Form Check Thread

[Blackjack200]

More squats, three work sets at 225. Sorry about the angle on the first two.

http://youtu.be/PCNPtHywfXM
http://youtu.be/ywcsuKW9feA
http://youtu.be/5lLSZGZJw3s

I think they're good but go ahead and tell me that they're horrible and I'm a bad person for doing them.

Also, here's my deadlift work set, 305 x 5, again, I think it's good, but if anyone sees something please let me know.

http://youtu.be/Q9o8wVv382s
Thanks!

 

[Blackjack200]

More squats, three work sets at 225. Sorry about the angle on the first two.

http://youtu.be/PCNPtHywfXM
http://youtu.be/ywcsuKW9feA
http://youtu.be/5lLSZGZJw3s

I think they're good but go ahead and tell me that they're horrible and I'm a bad person for doing them.

Also, here's my deadlift work set, 305 x 5, again, I think it's good, but if anyone sees something please let me know.

http://youtu.be/Q9o8wVv382s
Thanks!

Any chance I can get an opinion on these? I'm lifting again tomorrow and it would be good to know if I need to be going deeper.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Any chance I can get an opinion on these? I'm lifting again tomorrow and it would be good to know if I need to be going deeper.

You still need to fix the butt wink, as suggested before. You're going TOO deep, resulting in compensation at the lumbar spine. In order to maximize your longevity and reduce your risk of injury, this is something you HAVE to change. I've been a strength and conditioning coach - this is one of the biggest problems with the squat. You have to take the advice, be patient, and take the time to fix it.

 

[Blackjack200]

Ok, I'll be focussing on maintaining a rigid spine at the bottom. Thanks.

 

[Koing]

More squats, three work sets at 225. Sorry about the angle on the first two.

http://youtu.be/PCNPtHywfXM
http://youtu.be/ywcsuKW9feA
http://youtu.be/5lLSZGZJw3s

I think they're good but go ahead and tell me that they're horrible and I'm a bad person for doing them.

Also, here's my deadlift work set, 305 x 5, again, I think it's good, but if anyone sees something please let me know.

http://youtu.be/Q9o8wVv382s
Thanks!

Squats look good IMO. Sure there is a small amount of butt wink but nothing excessive imo. Just keep working on stretching.

How tall are you?

DL, I'd work on bracing your shoulders back a tad more. Your 4th and 5th reps you let your upperback round just a small amount. Just something to be weary of but NOTHING major. Good speed off the floor. Remember once it's off the floor you want to pull it faster and not grind the weights up. Speed will be your friend when you have a lot more weight on the bar

Koing

 

[Blackjack200]

I've been bad about stretching My legs just feel so shot after doing the squats that I can't imagine trying to do goblets.

I'm 5'11, 181 cm. I think I have long arms and legs relative to my torso.

I noticed the same thing on the DL, I think I even sensed it during the reps.

I squatted 230 this morning so I'll post all three work sets at some point this evening. I think they look even better than the last ones. I really focused on my back and I think I was able to limit the buttwinks to just a couple of reps.

Also, I finally started working on powercleans so I'll have those videos up too. Warning: they're ugly. I did a bunch of hang cleans and jumps without racking trying to get the feeling.

I've been watching Klokov videos on youtube and I think it's given me a psychological boost. In one of them he picks up something like 250 kilos and squats it ass to grass. What a beast.

 

[Blackjack200]

Here we go, 3 sets of 5 squats, 230 lbs:

Squat 1: http://youtu.be/sWNJ4nPae8k
Squat 2: http://youtu.be/JY3HlyPjnkE
Squat 3: http://youtu.be/3MyRmahjcBw

Powerclean Practice. Any tips appreciated:

http://youtu.be/x9GGZeWk5Lg
http://youtu.be/pgw0wazEBC4
http://youtu.be/0uEX-i4VhQk

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Here we go, 3 sets of 5 squats, 230 lbs:

Squat 1: http://youtu.be/sWNJ4nPae8k
Squat 2: http://youtu.be/JY3HlyPjnkE
Squat 3: http://youtu.be/3MyRmahjcBw

Powerclean Practice. Any tips appreciated:

http://youtu.be/x9GGZeWk5Lg
http://youtu.be/pgw0wazEBC4
http://youtu.be/0uEX-i4VhQk

Squat looks much cleaner - nice job. I'll leave the cleaning form tips to Koing as what he says is gonna include what I have to say plus more.

