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Why is my squat so weak?

BroomHilda

BroomHilda

TID Lady Member
Jun 2, 2013
84
10
Let me tell you, I m a big girl. Around 5'9 and 165 lbs. Lean overall with pretty lean legs and muscular glutes.
My best lifts so far

Deadlift : 385 lbs
Bench : 172
Squat: 258


As for the bench it's weak cause I ve never really worked on it seriously. I ve been training it for about 3 months before the aforementioned pr. Deadlift on the other hand is my natural movement.
But the squat? I ve been training so hard on the squat. I ve tried once a week, twice a week, one back one front, lot of volume, lot of intensity, high volume low intensity and so on and so forth.
No. I just can't squat.
I m bigger than those girls lifting like 400 pounds on the squat and yet I m so weak.
Would it just be my anthropometric characteristic or smthing, or just shitty programming? Should I just accept the fact that I ll never squat more than 285?
Is it maybe that I work hard on my legs with bbing style training as well?
 
FLEXjs

FLEXjs

MuscleHead
Apr 23, 2012
4,421
1,573
Maybe throw up a vid to get some critique on your form?

And what equipment are you using? Sleeves, belt, wraps, shoes, etc. That can make a big difference.

Also that's not a bad squat. Mrs Flex has a gym best of 240 and a meet best of 230. And she weighs more than you.
 
FLEXjs

FLEXjs

MuscleHead
Apr 23, 2012
4,421
1,573
Form looks good to me. Bar is high but I squat high bar too and so does Mrs. Flex.

Maybe experiment with sleeves/wraps to get you moving more weight. Mrs Flex uses Inzer XT sleeves which have Velcro straps to make them tight, so they are kind of in-between a traditional (neoprene) sleeve and wraps. They give a bit more support but not as much as wraps.

As your strength increases with knee protection, your raw strength should increase too.

I find the shoes help too. We both wear Pendlay Do-Wins.
 
PillarofBalance

PillarofBalance

Strength Pimp
Feb 27, 2011
17,066
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I m only using a belt. I very recently bought a pair of WL shoes that really made the movement more comfortable.

Here is a video of my squats 7months ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGIBHykyveM
Could be any number of things but the 3 general reasons are technique, mental, physical.

Starting with technique -

widen your grip out. I say this because you are pushing your elbows forward (which is normally good) but in this case they are shooting forward past the bar. This will actually stretch the back muscles and loosen the back up.

Before you squat you were kinda dancing around. Knock that off. Stand still and let the bar settle. If you are dancing around rocking about etc this means you aren't pushing out on the side of your feet and therefore the hips are not tight.

Into mental - your dancing around is often a sign of nerves. Before you get under the bar put your hands on it. Close your eyes and take a big deep breath of air and push it all out. Release that anxiety.

Cover the mirror. Looking at your contorted face and trying to see if you hit depth or whatever else will screw with your head. All your body parts are still there trust me. You don't need to see them.

Physical - I would need to see much closer to 1rm to see what falls apart. So in general I would say you need to program this lift properly so it isn't all max effort all the time. Take a look at Go Away's log for a good example of periodization.

Some good assistance lifts for squat you can try:

Wide stance box squat
Romanian deadlift
Stiff legged deadlift
Hamstring curl
Glute ham raise
Good morning
Hack squat
Barbell row
Face pulls
Pull ups
Hyperextensions

Let me know if you have questions (tag me PillarofBalance)

Also your hair is awesome.
 
PillarofBalance

PillarofBalance

Strength Pimp
Feb 27, 2011
17,066
4,640
Also noticed just now you have (possible but looks like it in the video) what is called navicular bone drop.

Essentially this means the arch of your foot collapses. A supinated foot is a position of power to drive from.

Strengthen your calves for starters.

Then as therapy for the arch, sit in the edge of your tub with your feet on a towel. Try to scrunch up the towel by bringing the balls of your feet to your heels. Don't curl the does. Think of it like flexing the arch.

If you don't do that you are going to run into some serious ankle pains by impinging a nerve that runs down the calf and around the inside of the foot at the bottom of the medial malleolus, or you will develop plantar fasciitis.
 
