Yes, this is what he is doing exactly. The first time I squatted I did this. Man was I embarrassed when I got home and reread the SS section on how to squat.

It felt reallly awkward when I did it and I'm pretty sure that was why.

Yeah, I dno. None of it is your responsibility. At the same time, I mean, I wish I had learned any of this stuff or got pointed in the right direction a solid decade+ ago. However, it's not that no one came up to me at the gym and said "hey try this," but they were all idiots and/or I had no way to know who was an idiot and who was legit.

I'm still trying to be ok with showing ppl SMR, hearing about how much it helps them and then finding out later they don't continue to do it. WTF is that ****, *sigh*.

Cross post from my log, seems relevant to recent discussions:

Talking about crossfit, got to see some interesting box squats on Friday. I'm guessing this goon was following crossfit since he was wearing 5-finger shoes and was using the squatting method advocated by Louie Simmons (super wide stance, bands, boxsquats, etc.) who is the latest strength guru for crossfit. He seemed to know what he was doing but he was also "teaching" a girl (guessing girlfriend, but who knows) who had no idea. Had her do the Louie style squat (feet were actually under the monolift rack, which is set off the ground with blocks to facilitate band use). They were using the safety squat bar and a fairly high box. Unfortunately her back is going to be broken soon as she was just slamming down onto the box. Guy never corrected her once. Larry Maile (USAPL President) and Priscilla Ribic (World class competitor) were there and witnessed this travesty. The 2 people left in search of bands when Larry commented that she is going to be broken soon. The 3 of us all talked about it and agreed it wasn't our place to say anything unless asked. I left as the guy setup bands and started doing some banded box squats.

huh, weird

i always get the urge to help out but have only gotten negative responses whenever I did(one guy told me that he purposely is doing 1/4th squats to not hurt his knees and that he is a medical student and knows better than me, obv laughed into his face)
so stopped altogether.

The in thing at my gym lately has been to look sideways at the mirror while lowering the bar on deadlifts. PTs seem to have no issue with their clients doing this right in front of them.

I've done that while holding a 5lbs aerobic exercise bar. So must be legit.

I tried hack squatting for the 1st time ever last week. My reaction was.

1. Somebody help me
2. Maybe it would be easier to learn deadlifts.

I've seen it a few times. Confirmed very exiting to watch.

I will admit tho, I have considered trying it to avoid looking in the mirror.

I often deadlift "the wrong way" so I'm not looking in the mirror.

Can't DL the wrong way, that makes no sense. I DL at all sorts of random angles, wherever I can find space. Squat you have to unrack/rerack. That's of course the problem and why there is a right and wrong way. Geez just thinking about reracking the wrong way makes me cringe.

Yah, I get that. Just sayin' that within the weight room the rules are that you have to deadlift inside the rack. So the "right" way is facing the mirror. I'm a rebel bad-ass and I turn around.

My cage has a place to put a bar in the front and back. Seriously thinking about taking a pic with it loaded up, using one rear rack place and one front one, i.e. diagonally across the cage, with me poised to unrack it. I can just feel the buttholes clenching when they see it.

Oh. Gym I go to has 1 squat rack so I try not to DL there, b/c, you know, someone might want to squat. I usually DL next to a bench (bar is parallel to the bench) so I'm taking up as little space as possible.

I was also a rebel bad ass today. We have those big foam plyo boxes for jumping on and off. They are obviously meant to be stacked because they have velcro strips so they stick together, however the gym put signs on them saying "not to be stacked". Yep, I stacked 'em.

Yeah, we now have a lifting platform that doesn't get a lot of use, so I usually deadlift there... In the past I used to deadlift outside the racks, but they eventually put a sign up saying to deadlift in the racks and started actually enforcing it.

An IEL chalked up and did some deadlifts. Left a hudge powder blanket in his wake. A few minutes later an employee trudged in and cleaned up his mess. Pretty sure he just got chalk banned at my gym.

New Years Resolution day yesterday at the gym - place was packed. Lots of people but no wait on the squat rack or bench.

Yeah I almost ran over a half dozen people out doing their resolution thang

def seeing some weird stuff with all the new years people starting to work out again. yesterday saw a guy shoulder pressing in the smith machine while kneeling on an excercise ball. wtf

And you didn't have a video camera with you? Shame.

Lots of arm waving and leg kicking spotted. Fortunately they don't want anywhere near the squat/DL area.

I should have planned my week better so that I didn't have today and tomorrow off. I suppose I still could have gone in and done *gasp* cardio.

I really want to see some stupid ****.

Wow tons of people I've never seen before. Walk into free weight area 3 out of 5 barbells are gone disappeared. 1 out of the 2 remaining has a 45 plate hanging off waiting to ruin someone's new year.

Average chic full hoody drawn tight on the hood with yoga pants, circuiting leg press and burpees (flopping on the floor and jumping up with her hands down).... I'm guessing crossfit

hah - snowstorm where I am meant only the regulars went to the gym today. Got to put off the resolutioners for 1 more day (and perhaps keep the least motivated from showing up at all).

One of the trainers at the gym I go to:

a) Did not know what I meant when I said "squat rack"

b) Invited me to move a bench and DBs into a separate workout room that is empty except for TRX stuff and trainers do one-on-ones with people.

She seemed to be one of the good ones, too. I know there is just one squat rack at the gym but still. Overall, though, a pretty big win.

If there's only one of them, it can't be THAT important.