Form Check Thread

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CPA

CPA

Elite Member
Nov 19, 2001
30,322
4
0
blakjack, not an expert as much a Koing and others, but you refer to your squats in your videos as "low bar", however, from the view you posted on 7/24, you are not doing low bar squats. The bar is on your traps, from the what I could see. Now, I believe Koing prefers this, but if you are going for a low bar squat you need to make a platform with your posterior deltoid muscles and have the bar sit on that platform - which would be just below the "spine of the scapula" (as Rip calls it).

Rip's explanation of bar positioning on low bar squat.
 
Blackjack200

Blackjack200

Lifer
May 28, 2007
15,995
1,688
126
CPA said:
blakjack, not an expert as much a Koing and others, but you refer to your squats in your videos as "low bar", however, from the view you posted on 7/24, you are not doing low bar squats. The bar is on your traps, from the what I could see. Now, I believe Koing prefers this, but if you are going for a low bar squat you need to make a platform with your posterior deltoid muscles and have the bar sit on that platform - which would be just below the "spine of the scapula" (as Rip calls it).

Rip's explanation of bar positioning on low bar squat.
Click to expand...

I think you may be right. I don't know if I have the shoulder mobility to get the bar any lower though, I might just have to live with high bar squats if thats what they are. I had a labrum repair after a couple of shoulder dislocations about 10 years ago.

Edit: WTF is going on with this crazy time warp, the time is 2:38 PM EDT and I'm replying to CPA below.
 
Koing

Koing

Elite Member <br> Super Moderator<br> Health and F
Oct 11, 2000
16,843
2
0
CPA said:
lol, haven't seen that in forever.
Click to expand...

LOL

Blackjack200, just put the bar where it is comfortable and squat. You are looking A LOT better now a days but keep at it :)

People who don't improve their squat form/ flexibility are just plain LAZY to put in the hrs that are required. People want everything right now but aren't willing to work for their goals.

Keep up the good work.

Koing
 
Blackjack200

Blackjack200

Lifer
May 28, 2007
15,995
1,688
126
Thanks! All the encouragement here is awesome.

New PRs today in the squat (250 x 5) and press (130 x 5), deadlift matched my previous PR (335 x 5). I'm going back to the gym this afternoon to work on my cleans (empty bar) and get some pullups in. Best of all my press felt good at 130, so Friday I should be ready for 135 - big wheels on the bar! I'll have a smile a mile wide if I hit 3 sets of 5.

I should have videos up of all the lifts tonight (early morning for Koing).

Edit: I finished up my deads this morning, looked at the bar and said "Damn, Klokov could fucking snatch this." However unlikely it may be, the idea of a man walking in and throwing my deadlift bar over his head is terribly disturbing. My next thought was 'I need to get my deads over 200 kilos, pronto.' :D

(Right now it's going up at 15 lbs per week, so it would take 7 weeks assuming I don't miss any days and can maintain this progression, which would be stunning).
 
Last edited:
Blackjack200

Blackjack200

Lifer
May 28, 2007
15,995
1,688
126
Here we go.

Squats. 250 lbs. (113.5 kilos)

http://youtu.be/DFSWz_ggnT0
http://youtu.be/8Uyuemxepmw
http://youtu.be/owytCPtQuOQ

Overhead Press. 130 lbs. (59 kilos)

http://youtu.be/aSJMxZOyHOU
http://youtu.be/3qaCX5nDer0
http://youtu.be/zrtLYvoF93g

Deadlift. 335 lbs. (152 kilos)

http://youtu.be/xFy8BfSBxB4

Klokov snatches 160 for 4. Fvck. Thank god he wasn't in my gym.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpBtAxs7o24&feature=share&list=UUCc6Qk94Pxc3C-ls7QEdLJQ

Powerclean practice (empty bar)

http://youtu.be/njO1KI8N7Gc
http://youtu.be/IjyUqa4k--0
http://youtu.be/GFCqykqyTlQ
http://youtu.be/CA8t8cvd0Co
http://youtu.be/Konkp5jfh7Q
 
repoman0

repoman0

Diamond Member
Jun 17, 2010
5,191
4,572
136
Blackjack200 said:
Deadlift. 335 lbs. (152 kilos)

http://youtu.be/xFy8BfSBxB4
Click to expand...

