Can't seem to back squat right.

DerickVonD

DerickVonD

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I tried high bar and low bar, close grip, wide grip but the bar still slips. I have wrist tendinitis from having my wrists under the bar with a close grip. I widened my grip and it was easy to move my elbows up. Today I tried high bar squats and the same thing happened the bar always seems to slip. I was even thinking of just switching to just doing front squats for awhile. Anyone know what I'm doing wrong? I even thought of wearing wrist wraps but idk if that'll help anything.
 
GeekPoop

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post a video plz, thatll be the best way to see where youre having troubles
 
DerickVonD

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post a video plz, thatll be the best way to see where youre having troubles
Okay I'll have to wait a little bit to post up the a video but I'll have one up later today.
 
DerickVonD

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Get your upper back tighter
Don't shrug the bar out of the rack if you are
Try a false grip
If all that fails buy a bow bar (http://www.westside-barbell.com/specialty-bars/) if you lift at home or a Manta Ray (http://www.westside-barbell.com/accessories/) if you go to a gym.
I do use a false grip. The tight upper back thing might be an issue. I might get the manta ray since it's cheaper than the bow bar. Also I tend not to look straight I noticed. I tend to either look up or down or almost straight, it's hard for me to find dead straight when I squat if that makes sense. btw do you think once I get squating done right my wrist will heal soon? I hope just by taking a week off my wrists feel much better after hurting for months. I was half temped to ask my doctor for a steroid shot in my wrists.
 
wearedbleedblue

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Pull your elbows more under the bar. Actively pull against the bar into your traps. Also, open the blinds, geez its dark in there. Since your elbows are so far back from the bar, your wrists are bent. Bring your elbows more forward so your wrists are straighter. If you can't, start working on your shoulder mobility.
 
DerickVonD

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Pull your elbows more under the bar. Actively pull against the bar into your traps. Also, open the blinds, geez its dark in there. Since your elbows are so far back from the bar, your wrists are bent. Bring your elbows more forward so your wrists are straighter. If you can't, start working on your shoulder mobility.
Okay thanks bud. It's dark because it's night time and I have my lamp on but the room was bright the camera jsut sucks. If I need to work on mobility should I just do front squats while I work on my mobility, also how was the bar position? My neck has be hurting a lot when I do back squats am I looking wrong?
 
GeekPoop

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ok heres what I do when i squat
1. grab bar tight w/ pinkys on rings
2.i have my back as tight / flexed as i can possible get it
3. when im taking it off the hooks, i wait about 2 seconds before walking back to stop any momentum
4. and for myself I like a lower bar position like real low
 
MongoSS

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first get the bar on the traps even with the rear delts, get your grip and tighten your traps, push your head back and arch your low back, then descend into the squat. Also you may try chalking your back and or using a different bar, opt for one with knurling in the center.
 
pmiller383

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Ok here is what I noticed in your squat:
1. Buy a lamp (j/k)
2. Grip the bar lower in your hands, It should be in the real beefy part of your lower bands. Try this, next time you grab the bar try and twist your hands towards your pinkys like your ripping the bar in half. If you have it in the right spot the insides of your hands should not be able to move because the bar is already jammed up where the thumbs meet your hand.
3. Get under the bar more when taking it out.
4. Set your back much tighter and hold it there.
5. Use your hips to get the bar out, not your back.
6. Definitely wrap your wrists YouTube - Team Super Training: Wrist Rap with JackAss , this video will show you the right way.
 
wearedbleedblue

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I like what pmiller said about the hands but think of it more as striving to hit the thumbs up position behind your head like you're pointing your thumbs back but keep it on the bar. Taking the issue away from your wrists is your first focus. Take another video when you get the chance, in better light, and I'm sure it will be easier to critique your form. Also, what are your goals? General fitness/health should strive for a higher back position while bodybuilding and powerlifting would use a lower bar position on the back.
 
