Squat form check.

[pantsaregood]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGJVrtOWJJM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FC2jeduCZE

I've been putting loads of time into improving my squat form. If you're curious as to where I came from, look at my Youtube channel. I hope I've at least improved.

If my squats are good, critique my Deadlift?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TJiIgAmm0Q

I got up to 230 for 1x5 at one point, but deloaded because my back was rounding.

[nisora33]

Not bad, brother, not bad at all.

What kind of shoes are you wearing, by the way? Those aren't squishy running shoes or some such, are they?

-S.

[pantsaregood]

Chuck Taylors.

I used to squat in "squishy running shoes," but realized how utterly idiotic it was.

I don't feel my hamstrings very much in the movement at all, nor do I really feel my quads much. The only muscles I feel getting really tight are my hip adductors and lower back. Is this normal? My back is usually exhausted after my sets.

[nisora33]

Chuck Taylors.

I used to squat in "squishy running shoes," but realized how utterly idiotic it was.

I don't feel my hamstrings very much in the movement at all, nor do I really feel my quads much. The only muscles I feel getting really tight are my hip adductors and lower back. Is this normal? My back is usually exhausted after my sets.

Same here, inner thigh mainly, some glute and a little bit of hamstring way up near the pelvis and to the sides, that's all I ever "feel." Don't sweat it, not you've just got to try to maintain that form as you increase the weight.

-S.

[Gottatri2lift]

HOw do your abs feel? If you are not focused and your abs become untighted your back will compensate and your chest will collapse. Anything like that throughout your workouts. I didn't really see any from the video, but....

[pantsaregood]

My abs are definitely tight. I actually can't grasp how one could squat ANY amount of weight without tight abs. Breathing while lifting seems to have "duh" written all over it, but I guess it's something that doesn't happen naturally for some people.

[Gottatri2lift]

I find have hurried a set without 'setting' my abs and failed to come out of the hole. I used to struggle with it until I got my breath timing down.

I don't feel my hamstrings all that much after a squat set, but the next morning I when I stretch I can definitely tell they had been worked.

[cjangelo]

First off, nice work, guy. Making progress.

Can anyone tell me if the second set of 5 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FC2jeduCZE) are all to proper depth?

I'm not trying to be a douchebag here, I need to practice judging depth. It looks to me like reps 3-5 are a little high. I would appreciate it if someone could confirm my observation or explain why it is incorrect.

Thanks.

[Gottatri2lift]

I believe rep 3 was good just quick

Rep 4 and 5 are around the parallel mark. If you are good at timing pause it before he drives up.

[nisora33]

I believe rep 3 was good just quick

Rep 4 and 5 are around the parallel mark. If you are good at timing pause it before he drives up.


Yes, this. Overall, these are very respectable squat, however.

-S.

[pantsaregood]

I know they were slightly shallow, but I was extremely exhausted. My upper thigh is still going parallel to the ground, so they can't be THAT bad, can they?

If my squats are acceptable, anyone want to critique my Deadlift?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TJiIgAmm0Q

[nisora33]

I know they were slightly shallow, but I was extremely exhausted. My upper thigh is still going parallel to the ground, so they can't be THAT bad, can they?

If my squats are acceptable, anyone want to critique my Deadlift?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TJiIgAmm0Q

All in all, these are good. Start with your hips about an inch higher for your set position. Right now, you're starting with your hips a shade too low, arms too vertical and shoulders just a shade too far back behind the bar. Very minor and easy to fix.

-S.

[pantsaregood]

Is my back staying tight in those videos? It was a problem before.

Is it at all possible that I'm not recruiting my glutes or hams? I don't want to do something and mess up my knees by doing everything with my quads. By watching the videos, you can clearly tell the weight is on my heels.

[nisora33]

Is my back staying tight in those videos? It was a problem before.

Is it at all possible that I'm not recruiting my glutes or hams? I don't want to do something and mess up my knees by doing everything with my quads. By watching the videos, you can clearly tell the weight is on my heels.

You're a pretty high-strung fellow, pants. Take a deep breath, your deads look fine. As for the feet and where to place the weight, for now just focus on keeping the weight even across the bottoms of them and push the floor away from you as you start your pull. The more important thing to think about is your hips: get 'em just a itty-bit higher; when you do this, you'll feel like the hamstrings are strung tight and you'll know you're positioned correctly.

-S.

[pantsaregood]

I was actually talking about my squats, not my deads.

As for being high strung, yeah. I've been attacked by the form police for about six months now. I'm hesitant to sigh in relief as I've actually gotten it right.

[nisora33]

In that case:


Is my back staying tight in those videos? It was a problem before.

Is it at all possible that I'm not recruiting my glutes or hams? I don't want to do something and mess up my knees by doing everything with my quads. By watching the videos, you can clearly tell the weight is on my heels.

Your weight should not be entirely on your heels. It should be evenly distributed. Your squats nevertheless look decent.

The stress or tightness in your back could be a product of the small change in back angle that you're experiencing on the way up out of the bottom. As long as that change remains small, you should be golden.

-S.

[TomC]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGJVrtOWJJM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FC2jeduCZE

I've been putting loads of time into improving my squat form. If you're curious as to where I came from, look at my Youtube channel. I hope I've at least improved.

If my squats are good, critique my Deadlift?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TJiIgAmm0Q

I got up to 230 for 1x5 at one point, but deloaded because my back was rounding.

You look considerably better than your last set of videos. For squats, your knees are still coming forward at the bottom (visible in the first video). However, it's not as pronounced as it used to be. This is one reason why you may not really be "feeling" the squats in your hamstrings quite as much. You are releasing some of the tension on them at the bottom. However, everyone will perceive the exertion differently.

I'm pretty conservative when it comes to back issues, but that's because I have injured my back a few times. I cannot tell if your exhausted lower back is because your back is weak, or if there is trouble brewing. Be careful and listen to your body on this one. That's as much as I can tell you.

Your deads look decent, too. I might want to see a little more lumbar extension at the start, but you are not in terrible flexion, either.

All in all, nice progress. How much bodyweight have you put on in the last two weeks?

[pantsaregood]

On the note of my back, my spine is perfectly fine. My muscles are the problem; they get really tired. It's usually really tight after I squat.

I've put on somewhere around 7 pounds in the last two weeks. I'm up to 185 now.