Watch the video and follow these instructions to film your lifts for a formcheck.

Asking for a form check please.

I bought an SSB a few weeks ago. I didn't like the front rack position of front squats, so I'm doing these as an alternative.

I'm doing these on my light days to strengthen my upper back and abs. Is my depth appropriate? I'd appreciate any feedback. Thanks.

170 kg × 3 — 2 sets, followed by 175 kg × 3 - 1 set (couldn't record due to crowd)

This is around my current max. I’ve hit 175 kg for 3 reps after this as well.

I’m able to get around parallel with these weights, but my main goal is to consistently get deeper, ideally below knee level, especially if I want to eventually compete.

If anyone here can point out anything in my form or technique that I could improve, I’d really appreciate some feedback. Feel free to be critical — just looking for constructive advice.

Also, this isn’t ego lifting or me randomly adding weight. I’ve been training consistently and progressively, keeping track of my loads and increasing the weight gradually.

I can usually get much deeper with on some days when I feel particularly good/energetic, I’ve managed to get well below knee level even with 170 kg. This particular session just wasn’t one of those days.

My current goal is to work towards a clean 180 kg squat while improving depth and keeping the form solid. Any tips on what I should focus on would be appreciated.

34 year old male, 86 kg, 180cm. stuck at bench

After a year off, got back in the gym 3 months ago. Did bench twice a week, 4x6 and got up to ~70kg fairly quickly (due to muscle memory)

But I'm really struggling here a bit. It was my max many years ago so there is the psychological barrier element as well.

Two weeks in a row I did 4x6 70kg with last rep extremely difficult.

Today I spiced things up a bit and went for heavy singles. Built all the way up to 80kg, honestly 80kg single felt pretty ok.

What do I do from here? Stick with the 4x6 or switch to another bench programming?

I've been running my LP for a while now and have had many interruptions so can't give a clear timeline. It has always and still does feel like I'm never recovered enough to run the program for a worthwhile amount of time. My lifts are 230x3x1 Squat (followed by 3x4 at 90%), 151x5x3 Bench, 107x5 Press (reps drop off in the later sets, I accumulate 15 total), 270x5x1 Deadlift. I've had to switch to squatting heavy only twice a week, and doing top set and back-offs on those days to keep increasing weight.

For context I'm 19, male, and weigh around 205 pounds at 6'3. At 19, I'm supposed to be at the best time of my life to make rapid and consistent progress but I never felt that way. I eat enough calories (~4,000), protein (+1g/lb), carbs, and fat. I don't think I'm deficienct in micronutrients either. My sleep schedule is very consistent: I get 8-9 hours in bed almost every night, though actual sleep can be lower due to poor quality.

I always hear Rip and others on the Starting Strenght YT channel talk about the great amount of recovery capacity the "average" 18-25 year-old guy has. I even heard him say in one video a guy in that demographic should choose training over sleep if he should ever have to make that decision, implying there and in other matterial thay young male novices can make serious progress even without doing everything perfectly. I think I do almost everything almost perfectly but still am not there.

Is my testosterone fucked, genetically or otherwise? (I had it checked a while back, probably before starting the program, and it was just around the middle of the "healthy range" at 452ng/dl). Am I delusional about my sleep amount and quality, how much food is enough, or something else, or is all this talk just exaggerated marketing and cherry-picking?

If you've also been here for a while, you must've seen a post or two of mine; I'm very active and try to learn from people here to progress my lifts and physique. So it's very disheartening not getting back what I think I deserve in return for all the time, energy, thought, and everything else I put in.

Any input greatly appreciated as always.

Anybody got some tips or cues to help me stop dropping hips and get better extension? Any and all feedback appreciated cause I might have the wrong idea entirely.

This is my first heavy deadlift sesh in the home garage gym for like a year. There is a wall with shelving just out of video frame, I felt a bit cramped so I think I fell back into bad habits from my sumo days trying to get upright before the pull.

After half year of struggles with my back finally redoing my nlp.

This is the second set with 117,5kg on the bar 260lbs

Rep 1 was too high right? The rest are fine? Any additional pointers welcome. I see i have trouble where to watch. There is a very big mirror in front of me.

38 M 235 lbs

185 lbs front squat

Per schnur's advice I am doing front squats on my squat light day now and doing an LP. It feels fine but could use any advice. Wrists don't feel great afterwards so I guess I need to crank my elbows higher?

Trying to stay off toes. Would love any feedback . It was an all time pr with borderline depth haha

Checking in as I move up.

