Lopsided Squat critique

CWF

Why is this happening!? This is about 75% of my 1RM. Hand position is even both sides and my neck is centered with the bar. My left elbow and shoulder experience pain after these sets. Helpful comments greatly appreciated

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_uY_y7g3TM

b_mac2

CWF wrote: »

Why is this happening!? This is about 75% of my 1RM. Hand position is even both sides and my neck is centered with the bar. My left elbow and shoulder experience pain after these sets. Helpful comments greatly appreciated

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_uY_y7g3TM

I can see your hips rising before your upper body so it ends up you kind of Good Morning the weight up, instead of the bar being pushed straight up. Also you look like you're in all sorts of trouble trying to hit depth?

CWF

b_mac2 wrote: »

I can see your hips rising before your upper body so it ends up you kind of Good Morning the weight up, instead of the bar being pushed straight up. Also you look like you're in all sorts of trouble trying to hit depth?

Yes I see what you mean about the hips. I'll work on that. My knees seem to be tracking in and out too. These reps look high which is unusual for me. Think I'm still a bit jacked up after competing on Saturday. Thanks for your input.

b_mac2

No problem. FWIW, ever since I've started to front squat a few years back , my back squat has improved ten fold. There is no way of bluffing a front squat, it will find your weaknesses so you can fix them.

endacl

The left side dips before you even start the squat. I'd suggest the problem isn't the squat per se, but in the prep. When you step back first on your right leg there's a little lean forward and left. That's where the imbalance starts.

Alf Veedersane

b_mac2 wrote: »

No problem. FWIW, ever since I've started to front squat a few years back , my back squat has improved ten fold. There is no way of bluffing a front squat, it will find your weaknesses so you can fix them.

It will certainly help with hips rising early, which usually happens because quads aren't up to par.

That said, the angle of the video might make it look more like a GM than it actually is.

LuckyLloyd

I'm no Nazi on inner knee movement but the lack of consistency in how your left knee is behaving is worthy of a bit of focus...

CWF

Thanks everyone that's brilliant information I will consider all of those issues.

DylanJM

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is how you're holding the bar on your back. You mention that you felt pain in your left elbow and shoulder. If you look at the video you will see that your left wrist isn't inline with your forearm, which is the ideal position during the low bar squat. If you look at your right wrist it seems to be closer to being inline with your forearm. This would suggest you have some flexibility issues somewhere on your left side. This may or may not be contributing to the lopsided squat but it's something to bear in mind.

Ideally your wrists and forearm should look like this

CWF

DylanJM wrote: »

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is how you're holding the bar on your back. You mention that you felt pain in your left elbow and shoulder. If you look at the video you will see that your left wrist isn't inline with your forearm, which is the ideal position during the low bar squat. If you look at your right wrist it seems to be closer to being inline with your forearm. This would suggest you have some flexibility issues somewhere on your left side. This may or may not be contributing to the lopsided squat but it's something to bear in mind.

Ideally your wrists and forearm should look like this

That makes a lot of sense. I have always been tighter on on my left side... in particular my pec minor. I think that's pulling on my left shoulder which is making it weak and imbalanced. Thanks I'll work on that.

Hanley

WTF happened your squat?!?!?!

Is your thumb around the bar one side, and off the other?

Hanley

Also, angle is pants for seeing what's up.

Get someone to take a photo of you from the back, standing up tall and natural with your top off. One shoulder may be off. Which obviously could be a million and one things ,but will at least clarify why the bars off.

Also, I disagree with the thumbs off squat position for the most part now. Especially with a straight wrist. Without good external and internal rotation at the shoulder your tricep tendon will get butchered, and you'll have massive elbow pain.

Better to wrap the wrists and let them take some of the slack.

Obviously not... ideal ... but a pragmatic solution

CWF

Hanley wrote: »

Also, angle is pants for seeing what's up.

Get someone to take a photo of you from the back, standing up tall and natural with your top off. One shoulder may be off. Which obviously could be a million and one things ,but will at least clarify why the bars off.

Also, I disagree with the thumbs off squat position for the most part now. Especially with a straight wrist. Without good external and internal rotation at the shoulder your tricep tendon will get butchered, and you'll have massive elbow pain.

Better to wrap the wrists and let them take some of the slack.

Obviously not... ideal ... but a pragmatic solution

I was feeling beat up that day only a few days after a meet I should have taken a few more days. I'm going to switch to high bar for this cycle as there is still quite a difference between both lifts. Thanks for the feedback though, much appreciated. I'll see you at novice in January