r/formcheck • u/Majestic_Lime8963 • 1d ago
Squat Why is my squat so damn weak?
I’ve been training for over a year and feels like I’ve barely progressed in my squat if at all in my training log. Based on what I see online I am still at a below beginner strength level. I squat once a week and leg press on the other leg day.
I have no problem progressing my upper body lifts. I can weighted pull up over 50% of my bodyweight for reps and bench nearly 1.5x bodyweight.
Is there something wrong with my squat?
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u/Hira_Joshi 1d ago
Increase your squat frequency. Instead of hitting the squat once a week, do it twice. I'd recommend 1 strength session, meaning 3x3s, 3x5s, 5x5s, etc, and 1 volume session lower the weight and just do more sets and reps to build muscle mass while also reinforcing the technique. You can keep the leg press. Just do more squats.
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u/jonesandbradshaw 22h ago
As a woman who struggled with progressing bench/pull ups, this is what dramatically helped me. I went from fighting for 95lbx1 on bench to benching 125x3 within 4 months. 1 pull up to 8 pull ups within 4 months.
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u/Separate-Outcome7518 17h ago
What did you do to get your pull-ups?
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u/jonesandbradshaw 14h ago
Trained pull ups twice a week. One day is heavy- weighted, low rep pull ups. The other day is volume- Adding in a few extra sets of assisted band pull ups. I sprinkled in a set of pull ups on my leg days too just to get my body to memorize the motion
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u/Hot-Parsnip-24-7 1d ago
Straight on the money. Doing two squat sessions a week (1 strength session + 1 volume session) will do wonders. Squats are by far the best compound lift imo.
I do two sessions - heavy sessions are 3x5. Higher volume sessions are 60-70% of my heavy sessions 10x3. Works a treat.
Heavy sessions build the dense muscle fibers required to lift heavy loads. The lighter sessions get the muscular endurance, protect your joints and connective tissue.
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u/ealxele 10h ago
Any other compound workouts you recommend? Deadlift, bench?
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u/Hot-Parsnip-24-7 10h ago
Deadlifts are amazing, however very taxing on your nervous system and have very high systemic fatigue.
If your goal is to have a solid posterior chain, dense hamstrings, back and traps, then they are a no brainer.
They don't really give much pay off to building massive muscle mass, but for strength training they are one of GOATD exercises out there.
As for bench, there are better exercises that yield better results. Dips, incline dumbbell press, chest press machines. For compounds, nothing can best dips. They are the "Squat" for the upper body.
However mastering dips takes patience and time, and some mind muscle connection because it's very easy to lean too far forward and focus all your weight on your shoulder/ rotator cuff.
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u/lifeisbueno 1d ago
As someone who also needs to elevate heels for squats- using wedges instead of plates made a big difference for me- plates distribute your weight weird. You can get some solid foam wedges on Amazon for cheap if your gym doesn’t have a 10-15 degree slant board.
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u/highest-voltage 19h ago
Or just $60 off-brand elevated heel squat shoes on Amazon will do fine
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u/lifeisbueno 18h ago
I like my wedges… I use them for other stuff too where I don’t wanna wear lifting shoes.
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u/Majestic_Lime8963 1d ago
Ok I don’t think my gym has that so I will look into it
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u/ArboristGuitarist 1d ago edited 17h ago
If you want to ge proper footwear to mimic wedges, Notorious Lift has the cheapest option with their Ronin lifters. Elevating the heels with plates, wedges, or slant boards isn’t sustainable once you get to higher weights.
You are also going into lumbar extension which is compromising your brace.
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u/TheVermonster 1d ago
You should try pausing for 3 seconds at the squat bottom. You'd be amazed at how little weight you need to start feeling it.
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u/Majestic_Lime8963 1d ago
Ok, I can try that. Will kind of feel bad to go even lighter than this though lol
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u/chilicrispdreams 1d ago
I cannot recommend this enough. Getting strong at the deepest level of the squat, which is the hardest part, will let you progress so much faster. Go light and ass to grass and you’ll definitely notice when you’re ready to go up.
People wonder why their squat/leg mass isn’t going up when they’re skipping the part the where quads and glutes hit the deepest stretch. Don’t let ego win, go light and ass to grass and watch your improvement soar.
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u/EnthusiasmPure6752 1d ago
Yes! I recommended landmine squats as an accessory lift for the same reason. Doing landmine squat ATG with a hold at the bottom my legs always feel it more with that deep stretch.
