Problem with my squat

[math is hard]

Okay, I realize that I should probably just post this at a powerlifting forum or something like that, but this is basically the only forum I post on. So here's the problem:



My lower back is rounding out. That's the obvious one, although I'm open to other constructive criticism. What should I do? I'm not squatting a ton of weight (175# work sets), but I'm not too proud to drop the weight and work on form.

Oh, before somebody recommends it, today I did workout 1 on mobilitywod. I'll be doing those at least every other day from now on.

[Baphomet3]

I see a couple of things.

One is you're crashing down. Don't lose control of your descent. Put the breaks on and ride into a smooth, deep bottom position while fighting to maintain a tight chest and upright torso.

The rounded back is called a butt wink. It's a soft position that is very common but should be corrected with mobility work. It's probably tightness in the hips, flexors, psoas, or possibly even glutes/pria formis that is pulling your tail bone down. Work with a field hockey ball will do some good. I would also load up like 135# and just sit in that bottom position for :30 seconds with relaxed legs, knees out, and a tight, upright chest and let that true bottom position sink in and loosen up. Do that a lot.

I also see your midline/core breaking down as you come up out of the hole. This will likely resolve itself over time as you squat more, but you should work on midline stability to correct this as well. Core stuff. Loaded carry. Back. Abs. Planks. Rows. Swings. Pulls. Deads. Squats.

Until stability and mobility improve you should readjust your expectations. Power is not holding you back. The speed of the movement shows that. You need to mobilize and stabilize and then you'll be doing sets of 3 with 200+. Maybe a shoe with an elevated heel is in order, too.

Coaching cues when you squat:

Set the chest. Push the hips back. Don't let your midline posture bend.
Put the breaks on. Ride into the bottom. Not a free fall.
Keep the chest tight and upright. Fight for that position.
Explode up out of the hole. This is where you want to see speed in the movement -- on the way UP. If you need to "lead" with your sternum to avoid rounding, do so.

[BJPENNSTATE]

Going down, chest out, head looking straight, shoulder blades back, tuck stomach in, hold it for a second at slightly below parallel

To push back up, people say push off your heels, but I like to push off my calves and hamstrings, basically the back of your legs. Pushing up is the hardest part of squats for me, so I just explode up.

Another tip I learn from John Cena and others, squat barefeet. Also my squat stance is pretty wide because I have long legs.

[math is hard]

Thanks, guys. Baph, what do you mean by field hockey ball work? I have a lacrosse ball. Should I just use it to massage my hams, glutes, psoas?

[boboplata2.0]

Thanks, guys. Baph, what do you mean by field hockey ball work? I have a lacrosse ball. Should I just use it to massage my hams, glutes, psoas?

myofascial release just sounds dirty. i'm going with field hockey ball work.

[warriorsoul]

what baph said

you look a little off balance and your lower body seems slightly out-of-sync with your upper body almost like your legs are pushing back up before your back/shoulders/etc are ready to, so you could be going down to fast or need an extra moment to make sure your legs are still under the weight when you drive back up, the good news is it's a pretty deep/explosive squat and once your form is tweaked, I imagine you'll be in the 200# club in no time

some simple bodyweight exercises that may help; hypers, sit ups, hindu squats

[Baphomet3]

Going down, chest out, head looking straight, shoulder blades back, tuck stomach in, hold it for a second at slightly below parallel

To push back up, people say push off your heels, but I like to push off my calves and hamstrings, basically the back of your legs. Pushing up is the hardest part of squats for me, so I just explode up.

These are good cues.

Another tip I learn from John Cena and others, squat barefeet. Also my squat stance is pretty wide because I have long legs.

I would never squat barefoot with anything heavy and never at all unless I had extremely good mobility, which I do not and MiH certainly does not. All the positional problems we see in the achillies, hips, midline will be exaggerated without shoes. I would even consider getting an elevated heel like Romaleos or Addidas weightlifting or Pendlay shoes.

[Baphomet3]

Thanks, guys. Baph, what do you mean by field hockey ball work? I have a lacrosse ball. Should I just use it to massage my hams, glutes, psoas?

Lacrosse is almost identical. I think field hockey balls are smoother and don't bunch up in your clothes as much. But yes, and you'll see this in MOBility WOD a lot as you get more into it. I use it to break up my glutes mostly where they get mashed and matted down from sitting too much.

[Baphomet3]

http://www.allthingsgym.com/mobility101/

[purekane]

Cool shlt. I thought you'd have a bigger head. By the way, I know it took balls to post that.

So props.