 

[Koing]

Here we go, 3 sets of 5 squats, 230 lbs:

Powerclean Practice. Any tips appreciated:

http://youtu.be/x9GGZeWk5Lg
http://youtu.be/pgw0wazEBC4
http://youtu.be/0uEX-i4VhQk

-Sweep the bar in with straight arms using your lats
-sweep to about mid thigh or where ever the bar happens to hang as you are bent slightly over the bar, balance is about mid foot transfering on to your heels as the bar is passing from the knee to mid thigh and as you begin to drive up
-Stay more on your heels as the bar passes your knees.
-drive off your heels
-you rack the bar leaning backwards = bad
-rack it upright/ leaning slightly forwards
-brace/ take all of the shock of the bar by your legs
-keep your body tight in the rack position, your body is soft
-Pull faster under the bar to rack it. Do not float under it. Pull yourself under it

Do more empty bar work. It is the best way to learn properly. Do about 10sets with the empty bar

Your form isn't too bad though.

Rob has very textbook and good PC form:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_w3FxXwJwE

Koing

 

[Blackjack200]

Squat looks much cleaner - nice job. I'll leave the cleaning form tips to Koing as what he says is gonna include what I have to say plus more.

Thanks! I'll keep taking videos and I'll post them from time to time just to make sure they don't get sloppy.

-Sweep the bar in with straight arms using your lats
-sweep to about mid thigh or where ever the bar happens to hang as you are bent slightly over the bar, balance is about mid foot transfering on to your heels as the bar is passing from the knee to mid thigh and as you begin to drive up
-Stay more on your heels as the bar passes your knees.
-drive off your heels
-you rack the bar leaning backwards = bad
-rack it upright/ leaning slightly forwards
-brace/ take all of the shock of the bar by your legs
-keep your body tight in the rack position, your body is soft
-Pull faster under the bar to rack it. Do not float under it. Pull yourself under it

Do more empty bar work. It is the best way to learn properly. Do about 10sets with the empty bar

Your form isn't too bad though.

Rob has very textbook and good PC form:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_w3FxXwJwE

Koing

Thanks, I think you're definitely right about just using the empty bar. I'll try to think of it as pulling myself under the bar, it's hard when you can't use your arms though. The whole time the bar is moving up I'm thinking 'no arms, no arms, no arms'

One other problem that I have is that I'm trying to make sure that the bar stays in contact with my legs until the jumping position, but it seems like my knees get in the way.

 

[Koing]

Thanks! I'll keep taking videos and I'll post them from time to time just to make sure they don't get sloppy.



Thanks, I think you're definitely right about just using the empty bar. I'll try to think of it as pulling myself under the bar, it's hard when you can't use your arms though. The whole time the bar is moving up I'm thinking 'no arms, no arms, no arms'

One other problem that I have is that I'm trying to make sure that the bar stays in contact with my legs until the jumping position, but it seems like my knees get in the way.

Yes get some triples in with the empty bar. I make the guys I do it do 3reps x 3sets from the coaching positions for full Sn and full Cns.

You do use your arms to help pull yourself under.
-PULL THE DAM BAR
-WHIP YOURSELF UNDER IT

Just don't pull too early .

Sweep in towards your thighs
Knees should be a bit bent, chest either just over the bar or upright
Weight on heels,
NOW
You transition off the weight off your heels
DRIVING UP WITH YOUR ***HEAD*** : this is the easiest way to explain it to people.
THINK of a glass ceiling above your head. Smash it with your head. This will make sure the rest of your body mechanics move properly.
Stand oh your toes fully extended head up, this is the most your body can extend.
As you reach up to this *ceiling*
PULL THE DAM BAR up hard WITH A SHARP YANK
Yank yourself under the bar and rack it

The ***bar has to stay close***, don't scrap it all the way up your thighs.

Your knees move backwards out of the way as your hips move up and as you maintain your shoulder angle. This is called the 1st pull.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9bA4a2WjqE

DO NOT STOP at the first pull. Pull through as you complete the lift, but it's a good exercise to do to make sure you can maintain your positional strength.

Koing

 

[Sid59]

Koing, you're awesome!
Power cleans and cleans, I've been taught
Hip drive and aggressive on the bump
Pull the bar up and close the body
Fast elbows under the bar
Get underneath!
High elbows in the rack position.

