Please Review my Low-Bar Squat

Hello guys! I’ve recently got both my quadriceps tendons inflamed. I think it happened because my knees travelled too far forward during the high-bar squat; I can’t squat down that way without my knees hurting. Therefore I’ve been trying low-bar lately. I try to keep my shins/calves as vertical as possible, and I found this eliminates the pain.

The problem (?) is I think I am too horizontal, what do you guys think?

Thanks in advance :slight_smile:

Video doesn’t appear to be working budday.

[quote]N.K. wrote:
Video doesn’t appear to be working budday. [/quote]

Hmm, that’s weird. Maybe this link works:

Or this: http:// youtu.be /7-izBbsaawk

Gonna have to see more weight to give you anything useful. This rep looks like a warmup.

[quote]mkral55 wrote:
Gonna have to see more weight to give you anything useful. This rep looks like a warmup.[/quote]

If he could do that with a bunch of 45’s on each side than he looks good. Looked pretty deep to me.

I have an inflammation going in both knees so I’m working my weights up again :slight_smile: I think I can keep this form pretty much the same with weight on, but I’ll upload as soon as I can load the bar heavier. Just wondering about the back, if this would be too horizontal.

New video. This time with 90kg/198lbs on the bar, still lightweight but any flaws should be more visible now.
Personally I think I’m going a bit too deep, and maybe I should try a thumbless grip to take some weight off my wrists.

Thanks in advance :slight_smile:

Box Squat more often instead of always just squatting? Will take a lot of the pressure off your knees, while building your regular squat just as well if not better.

Squat form looks fine. Definitely keep going that deep.

[quote]Rock978 wrote:
Box Squat more often instead of always just squatting? Will take a lot of the pressure off your knees, while building your regular squat just as well if not better.

Squat form looks fine. Definitely keep going that deep. [/quote]

Thanks! I will try box squatting, heard many good things about it. This squat already feels much, much better for my knees than high-bar squatting.

I will, thank you :slight_smile:

[quote]ahnz wrote:

[quote]Rock978 wrote:
Box Squat more often instead of always just squatting? Will take a lot of the pressure off your knees, while building your regular squat just as well if not better.

Squat form looks fine. Definitely keep going that deep. [/quote]

Thanks! I will try box squatting, heard many good things about it. This squat already feels much, much better for my knees than high-bar squatting.

I will, thank you :slight_smile:
[/quote]

A helpful video from the master of the box squat himself. Louie has his guys box squat almost all the time, and very rarely do a regular squat outside of competition. Personally, as a raw lifter and bit more of a novice-intermediate lifter, I like to squat after every 2 or 3 box squat workouts to keep developing my squat technique/forum. But replacing a squat with a box squat on some of your workouts, it should definitely help your knees out and the variation should make you even stronger.

[quote]Rock978 wrote:

[quote]ahnz wrote:

[quote]Rock978 wrote:
Box Squat more often instead of always just squatting? Will take a lot of the pressure off your knees, while building your regular squat just as well if not better.

Squat form looks fine. Definitely keep going that deep. [/quote]

Thanks! I will try box squatting, heard many good things about it. This squat already feels much, much better for my knees than high-bar squatting.

I will, thank you :slight_smile:
[/quote]

A helpful video from the master of the box squat himself. Louie has his guys box squat almost all the time, and very rarely do a regular squat outside of competition. Personally, as a raw lifter and bit more of a novice-intermediate lifter, I like to squat after every 2 or 3 box squat workouts to keep developing my squat technique/forum. But replacing a squat with a box squat on some of your workouts, it should definitely help your knees out and the variation should make you even stronger.

[/quote]

Thanks alot. I’m gonna try this :slight_smile:

Do you always squat that slowly? You don’t have to dive bomb your shit, but a faster eccentric will help a lot. That much time under tension, particularly on the eccentric, always leaves me feeling like shit, regardless of the movement or load.

[quote]black_angus1 wrote:
Do you always squat that slowly? You don’t have to dive bomb your shit, but a faster eccentric will help a lot. That much time under tension, particularly on the eccentric, always leaves me feeling like shit, regardless of the movement or load.[/quote]

I’ve just revamped the squat so I’m new to this movement (sitting back, wide stance). It will get better, just need some time to get in the groove :slight_smile: Thanks for feedback!

You are doing paused squats pal. Which is fine, I mean I love paused squats, but they are an accessory movement, not the real thing. Try really exploding out of the bottom as soon as you hit depth so you can use heavier weight and illicit greater strength gains.