Balance and Position -- One Common Error Intermediates Make

[@Abdul-rn2te]

faak JP u alwas talking about things no one else goes into detail about, thanks!

[@stelliumeleven2889]

I love pin squats for this reason. If your out of balance it really shows in this variation. It has helped me out tremendously

[@Kelvinjan]

This is definitely something I've been working on the past few months and it's tough coming in some weeks when things feel spot on and other weeks where you feel slightly off on form. Like they always say, practice makes perfect.

[@jtimmer1969]

Alternate Cue: Knees Forward till I feel some of load in Quads - for me this works to stay in mid-foot.

[@silentone911]

Hey John, just wanted to thank you for this video. In the last few months we have seen major reform regarding the natural cues that have been preached over the years. You specifically are one of the few content creators I watch who really focuses on body position, spatial awareness, and truly achieving the mind-muscle connection crucial to executing the lift. Keep up the great work and content, and I'm hoping to see more in the future.

[@MeharBhogal]

Quality stuff per usual, JP. I've been playing with a hip break, pause, then dropping down during my squats. Found greater consistency as well as a better ability to stay balanced during the eccentric as there is a moment to feel things out prior to coming down.

[@eldepresso8116]

Needed this! Pausing and correcting the other day really helped me realise just how tilted my hips were. Hopefully with time I can correct my stance and the process will become an automatic movement! Thanks!

[@marriottperformance]

I always struggle with staying balanced when squatting low bar in Olympic Lifting shoes. I find I get pitched forward so much on the concentric portion.

[@lb3bodybuilding278]

This actually helped me a ton today. Thanks, JP!

[@AsifIqbalMunir]

'Embrace the forward lean' One of the best things you've said

[@scubaz28]

Another great video, awesome!

[@cognacbraun1]

Great vid. Easily one of my favourite powerlifting channels.

[@gysteel6650]

Yes i need this video!!!

[@stevensparks19]

Omarisuf had a pretty long series of videos a little while back (with greg nuckols) going over the squat pretty in depth. During one of the segments they touched on bar path, and how a deviation from the perfectly straight line is perfectly normal at lower loads, and attempting to keep it perfectly vertical could be counterproductive. This was my biggest take away from that video, and something I wish people talked about more often. It's generally glossed over and the generic advice of a vertical bar path is thrown out without any regard to the load being discussed. It was the first time I'd heard this talked about (not to say it hadn't ever been talked about before, just the first time for me) and it was one of those moments that really made the biggest difference in my mentality towards squatting. Warming up I always felt like garbage because I could tell I was shifting forward to maintain balance, leading me to believe I just wasn't a great squatter (not to say that I think I am now.. But I'm getting better) Once I started paying attention to my bar path on my heavier working sets (through recordings), which were admittedly low in comparison to a lot of guys, I noticed sure enough the bar path sure enough was working itself out as I approached bodyweight, and eventually around 1.5x bodyweight it started to deviate only ever so slightly.

[@JohnPaulCauchi]

Awesome bro! Definitely the case. Have you seen the Melbourne Strength Culture video where they talk about vertical bar path? Very similar concept as what you're describing! Glad you're learning stuff!!

[@stevensparks19]

John Paul Cauchi Absolutely, I watched it right after I finished this video. I really enjoy the visual representation with the line added over the footage of him squatting. As someone who is mostly self taught, as I can’t really afford a coach (would love to work with one someday), channels like yours are particularly helpful. It’s the little things that, like you alluded to about the off hand comment about squatting being about balance and positioning, I feel I miss out on not having a coach. I’ve picked up more than a couple things from your channel, most importantly your videos on setting up for benching, helped a tremendous amount. Always look forward to your videos when they pop up in my subscription feed, keep up the good work. 👍🏻

[@mattjoe182]

This is covered in Starting Strength :)

[@stevensparks19]

Matthew McNulty that’s good to know. I’ve been meaning to grab that book for some time, I just never seem to remember. That makes sense though. As thorough as practical programming is, no doubt starting strength is just as thorough.

[@JoseRodriguez-pq5sz]

Thank you great stuff brother. Grace and peace. God bless

[@koujoful]

JP do you squat the same equipped and raw? Recently changed to equipped and I feel I’m not squatting correct. Can you please do a video on what stays the same and what the difference is with the suit and knee wraps.

[@hingoppa]

the opposite happens to me. My heels tend to come up a bit during the ascent of the squat. I can't really feel that "midfoot" placement cue.

[@JohnPaulCauchi]

Funnnily enough, they mightn't be opposite things. I talk about falling onto your heels on the descent and you're mentioning that you go onto your toes in the ascent. The double-negative may in fact be the same thing. If you're on your heels during the descent, when you hit the hole, you won't have anywhere to go but forward. As a result, the inertia of the forward movement of the bar (in the hole) can push you onto your toes during the ascent. There are probably a multitude of other factors such as ankle mobility, stance width etc that might be affecting it but i think you may surprise yourself by following the advice in this video!

[@hingoppa]

That makes sense. thank you! i'll try to be more aware next squat session

[@spenndoolie]

looks like this depth does too much of this forward lean cause depth issues?

[@DKriticos]

I have never understood when I used to do many squats, I remember during the warm ups I would do free squats without a bar and found it easy to lose balance. Then once I put a bar on my back (even an empty bar) it seemed to correct that balance problem. Why do you think that is?

[@MrTheAndu]

Should I take a wider stance if in my current stance I have to lean a lot ( my femur is a lot longer than my tibia) and big frequency wrecks my low back. I tried a little bit wider stance but I don't feel as bouncy as before out of the hole, but I can stay more upright

[@Luke41lol]

your knees are clicking bro?

[@sva6774]

👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@JPITFTKD]

I' m standing hiyaa

[@fallingwickets]

No white lights for you!!

[@Ghostlygt-x9c]

My bigtoe hurts after squatting, what could be wrong ?

[@kookie4nookie]

Milton Cubas clip your toenails

[@Yasill_Spiritual_Lifting]

JP! I love you in a heterosexual way!

[@ezrabay4393]

I love life in a gay way!

[@blindmonkey9999]

dadi