I could use some advice on my squat. It doesn’t seem to be improving much. First of all, this is how it currently looks like (about 90%):
It was a few inches too shallow; should have gone deeper. Any further comments on my form or my setup would be appreciated.
Also, I switched to low bar style just two or three months ago, hoping to increase my max and because all of a sudden the high bar position didn’t feel right anymore.
What would you guys recommend as a training scheme for squats?
Try to break at your hips instead of your knees when low bar squatting. Sitting back into the squat with the low bar position will allow your depth to increase. “Show your crotch” and “opening the groin” are good cues. Instead of loading up on your quads, utilize more of your posterior chain. If you still find that you’re having issues achieving depth try to work on some mobility work in the hips, glutes, and hamstrings. Keep up the hard work man.
I know this might be a rather small point but you should really unrack it the right way, facing into the rack. As far as the actual squat goes, what Chadadam14 said is spot on.
You should also play around with your belt position, it could be preventing you from hitting depth as easily. Have you tried squatting without oly shoes?
As for training schemes and such, I would go on to say that you are way overestimating yourself. This is not your 90%, it would probably be somewhere around 105%. Your depth isn’t “a few inches too shallow”, it was pretty darn high. No judge would even consider giving this a white light. Drop the load to a weight you can hit depth with and linearly progress from there.
If I break with my hips first, won’t it cause my upper body to lean more forward? Personally I have a safer feeling with a more upright torso.
And I’d much rather face the other way; however, the mirrors are behind the rack - for some reason. I just like to see myself when I lift.
I started wearing oly shoes when I noticed that my heels were slightly taking off when squatting, but these ones only have a 1cm drop. With regard to the belt position, this is what seems to feel the most natural. Would you suggest changing it?
Gonna work on my breathing and on my depth, but going deeper somehow feels uncomfortable on my lower back. Any ideas what might be causing this?
My training is a variation of 5/3/1 most of the time, usually combined with joker sets (the video above was a joker set after the 3+ set) or FSL sets, and assistance work. Last year I also tried CT’s Powerlook program but it caused me to get CNS fatigue, so I’m back to 5/3/1.
A weakness in your lower back. Do you have access to a Glute Ham Raise? If not you may want to work in some back extensions, dimel deads, stiff legs etc. there are a number of ways to strengthen it. Also IMO you could have taken that weight to depth and still made the lift. Statt recording yourself more often, including your warmups. Make sure you’re taking every single rep to depth. You will get it. You could try some pause squats as well to get stronger in the hole.
Uhm… Thank you both, but there are actually two variations of BBB. One alternating version where the BBB work is done after the 5/3/1 lifts of the opposing movement (i.e. BBB squats after 5/3/1 deadlifts and vice versa) and one version where the BBB work comes after the 5/3/1 of the same movement (BBB squats after 5/3/1 squats).
That’s why I’m asking whether you’d recommend doing the same lift twice a week or whether you may have had better experiences squatting once per week.
As a beginner to intermediate, I’d say twice a week if not more. Once you get to the point where you can’t add weight every week to the bar or reps, then I’d go to once a week.