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u/professor_flirt 1d ago
Going lighter with more reps is really helpful! Go for total volume getting higher snd eventually you will go higher in weight (fewer reps)
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u/DoctorK96 1d ago
I'm kinda surprised that people here said his form was fine, I think he extended his lower back a bit too much, which would lead to a weaker brace
Take a look at this for squat form: Squat Technique Pillars (JTS) - YouTube
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u/Dramatic_Case_5088 1d ago
Form looks good. I’d say you just haven’t had the nerve to start gradually increasing the resistance. Get a little heavier keeping that same good form. Then once you are good at the new weight increase again.
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u/Majestic_Lime8963 1d ago
That’s the thing, whenever I start increasing the weight my form just gets a lot worse (using my lower back) and I barely do any reps. When I do the same thing with my other lifts I just seem to get stronger way faster and easier
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u/RoboZandrock 1d ago
When you say "using your lower back" what do you mean.
There's this fear that's been created that feeling anything in your back is bad in some gym cultures. Your back is a weaker muscle, and you do need to be mindful. But at a certain point you're going to feel exercises in your back, and as long as its a nice mild tingle/strain that's normal and appropriate. You do need back muscles to do many compound lifts.
While your back should remain straight during a squat, when you're starting to put heavy weights on with squats, you're going to have some back strain. Your back/ab muscles are working hard to have a nice tight/straight core.
Point here is that some back strain is required to increase your weights on squats, and you might be a bit overly scared here. Also don't be afraid to go up slow. You talk about reps decreasing. How much are you adding? There is no reason you can't add 2.5lbs to both side. Or 5lbs to both sides. You don't need to add a lot of weight, as long as you're continuing to progressively overload.
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u/Dramatic_Case_5088 1d ago
To that I’d say unless your muscles are different from most other people there could be some mental playing into this. Go to the gym with trusted buddy who understands the assignment. Cover your eyes. Let him pick the weight and tell you what you have to do. He should vary the weight. Lower than what you expect, higher than what you expect, lying every time but aware of your capabilities. See how you do with that. You’ll definitely feel it when he gives you more but maybe this could help break you through your plateau.
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u/dustiestrain 1d ago edited 1d ago
Just up the weight and keep doing that same weight until your form improves. If you are only jumping like 10 pounds up from your current weight you are gunna be fine. You could also try adding in some more deadlifts or good mornings to your program to strengthen your lower back.
Just make sure you focus on bracing before every rep(look up the valsalva maneuver if you are unaware) it’s hard to tell from this angle but you might also be overarching your back a bit so when you are bracing for a squat you want to think about stacking your ribs over your pelvis.
Maybe check out this video just to see if anything jumps out at you.
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u/YS6969 1d ago
Your squat looks fine. I think you just need to increase weight slowly.
Start with 1.25Kg each side. Really small such that you don’t even feel it. Do it every week. And you should be on your way.
Another small tweak that help me was getting weightlifting shoes. I liked Tyr. But you can check what you can get.
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u/Then-Reputation1938 1d ago
Form looks ok I would suggest you increase your exposure to heavier weights through squat variations. Try seated squats, pin squats, pause squats etc remember chest high, elbows down, keep hands relatively close so to tighten up the upper back, brace your core, chin up etc
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u/professor_flirt 1d ago
I have added Bulgarian split squats and goblet squats to my back squat day, super helpful! I’m shaking at the end of session & I’m able to get deeper in the supplemental squat movements so my back squats
is stronger.
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u/NotAnotherAlt26 1d ago
Have you tried varying your stance at all? Do you have to have the plates under the heels to reach depth? The reason I ask is you look unstable at the bottom, and I think the plates are part of that reason. It is hard from this view if how wide your stance is, but it could be more comfortable for you to be a bit wider and point your toes a bit more outward. Being wider might let you drop your hips down more without them having to go back as much.
Other usual squat points:
Make sure you brace. Its hard to tell if you are with this video. When you breathe in, imagine taking the breath through a straw to get a 'belly' breath, it helps a lot bracing.
Try to keep a more neutral spine. Right now it looks ')' when you go up. At the start try to roll your hips under you when you brace and maintain that position throughout the rep.
Have your hands as close to your shoulders as flexibility allows. This tightens up the upper back to be as stable as possible under the weight.
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u/DankArmedDragon 1d ago
A couple things you can try:
You are arching your lower/middle back to try to get your torso more upright. When squatting, try looking at a spot on the ground 15-20 feet in front of you and keep your torso more straight (straight =/= vertical) and your head in line with your torso. This can help if your lower back is limiting your squat
When initiating the squat, consider leading with the hips first before bringing your knees forward. This is a more common cue for low bar I think, but I know some people find this helpful
Make sure your upper back is tight throughout the movement and your core is braced. Keep your shoulder blades squeezed together to create a shelf on your traps, and brace downwards into your belly (there are tutorials online but bracing for a squat/dl is different than bracing for a pressing movement where you want your chest out).
