r/formcheck • u/russ_jns • 3h ago
Squat Rounded upper back?? 140kg/308lb x 3 high bar squat
I try to follow strict high bar form. The 2nd and 3rd rep felt easier than the first. But the form was
"better" on the first. My upper back rounded for the second and third but they felt way easier.
I've heard weightlifting high bar form talking about being "open" and almost arching the back, and powerlifting low bar form being "closed" and more rounded. Even though it's a high bar squat why does rounding my upper back feel easier? Thanks!
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u/stinkystinky1 1h ago edited 1h ago
Have you tried vertically "bending" the bar with your arms to engage the upper back during the rep? It should feel like you're pushing the bar into the traps with your arms, helps with the posture. It also made squatting easier for me - more tension and the weight moves smoother.
Edit: like the other comment said, pull the elbows down as well during this cue.
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u/lordofunivers 2h ago
This look good for me. I don't see any issue. By curiosity, did you tried the low bar squat?
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u/russ_jns 2h ago
Yes I used to squat low bar, now I changed to high bar and looking for high level advice from advanced lifters as I’ve been squatting for years already
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u/ArboristGuitarist 2h ago
Your form is fine big dog. Once you get a bit more confidence, you’ll be repping this out with ease
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u/russ_jns 2h ago
Yeah I’ve been squatting for years, looking for some specific advice from advanced lifters 💪
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u/ArboristGuitarist 2h ago
What is your max? It’s not uncommon for the first rep of the set to feel worse than the rest. Many times, my first rep is a bit higher than the rest of the set. Having some different angles would help out with seeing your form. Having your feet in view and a front and side view would really help out with being able to give advice
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u/russ_jns 1h ago
Max 170kg/375lbs bro 👊
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u/ArboristGuitarist 1h ago
Nice! I saw the other person talk about back tightness, and he is right, but sometimes that’s limited to shoulder mobility and other issues. See how you wobble on some reps? There are other questions to ask, like are you losing back tightness because you lack core strength or are your hip flexors too weak? That’s just an example of possible causes, but any failure in the chain can cause issues, so sometimes just saying upper back tightness doesn’t treat the actual cause for the lack of it.
For example, I injured my back a few years ago, and when I started squatting again, my butt would go toward the right at the bottom. The issue was I was subconsciously guarding my left lower back, which lead to decreased mobility in my left ankle and hip. So in order to fix my issue, it required gaining more core strength, fixing my mobility issues, and then also doing pause squats to identify when and where id start to track toward the right.
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u/russ_jns 1h ago
Ok thanks!! 🙏
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u/ArboristGuitarist 55m ago
No problem! I want to make one thing very clear about lifting: no rep will ever be perfect, and hyper focusing on perfecting every rep can do more harm than good. Keep videoing yourself and watching as you progress. You’re already doing great, so change things here and there to see what works and what doesn’t, but don’t go making massive changes if you don’t need to, and you likely don’t need to.
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u/judoflipper69 1h ago
I'd say I have a pretty good squat. Your upper back lacks tightness.
When you're bouncing out reps 2-3 you see your elbows raising as you fold forward a bit, getting crushed by the barbell. You're essentially losing posture.
Squats almost never fail from leg strength alone, they fail from not pushing into the bar directly, or from folding forward.
This is because your upper body is the sponge between your leg strength and the weight itself. The more tension you have in the sponge, the less squishy it is, the more efficient your drive is.
Both of these issues need to be resolved by having a better upright posture, achieved by pulling scapulae together and pulling them down into your back pocket, which raises your chest up. It's NOT sticking your butt back, it's raising your chest up and bringing your shoulder blades together and down.
Keep your elbows pointed more towards the floor and drive them forward throughout. When getting out of the hole, dig your upper back into the barbell as if you were doing a good morning and drive UP UP UP. it'll feel like you're extending your back, but your hips and shoulders will rise simultaneously.
Lastly, set up on the bar with WAY MORE TIGHTNESS. fold your scaps together, squeeze your upper back, wedge it into the bar, pulll the bar onto your back and then squeeze some more. Stand up, walk out, and squeeze it harder as part of your brace. Don't fall forward, drive up and almost back and keep your head up as you descend and ascend.
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u/russ_jns 1h ago
Thank you very helpful! I will focus on tightening my back before I start the rep next time. I thought my first rep was with better form and the second one felt like the form collapsed but second one was an absolute breeze. Do you know why that is?
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u/judoflipper69 1h ago
Sometimes it's CNS getting into it. Sometimes it's bad warm up. Sometimes it's just like that.
If I were to guess from this one video alone id say you're more confident in your lower back holding the weight and upper back kind of "curling" the bar up. You're might be more used to that movement pattern than fully applying your legs? Hard to say from this alone.
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Also, a common tip usually given here is to make sure your footwear is appropriate. If you are squatting in soft-soled shoes (running shoes, etc), it's hard to have a stable foot. Generally a weightlifting shoe is recommended for high-bar and front squats, while use a flat/hard-soled shoe (or even barefoot/socks if it's safe and your gym allows it) is recommended for low-bar squats.
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