Op- work on that mobility for front rack position

 

[Blackjack200]

Op- work on that mobility for front rack position

That much I can tell you won't be improving. I have very long forearms and can just barely get the bar into position with them angled way out. I think it's good enough and I will just have to live with it.

 

[Koing]

Koing, you're awesome!
Power cleans and cleans, I've been taught
Hip drive and aggressive on the bump
Pull the bar up and close the body
Fast elbows under the bar
Get underneath!
High elbows in the rack position.

Op- work on that mobility for front rack position

When you say bump, just to confirm, you make contact as a by product of sweeping the bar in close and you thrashing your hips IN AND UP. At this point you want to keep the bar as close as possible. You want to minimise the bar going away from your body.

Mobility is key. A lot of lifters do rack with low elbows though, but the main point is to keep your chest up, if it is down you will not rack it. High elbows will help keep your chest up and help recover marginal cleans.

Koing

 

[Koing]

That much I can tell you won't be improving. I have very long forearms and can just barely get the bar into position with them angled way out. I think it's good enough and I will just have to live with it.

Rack the bar in a front squat position. Keep one elbow as high as you can, now move the other up, keep the elbow that just moved up back in it's normal position, now move the other elbow up. Do this EVERY SINGLE SESSION. I gurantee it will help your rack position easier and you will feel much stronger.

I do these before every CJ session.

Koing

 

[momeNt]

Rack the bar in a front squat position. Keep one elbow as high as you can, now move the other up, keep the elbow that just moved up back in it's normal position, now move the other elbow up. Do this EVERY SINGLE SESSION. I gurantee it will help your rack position easier and you will feel much stronger.

I do these before every CJ session.

Koing

If you can't rack the bar at all on your shoulders. Do you recommend doing this with the bar supported on rack pins? and just stretch until you can get the bar on your body while racked on the rack? Then move to stretches with the bar off the rack?

 

[Koing]

If you can't rack the bar at all on your shoulders. Do you recommend doing this with the bar supported on rack pins? and just stretch until you can get the bar on your body while racked on the rack? Then move to stretches with the bar off the rack?

Yes. You can stretch your wrists out as well. BUT BE VERY VERY GENTLE whilst stretching your wrists out.

It will get better, but you truly only get out of stretching what you put in.

You can do it with just your finger tips at first. You don't have to grab the bar with closed palms by the way.

Koing

 

[Koing]

Wheels pic

Koing

 

[KIAman]

Wheels pic

Koing

Mmm, I got a sudden craving for some drumsticks.

 

[Blackjack200]

Nice Koing.

So last friday I was wearing my track pants to squat and I noticed that they've tightened up on my legs considerably, and they may have been giving me a rebound out of the hole. So I decided I would wear shorts on Monday. Well, I don't know if it was that or something else was going on but I just could not lift anything on Monday. I did 3 reps of my first set, then just put the weight down and walked out of the gym. It was that bad. In that context, I was just happy to get these squats done this morning, even if they're not perfect. Hopefully Friday will be a little better.

Squats, 240 x 5, three sets

http://youtu.be/nZLNLkdUA6c
http://youtu.be/eGh3k8mOqnU
http://youtu.be/KVvV6nl1Qrk

Overhead press 130 x 4, one set

http://youtu.be/GhLPkbyVvTo

 

[Koing]

Nice Koing.

So last friday I was wearing my track pants to squat and I noticed that they've tightened up on my legs considerably, and they may have been giving me a rebound out of the hole. So I decided I would wear shorts on Monday. Well, I don't know if it was that or something else was going on but I just could not lift anything on Monday. I did 3 reps of my first set, then just put the weight down and walked out of the gym. It was that bad. In that context, I was just happy to get these squats done this morning, even if they're not perfect. Hopefully Friday will be a little better.

Squats, 240 x 5, three sets

http://youtu.be/nZLNLkdUA6c
http://youtu.be/eGh3k8mOqnU
http://youtu.be/KVvV6nl1Qrk

Overhead press 130 x 4, one set

http://youtu.be/GhLPkbyVvTo

Squats look good. Just drive your hips in earlier as you squat up and keep that chest up.

OHP, just watch out for your first rep. The first rep shouldn't cause you to move like that. Got to stay planted on your feet and be tight in your TRUNK. You shouldn't need to move about at all for OHP. Brace your trunk.