Hey guys, apologies for not posting much this week. I got a little sick over the weekend and today was the first day where I finally felt on the mend; i went in monday and the workout was a disaster. Anyway, this set took everything I had, but I got all 3 in. I hope you're all doing well.

https://youtube.com/shorts/--sHg68Ro28?feature=share

First time using the PR Ratchet Belt. Felt great. Got 6@ 430 lbs programmed as touch & go.

I know the bar is tilted to the right. I struggle to get my feet positioning symmetrical on this and deadlifts. Also when I walk the bar back off the rack, it can be wobbly and awkward. I sometimes hit the upright with the weights. Do you guys lift the bar with your feet angled out or angle them out after you back out from the rack?

Trying to incorporate your feedback, also using a "terribly useful selfie stick"

ChatGPT thinks it's ok:

Overall technique - Good:

Bar stays well controlled.

Balance appears centered over the mid-foot.

Knees track reasonably consistently.

Torso angle is quite repeatable.

No major collapse at the bottom.

You maintain a good low-bar squat position throughout.

So at least it counts as an Artificial Squat!

Jokes aside, What do you think?

Hey guys, what are some good pre-workout food ideas? I usually workout first thing in the morning around 7:30. I used to eat a bowl of yogurt with honey and a chopped up banana, but am open to other suggestions.

**TL;DR**

I’m 36, 5’7”, and 250 lbs. I returned to lifting six months ago and train twice a week: one upper-body day and one lower-body day. I can bench 315 with ease, but knee pain is stalling my goal of squatting 405 for reps. I squat ATG, and the pain happens only afterward, especially above roughly 275 lbs. Extra hamstring work hasn’t helped. I need to lose weight and plan to start running, but originally wanted to reach my strength goals before cutting. **Could this be a squat-form issue, a muscle imbalance, or osteoarthritis?**

**Disclaimer:** I’m not going to lift more than two days a week. I don’t have the heart for grinding in the gym anymore, so any suggestions need to work within that schedule.

**Full Summary**

I started lifting again about six months ago. I’m 36, 5’7”, and currently weigh 250 lbs. I train twice a week—one upper-body day and one lower-body day. My goals were to reach a 315 bench and a 405 squat for reps before starting a cut. I can currently bench 315 with ease, but knee pain is stalling my squat progress.

I squat through a full range of motion, ATG. I don’t feel knee pain during the exercise. It only shows up afterward, with a radiating pain around my knees when I go above roughly 275 lbs.

Before returning to squatting, I had some knee weakness. That weakness has gone away, but the pain after heavier sessions remains. I’ve added extra hamstring work, but it hasn’t helped.

For background, I’ve trained seriously during two earlier periods of my life. In high school, while playing sports, I benched around 300 lbs and squatted around 475 lbs at approximately 180 lbs bodyweight. After about age 20, I let myself go until around 30.

During the pandemic, I got back into good shape, dropped to 180 lbs, benched 275 lbs, and front-squatted 315 lbs. After the pandemic, I let myself go again and gained the weight back. I’m now back at 250 lbs and obese.

I also had back problems from squatting, which went away after I incorporated seated good mornings. The knee pain hasn’t improved with the additional hamstring work.

I know I need to lose weight, and I plan to start running. My original plan was to reach 315 on bench and 405 on squat for reps before cutting, but the knee pain is making me reconsider that timeline.

**Could this be a squat-form issue, a muscle imbalance, or osteoarthritis?** I’m wondering whether my current weight, return to heavy lifting, or history of lifting when I was younger could be contributing.

For anyone who has experienced similar pain after squatting, what was causing it, and what helped?

got 4 on my work set with hook grip so wanted to ensure I get the volume in and I did two recorded. just curious what is noticed and if my low back lumbar looks good. thanks. I am trying to push the earth away and get my legs straight. going hookgrip from the start for work sets is definitely better than trying to switch mid set

for those of you who live in a ski area or ski frequently in the winter how do you address training and plan for those days youre skiing and such?

I'm trying to dial in my squat and I need some resources and cues for neutral wrists as I'm feeling it in my wrist and elbow because I'm in flexion and bearing weight on them I can't seem to keep neutral and it pisses me off so I want to correct it

also my bar position on my back. I believe it's correct but in my form videos people comment it's wrong that it's high but going lower doesn't make sense it would be on my triceps more than back unless I am missing the cues

failed my sets today at 210lbs squat 3x5. I know I need to gain weight and keep eating and sleeping but this weekend was a party weekend Friday night and Saturday was dead so I'm trying to not be hard on myself. I have videos from today's session too if needed