Comment on My Form (Vids)

I finally got around to getting a movie clip of some exercises of mine. Quality may not be the best, but hopefully my form is clear. Please, any and all comments. I’ve watched countless videos and read countless articles on the squat. I think I get at least to parallel (I want to be ATG). Also, I can’t help but think my knees are moving forward too much.

another view…

one more squat video…

I’m also looking for comments on my form for deadlifts and bent rows, so I’ll attach those videos as well in this thread.

finally, here’s the bent row…

All looked fine to me. You’re knees are coming in a little on the squats though. Try to keep 'em on track with the path of your toes. I’d try to get a little more flexibility so that you can keep your toes a little more straight. But good form none the less

I don’t normally bend over that much on BO rows, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong to. Nice work imo.

To really judge your techniques, I would recommend taping yourself on the heaviest or hardest sets of your workout. This is when most people’s technique suffers badly. So, your form on your heaviest sets would show people if you are doing things right.

you’re unracking the weight backwards. It may not seem like it would matter, but when the weights get heavier it could become dangerous as you arent able to arch hard while unracking. you should face the bar, get under it, take a deep breath into your belly while arching hard and then unrack the weight. better to develop good habits early.

Your right about your knees coming forward. it looks like your initiating the movement by bending your knees. try initiating it by pushing your hips backwards (like a stripper showing off her ass) and about halfway down start to bend your knees while pushing them out to the sides. Its not a big deal if they go a little forward, but the more you minimize it the stronger you’ll be.

mobility looks good, i didn’t notice any rounder in the lower back and you went past parallel.

[quote]AssClown wrote:
All looked fine to me. You’re knees are coming in a little on the squats though. Try to keep 'em on track with the path of your toes. I’d try to get a little more flexibility so that you can keep your toes a little more straight. But good form none the less[/quote]

I agree, with heavier weights, I find weaknesses especially with my hip flexibility. I’ll search around and see what I can do to improve. Thanks!

[quote]ukrainian wrote:
To really judge your techniques, I would recommend taping yourself on the heaviest or hardest sets of your workout. This is when most people’s technique suffers badly. So, your form on your heaviest sets would show people if you are doing things right. [/quote]

I hear ya. I know that especially with the Bent Rows, at heavier weights I probably start messing up my form. The same probably goes with my squat.

[quote]evansmi wrote:
you’re unracking the weight backwards. It may not seem like it would matter, but when the weights get heavier it could become dangerous as you arent able to arch hard while unracking. you should face the bar, get under it, take a deep breath into your belly while arching hard and then unrack the weight. better to develop good habits early.[/quote]

Wow, thank you for this pointer!! I would’ve never known otherwise, I’ll start switching that up right away.

[quote]evansmi wrote:
Your right about your knees coming forward. it looks like your initiating the movement by bending your knees. try initiating it by pushing your hips backwards (like a stripper showing off her ass) and about halfway down start to bend your knees while pushing them out to the sides. Its not a big deal if they go a little forward, but the more you minimize it the stronger you’ll be. [/quote]

Haha, so I gotta put my ass into it!! Thanks for the advice, I’m going to try that out with lighter weights so it becomes a natural movement.

on the squats… it looks like you got long legs and you use them well. nice form. knees are fine.
deadlifts look good and the only thing ill say about the bent over rows is look at the ground. but i always find myself with my head tilted up sometimes. i dont think its a big deal.

keep liftin!

It might have been the camera angle, but on the second squat vid it looked like you were leaning slightly to your left.

Thanks everyone, T-Nation is the best!! I’m starting up Rippetoe again tonight. I did about 8 weeks of it before, but it took me half that time just to correct my form. Now I’ll just concentrate on lifting heavy and making progress.

Thanks again to all who responded!!

Sorry for taking so long to respond. To reiterate what most everyone else has stated: new power looks nice; squat looks good, but unrack from the front, not back; deadlift looks good; bent over row looks good - do not look down however (unless you want to fall on your face), I look about 15 ft in front of me, pick a spot where your neck does not strain, but definitely do not look up like a squat

[quote]TheDudeAbides wrote:
Sorry for taking so long to respond. To reiterate what most everyone else has stated: new power looks nice; squat looks good, but unrack from the front, not back; deadlift looks good; bent over row looks good - do not look down however (unless you want to fall on your face), I look about 15 ft in front of me, pick a spot where your neck does not strain, but definitely do not look up like a squat[/quote]

Dude, as always, thanks for your input!

[quote]evansmi wrote:
Your right about your knees coming forward. it looks like your initiating the movement by bending your knees. try initiating it by pushing your hips backwards (like a stripper showing off her ass) and about halfway down start to bend your knees while pushing them out to the sides. Its not a big deal if they go a little forward, but the more you minimize it the stronger you’ll be.
[/quote]

Did you read this in a Dave Tate article? Do you have any experience to support this? :wink:

Op, I agree with evansmi. It did look like you broke first with your hips in the first video, but immediately after you move your hips you start to come down almost solely by bending your knees.

One thing that hasn’t been pointed out on your DL:
Your form looks fine with the light weight, but you are starting with the bar too far out in front of you. When the weights get heavier, you are likely to come forward, possibly even on your toes. I’d suggest to simply start with the bar closer to your shins.

[quote]tedro wrote:
evansmi wrote:
Your right about your knees coming forward. it looks like your initiating the movement by bending your knees. try initiating it by pushing your hips backwards (like a stripper showing off her ass) and about halfway down start to bend your knees while pushing them out to the sides. Its not a big deal if they go a little forward, but the more you minimize it the stronger you’ll be.

Did you read this in a Dave Tate article? Do you have any experience to support this? :wink:

Op, I agree with evansmi. It did look like you broke first with your hips in the first video, but immediately after you move your hips you start to come down almost solely by bending your knees.

One thing that hasn’t been pointed out on your DL:
Your form looks fine with the light weight, but you are starting with the bar too far out in front of you. When the weights get heavier, you are likely to come forward, possibly even on your toes. I’d suggest to simply start with the bar closer to your shins.

[/quote]
yeah, in fact i’ve never actually lifted weights. i just like to read articles and tell people what they said. its a hobby.