Just a simple squat question

[jukka]

I apologise for starting a yet another thread on this,
but I tried making a search and if you just search for squats,
you get hald the threads on the forum,
and if you search for sitting back, you get threads about war in Iraq.

So the question was this:
when you sit back in your squat, are you supposed to start
lowering your butt back immediately,
or should you sort of start by squatting straight down,
and after a few inches down,
let your butt start travelling back,
so that your butt basically moves in an L-like curve?

I do the latter, and started thinking I may be well off.

And get this, I started working out at 16 (will be 33 this year)
and it was on December 2004 on this site that I first read about how
you should "sit back" when you squat.

Maybe it's just too obvious....to all but me

[Klinger]

I try to keep it as simple as possible and mimic the same motion I would follow If I were sitting down on a bench or chair. That means I let my @ss lead the movement from the get go. The less I think about the interplay of the back and the glutes, the better.

[abarlament]

I assume you are talking about a powerlifting squat? If so, just do like Klinger says, mimic sitting onto a box.

[jukka]

No, I meant more for bodybuilding/general fitness purposes.
I do squat with a...whatchamacallit, semi-wide stance,
not quite powerlifting style.

[TsiTalon]

Its kind of a natrual feeling. You take weight off bar , stand back , then bend at the legs and as you start to come down you make your back straight and at the same time stick out your butt.

[Firehawk]

The best thing I am finding when I'm working on my form, is to stick that ass out and focus on keeping all the weight over your HEELS. The front of your feet should never ever be involved. If you start the movement, end the movement, or at anytime have weight on the front of your feet, you're out of form.

The straighter your back, the better, but I can't see how someone could sit back like in a chair and keep their back completely vertical. You're back has to arch a little bit so that the weight stays center mass.

Check this:
www.ironaddicts.com/video/500x10squat2.AVI

[jukka]

Thanks, Firehawk.
Couldn't open the link but I'll try again at home
I believe that weight-shifting is also one of my form issues,
my balls...of my feet I mean, get too big a part of the burden.

+ I only recently noticed that I do this: instead of driving straight down with my heels, as if trying to push them through the floor, I actually drive down and forward, as if doing some sort of leg extension - squat combination.
If you know what I mean.

Like if your sitting on a wheeled office chair, and use your legs to push yourself back with it, that's the type of extension-push I do when raising from squat. Can't be good for the old knees.
Nice, just about everything in my squat form was waaaay off the mark.
Well, I hope I haven't done permanent damage to my knees yet.

[Firehawk]

It sounds like you're squatting up and down. Do you have a video clip maybe?

Your Glutes should tighten up first, not your quads. People that can squat big have strong glutes and hamstrings, the quads aren't responsible for a big squat. Just look at powerlifters.

Try box squats. That will fix your form and build the strength you need to do a squat correctly. I'm also doing box squats now too, but still doing a few sets of regular squats as practice.

Use a wide stance because you have a better base. Keep your head up but not at the ceiling, look straight ahead. These things help you stay in form. Your body will follow your head. If you look down or drop your head, you will roll forward.

It doesn't matter what level you're at, squatting 95 or 950. Everyone still works on form. Do'nt get discouraged. I'm right there with you too.

[jukka]

Sorry mate,
I don't have a videoclip, but I'm pretty confident
that working on my form for some weeks now and
keeping the form as the most important thing
in squats and DLs as well as generally keeping the old
ego in check should put me back on the right track.
I'm going to the gym tonight to box squat! :