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Front Squats & SGDLs form check

Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2019 8:32 am
by notsoconfident
I've recorded my last set on Front Squats and Snatch Grip Deadlift, I'd like some feedback on my form. Thanks!

Apparently my Squats are high (a guy commented on how he set those pins at that height for his bench and showed me how he could front squat hitting the pins) and "I'm not doing the Valsalva maneuver", so I think I should get more air in and brace more?




The password for both videos is 'formcheck', lowercase no quotes.

Re: Front Squats & SGDLs form check

Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2019 11:29 am
by CamLeslie
Front Squats look fine to me. Definitely not high. I would brace the same way you do for your reg. squats. Tough to see SGDL, might need another video at a more oblique angle.

Re: Front Squats & SGDLs form check

Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2019 1:43 pm
by mgil
CamLeslie wrote: Fri Sep 27, 2019 11:29 am Front Squats look fine to me. Definitely not high. I would brace the same way you do for your reg. squats. Tough to see SGDL, might need another video at a more oblique angle.
Same here. Things look overall fine. Would prefer to see something from behind for the SGDL.

Re: Front Squats & SGDLs form check

Posted: Sat Sep 28, 2019 3:25 pm
by notsoconfident
mgil wrote: Fri Sep 27, 2019 1:43 pm Same here. Things look overall fine. Would prefer to see something from behind for the SGDL.
CamLeslie wrote: Fri Sep 27, 2019 11:29 am Front Squats look fine to me. Definitely not high. I would brace the same way you do for your reg. squats. Tough to see SGDL, might need another video at a more oblique angle.
Thanks! I'll try to record a better angle for the SGDLs during the next sessions.

As for the bracing on the squats, I'm trying to "breath into the belly" & contract the stomach during each repetition, resetting at the top. Pretty much the same on DLs.

Re: Front Squats & SGDLs form check

Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2019 7:55 am
by notsoconfident


Last set of today's squats. I think 2nd and 3rd have noticeable flexion in the bottom. Same password as the OP post.

Re: Front Squats & SGDLs form check

Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2019 12:58 pm
by chrisd
Maybe some flexion in the third rep, a little hard to tell with that shirt. It looks decent, keep working with sensible programming. To prevent flexion, brace. the primary cue round here is to keep everything from hip to shoulder in alignment throughout the movement. Noticing a fault is the first step to correcting it.

As to bracing, I follow the advice from ( I think) Brian Alsruhe, tighten glutes and straigthen the back, before taking the breath. I t seems to help.

As to the advice giver in the gym, just say "Ah, I see" and move on. You could hit the pins if you were to bend your back, but you aren't going to, are you ?

Re: Front Squats & SGDLs form check

Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2019 2:25 pm
by mgil
@notsoconfident, that’s a decent triple.

I think you should actually start with approaching the bar with a “proud chest”. This might help establish a better rack position.

Last rep got a little funky on you. Likely just your quads getting tired. To counter that, as @chrisd notes, more core bracing is in order.

Re: Front Squats & SGDLs form check

Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2019 3:53 pm
by notsoconfident
Thank you @mgil and @chrisd for your feedback.

I'll try to focus more on bracing and upper chest positioning. As far as "sensible programming" is concerned, does that triple count as too grindy?

It felt like so to me: during the ascent I felt like "stopping" for a long time as if I wouldn't be able to stand up, but on video it doesn't look that much slow.

Should I continue with linear progression on squats 'til I have a "real stall" or should I move to something else right now/next week?

At the end of every 5x3 with more than ~60kg I've been feeling like the next session I wouldn't be able to finish my work sets, but until now I was able to do it.

I'll also mention that I've already stalled SGDLs at about ~80kg (that's ~1x BW) if it is relevant. Here's my training log if it is helpful.

Thank you for your time and your patience :)

Re: Front Squats & SGDLs form check

Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2019 4:32 pm
by mgil
That triple did not look like too much of a grind.

Keep going on the path you’re on for now.

Re: Front Squats & SGDLs form check

Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2019 9:31 pm
by notsoconfident
mgil wrote: Mon Nov 04, 2019 4:32 pm That triple did not look like too much of a grind.

Keep going on the path you’re on for now.
Thanks!