So I am only on 47.5kg after a little over 2 months of squatting as I took ages to figure out if low or high bar worked best for me and it’s the lift that comes least naturally to me
I found out I have crazy long legs compared to my short torso (34 inch inseam) so that’s why I find them so uncomfortable. Low bar feels a lot better than high bar so stuck with it.
I seem to do very good on the descent but then right in the hole I lose some stability and edge the bar path forward? I think I do this by leading with my butt first meaning some good morning action. I guess since the weight is so low my back doesn’t hurt after and no injuries but I don’t want to risk anything when it gets higher
Because squats are so unnatural for me I have not been progressing the weight every time even if I do all my sets (not failed a set yet). I film every set and analyse my form. If I’m not happy I stay at the weight for a few more sessions until I feel comfortable going up. My form at 45kg was good so went up today.
Been doing pause squats 30kg 8x3 and dumbbell squats 22kg 12x3 as well as leg press 120kg 12x3 as accessories.
Here are more vids of my sets with different weights too and different angles. I think I either have weak quads or a weak upper back and core, or all of those, resulting in muscle imbalances leading me to use my glutes more out of the hole.
https://streamable.com/7hsm7d
https://streamable.com/mdo7k5
https://streamable.com/k9ru2h
Side angle
https://streamable.com/2qzdr3
And just 40kg warm up
https://streamable.com/ixw2lq
And first time squatting in my life for comparison
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Hello AnnWolfepower101.
Good to see you persisting through the rather unpleasant phase of learning to squat, and doing pretty well at it.
What program are you on? At this stage, I’d rather you temporarily keep aside the accessories and squat at a higher frequency (3x or so) to get more exposure to practice the lift, and also due to the fact that getting stronger at the squat would be best done by squatting more. That said, here are my suggested tweaks for your technique (I’ll go from top down):
- Ensure while you are unracking that majority of the weight is on your back and the least possible is held by your hands (think “Are all 40 kgs on my back or not?”).
- Learn to brace properly - big breath, push the air down into your kidneys and whatever is down there, contract your abs and stack your ribs down onto your pelvis. This would be very tight and uncomfortable at first, and could possibly cause light-headedness, but you will get used to it in a few sessions. I would also recommend you to check out videos on bracing by Alexander Bromley and Calgary Barbell for visual demonstration.
- While initiating the descent, break at the hips and knees simultaneously. Don’t extend your spine and bend your hips first. Just brace properly and sit down (not back).
- I’m not sure if it’s the video angle, but it seems like your knees are caving in at the bottom. Try to keep them pushed apart. If not possible play with your foot positioning to see what allows you to achieve this.
- While rebounding off the hole, think about “quad drive” rather than “hip drive”. Instead of the knees shooting backwards and your butt rising up, you will have your knees stay at the same place until you are about half way up and then stand up to lockout.
- Lastly and very importantly, think about where your weight is distributed on your feet throughout the squat. You are in control of the bar and your body. If you feel the weight shift away from the midfoot, you can always adjust it during the movement. Focus on one or two of the tweaks I’ve listed above at a time. It might mean slightly less weight on the bar for a few weeks, but you’ll turn out to be a stronger lifter at the end of it. Hit me up with any questions you got.
All the best .
It’s hard to tell but your stance might be a little wide.