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Post your Squat Pics!


robert
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Hey everyone!

 

I can't contain my enthusiasm! I'm back doing squats for the first time in 7 years! I'm taking it easy since I had all those lower back problems, but I'm back!

 

This summer I started training again after a tough session with Vegan Essentials. I haven't missed a workout since August.

 

I started with bodyweight squats for months at a time and then moved up to the bar, then tens on the sides and I've been at it with weights every week for the past 2 months. Today I squatted 225 pounds and I feel like I'm finally making a solid comeback to squats and bodybuilding in general.

 

So, since I'm totally new to squats, I'm going to post some recent pics for feedback. I'm open to anything.

 

I keep little 2.5 or 5lb plates under my feet to keep my body leaning forward since it was the tucking of my tailbone that caused my back injuries. So far it seems to be working really well. I always squat with plates under my feet putting a little more stress on my quads. I never go more than 135lbs without little plates. I just feel more comfortable.

 

Anyway, here are a few angles. Feel free to post your pics too. Not just a thread about me and my return to squatting.

 

Anyone else....post squat photos too.

 

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1388.snc4/164034_1745410949203_1056650054_2002411_5324165_n.jpg

 

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs273.snc6/180136_1745411109207_1056650054_2002412_1449572_n.jpg

 

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs042.snc6/167221_1745409709172_1056650054_2002406_1632249_n.jpg

 

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1365.snc4/163738_1753898521387_1056650054_2016950_6667627_n.jpg

 

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs073.snc6/168301_1753897721367_1056650054_2016944_7641701_n.jpg

 

 

Please post some of your pics too. Thanks! -RC

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Read my post I explained why I put plates under my feet. I was advised to do so because of my tail bone tucking under me when I squat down. This is supposed to take strain off my lower back where I have had injuries the past 7 years.

 

Feeling good now. Just want to get proper form, depth, stance, etc.

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Robert, could you also try wearing weightlifting shoes, which have a raised heel? They probably wouldn't raise the heel up as high as with the plates though..

 

http://www.strengthshop.co.uk/index.php/strength-shop-lions-weightlifting-shoes.html

I highly recommend those shoes. The guy who runs the powerlifting at the club I go to (has been powerlifting for decades. A 290kg squatter - suited at a comp, @51 years old) also got a pair of these a month ago and he's impressed with them (prob has no idea they're vegan as well haha).

 

Are you looking at your flexibility as well Robert? Could be something like tight hamstrings, hips, glutes or bad ankle mobility.

 

Last time I took a camera to the club it got mooned at. So I'll wait for my first competition and try get someone to take a pic/video of that haha.

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Nice! Thanks for the shoe suggestion! That is great because sometimes I feel a tiny bit unstable on the plates thinking they may slip or something.

 

Very good to know!

 

Yes, I have been focusing on stretching ever since I returned to training 6 months ago. I have very tight hamstrings (and other muscle groups, even shoulders) but especially in hams, glutes, quads, lower back, etc.

 

So I'm working on that but still need to make a lot of improvements too.

 

Thanks again.

 

I know in one of those pics I wasn't going as deep as I should have. I knew it during the set too, but it was the heaviest I lifted in 7 years and was a little nervous about going too deep and not getting back up or causing slight injury. But with 185lbs and under I am comfortable going as keep as my body can go.

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Holy crap! That is awesome!

 

Great gym too.....

 

How much weight is that? You made it look easy and smooth. I don't know anything about form, but it looked like nice and deep and under control and even pace and I know you've studied form and technique so it looks really impressive.

 

Nice work!

 

Any tips for me based on pics or based on knowing that I'm new to the squatting game? I'll get a video soon too. That may tell a better story.

 

Well done.

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Holy crap! That is awesome!

 

Great gym too.....

Thanks .

 

How much weight is that? You made it look easy and smooth. I don't know anything about form, but it looked like nice and deep and under control and even pace and I know you've studied form and technique so it looks really impressive.

120kg, I am not really a strong squatter.

 

Any tips for me based on pics or based on knowing that I'm new to the squatting game? I'll get a video soon too. That may tell a better story.

Like has been said allready, a better pair of shoes might actually be a good investment. If not a pair of lifting shoes then a pair of converse style shoes are probably better than the ones you are using now. They look like running shoes, running shoes are too soft and kill your stability.

If your back rounds as you go deep it could be a flexibility issue, but could also be technique related. Or both. Might be worth trying around a bit with different stances etc. Otherwise I believe best way to work on flexibility is to squat with light weight, with good form. Front squats and overhead squats might also help.

 

If you like reading books it might be worth picking up a copy of starting strength, it has the best introductions to squatting I've seen in writing.

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Elite FTS has some good videos on their youtube channel for squat technique. In this series they take a guy who has done some squatting in the past, look at his technique, then fix the problems he has. So far there's just two videos uploaded but the rest should be up soon.

 

 

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Spray tan at a tanning place near Lean and Green's. Owner recognized me when I walked in and is a vegetarian guy, super nice, gives me some discounts so I used their spray booth to prepare for my recent pics in LA.

 

Got a little soft during the end of my time in LA but working on staying hard and veiny rather than soft. Abs went away again too! Dang!

 

But yeah, sprayed it up this time. Looking to compete in July. Not sure I'll even need to diet much since I'm seeing hamstrings and abs (when I can train them.....small injury now) so I think I can keep bulking as I prepare to compete. We'll see.

 

Tan is wearing off now. I look funny.

 

Looking to take a week off from squats to let psoas get a bit better then I'll be back in the rack!

 

How's your training going homes?

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  • 4 weeks later...

Thanks! That wasn't my hardest lift ever but I doubt I could hit that without the belt.

 

2 weeks ago I squatted an easy 140kg (308lbs) without the belt, was definitely more there. Could prob hit 145-147.5kg.

 

I've been using the belt most of the time recently (for last warmup set/work weight) and my beltless max seems to have increased as well. But light days I never use the belt and occasionally on heavy days I'll take a heavyish set without the belt just to keep a good balance.

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Chewy- awesome lift, but could you do it without support from belt?

 

No hate here. Ive tried the belt and cant stand the support.

 

When you tried a belt, was it the style with the narrow front and wide back or a big, fat powerlifting belt? There's a big difference in how they feel, a wide powerlifting belt gives a LOT more support to keep from caving in forward so long as you keep your abs and obliques flexed tight and always keep air in your belly rather than the chest.

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When you tried a belt, was it the style with the narrow front and wide back or a big, fat powerlifting belt? There's a big difference in how they feel, a wide powerlifting belt gives a LOT more support to keep from caving in forward so long as you keep your abs and obliques flexed tight and always keep air in your belly rather than the chest.

 

 

They were the ones with narrow front i believe. I dont like the feeling of me not having my own natural support system. It digs into my abs and makes it feel way too unnnatural. Id rather go a little lighter and be able to do the full rep/exercise rather than something pulling in my [already strong] core for me.

 

Ive also tried it on deadlifts and hate how the belt cut into my skin.

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