Should your back be straighter than that? <- question mark there because I honestly don't know. I try to keep mine neutral, as in, slightly arched the other way. But, that severely limits the amount of weight I can lift. I was pushing 300 with form closer to yours but now I'm lucky if I get 245 for 5.

I think I started a thread a bit ago with some articles about the "rounded back deadlift" -- not rounded upper back but rounded lower back. If I remember right, the conclusions were basically it's more dangerous for your back obviously, but for most people, allows them to lift significantly more weight than if they kept a neutral / slightly arched back.
 
Blackjack200

Blackjack200

Lifer
May 28, 2007
15,995
1,688
126
repoman0 said:
Should your back be straighter than that? <- question mark there because I honestly don't know. I try to keep mine neutral, as in, slightly arched the other way. But, that severely limits the amount of weight I can lift. I was pushing 300 with form closer to yours but now I'm lucky if I get 245 for 5.

I think I started a thread a bit ago with some articles about the "rounded back deadlift" -- not rounded upper back but rounded lower back. If I remember right, the conclusions were basically it's more dangerous for your back obviously, but for most people, allows them to lift significantly more weight than if they kept a neutral / slightly arched back.
Click to expand...

I noticed that too. I don't think it's too bad, 335 equals my PR so I'm pretty close to my limit in that video, and you typically have a little form break down when you're at your max.

If I understand it correctly, you just don't want the spine taking the load. The spine probably takes a small part of the load there, but I think if I stay mindful of it and try to keep my back as flat as possible I can keep moving the weight up.
 
Blackjack200

Blackjack200

Lifer
May 28, 2007
15,995
1,688
126
Don't worry, I lifted Wednesday, just lazy about posting the videos. Here are my squats, 255 lbs. - 116 kilos (I didn't video my bench press or pullups, and I didn't have time for PCs.)

http://youtu.be/9FhD0KrPCzM
http://youtu.be/ayxxi7XM2Mw
http://youtu.be/PUWFWpK5dKo

Now, on to today's workout. Another 5 lbs. on the squat. 260. (118 kilos)

http://youtu.be/PYTYz4E1yyk
http://youtu.be/gRI463XIHQM
http://youtu.be/hcGPZK6chPA

Press. 135 lbs. (61 kilos)

http://youtu.be/Hh_0tz6cp4A
http://youtu.be/pCKPGOWO1Js
http://youtu.be/-fe5zJnw_Bg


Deadlifts - 345 lbs. (157 kilos)

http://youtu.be/b4dzcxG_-ws
 
Koing

Koing

Elite Member <br> Super Moderator<br> Health and F
Oct 11, 2000
16,843
2
0
Blackjack200 said:
Don't worry, I lifted Wednesday, just lazy about posting the videos. Here are my squats, 255 lbs. - 116 kilos (I didn't video my bench press or pullups, and I didn't have time for PCs.)

http://youtu.be/9FhD0KrPCzM
http://youtu.be/ayxxi7XM2Mw
http://youtu.be/PUWFWpK5dKo

Now, on to today's workout. Another 5 lbs. on the squat. 260. (118 kilos)

http://youtu.be/PYTYz4E1yyk
http://youtu.be/gRI463XIHQM
http://youtu.be/hcGPZK6chPA

Press. 135 lbs. (61 kilos)

http://youtu.be/Hh_0tz6cp4A
http://youtu.be/pCKPGOWO1Js
http://youtu.be/-fe5zJnw_Bg


Deadlifts - 345 lbs. (157 kilos)

http://youtu.be/b4dzcxG_-ws
Click to expand...

Squats look nice mate. Focus on driving your hips in forwards back under the bar as you squat up. This will help you squat more and you will be able to get up faster off the bottom = better.

MP looks better, but your not really tight in your trunk. You still look a bit wobbly but you look better than the last few videos I saw.

Koing
 
Koing

Koing

Elite Member <br> Super Moderator<br> Health and F
Oct 11, 2000
16,843
2
0
repoman0 said:
Should your back be straighter than that? <- question mark there because I honestly don't know. I try to keep mine neutral, as in, slightly arched the other way. But, that severely limits the amount of weight I can lift. I was pushing 300 with form closer to yours but now I'm lucky if I get 245 for 5.

