Back position for a good Squat

**fig** · 03-01-2011, 03:54 PM

To sum things up, I want a perfect squat. Now I notice when I squat, I tend to arch a little (probably a little too much) and do a little too much of a Good Morning on the way up. My question is, should I be arching at all?

Look at this guy...everyone that comments is basically shitting their pants over his form. I don't really see him arching at all and I also notice his upper body stays upright, rather than my Good Morning style:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYojAPYILEo

Should I arch or not?

**goodlifting** · 03-01-2011, 06:14 PM

keep your back as neutral as possible. sometimes having a slight hyperextension in your back helps with this. i find myself drilling a lot of my athletes for using their backs too much during squats. your torso should be nothing more than a solid support beam for the bar to sit on. i would pay special attention to that dudes hips in that video.

**fig** · 03-01-2011, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by goodlifting

keep your back as neutral as possible. sometimes having a slight hyperextension in your back helps with this. i find myself drilling a lot of my athletes for using their backs too much during squats. your torso should be nothing more than a solid support beam for the bar to sit on. i would pay special attention to that dudes hips in that video.

Very helpful. Many thanks! Anyone else?

**BgMc31** · 03-01-2011, 06:53 PM

Minus the bitch pad, that dudes squat form is pretty much perfect. Like stated before keep you back as straight as possible.

**nav13** · 03-01-2011, 07:00 PM

yeah that form in the video is pretty amazing. I have an issue while squattin leaning foward a bit when I go down as well. I just cant seem to keep my back perfectly straight. Good form is hard to come by.

**BgMc31** · 03-01-2011, 07:05 PM

Hey Nav, try a lower bar placement. I had a similar problem and come to find out my bar placement was way too high.

**fig** · 03-01-2011, 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by BgMc31

Minus the bitch pad, that dudes squat form is pretty much perfect. Like stated before keep you back as straight as possible.

Yea wtf is up with this guy using the tampon...even at a mere 365? Oh well, straight back it is. Next week, I'm lowering the weight and focusing 100% on this. Once I get that down, I'll move to the next area I think needs improvement.

**fig** · 03-01-2011, 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by nav13

yeah that form in the video is pretty amazing. I have an issue while squattin leaning foward a bit when I go down as well. I just cant seem to keep my back perfectly straight. Good form is hard to come by.

Yea, I have seen some guys do some SERIOUS leaning. Like almost touching chest to quads. Keep trying to fix but at the very least, I'm sure you're not like some of these asshats I see at the gym.

Originally Posted by BgMc31

Hey Nav, try a lower bar placement. I had a similar problem and come to find out my bar placement was way too high.

I have heard that very recently. It was for some other benefit but same solution.

**BgMc31** · 03-01-2011, 08:11 PM

Originally Posted by fig

Yea, I have seen some guys do some SERIOUS leaning. Like almost touching chest to quads. Keep trying to fix but at the very least, I'm sure you're not like some of these asshats I see at the gym.

I have heard that very recently. It was for some other benefit but same solution.

Actually I'm am one of those asshats with tremendous body lean, but I'm also an 800lb squatter, so a little forward lean is allowed, lol!!! Got to youtube and look up Dan Harrison or better yet check out the powerlifting section of this forum and watch him squat. He's a very good friend of mine. As you will see he has a lot of body lean, but when you're squatting that much weight (he's doing 860 in the vid), you have to incorporate more hips and back into the movement. But that's a powerlifting squat not a bber squat.

**nav13** · 03-01-2011, 08:25 PM

Yeah I'll have to give that a try on thurs when I do legs. I'll let you know how it goes.

**fig** · 03-01-2011, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by BgMc31

Actually I'm am one of those asshats with tremendous body lean, but I'm also an 800lb squatter, so a little forward lean is allowed, lol!!! Got to youtube and look up Dan Harrison or better yet check out the powerlifting section of this forum and watch him squat. He's a very good friend of mine. As you will see he has a lot of body lean, but when you're squatting that much weight (he's doing 860 in the vid), you have to incorporate more hips and back into the movement. But that's a powerlifting squat not a bber squat.

