theTank

Learning Low Bar and would love feedback. I am struggling to hit depth and can't tell where exactly the hip crease is. I think I'm hitting depth but it's taking all the stretch and focus in me. It feel super tight in my groin/hips, not sure if I'm going too low? I think my weight/anatomy is getting in the way too, so knees out per Blue Book has been a big cue for me. I know the angle may not be best for bar position, it feels below spine of scapula but maybe it should be lower?

First set, from the back: squat back - YouTube

Second set, from 45 angle: squat 45 - YouTube

Third set, from side: - YouTube

Mark Rippetoe

1. Your stance is too wide. This makes depth hard to reach.

2. Your shins are too vertical/weight is not balanced over the middle of your foot. Look at your toes -- see the air? Basically, your knees need to travel forward as you descend. Not to the point where your knees are forward of your toes, but enough that you're not squatting on your heels.

Jason Donaldson

What Rip points out about your knees not coming forward is something that hits close to home for me, Tank. I just got to work with an SSC recently, and found that I was similarly deficient. (Basically, this is one of many ways I'd overcorrected myself to avoid the perils of high bar squats.) One of that coach's fixes for me was the TUBOW (Just a moment...).

It turns out that not only does that teaching tool stop excessive forward knee travel, but it can help to correct insufficient forward travel as well. You may find it similarly helpful.

theTank

Massive help coach. Thank you, Rip. Blue Book should be sold in every gym in the world.

The cue to “keep the weight in the middle of the foot” not only solved the problem, but also is so obvious after re reading that section of the blue book that looking back I’m laughing at being stumped with my form. When I do so the TUBOW actually helps bc my knees then move when COM is more middle of foot. I was cueing myself “ass back” too much. Thank you for the TUBOW suggestion it’s cool.

John Watson

Was curious as to what those with a long forearm and short upper arm ratio should do in the clean and press, as far as the transition from the clean rack position to the beginning of the press position.

I'm talking about those like myself who need to use a wider grip and close elbows, and still end up with only fingertips, or maybe less than 4 fingers on the bar in the rack position.

Is it better to catch the rack position in our hands, so as to be in better position to press? Or catch it on our shoulders as in the power clean, and then somehow (with a quick bounce?) reposition and re-grip into a more suitable press position?

Are lifters with these anthropomorphics just kind of screwed?

I realize the C&P is kind of a rare bird these days, and maybe a form model hasn't been developed for this scenario, or maybe there are enough similarities of form technique in the C&J that could just be adapted to the C&P?

Or am I overthinking it, and just pick the damn bar up and press it overhead?

Mark Rippetoe

If the anthropometry problems are profound, it may be that the clean and press/jerk are not useful to you. I'd have to see the video.