DerickVonD

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I like what pmiller said about the hands but think of it more as striving to hit the thumbs up position behind your head like you're pointing your thumbs back but keep it on the bar. Taking the issue away from your wrists is your first focus. Take another video when you get the chance, in better light, and I'm sure it will be easier to critique your form. Also, what are your goals? General fitness/health should strive for a higher back position while bodybuilding and powerlifting would use a lower bar position on the back.
I posted another video above this post. My goals are to be very strong and have defined muscles, well except for maybe abs because they're a lot of work but I still want them very strong and I want very strong legs.
 
wearedbleedblue

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You look like you have super tight hips/hip flexors. You're not hitting more than half depth. You're still not bringing your elbows forward. I want you to try to make it so that your elbows are directly under the bar so that your wrists aren't bent. You need to be actively PULLING the bar into your upper traps.
 
Tomahawk88

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A lot of good advice here def glad I read it. Thanks guys and good luck DVD.
 
DerickVonD

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Okay I tired everything and still I have issues. I guess I'm just not very flexible. With a close grip my hands start to go under the bar, with a slightly wider grip I can kind of make my wrists and arms align but it hurts and feels uncomfortable and with an even wider grip the bar slips. Plus I still can't seem to unrack the bar properly and I feel a lot of stress on my upper back. Idk what I'm doing wrong. How much would a manta ray help, because after reading about it it seems it could be a golden solution to my problem. Also, if I squat right wont I be able to squat more than what I bench but alittle less than my deadlift?
 
wearedbleedblue

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Okay I tired everything and still I have issues. I guess I'm just not very flexible. With a close grip my hands start to go under the bar, with a slightly wider grip I can kind of make my wrists and arms align but it hurts and feels uncomfortable and with an even wider grip the bar slips. Plus I still can't seem to unrack the bar properly and I feel a lot of stress on my upper back. Idk what I'm doing wrong. How much would a manta ray help, because after reading about it it seems it could be a golden solution to my problem. Also, if I squat right wont I be able to squat more than what I bench but alittle less than my deadlift?
Squats aren't supposed to feel comfortable on your upper back. Don't use any "aides" just do it. Get under the bar, squeeze your shoulder blades together, pull your elbows forward and squat. I'd suggest working with goblet squats until you get the squat pattern down. It seems like you need a lot of remedial mobility work and stretching to get where you need to be. Check out the mobilitywod.blogspot.com and start from the beginning. You can do 2-3 a day. You're going to need more mobility and correct movement patterns to get your squat where you want it to be, there is no way around it without injuries.
 
DerickVonD

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Squats aren't supposed to feel comfortable on your upper back. Don't use any "aides" just do it. Get under the bar, squeeze your shoulder blades together, pull your elbows forward and squat. I'd suggest working with goblet squats until you get the squat pattern down. It seems like you need a lot of remedial mobility work and stretching to get where you need to be. Check out the mobilitywod.blogspot.com and start from the beginning. You can do 2-3 a day. You're going to need more mobility and correct movement patterns to get your squat where you want it to be, there is no way around it without injuries.
What should I do until I can do squats, just goblet squats? Also when I start doing squats again should I just start with an empty bar and if I do won't that throw me off balance since I'll be benching more than I squat? Plus how long do you think this will take? I think I hurt my upper back also.
 
wearedbleedblue

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It will take as long as it takes. You're only 22, are you preparing for a competition? Lifting for life needs to be a lifelong thing. If it takes only 1 year out of your 30+ year long career of weightlifting then who cares?

Just do goblet squats until you've gotten better mobility. Follow that website I gave and you should start to see big changes within the next 2-4 weeks. You should be back to regular back squatting within 6 months but I'd suggest you get good at front squats first. If your wrist flexibility is lacking, then work on that too. I don't understand why so many people try to keep adding weight on top of compromised form. It just leads to an eventual injury, sooner or later.
 