Your lockout is insane, maybe ease up on the lock out a bit as it's very easy for you.

Good work!

Koing

 

[Blackjack200]

Squats. 245. The second set is insane, I almost dropped the bar on the first rep and then almost fell backwards on the second rep. I had the shakes for the rest of the workout after that, I don't know how I hit the third set.

http://youtu.be/Djmdip3wLoQ
http://youtu.be/s-EJ91_HjrE
http://youtu.be/O82c9-_sj0s

Power cleans. 65. Boring, still far from perfect, or even good enough, but I think I'll gradually add weight as I work on it. PS, check out the shit going on in the background of the 1st video. lol.

http://youtu.be/Y3cbwM1XbmM
http://youtu.be/koqE6vfVIro
http://youtu.be/LeQa0830lhY

 

[Koing]

Your knees need to move backwards a tad so the bar can move past them and not *around them*. When you have more weight on the bar you won't be able to move the bar around your knees.

Knees need to go backwards a bit and the bar needs to sweep in. Use your lats for this.

Your upperback is rounded. Keep it flatter.

Use the empty bar. Seriously. No point putting on any weight on the bar yet. When you rack the bar you are hunch over backwards a tag = not good. Your back should be upright/ slightly forwards and you catch the bar with slightly bent knees so the knees take the weight and your back is braced tight.

Koing

 

[Blackjack200]

Your knees need to move backwards a tad so the bar can move past them and not *around them*. When you have more weight on the bar you won't be able to move the bar around your knees.

Knees need to go backwards a bit and the bar needs to sweep in. Use your lats for this.

Yeah, my knees are a huge problem. I understand the movement as a deadlift followed by a jump, so I'm trying to mimic my deads on the first pull. This might suggest that my deadlifts are wrong too, which is surprising since the bar is now moderately heavy (325 lbs, ~ 150 kilos)

I'm trying to think what would achieve this. You say 'use your lats for this', should I just start with my feet further behind the bar and see if that helps?

Your upperback is rounded. Keep it flatter.

Wow, that's really frustrating, I was lifting my chest and thought my back was in good position. What's a good cue for this? Should I try squeezing my scapulas together?

Use the empty bar. Seriously. No point putting on any weight on the bar yet. When you rack the bar you are hunch over backwards a tag = not good. Your back should be upright/ slightly forwards and you catch the bar with slightly bent knees so the knees take the weight and your back is braced tight.

Koing

Thanks, I guess it's time to find a used Olympic bar on craigslist so I can practice at home. My gym is only open on weekdays and I don't always have time to practice.

 

[Koing]

Yeah, my knees are a huge problem. I understand the movement as a deadlift followed by a jump, so I'm trying to mimic my deads on the first pull. This might suggest that my deadlifts are wrong too, which is surprising since the bar is now moderately heavy (325 lbs, ~ 150 kilos)

I'm trying to think what would achieve this. You say 'use your lats for this', should I just start with my feet further behind the bar and see if that helps?



Wow, that's really frustrating, I was lifting my chest and thought my back was in good position. What's a good cue for this? Should I try squeezing my scapulas together?



Thanks, I guess it's time to find a used Olympic bar on craigslist so I can practice at home. My gym is only open on weekdays and I don't always have time to practice.

It's not a DL and a jump.

The main difference are that in the OLifts your shoulders want to be over the bar until the bar is at least mid thigh, in the DL it doesn't matter, most will have their shoulders behind the bar as you can lift more weight in a *DL* this way, but this is NOT how to lift more in the OLifts.

Jump? Ignore that. Think of driving off your heels, so as the bar transitions from your knees to make contact on your thighs for the Cn, Hip grease for the Sn you stay on your heels and DRIVE OFF THEM. Think of *getting your head up*. The rest of your body will follow the correct movements they are suppose to.

Your DL form is fine.

You use your lats to sweep the bar in. Do not start your feet further behind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdKnwnOecRw

Practice the first bit, called the first pull. Practice moving the bar from the floor to mid thigh. Do 4reps x 5-6sets. The first pull MUST be correct to get an efficient 2nd pull. A bad first pull will not setup a good 2nd pull.

Think more chest and yes have your shoulders braced backwards. It's simply learning to keep your back straight. Make it super pronouced as when the weight is heavy it will round you even more.

Koing