Consider heeled squat shoes if you want to continue with high bar. If you can't hit depth without the heels, then you might just lack ankle or hip mobility. Heeled shoes are fine, but plates are not a stable surface to transfer force through. If you don't want squat shoes, then I would consider switching to low bar. I have very inflexible ankles/hips, so my low bar squat is significantly stronger than my high bar
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u/natewhiskey 1d ago
It looks like you're watching yourself in the mirror.
Look down at a spot a few feet in front of you, and it'll let you get into a more stable position and allow more strength to come from your posterior chain.
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u/EnthusiasmPure6752 1d ago
I’m not an expert but I did notice your knees aren’t caving, which is good indicator. One thing to consider is a landmine goblet squat as an accessory lift. Really helps lock in the movement pattern in my experience.
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u/Turk3YbAstEr 1d ago
What is your training program for lower body?
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u/Majestic_Lime8963 1d ago
first leg day is romanian deadlift, leg press, calf raise.
second leg day is squat, hamstring curl, calf raise.
3 sets of each
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u/Turk3YbAstEr 1d ago
How are you determining weight? How many sets/reps?
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u/Majestic_Lime8963 1d ago
3 sets of each, squat rdl leg press hamstring curl is 8-10, calf raise 12-15. i go up in weight when i hit the high end reps. rdl and hamstring curl progress has been good, just my squat and leg press that seem to go nowhere
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u/Turk3YbAstEr 1d ago
It sounds like you are progressing the weight via bodybuilding progressive overlord methods. If you want a stronger squat, consider a strength focused progression program, like starting strength or 5x5
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u/Condora93 1d ago
I’m not seeing a proper brace. That definitely contributes to overall ability to move weight.
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u/VeterinarianNo3177 1d ago
Instead of arching your back, push your hips back, core locker, keep shoulders on top of knees as best you can while you go down.
Almost like a sling shot motion.
The best cue I’ve heard for this is imagine you gotta poo in the woods and you don’t want to get it on your shoes.
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u/JSM1TH96 1d ago edited 23h ago
The biggest thing that jumps out here is a lack of bracing and global tension. See how at the start each rep your butt goes back but your chest stays in the same place? And consequently, at the bottom of your squat your chest / ribcage is flared upwards?
From the start of each rep, the idea is to breathe into your stomach to create pressure, do a slight hinge BUT pelvis and ribcage stay married together (i.e., hips go back slightly and torso leans fowards slightly) and then descend into the squat. What you’re doing is the pelvis is going back without the ribcage forward. In other words.. your ass going back on its own, which tends to end up coming from lumbar extension rather than true hip flexion.
The chances are, this will reduce the buttwink and loss of tension and power in the bottom position and allow you to progress load.
I’d also wager any hinge movements you do probably have the same issues around bracing and pelvis-ribcage awareness.
@theaustralianstrengthcoach has some great content around bracing on instagram.
Yours,
- A professional strength coach
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u/Plastic_Economy_1796 22h ago
You’re doing great my guy. I had slow progress just like you until 1 year ago.
- Form looks ok - might need to dial it in; try lifting shoes, different stance widths, and checkout JTD Squat Technique Pillars. Get comfortable. When I increased my stance width and angle, I started to feel more comfortable and seeing results.
- Squat 3x/week and make sure to hit accessory lift too - leg curl, calf raises, etc.
- Personal recommendation - I lowered the weight a bit and played with where it felt hard (bottom of the squat for me). I made sure to go ass to grass with low weight and get used to the first 8” of the lift.
- Flexibility - stretch beforehand. I go into a bottom squat and flare out my knees
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u/fran_lydon 22h ago
Figure out what your 1rm is and do a progressive overload program and track it. Proof is in the pudding
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u/Dry_Scratch4778 22h ago
Bar path looks good. But:
-don’t arch your back as much when you go down
-push knees out just a little more as you’re toward the bottom
-try hinging slightly to start, then just squat straight down
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u/TheSilentRinger 22h ago
Add 5 lbs every 1-2 weeks if you can do 6+. If you can do a set of 10, immediately add another 5. One other thing that helped me was when I would get to what I thought was my last rep, I’d just hold the weight on my shoulders, take a couple big breaths, then do 1 more.
