Tips to stay more upright when squatting

[Boss101]

Does anyone have any tips they could give me to help keep my upper body more upright when squatting? I've tried going lighter but I always seem to lean foward and I feel I'm using my back more to lift the weight and not my legs. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Sub-Zero]

you have to lean forward a tiny bit to stay ballanced...

but probably arch your back and lock it tight while sticking ur ass way out.

to keep ur head and neck straight which causes your back to stay straight too pick a spot on the cieling and staire at it through the whole movement

 

[wnt2bBeast]

strengthen your core as well as your low back/posterior

 

[Devastation]

wider stance, bar lower on your traps

practice box squatting

 

[KillahBee]

it always helped me when, instead of concentrating on not leaning forward or where my knees are, I just concentrated on pushing my ass back and down as much as possible. it felt awkward at first, but it accomplished two goals - get my positioning better and helped me to stop thinking so much, which is sometimes no good.

 

[Debaser]

Squat olympic style or with front squats...doesn't get much more upright than that.

 

[Bonkme2]

Practice with some overhead squats.
It will help to pinpoint where some weaknesses are if any.

 

[super_rice]

wider stance, bar lower on your traps

practice box squatting

this only lessens the "uprightness" of the squat.

if you are squatting oly style, you don't "sit back" like you do in a PL style squat, ie: don't break at your hips first and reach your ass back, rather, sit straight down between your legs.

 

[LeanMeanHockeyMachine]

What helps me is focusing on pushing the chest up and out, which is done by arching the back and pushing the shoulder blades together.

 

[Devastation]

i don't know anything about olympic style, but devastation is right- push your ass back and head up- easier to do with a wider stance (especially if you're a guy with a belly), and you'll stay upright easier.

also you can do safety bar box squats, it's helped dakotah's form tremendously

 

[anthrax]

Squeezing the shoulder blades also helped me

 

[Madcow2]

Does anyone have any tips they could give me to help keep my upper body more upright when squatting? I've tried going lighter but I always seem to lean foward and I feel I'm using my back more to lift the weight and not my legs. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Is this in general technique or are you finding this on the way back up (as if you end up doing a good morning).

 

[wnt2bBeast]

Is this in general technique or are you finding this on the way back up (as if you end up doing a good morning).

i would imagine most have this problem on the ascent but it is possible on the descent as well

 

[jwwpua]

Look up at the ceiling the whole time. (not straight up, but at least at the top of the wall in front of you)

 

[Debaser]

Um, have you guys never seen an olympic squat?

Look:

 

[blut wump]

Um, have you guys never seen an olympic squat?

Look:

I knew he'd have a pink weight in there somewhere.

Unless you want to compete in olympic squatting, is there any benefit at all to practising that style?

 

[blut wump]

I knew he'd have a pink weight in there somewhere.

Unless you want to compete in olympic squatting, is there any benefit at all to practising that style?

To start to answer my own question: it looks like oly lifting is all about maximal effort concentric lifting. Virtually zero eccentric movement in the lifts.

 

[anthrax]

Um, have you guys never seen an olympic squat?

Look:

Can you elaborate a bit more ?

like benefits/cons of Oly vs PL squats

they're both ATG, aren't they ?

 

[mrplunkey]

I used to bend-over during squats. A guy helped me by handing me a 25 lb plate and telling me to stand up straight, legs shoulder width apart, toes pointed slightly outward. Hold the 25 lb plate with both hands at FULL arms length away from you. Then slowly begin to sit back (squat) -- but keep the 25 lb plate far out front of your with your arms fully extended as you go down.

Basically you'll be using the 25 lb weight as a counterweight which will allow you to sit back on your heels and allow you to keep your back perfectly straight. Do crazy reps... 20-30 for 5-6 sets one day. You won't get much of a pump, but you'll be training your back, hips and chest to go down in the right position. Capture that feeling... and try to duplicate it with front squats first, and back squats second.

 

[Growth&Courage]

it always helped me when, instead of concentrating on not leaning forward or where my knees are, I just concentrated on pushing my ass back and down as much as possible. it felt awkward at first, but it accomplished two goals - get my positioning better and helped me to stop thinking so much, which is sometimes no good.

THat's what I do too and it seems to be doing its job.

 

[d3track]

it always helped me when, instead of concentrating on not leaning forward or where my knees are, I just concentrated on pushing my ass back and down as much as possible. it felt awkward at first, but it accomplished two goals - get my positioning better and helped me to stop thinking so much, which is sometimes no good.

i do that as well

 

[Boss101]

I used to bend-over during squats. A guy helped me by handing me a 25 lb plate and telling me to stand up straight, legs shoulder width apart, toes pointed slightly outward. Hold the 25 lb plate with both hands at FULL arms length away from you. Then slowly begin to sit back (squat) -- but keep the 25 lb plate far out front of your with your arms fully extended as you go down.

Basically you'll be using the 25 lb weight as a counterweight which will allow you to sit back on your heels and allow you to keep your back perfectly straight. Do crazy reps... 20-30 for 5-6 sets one day. You won't get much of a pump, but you'll be training your back, hips and chest to go down in the right position. Capture that feeling... and try to duplicate it with front squats first, and back squats second.

I've been doing this for a few days but with no weight I just keep my arms straight out and do 50+ reps I'm starting to get the feeling.

 

[Boss101]

Is this in general technique or are you finding this on the way back up (as if you end up doing a good morning).

Yes.

 

[Boss101]

Thanks for the replies I'll try some of the things said in here and see how it goes.

 

[Illuminati]

wider stance, bar lower on your traps

practice box squatting

best advice you will get. learn to get the bar lower on your back.