Full squats

[Howard]

When I do them, I have to push down on the bar with my wrists in order to keep it from falling down my back. Otherwise, I have to lean forward a lot in order to get my back to take most of the weight, which is killer on my lower back. Which is right, or am I doing it totally wrong?

 

[SociallyChallenged]

It sounds like something is going very wrong in your movement. You need to keep your back upright enough to keep the bar over your center of gravity. At no point should the bar feel like it's going to fall off. If you feel like it puts too much torque on your back, you could try low bar rack, which involves resting the weight on the knob created by the rear delts. I use that because it allows me to utilize better form without as much force on my spine.

Perhaps posting a form video would be best so we can see what your form looks like? That might give us a better idea of whether it's purely a form issue, a flexibility issue, or just an anatomical limitation.

 

[BeauJangles]

Originally posted by: Howard
When I do them, I have to push down on the bar with my wrists in order to keep it from falling down my back. Otherwise, I have to lean forward a lot in order to get my back to take most of the weight, which is killer on my lower back. Which is right, or am I doing it totally wrong?

Are you high bar or low bar?

In a low bar back squat you are not going to be 100% upright when standing because your back has to be slightly pitched forward to keep the bar over your toes. It is an awkward movement to get used to and it takes some time to develop the 'trust' that the bar really isn't going to fall and you don't need to keep upward pressure on it. Also, if you are low bar make sure that the bar is in the right place! I've seen people with low bar squats waaaaaay too far down before and it makes everything painful and awkward.

 

[conorvansmack]

A certain amount of forward lean is required to keep the bar over the center of your foot. If you don't have Starting Strength, read this section from the Starting Strength Wiki. The diagrams will give you a good idea of how much forward lean is acceptable.
Keep your butt down and behind you (way behind you) as you squat down.

The videos on the Starting Strength Wiki were helpful to me.

 

[Howard]

Low bar.

Thanks for the help.

 

[StageLeft]

Going all the way down is not necessary if you're having a lot of hassles with it. I, for example, just cannot do regular deadlifts. I have no idea what's wrong with my form or body or whatever, but they don't work, so I do sumo. With squats, I just do down to about 90 degrees; good form is important and quality reps, but don't get caught up in what you think you have to do or else it's all crap, like an all or nothing approach. I find with squats it's much, much harder to keep good form and proper back if I do a full. Maybe my strength sucks, though: )

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Going all the way down is not necessary if you're having a lot of hassles with it. I, for example, just cannot do regular deadlifts. I have no idea what's wrong with my form or body or whatever, but they don't work, so I do sumo. With squats, I just do down to about 90 degrees; good form is important and quality reps, but don't get caught up in what you think you have to do or else it's all crap, like an all or nothing approach. I find with squats it's much, much harder to keep good form and proper back if I do a full. Maybe my strength sucks, though: )

It's not that the form is particularly difficult at the bottom of the motion, it's just in general. Or maybe the lean required for my back to bear the weight of the bar is simply what's necessary and I'm overestimating it.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Going all the way down is not necessary if you're having a lot of hassles with it. I, for example, just cannot do regular deadlifts. I have no idea what's wrong with my form or body or whatever, but they don't work, so I do sumo. With squats, I just do down to about 90 degrees; good form is important and quality reps, but don't get caught up in what you think you have to do or else it's all crap, like an all or nothing approach. I find with squats it's much, much harder to keep good form and proper back if I do a full. Maybe my strength sucks, though: )

It's not that the form is particularly difficult at the bottom of the motion, it's just in general. Or maybe the lean required for my back to bear the weight of the bar is simply what's necessary and I'm overestimating it.

I think this might be the case. If your low bar rack is correct, then you are probably seeing the normal lean as a difficult lean. Do you have any places that you notice are inflexible? Perhaps your hammies and glutes are creating this feeling?

 

[Howard]

No, I'm quite flexible. Not quite so flexible as to do splits, but I was close a few months ago and I'm getting more limber by the week.

Perhaps I simply have a weak lower back.

 

[gramboh]

Are you new to heavy back squats? Both the high and low bar version require a strong torso (isometric strength) to stay tight as there is a lever arm being created from the bend at your waist. Keep squatting and staying tight and you will get a stronger core.

 

[conorvansmack]

You could try replacing back squats with front squats every once in a while. They require keeping a very rigid torso, but your back remains vertical. They have helped me strengthen my core which has helped my squat a ton. I'll never look like an infomercial, but I don't have any problems with my torso collapsing forward under a heavy squat.