Decimation Form Checks: Zerchers, Shrugs, Front Squats, and More

Then you’re going to have to go way deeper than parallel

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I try but I have a wrist injury presently. Thank you for the feedback. I think I have a lighter one I did today too that I could post.

I assume you mean the wrist injury is limiting your ability to do the o-lifts? Or do you mean the wrist makes it difficult to do full-depth on the front squats?

No I mean I can’t try to catch the bar I have a wrist sprain .Going to post the 130kg now when I mute music on insta.

It looks similar to me . I might try use a wider stance.i will work to improve my depth and mobility. I been practicing for a month at squats but I have lifted in the past.

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What did you think of the zerchers? I added a lighter 160kg one today. Do I hit parallel in your opinion?

You squat significantly deeper on zerchers than front squats, which is think you’re lifting too heavy on the front squats.

May I recommend that for the next 6 weeks:

Spend 3 weeks working with a slow eccentric tempo, twice per week. I would do 5 x 3 with a 5010 Tempo on day 1, and 5 x 3 with the same load with a 7010 tempo on day 2

Then

Spend 3 weeks working with a long pause, twice per week. I would do 5 x 3 with a 3s pause on day 1, and 5 x 3 with a 5s pause on day 2.

Use a light but challenging load for that first session. Prioritise ROM and control over load if required.

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Nothing at all wrong with asking for form checks, but tossing up a new thread with a random exercise every couple of days only clutters the forum. Better to keep them in one ongoing thread here.

Check to see if you can sit in a third-world squat. That’d be high on the to-do list.

Then use a rack position, not crossarm-style. Since you currently have a wrist issue, use straps to hold the bar in the rack position without wrist stress.

I think it’s a good call that you started your training log back up. Try to lay out your overall weekly plan there so we can get an idea of exactly what you’re doing, because right now, it seems pretty haphazard.

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Third world squat was my first thought too.

I can’t see the way the bar sits on your “rack” position. This position is hard. And if you don;t have it sorted - the bar can feel like its going to roll forward. Scrap that - the bar can roll forward. I have had more then 1 bar dump after the bar has gotten away from me off the front.

This would be something I’d look at.

Mobility in the hips would make this worse. If you can’t keep your back (upper and lower) erect / upright enough this rack position become harder. This of the rack position like a cup - that touches the bar from the 5-7 position. If you tip that cup too much the bar comes out.

Next is just a strength issue. Some times the issue is not technical it is just “you are not strong enough”. Not in the legs. I think your legs are fine. But in the core/upper back area.

The real issue is no one can really see. The plates hide 90% of what is going on. For now I owuld have a quick rethink.

1 - is going to parallel important to you? I like parallel. It is a bench mark and a constant. I can;t “cheat” and move it. That said I’m aware that I stop 1 or 2 inches north. But the 3rd world squat is your best way to get you there.
2 - get the form spot on. Set a bench or something that you squat down to. And on front squat - keep your elbows up. Man I can not stress this enough. Elbows make your rack position stronger and keeps your back straighter. Goblet squat is also a good way to nail this movement.
3 - start light. If this is a technical issue then you will fix it quick and progress will be quick.

Aside form this - why do you squat the moment you walk out?

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Thank you so much for the very detailed technique. I will make sure to implement these suggestions. Hopefully it is mostly technique. I did get buried by 145kg though.I do agree that I’m probably weak in the front squat position/ core.I will try with straps. The Zercher is more forgiving to poor form.
Did you see the 160kg Zercher in the thread above?. It is a merged thread. I tried to use a powerlifting style squat , wider stance. I did not sit back first though.

I also got buried by 182.5kg. But managed to control the descent to the bottom.I lost my balance and fell over too after bar hit the racks. I can break my fall though so all good.

That was not “too deep”. That’s how deep you want to go on a regular basis, you’re just used to squatting high. You lost all tightness in the last few inches, plus the safety racks were a little high (again, because you’re not used to actually getting that low).

Like Flap said a while back, you’d benefit a ton by dropping like 20-30% off all of your training weights and working with loads you can actually control.

Another note for any future form checks: It’s worth watching your form not just on 1-rep maxes. A 1RM has a tendency to get a little ugly no matter who’s doing the lift. Knowing how you move moderately heavy weight for reps can be just as useful, arguably moreso.

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I am going back to reps next session. Just wanted to test the waters. I was tired here though. Last lift of the day and after the night shift.

Thank you for your help and advice it is much appreciated.

Yeah. You can see the flaws form and become amplified rep to rep.

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I did - sorry I forgot to mention it. Again your hips shoot up and then the weight moves up. Almost like you Zercher Dead lift. As I said, when ever I do Z squats I try and keep my hips and bar moving at the same speed and time. If my hips move 25mm the bar moves 25mm.
I’m gonna mention the fact that in all the video’s your back looks very rounded. Like the weight is pulling you into a hunched position. Which is why I think you have a core / upper back strength issue.

Not so. With the front squat if its going wrong the bar slides off the front. What you mean the Z squat is the easier to complete even with poor form. Which is not a good thing. Any lift done with poor form is potential injury. Given how you are using your lower back to muscle these up - I’d say the Z squat is just as dangerous as any. In fact more so.

I could honestly copy and paste all of @Chris_Colucci 's post. Its everything I want to say:
That depth is the right depth.
Drop the weight, gain control
A 5 rep max video is more helpful. Partly as you can see how the form gets worse every lift.

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If your goal is Olympic lifting, stick with a narrower Squat

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I was feeling those squats yesterday including sore abs. Slight soreness in mid and lower back. Going back to the drawing board.

Nothing wrong with a little bit of low back soreness after training, as long as it isn’t debilitating and it doesn’t get worse week to week.

You trained in a new position. New tissues will be sore. You’ll adapt

Double overhand deadlift PR. I would have like to have held it longer but still pleased.
Eleiko bar. I was speaking to a guy at the gym who filmed who can double overhand 280kg and hook grip 320kg. He told me , it is harder to lift on a spinning bar .

Slow tempo 90kg front squat for 3 with pause.

Sorry about poor camera angles.

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