DerickVonD

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It will take as long as it takes. You're only 22, are you preparing for a competition? Lifting for life needs to be a lifelong thing. If it takes only 1 year out of your 30+ year long career of weightlifting then who cares?

Just do goblet squats until you've gotten better mobility. Follow that website I gave and you should start to see big changes within the next 2-4 weeks. You should be back to regular back squatting within 6 months but I'd suggest you get good at front squats first. If your wrist flexibility is lacking, then work on that too. I don't understand why so many people try to keep adding weight on top of compromised form. It just leads to an eventual injury, sooner or later.
I was doing front squats but today the bar was slipping. Front squats are easier for me but I wonder if I have the bar in the right position. I'll post a video in a day or two of me front squating.
 
EasyEJL

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What should I do until I can do squats, just goblet squats? Also when I start doing squats again should I just start with an empty bar and if I do won't that throw me off balance since I'll be benching more than I squat? Plus how long do you think this will take? I think I hurt my upper back also.
Size and strength though related aren't 1 to 1. Who cares whether you bench more than you squat? You aren't being graded on this like in school, the mirror should be your only grade.

And in going to watch the video but I can't even understand how your wrists could hurt as they should be stabilizing the bar not holding it up. The manta is a nice little piece of equipment, but if you have a problem carrying the weight on your traps I don't think it will help much.
 

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Hows the squat issue going.. I noticed that your wrists are bent. False grip, close grip with tight back and most imporant for your specific problem. Wrists straight. ideally your forearm should be vertical under the bar. But thats just a small tweak your main problem is that your bending your wrists.

Dosent really matter if you place the bar high or low. A high bar will be more of an olmypic squat. Meaning that it will be something in between a regular squat and a front squat. What this does, Is making your back angle more vertical. Reducing the tension on your hamstrings and makes you lift less.

A lower bar however will give you a better leverage point. You will be able to sit back more into the lift. Which will give you tight and flexed hamstrings in the bottom which will work as a spring when you start lifting up from the bottom. Anyway, none of this is relevant to your problem. As I said earlier, false grip and STRAIGHT wrists :)
 
DerickVonD

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Hows the squat issue going.. I noticed that your wrists are bent. False grip, close grip with tight back and most imporant for your specific problem. Wrists straight. ideally your forearm should be vertical under the bar. But thats just a small tweak your main problem is that your bending your wrists.

Dosent really matter if you place the bar high or low. A high bar will be more of an olmypic squat. Meaning that it will be something in between a regular squat and a front squat. What this does, Is making your back angle more vertical. Reducing the tension on your hamstrings and makes you lift less.

A lower bar however will give you a better leverage point. You will be able to sit back more into the lift. Which will give you tight and flexed hamstrings in the bottom which will work as a spring when you start lifting up from the bottom. Anyway, none of this is relevant to your problem. As I said earlier, false grip and STRAIGHT wrists :)
I can't seem to straighten my wrist, I know it's a flexibility issue, I'm having problems keeping a tight upper back.. Also I have really tight hamstrings so I was wondering if I should give stiff leg deadlifts a break for a bit. I was able to squat perfectly at one point in my life, so I must jsut have stiff muscles. I'm going to be doing alot of stretching.
 

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Giving up the stiff legged deads wouldn't be as effective for increasing your flexability as adding some stretching, and since it is a very good compound lift I wouldn't want to avoid it. Also, perhaps posting a video of you squating with a bit of weight on the bar would help as form can change quite a bit when the load gets heavier. As long as you could do so without hurting yourself that is.
Some good advice that helped me was to pretend as if your standing on two paper towels and as you press through your heels and into the floor try to tear them apart. For some reason this works.

Alternative exercise suggestions: One legged squats, goblet squats, lunges, dumbell deadlifts (which allow you to sit back in more of a squat than a deadlift), step ups.
 