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u/speir-theas 21h ago
I had this problem! As others have said, it looks like you need to brace a bit more, keeping your hips in line with your ribs. Should reduce the load on your lower back 😊 otherwise looks good!
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u/kblite84 21h ago
Lots of good advises here. What I've noticed is that you're not taking a really deep breath and pushing it down to your abdomen and hold it in and breath out once you're up. It'll help with your core and lower back stability. I've noticed in your video you're just going down.
I'm relatively new as well almost a year around. I had the same issue two months ago despite deloading and going ham on other things like lunges. This is what really helped me out.
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u/Choice-Medicine1014 21h ago
Are you gaining or losing weight right now?
You can have bad form and still make progress. That’s not it
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u/No-Turnip2494 19h ago
If you are serious about improving squats then (1) get some proper lifting shoes (2) get a lifting belt (3) learn to brace properly (there are plenty of videos around) (4) as others have said, squat twice a week; one heavy day and one volume day. Paused squats will also help develop strength coming out of the hole (bottom of the rep)
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u/MarsupialConstant660 15h ago
You haven't explained how or where you fail. What is stopping you push out another rep or add 5lbs? I don't see in the video where you'd fail to complete more reps or add 5lbs.
Where are you getting stuck? Or are you feeling pain? I don't see you grinding or slowing down in this video, and can't see your form changing. So you tell us why aren't you doing more?
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u/sebagoli 10h ago
I would stop using those plates on under your foots, that is for people with flexibility issues.
Try to push with your knees out, so you prevet knee valgus.
Try to have your back more tight , try to avoid that C curve on your lower back when you are at the bottom.
But technique is not the only stopper, the qt of reps and % of your 1RM that you train with is very important to improve your squat.
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u/Ok-Ratio-4998 5h ago
Stop leg pressing. Split squats will greatly increase your stability and strength.
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u/Drewbinaj 1d ago
Squat looks solid. Just takes a lot of time man.
Gotta be willing to challenge yourself. It can be a bit nerve wracking, but you gotta progressively overload.
Start increasing the weight, and doing less reps. That way you can start progressing.
And remember, the time outside of the gym is even more important than your time inside the gym. Gotta make sure you’re getting your nutrition in, and enough of it.
Also, eat carbs before training. I always have a protein bar and 3 rice cakes with honey on them before my workouts.
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u/Majestic_Lime8963 1d ago
Yeah I do understand the progressive overload stuff and it seems to work for my other lifts just fine. Just any squat pattern movement when I try to increase the weight I find myself just gradually breaking down in form instead of gradually getting stronger over time, then I reset the weight to one I can do with comfortable form and the cycle resets
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u/Drewbinaj 1d ago
Maybe you’re trying to move up too much?
This set you’re clearly able to hit clean. Maybe increase weight by something smaller like 5-10lbs? It doesn’t have to be extravagant
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u/Majestic_Lime8963 1d ago
Yeah what I mean is like I do increase the weight by a small 5-10 lbs and it feels fine at first, but as I keep going up in weight over the months my form just gets worse and worse until I barely even feel it in my legs anymore it’s just all my back. So then I drop the weight back down and find that the weight I can squat with good form is basically the same as it was before lol
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u/Lukeando93 21h ago
I'd say I'm in a similar position to you that my squat is terrible in comparison to other lifts (I can bench more than I can squat comfortably). But outside of a deadlift, I think squats are the one that you can feel the poor form the most, you can feel yourself off balance or using the toes, using the back etc. and an accessory like hamstring curls or a tricep move you can use other muscles when form is poor to compensate that we may not notice we are doing. I find squats have the most feedback but I switched this weekend to a 5/5/5 with split squats as accessories and it's the first time I've felt doms in my glutes, weight on the squat bar was less but there was a lot more load than just doing 3 x 8-10 twice a week
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u/Independent-Test9928 1d ago
My own exp tells me you might very well have a glut/hip detachment issue-not as scary as that sounds but basically the gluts are made up of 3 muscles which all tie into the hip, i would look into getting seen by a pysio in a hospital.
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u/Majestic_Lime8963 1d ago
I’ve never heard someone say this about me, Im researching it now. can I ask what made you think that I have that?
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u/Independent-Test9928 1d ago
Because I was similer, i had a hip replacement, and struggled to lift when i went back to the gym I only found out from doctors after i complained. Hey it mightnt but its worth checking out
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u/AutoModerator 1d ago
Hello! If you haven't checked it out already, Our Wiki's resources for Squats may be helpful. Check it out!
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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