Ohh ok. Much respect. By asshats, I mean people that put up 135lbs. with horrific form and growl like they're a monster. I just got done watching a bunch of 765lb.+ deadlifts on youtube. Lots of debates on form. Looks like the people who know the least are also the most critical but the seemingly knowledgeable people agree w you and permit some form breaks for extremely heavy lifts. There was also much debate over the BB, powerlifting and strong man realms of weight lifting and the form that accompanies them; funny you brought that up as well. I'm gonna go take a look at your buddy now.

**MACHINE5150** · 03-01-2011, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by fig

Yea wtf is up with this guy using the tampon...even at a mere 365? Oh well, straight back it is. Next week, I'm lowering the weight and focusing 100% on this. Once I get that down, I'll move to the next area I think needs improvement.

Tampon? you mean the neck pad? i use one warming up with 225.. because my neck/spine sticks out right where the bar sits and if i don't it is extremely painful.. the knee pads are a bit unnecessary though.

as for the form, as said above his is good.. you need to get your form down to something similar to his cause if you end up arching your back or doing good morning you will end hurting your back later down the line when you are working with heavy weight.

**fig** · 03-01-2011, 08:39 PM

Originally Posted by nav13

Yeah I'll have to give that a try on thurs when I do legs. I'll let you know how it goes.

Cool let me know. Today was legs for me so I'm chime back in a week from now.

**fig** · 03-01-2011, 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by MACHINE5150

Tampon? you mean the neck pad? i use one warming up with 225.. because my neck/spine sticks out right where the bar sits and if i don't it is extremely painful.. the knee pads are a bit unnecessary though.

as for the form, as said above his is good.. you need to get your form down to something similar to his cause if you end up arching your back or doing good morning you will end hurting your back later down the line when you are working with heavy weight.

Yes I meant the neck pad. If you have some issues with your neck, I'm sure anyone would excuse you from the rule, but the pad's nicknames (Vag pad, P-pad, tampon, etc) reflect people's general opinion on it. Putting someone's neck problems aside (or any other abnormalities), anyone squatting that much weight should be tough enough to not need a pad, at least IMHO.

I have definitely noticed a strong correlation between increasing my squatting weight and my lower back pain increasing. I always kinda knew why, but was too lazy to fix it and wasn't 100% sure on how to do it. But I certainly agree, while my lifts are relatively low in weight, I want my Deadlift and Squat form to be as close to perfect form as possible so I don't have to worry about injuries down the road.

**fig** · 03-01-2011, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by fig

Ohh ok. Much respect. I just got done watching a bunch of 765lb.+ deadlifts on youtube. Lots of debates on form. Looks like the people who know the least are also the most critical but the seemingly knowledgeable people agree w you and permit some form breaks for extremely heavy lifts. There was also much debate over the BB, powerlifting and strong man realms of weight lifting and the form that accompanies them; funny you brought that up as well. I'm gonna go take a look at your buddy now.

DAMN, that's a lot of weight!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW6bNTEQ_qM

**MACHINE5150** · 03-01-2011, 08:55 PM

i used to have this issue too.. the way i fixed it was i stared at a point like where the ceiling hit the mirror.. or whatever... and as long as you focused on that point you will keep your back relatively straight

**fig** · 03-01-2011, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by MACHINE5150

i used to have this issue too.. the way i fixed it was i stared at a point like where the ceiling hit the mirror.. or whatever... and as long as you focused on that point you will keep your back relatively straight

Buddy of mine used to do something like that. He didn't have a spot in particular, he just said looking up always helped him. For me it threw off my balance, but I was also very inexperienced at the time. I'll try this again next week as well.

**BgMc31** · 03-01-2011, 10:44 PM

Originally Posted by MACHINE5150

Tampon? you mean the neck pad? i use one warming up with 225.. because my neck/spine sticks out right where the bar sits and if i don't it is extremely painful.. the knee pads are a bit unnecessary though.

as for the form, as said above his is good.. you need to get your form down to something similar to his cause if you end up arching your back or doing good morning you will end hurting your back later down the line when you are working with heavy weight.

Machine, if you feel the need to use the tampon, and yes I said tampon, you have the bar placed to high. The proper bar position is not at the top of the spine, it suppose to sit across the traps. My spine sticks out as well.

And oh, those aren't knee pads, those are knee wraps he's using in the video.