Improving squat techniqe

[Jimmyy]

Hey,

I'm doing Starting Strength atm and I'm having trouble with the squat. When I squat below parallel my lower back rounds. I've heard this could be an issue with hamstring or hip flexibility and I was wondering how I could improve that?

The squat is proving to be a bastard to learn properly. At first I had a shoulder flexibility problem, and I could only safely squat with the high bar position and wide grip, but the extra torque on my lower back made the lift harder. Now my shoulder flexibility is improved and I can have the bar in a lower position, but I don't really think the lower back rounding has improved. I don't have a video to show you the form, but I'm almost certain I can feel it.

I do stretch the hamstrings and hip flexor pre-workout but it's still not enough.

 

[carnivalhobo]

Try some box squats, these always seem to tighten up my form and you can control where the bottom of your squat is.

Most people don't need to be squatting past parallel anyways...

 

[islandmagic]

It took many weeks to get my squat A$$ to grass. what help my hipfex is doing bar ball hack squats... it also help me keep my back flat. Old school exercise not many do them.. the best thing for your quad my two cents

 

[SRS2000]

Work on hamstring flexibility and hip mobility daily to help improve your ROM with proper form. Also make sure you are pushing your knees out hard when you SQ. Sometimes the lower back rounding is caused by skeletal limitations because you haven't opened up the hips enough and the upper thigh essentially hits the pelvis and causes a mechanical stop.

 

[elgenyo]

lying scorpion stretches may help if your hip flexors are tight. as embarrassing as it may seem start off with no bar or only a bar until you get the form right. I started off doing prison squats parallel to the mirror to make sure i was squatting correct before moving on to the bar.

Believe me when I say it is no more embarrassing to be a grown man squatting only a bar than it is the fool squatting heavy weight and using 1/4 ROM. I'd rather see perfect form and low weight any day.

 

[Turk1976]

I can't post links yet but go to Elite FTS's website under the articles section and look at Jason Pegg. He has to articles about squatting that show up. One is on progessions and the other is about fixing common mistakes.

Good luck,

 

[Turk1976]

Believe me when I say it is no more embarrassing to be a grown man squatting only a bar than it is the fool squatting heavy weight and using 1/4 ROM. I'd rather see perfect form and low weight any day.

x 2

 

[DerickVonD]

I had very tight hips, then I started doing reverse lunges with just my body weight and my hip mobility improved pretty fast. I put a pillow on the floor when I did them, so if I lost balance and my knee hit the floor, the pillow would take a lot of the impact. I can only do front squats right now because of imbalanced shoulders, but those reverse lunges helped me gain flexibility in only afew weeks.

 

[Jake Fires]

focus on your hips as the key movement of your squat. and always squat with your toes always past your knees. drive up with your hips as well. keep the weight a little bit lower until you get proper form.

 

[trickyazn]

I'm having the same issue as the OP. I believe it comes down to flexibility. Box squats do help me also.

 

[CRcatcher06]

Slightly turning your feet outward will allow you more ROM in your hips, and like SRS2000 said directing your knees outward will also help with your ROM. Keep working on your form and things will work out. Good Luck

 

[carnivalhobo]

To the person who neg'ed me for recommending box squats...

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/squatting_from_head_to_toe



I'll trust Dave Tate and Louie Simmons on this one.