C

Crossfitchick

TID Lady Member
Sep 27, 2015
2
0
Just a couple quick tips, im a crossfiter and we often talk about pintching your shoulder blades together so the bar sits properly on your back. as well as when you squat dont lean forward as this makes the bar seem heavier! keep a straight back & go straight down into your squat...
I hope this helped im 16 and can back squat 200lbs and still going up
 
C

Crossfitchick

TID Lady Member
Sep 27, 2015
2
0
Just a couple quick tips, im a crossfiter and we often talk about pintching your shoulder blades together so the bar sits properly on your back. as well as when you squat dont lean forward as this makes the bar seem heavier! keep a straight back & go straight down into your squat...
I hope this helped im 16 and can back squat 200lbs and still going up
 
PillarofBalance

PillarofBalance

Strength Pimp
Feb 27, 2011
17,066
4,640
Just a couple quick tips, im a crossfiter and we often talk about pintching your shoulder blades together so the bar sits properly on your back. as well as when you squat dont lean forward as this makes the bar seem heavier! keep a straight back & go straight down into your squat...
I hope this helped im 16 and can back squat 200lbs and still going up

Its a power squat not an oly squat. Forward lean is common and fine so long as assistance addresses this point.

A 200lb squat at 16 is pretty darn good. Nice work!
 
BroomHilda

BroomHilda

TID Lady Member
Jun 2, 2013
84
10
@PillarofBalance
wow, you really did notice! I do have flat arch on the left leg due to an extra bone above the arch. My foot collapses inwards. When I was a kid I sometimes had terribles pains ankle down and I couldnt even touch my foot on the ground. Fortunately I havnet experienced it for more than 14 years.
I have a pair of orthopedic insoles for that but I rarely use them. Maybe I should start using them again. A doc once told me that there is no actual solution to this due to bone structure but wearing a small heel could help.
I figured maybe wl shoes could actually counterbalance the problem when squatting!

For the grip: Ι once tried to widen it but my upper body strength felt so weak, like I couldnt push at all the bar with my hands. But I do feel like I m pushing it forwards like you mentioned, you are right. I ll try that again.

Yeah I do dance around a lot haha! I am super anxious but I m also CONSTANTLY trying to find a comfortable stance for my feet. This one takes me so long. I m doing it unconsciously. I ll try to watch out for that.

Mirror is a problem but I cannot cover it. I always look away from the mirror, I usually concentrate on a spot on the ceiling through the mirror. If I look at my face or body BOOM I fail my next rep.

I m working on all the assistant exercises you mentioned.



@FLEXjs I do have a pair of knee wraps But I thougt training raw would be better for gaining strength
 
PillarofBalance

PillarofBalance

Strength Pimp
Feb 27, 2011
17,066
4,640
You can cover that mirror. Bring a newspaper and masking tape. I used to do this at my last gym.

Definitely use the orthotics to make sure your ankle stays in position.

Get a vid of you in the oly shoe and I will look at that one too.
 
BrotherIron

BrotherIron

VIP Member
Mar 6, 2011
10,717
2,808
See something as well...

Looks to me like you're coming up on the toes so you're not sitting back when you're squatting. Sit back and try to spread the floor.

The biggest issue though is looking at yourself in the mirror while squatting. You'll never learn where depth is as long as you face a mirror. Without even knowing you're gauging depth based on sight and not proprioception (body awareness).

To nickpick... you're bringing your hands in for the sake of bringing them in. It doesn't look to me like you're flexing your lats to create a stable torso while squatting. You have a forward lean a bit which is b/c you're on your toes but you are not low bar squatting. If you want to move big weights slowly work on bringing that bar down. You need a spotter which will help build confidence. Lke PoB said you play around with your feet for almost 30sec before you commit to beginning the lift. Walk up the bar like you're going to war, visualize yourself making the lift, get set the same way, and then take that bitch for a ride. So much of this sport is mental and you have the ability to lift more... you just have to tap into it.
 
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