Squat Form

[Psymonkee]

Something doesn't feel right posting in here but I shall continue! :D

I got a power rack/bench/weights a couple of months ago and after finally getting the thing built have started on the Stronglifts 5 x 5 program.

Into my 5th week now and I've hit a little over 50kg on the squat but I have come across a problem that I really don't like - painful wrists!

During my warmup I watched my hands more closely and they slowly slipped backwards and my wrists pointed outwards! :shocked: I attempted to correct this and did my work weight sets.

During those sets my hands started turning and my wrists pointed outwards again! Lots of wrist pain but nothing serious that I can tell but it does worry me a little.

Any good advice on how to fix this? Would it be best to lower weight and work on form more thoroughly?

:)

[Will]

Can you get a pic/vid of your bar placement? Wrists shouldn't really be painful when squatting!

[Psymonkee]

Shall see what I can do :)

I don't think the bar is low enough though :(

[Will]

Could be that your hands are either too close together or too far apart. Too close together sounds more likely. Is the bar a decent rotating barbell? If not then that will compound the issue.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cng-kpsLYps/SYg6yFuFwCI/AAAAAAAAADs/7JZxVKNODMM/s320/500px-Squat_Bar_Placement.jpg

That's about the height of the bar and the form adopted. Meaty part of the traps but below the protruding vertebra on the neck either c7 or t1 I never remember which! Just be careful of it!

[Desmo]

As soon as the bar is loaded on to my back and I'm comfortable, I spread my arms out really wide, almost to the very ends of the bar. When I'm finished I slide them back in and re-rack. It's probably just a case of you finding a comfortable width for your arms to be :)

[Will]

^^ good advice. :)

[Psymonkee]

Cheers for those tips. I shall try and get pictures tomorrow when I'm in my garage :D

Also lifting the heavier plates onto the bar is hard enough work by itself! (Narrow space, can't approach from the side :()

[Psymonkee]

Ok so no pics since I can't balance the weight and operate my camera at the same time. Wasn't even anyone around to help :(

Tried a wider grip though and also checking my hand position between each rep and no pain at all tonight! :D

Will have another crack at pics on Wednesday :)

[Tak]

video might be easier :)

[Psymonkee]

I'm shy enough about having my picture taken! Video would make me sad :(

[Psymonkee]

A new problem today! :(

Been having a little difficulty getting the spring collars onto one end of the bar but never thought much of and just struggled on. Today I went to workout and the damn thing is stuck and won't budge :(

Well that's not strictly true as I moved it a whopping 2 inches in 10 minutes of trying to shift it. It's badly scratched the bar when I put it on as well (I should have realised there was something wrong at this point, right?) and I'm not sure how to get it off.

Any help at all? It's still got ~20kg of weights stuck behind the collar :\

[Desmo]

You managed to get it off yet? No idea what to suggest, never had a collar stuck before. You tried butter? ;D

[Psymonkee]

I've only tried butter on me :p

Yeah I got it off (that sounds wrong! :p) but I basically had to unscrew it :( The bar is pretty badly scratched now.

I got some Lockjaw Collars (http://www.lockjawcollars.co.uk/) for my birthday though and they are aces!

[Desmo]

They look great, real quick and easy. Our gym only has the crack wire grip type but I only really use them for anything overhead so not that often.

[Psymonkee]

Were real quick to fit but not used them since. Christmas prezzies filling up the garage and can't get in! :D