I think I started a thread a bit ago with some articles about the "rounded back deadlift" -- not rounded upper back but rounded lower back. If I remember right, the conclusions were basically it's more dangerous for your back obviously, but for most people, allows them to lift significantly more weight than if they kept a neutral / slightly arched back.
Click to expand...

His upperback is every so slightly rounded and his shoulders are pulled slightly forwards but it's okay for the dl. Upperback held rounded is okay form. You just don't want your lower back rounding!

Koing
 
Koing

Koing

Elite Member <br> Super Moderator<br> Health and F
Oct 11, 2000
16,843
2
0
Blackjack200 said:
Here we go.

Squats. 250 lbs. (113.5 kilos)

http://youtu.be/DFSWz_ggnT0
http://youtu.be/8Uyuemxepmw
http://youtu.be/owytCPtQuOQ

Overhead Press. 130 lbs. (59 kilos)

http://youtu.be/aSJMxZOyHOU
http://youtu.be/3qaCX5nDer0
http://youtu.be/zrtLYvoF93g

Deadlift. 335 lbs. (152 kilos)

http://youtu.be/xFy8BfSBxB4

Klokov snatches 160 for 4. Fvck. Thank god he wasn't in my gym.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpBtAxs7o24&feature=share&list=UUCc6Qk94Pxc3C-ls7QEdLJQ

Powerclean practice (empty bar)

http://youtu.be/njO1KI8N7Gc
http://youtu.be/IjyUqa4k--0
http://youtu.be/GFCqykqyTlQ
http://youtu.be/CA8t8cvd0Co
http://youtu.be/Konkp5jfh7Q
Click to expand...

PC
-you want to catch the bar leaning slightly forwards or being upright.
--knees are suppose to be bent on the catch phase
---your knees are totally locked out and on most of your reps you are leaning backwards = very bad!
-sweep the bar so that you are making contact at MID THIGH. You are making contact too lower on your thighs, delay it and make contact at mid thigh.
--you can just sweep the bar to mid thigh and hold that position for 3reps and 4-5sets so you get use to that feeling. Fix this first. It's like a DL but you must keep your back totally straight and your shoulders over the bar.

Koing
 
Blackjack200

Blackjack200

Lifer
May 28, 2007
15,995
1,688
126
Thanks Koing. I'm still working on it. Didn't take a video today though. One thing I don't understand: on the catch how can I lean slightly forward? The bar would fall off my delts. I was looking in the mirror this morning after the catch and it looked like my back was in the same position as it is when I'm pressing, which would make sense as the bar needs to be over the middle of my foot, no?

Today's squats (265 lbs., 120 kilos) I don't even want to know what Klokov could do with that piddly weight. Probably heave it across the room. Sigh.

http://youtu.be/R7h2fKrZbKs
http://youtu.be/0l_XQI7UukA
http://youtu.be/bSsXmlqhJVE

See that left wrist in the first and third videos? That's a major problem. Believe it or not, that's the mobility limitation of my left shoulder due to my labrum repair 10+ years ago. I noticed that I was doing this with my wrist on another video and for my last couple of workouts I was forcing the wrist into proper position by wrenching the bar into my back. The pain/deadarm this caused was exquisite, and lasted several days. No more. If I get tendinitis in my elbows or wrists due to this issue, I'll have to figure out something else, like a safety squat bar or something. :(
 
Blackjack200

Blackjack200

Lifer
May 28, 2007
15,995
1,688
126
Squats (270 lbs / 123 kilos):
http://youtu.be/7Mywk3nJfpk
http://youtu.be/PQ3y2yc7YnY
http://youtu.be/glfV5VaKSac

Presses (135 lbs / 61 kilos):
http://youtu.be/c0_ZmbbhAdo
http://youtu.be/pc9gyChONnM
http://youtu.be/tzFYAgrU1Lw

First time repping out 135! I got some micro plates (2" zinc coated washers) from Fastenal and I'm going to load 137.5 on the bar on Monday. LP continues!

Powercleans (65 lbs / < 30 kilos):
http://youtu.be/_yr9uxTgRC8
http://youtu.be/ZQ6poZ0llK8
http://youtu.be/vU_oWctSCzc
http://youtu.be/jCRGu-dFEdI

Still ugly, but I think a few of the reps are starting to look decent. I think I know what's supposed to be happening now, and some things (like elbows up) are starting to be more automatic. I'll keep working on them.
 
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