GS, meano has it right. Your starting position is not correct, you need to be much closer to the bar and start with your hips higher (they're shooting up when you start the pull, which means your posterior chain is not loaded properly).

For reference, the correct starting position (actual angles will change due to anthropometry, but check out the angle of the arms, slightly reaching back to the bar)

Yea thanks guys, dfII has tried to hammer that home before. I think since I moved and have been lifting by myself and not taking any videos of myself my form has deteriorated a bunch. I watched the Rip DL vid and realized I was way off. Will be adjusting and taking more vids soon

Sit the phone on the floor/box/stand and hit record, walk up, lift the weights, walk over, hit stop.

Yea only problem with that is that there's really only that one cramped place to DL and it's a very high traffic area since it has a water fountain next to it. I wouldn't really want to put my phone on the ground with a bunch of idiots walking around staring at their phones or at themselves in the mirror. Getting my gf to start lifting tho so I'll get her to take more vids

Pulled a hamstring....really worried about it. How long until I can excercise again?

Difference between torn and strained... just depends on the severity it. Could be 2-3 weeks, could be longer...

If anyone wants to comment on the squat video posted here that would be much appreciated

Recently watched a vid about keeping the core tight and arching back for the BP, trying to do that here though it doesn't really look like it...?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB0lMYa0zEI

NR: Posted in your log.


Meano: You have a nice range of motion. I like how the bar angles back to the rack. Looks good there. But, the arch and overall tightness are not there.

Depending on what your goals are, not sure, you may want to watch this


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHx1gYTA-Rw

Should help if you want to get into a strong arch with very tight set up and good leg drive.

first two vids are trying to work on form at lower weight then last two are two of my 5RM sets, definitely a couple bad reps at least in those

you may want to mute before watching

i also get some left elbow tendinitis. Googled around a bit and opinions differ from needing to have hand in closer or further out, but left looks closer than right so leaning towards further

feel free to comment on the ****ty thing i'm squatting in as well

pwnsall: There could be a lot of things causing your elbow issue. Normally it is an issue of having your hand too close. Another thing to look at is loading that arm by pushing the bar up with that hand (I don't think this is happening to you). Could also be the bar is pinching a nerve on that side of your shoulder (happens to me when I put it in a low bar position). Another reason could be lack of mobility in that shoulder (impingement, another thing that I am dealing with).

From the ones I looked at, the squats look fairly good. Recommend you taking a moment and editing these videos down to start when you start unracking and finish when you rack. It is ok to have a couple showing you setting up, but all the extra fluff makes me not want to watch it. Might just be me though.

Thanks for the advice

yeah I probably put up too many too, will edit in future as well

ty for feedback BPA, will rewatch that vid and work harder on getting tighter I guess!

Felt my upperback a bit while DLing earlier, but my back looks pretty well aligned, core looks tight... am I missing something?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvyYUHFir6s

What part of your upper back? It looks like you look down at the very end, could be straining some neck/upper back muscles.

I'd keep your chest up more too.

@ Meano

Not bad. Looks OK.

Hex plates are tough. You need round so you can roll the bar to make final adjustments.

Here is what I would suggest you try:

Set Up
I would bring the bar closer, and sit your butt back and hips down a bit. The reason the upperback is rounding/hurting is because the bar is in front of you. Your shoulders look a little too far forward and when you start the pull you are already arching out to try and lift the weight. When you break the floor the weight floats out and all that weight is pulling down on you. Your glute ham is not doing anything for you. It's all back. And upper back at that.

By sitting back and starting with your hips a little lower, you're going to keep the leverage more in the center line of your body. Which, ideally you would pull the weight through the center if you weren't in the way (if that makes sense).

I used to tear up my shins a lot and still occasionally do. I would rather see that than the bar floating out in front at all. You're doing it right , if you can think of a wand being waved mid lift that made the bar weight nothing, and you would fall backwards.

Again, sitting back and hips down a little will put your back in a slightly vertical plane bringing your chest up.

Keep your shoulders over the bar, not in front.

NEUTRAL NECK. No stress in your neck at all. Tuck your chin if you need to. But, either way if you are straining with your neck at all, you cant do that.

There is a sweet spot with all of this and you will find yours.

As you grab onto the bar, you should be super tight through your back, glutes, and legs...like a loaded spring. Your back should be in a neutral or slightly arched position, you should reach down with one hand grab the bar and then have to lean to get the other hand locked on. You should be able to feel that your quads, ham, glutes and back are all tight at this point. It's not comfortable.

Just prior to the pull, you can do a small little practice pull that bends the bar without lifting the weight. This can help get you ready mentally and physically to pull for real on the attempt.

As you start to pull, you dial up the strength, don't jerk the bar at all. It's a dial not a switch.

When you start your lift, you actually drive your heels into the floor as if you are pushing the floor away from you rather than lifting the bar.

I envision this whole process as if the whole body is like the throttle on a motorcycle. Always striving to keep the leverage point optimal. Dragging the weight up through me as I push my heels through the floor.

Finish with hip through, no arching the back to do it. Keep good form on all work sets. And consider significant form failure as a failed rep.


I like the SS video on DL and I also like this Dave Tate video, not necessarily for everything, but it really demonstrates the points about position, loading like a spring, failing backwards etc. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp8Sx9dX9LM

I also like this video from the PL thread because you can see a lot of what I am talking about in how these guys are setting up and pulling. Obviously ridiculous weights but I think the video shows it all really well.

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...&postcount=190

Hope this helps.

wow, awesome info, thanks alot BPA for putting in the time to write that, will defn study it and try use it next time I DL!

I'll try in here too.

i think you are doing a high bar squat and your hands are gripping the bar instead of pinned against it

the rest looks alright

im not an expert or anything

3 sets of squats here:







any advice is appreciated

Very very nice squats, imo.

thanks Aidan

Apologies for the ****ty angles. Gym was pretty dead so I tried recording myself for the first time. DL is the 4th rep of 320x1x5, I think I need to get my butt and my chest higher before the start of the pull. Squat vid is my 7th set of 195x5x8, I was only able to get 1.25 reps in the video because my phone ran out of space midway through recording, lol.

DL:

1. Get a neutral neck - you're craning/looking up. Should be staring at the floor 6-10 feet in front of you at the start of the lift.

2. Looks like you're hips should be lower at the start, shoulders too far in front. Which results in....

3. Back works too much and your hips shoot up a bit before liftoff, limiting leg drive and glute/hamstring engagement.

Also make sure you're finishing the lift by squeeze glutes and keeping legs straight and locked.

Ahh ok, I thought that because my hips were shooting up first they were definitely too low in the starting position, good to know. Thanks for the input