DerickVonD

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I still ahve pain in my right knee ever now and then ever since I hit my knee about a year ago. It'll be awhile until I can get an x-ray if I need one because my doctor didn't want to give me one and I'm getting a new doctor. I don't think I need one though. I'll have slight pain in my left knee too but not as much as my right one. My legs, especially around the knee area will feel tight a lot, so I know I need to do stretches. The pain is never severe, it's more of an ache.
 

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Surprised no one has suggested chalking your back to help with slipping. Buy chalk, stretch 2x daily, use wrist wraps (helps me a ton), and follow all of the other tips posted.
 
wearedbleedblue

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Surprised no one has suggested chalking your back to help with slipping. Buy chalk, stretch 2x daily, use wrist wraps (helps me a ton), and follow all of the other tips posted.
The only problem with all that is that he's not squatting a high weight. I'd say over 400 and you start worrying about wrist wraps (maybe even 500+) and chalking your back. Right now he needs to learn to pull the bar into his back and deal with the discomfort of having weight on his shoulders.
 
DerickVonD

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I'm jsut glad you guys are here for me. If it wasn't for this site I would have probably really messed myself up.
 
DerickVonD

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I can't do calf either now either since I can't grip the bar right. I don't think I can do leg extensions now either since the leg attachment on the bench I have is meant for someone who is about 5' 9" and I'm close to 6'. That just leaves goblet squats and stiff leg deadlifts. Can I add anything else in?
 
wearedbleedblue

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Just work the goblet squats or front squats. Have you actually tried doing them?
 
EasyEJL

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do bodyweight single leg squats. Pistol squats they call them.

 
wearedbleedblue

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do bodyweight single leg squats. Pistol squats they call them.

This won't help him squat correctly though. I think he needs to improve his movement patterns before he back squats anymore. Pistols are terrible for teaching a squatting movement pattern, especially for someone with tight hip flexors.
 
EasyEJL

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Oh, I was more thinking it so he can still get in some decent quad exercise while he works on squatting with a bar with light weight to get his form right.
 
wearedbleedblue

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The 3-6 months he takes off from back squatting and only doing front or goblet squatting should be sufficient to keep if not increase his leg mass.
 
wearedbleedblue

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I'll make a video tonight of the posture you need to have in the bottom of the front squat/goblet squat. The bar should have a vertical path, you're dropping forward in the bottom now.
 
wearedbleedblue

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Oh, and pinching your elbows together the entire time can help compensate for poor wrist flexibility.
 
DerickVonD

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Oh, and pinching your elbows together the entire time can help compensate for poor wrist flexibility.
well right noe my wrist are slightly injured from putting all that pressure on them back squatting wrong so they need to heal.
 
wearedbleedblue

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Unless you did something traumatic to injury them, they're just week and tight, not injured.
 
DerickVonD

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idk if I can goblet squat. I don't have hex dumbbells, I have adjustable dumbbell handles. Wouldn't be easy to grip for a goblet squat not when I put weight on it. What about dumb bell squats?
 
wearedbleedblue

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I'm confident you can find a way to make it work for a goblet squat.
 
wearedbleedblue

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You mean holding them at your sides or up at your shoulders?
 
wearedbleedblue

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Not the same and it doesn't reinforce the sternum up posture that you need in your squatting. You already let your chest drop and "fall" forward while squatting. I say dumbbell squats with them at the side is a bad idea.
 
DerickVonD

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Not the same and it doesn't reinforce the sternum up posture that you need in your squatting. You already let your chest drop and "fall" forward while squatting. I say dumbbell squats with them at the side is a bad idea.
What about on the shoulders then? The way the dumbbell handles are will make it very hard to grip the dumbbell. I'd have to grip the plate on it and once the plates are stacked it'll be even harder. I have been doing stretches to help with flexibility, these stretches
http://stronglifts.com/7-dynamic-stretches-to-improve-your-hip-mobility/

I am getting a trap bar soon. I was thinking of doing trap squats/deadlifts until I get more flexibility. I've been doing all those stretches except for the "Crossover Reverse Lunge" because I find that one very hard to do.
 

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