Squat Form Check - Too Much Forward Drift?

I posted in the Bigger, Stronger, Leaner, but can’t get a response. Any help on a form critique is much appreciated. I’m concerned about my forward drift, and lack of vertical bar path. Is it too extreme? Do you see anything else of concern?

I’ve been battling some knee pain, but foam rolling and stretching seems to be helping.

Thanks in advance.

Looks pretty good to me, similar to how I feel I squat.

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Looks fine. I think it’s just your body moving into the best position to move the weight. I squat a little like that I think.

I don’t see any problems with your squat form. Looks pretty damn solid to me. That forward drift could cause problems if your hips shot up when you start squatting back up but since that doesn’t happen, it’s all good.

Thanks guys. I’ll stay the course.

Upper back isn’t tight. Look at your neck and see how far forward it is. That’s why you feel like you’re leaning forward because your upper back isn’t tight. Watch the descent and you’ll see your upper back lean over and the bar move with it.

Watch the bar path in relation to the middle of your foot. Watch it come over the front of your foot as you descend. It actually comes forward over your knee. It looks as though you’re trying to go below parallel with the bar when your hips are plenty deep. Let your hips and glutes to the work and keep the upper back tight. Lock it in.

Keep your head/neck driven back into the bar and squeeze the bar tight. Control the weight and own it. Don’t allow it to move around on you. Your whole body needs to get tighter.

Sit back and down. Don’t lean thinking you’re getting lower.

That isn’t bad advice.

I agree with this. I also think you should try flexing your butt once you are set after you walkout right before you drop down. This will help align your hip under the bar rather than having it starting pushed back like you are.

But if you choose to do that, i feel like it is better to initiate the descent by pushing your knees out rather than sitting " back & Down" so that you can maintain a more erect truck position.

That is just what has helped me, feel free to take it or leave it. Hope it helps

This too. Pretty much describes how I squat.

Wow. Figured I would test out these cues since when I start moving heavy weight I get some bad hip wobble happening on the walk out and immediately before descent. Flexed the butt, it sure did solidify my hips and almost tipped me over backwards since I was so used to having my ass sticking out.

Pushed the knees out and the movement felt wayyyy more natural than me trying to picture sitting back and down. Thanks for the tips gents, always looking for ways to improve!

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Thank you OSU & Alpha.

Today I had paused squats, and I cued up tightness (especially upper back) and flexing my glutes. What I immediately noticed was my posture improved. I might have over done the head back upper back tightness lol.

So is this any better? Bar is still a bit ahead of center of foot. Which is pissing me off. I feel like I can’t refrain from getting forward.

Thanks again for the advice, I will not let any of it fall on deaf ears.

I had a 3x6 of 225 paused squats after deadlifts today.

I think that is a big improvement brother! Set looked great!

Getting better.

Watching the first rep as you start to descend the bar starts coming forward immediately like you’re trying to get into that 45 deg angle early. I would recommend trying to break at the knee rather than the hip to see if this fixes your problem of the bar coming forward over your toes. For whatever reason initiating the lift with the hips and then the knees is throwing things out of whack.

Try just breaking at the knee and sit down keeping your upper back locked in tight and neck back against the bar. Your neck is not driven back into the bar, its still leaning forward. You may also want to look up and see if that helps keep your neck driven back into the bar and keep your back locked tight so the bar doesn’t move forward.

Yeah that forward drift is my main concern right now, hence thread title.

You may be onto it with breaking at knees first. I used to break at knees first, but moved to hip first, now simultaneous knees and hips, BC my knees tend to flare up. I will try to start breaking at knees first and try to keep my torso erect and whole body tight. This may be the answer, BC the more I look, and feel, I get forward with the upper body lean.

I’ll give this a try and post another vid probably Monday. Hopefully will be the last one.

Thanks again.

This thread has been super helpful btw, thanks for starting it/thanks to the responders.

:grinning:

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More good advice. That helped me heaps.

Here’s the next video in this saga. I’ll be honest, I feel like I’m doing the same thing over and over again. I feel like, due to my super long femurs (take a look) my body requires this lean/forwardness to keep balance. Is this an incorrect statement? At least for low bar purposes.

Knees first cue did not feel good. Anywhere.

I really like the upper back tightness cue and shoving my head/neck back. Helps pack everything in. Plus the glute squeeze.

This was a maximal type set, probably RPE 9. 330x3

I guess what I’m looking for here is whether or not it’s acceptable for long term squatting. I’m working hard on daily mobility right now and am hoping it will help some as well.

Thanks again for taking the time.

First rep was almost perfect. The upper back loosened up on the next two. You’re just not staying tight enough. It’s not your femurs, etc. Strengthen your abs and low back. You MUST hold that position as you descend. Lock it in and squeeze everything as tight as you can before you descend on each rep.

First rep that position held pretty good until you got low enough. The next two you started leaning right away. Might have just been a bit heavy for you for that many reps.

I would suggest making sure you own the weight every rep. Focus on singles for a while to get used to focusing on proper set up and technique. Even if they’re somewhat light. For you I’d say work on singles in the 245-315 range and focus on execution and being explosive.

Thanks OSU. I will continue to work on those items.

I agree. Think of every squat like a bullet shot out of a bolt action rifle. Once the first one is gone, you need to re-chamber a new round (Resetting you back, hips, breathing & Bracing) before you can fire off another. Failing to start back at a zero point is a very important thing to break.

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