will help with stability and form issues in my opinion, as in the old vid youre not wearing any, not sure about the 2nd.

also the new video, I dont like the form at all, knees going foward, youre not sitting back, youre asking for an injury in a few months time

Basically your lower back is 'leaning' as you say towards the later reps in your set.

IMO there could be two reasons for this:

1) Your lower back isn't strong enough to carry the weight.
2) You're leaning too far forward whilst performing the lift.

From the looks of the vid it's probably the second one - If I were you I'd try and arch your back up more so as to 'lift' your chest; this should help throw the weight back and allow you to focus on pushing through your heels.

Journal

Hi.

I'm just wondering if you held the bar slightly further down your upper back it would help you lean back a bit more. From what i can see you are wearing trainers? you could do with a flatter soled shoes so you can really push through with your heals

Rodge.

Injured!!

Squat 170kgx1 105kgx25
Dead 200x1
Decline Bench 80x6

Firstly, good job with the vids :) thanks for sharing.

IMO, it's very difficult to squat that deep at your height. You've naturally got a longer Femur (thigh bone) and a longer torso, so you might actually be trying to squat beyond what your structurally built for (i.e: squatting too deep!) or than is nessessary.
The immediate problem I could see from the video is when you go down beyond parallel. You're form looks good until your thighs go beyond that 90 degree angle, which to me looks like where the problem starts and your form starts to deteriorate as the reps go on causing you to put undue stress on your lowerback and lean forward.

You definately appear to have the flexibility to go deep (ATG), but I don't think that's the issue here.

I'm short as sh*t, so I have to squat deep to get any kind of benefit from it. But as a taller guy, it's probably not that nessessary to squat quite so deep.

Of course you hear all this crap from people who say rubbish like "if you're not squatting ass to grass, you ain't squatting"..etc.

This is nonsense and does not take into account the anatomical differences.

The range of motion you'd go through to reach parallel isn't really much different to the range of motion it would take a shorter guy such as myself to go ATG. So the benefits are probably gonna be about the same and you will still get the same kind of muscle stimulation.

You're thigh bone is geneticlly a lot longer (not a bad thing)...and IMO it's going to be very difficult to squat that deep without leaning forward or bringing your lowerback into play more simply for this reason.
I know it's probably not the kind of advice you want to hear, but sometimes you have to adjust the way you do certain exercises to accommodate your bodystructure. I hate to say it, but some taller guys just aren't build for deep squats.

I'll try to find the diagram which demonstrates the differences in squatting positions dependant on the length of the individual's thigh bone. Pretty much shows what Im trying to get at here.

You could try and opt for of a powerlifting stance and put the bar a bit lower on your traps to see if that helps keep you more balance/upright. This may or maynot help, but worth a try I guess.

Definately get some decent squat shoes aswell, these will help with your technique and your balance....(I like Otomix boots).

Good luck mate

move the bar down from the top of your traps (across rear delts)and this will force you to sit into the squat, which in turn will stop you from leaning forward.....simple....

journal http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/m_1219780/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm

you should try box squatting, the first vid you are holding the bar correctly but not sitting into the squat, squat back onto a box, this will teach you to squat properly, if you can sit in a chair and then stand up without falling over then there is nothing wrong with height, bone length etc

journal http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/m_1219780/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm

Break at your hips first not your knees. Will help with you squatting back rather than down.

My
Applied Nutriceuticals RPM Log

ORIGINAL: T0NY

Break at your hips first not your knees. Will help with you squatting back rather than down.

Yep, exactly

basically imagine, I put 2 bolts through your knees and screwed you into the ground from a squat position. now squat down and up, your knees shouldnt move forward. knees push out towards the side.

Id make the squat stance wider too

definately leaning too far forward, you will feck your back if you keep doing that.

first off i would say ditch the knee wraps, 90kg is not heavy enough to need them. i have been to 220 with no wraps or even a belt.

second, try a wider stance and maybe with your toes pointing slightly more out, i am tall too and cant really sit into the rep without have a pretty wide stance, well over shoulder width,

also, make sure you keep looking up throught the lift. when you are standing fully upright, focus on something about six inches above your head in the mirror, and keep looking at that same spot throughout, so at the bottom of the movement you are looking up much more than at any other point.

you could also try putting your hands wider on the bar.

id say strengthen your midsection and try some front squats with less weight, if you lean that far forward in front squats you'll lose the bar, so may help your back squat technique!

I pretty much agree with some of the other guys.

Work on your torso strength, and reduce the weight until good form becomes easy.

Hold the bar lower on your back... get hold of a powerlifter near you, or in the same gym, and watch their bar positioning. You'll find it much more comfortable when you get used to it, and it will make you feel much stronger.

Break from your hips first... again, watch a powerlifter.

Keep smiling!

Just

PS. One more agreement... decide what you're training for. if you're not going to be a powerlifter then why risk the injuries that can come from "going deep"? You'll get good growth and strength benefits by squatting a little shallower and combing other leg exercises.

Was fit once - will be once again! It's amazing how a car crash can change so much of your life.

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Some good advice.

your knees shouldnt move forward

Not true. It's fine for your knees to move forward but not by much.

if you're not going to be a powerlifter then why risk the injuries that can come from "going deep"?

What injuires? He's doing a nice solid squat why change.

"Play Stonehenge!"

It's been said before, but I do feel that the root cause of many of the problems observed is that you have the bar too high up on your back. It's nearly resting on your skull

My Journal

BP 155 (150 recently)
DL 250
SQ 185

i lean forwards loads. fook it why does it even matter. if your back isnt rounding and your progressing who gives a hell

My Training Log!!!

ORIGINAL: just t

i lean forwards loads. fook it why does it even matter. if your back isnt rounding and your progressing who gives a hell

umm, well you will when you do your back in. leaning forwards puts loads of pressure on your lower back. why persist with it when it can be easily changed by altering your form. much easier to change your form than mend a fooked back!

Cheers guys,

Im gona alter the following for my next squat session:

1) A lower bar position
2) A slightly wider stance than that of video

Can I even go much wider than my current stance. I stand 25.5 inches apart. My shoulder width is ~21-22 inches.

british_bulldog786@hotmail.com

ORIGINAL: British Bulldog

Cheers guys,

Im gona alter the following for my next squat session:

1) A lower bar position
2) A slightly wider stance than that of video

Can I even go much wider than my current stance. I stand 25.5 inches apart. My shoulder width is ~21-22 inches.

when ozz squats he squats as wide as the cage allows which is a lot wider than shoulder width

journal http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/m_1219780/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm