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Old Forum GSQ video - Steve Friedes et al

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ali

ali

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Steve and others who responded to a question I posed a few weeks ago about the goblet squat. To recap, I've had some medial knee pain on my right knee which comes and goes. Had it for about 6 or 7 months, sometimes it bothers me and other times it doesn't. I had some treatment on it a couple of weeks ago and a couple of times since it flared up. It is on or around the site of an old MCL tear and the physio thinks that it is scar tissue causing friction on the fascia caused by possible tight adductors. I had it checked out by a doc to who ruled out ligament and meniscus issues agreeing that it was a soft tissue issue which she couldn't be sure about. I'm in the uk, that took up my 5 minute appointment time! I stopped running due to the injury as back then it was pretty painful. It is more of a dull pain now, on and off. So I wandered if the goblet squat would irritate it - hence my original post and here is a video that I would really appreciate a look at:

http://youtu.be/qhqRlS6Bvy4

I've taken the liberty of this community's goodwill and knowledge base and posted a couple more videos for some form check, for further evaluation. I'm largely self taught, have had some kb instruction a while back but not from a sfg. First 1 hand swing with a 24, done from the front and side:

http://youtu.be/8JuQhhQiRIM

and then a get up with a 24:

http://youtu.be/L0_sckZSbbc

No pain was present during any of the moves. Never have any issues with the swing, the goblet sometimes my knee is tight and on the right side lunge of the get up sometimes I get a twinge. Usually pain is present after sitting. I know there are a lot of considerations but if eyes can view my form then I can rule in/out possibilities. I've been foam rolling my calves, quads and adductors with little success. As always, really appreciate all inputs. Thanks a bunch, again.
 
Goblet Squat:  I don't recall the specifics - does goblet squatting like that hurt your knee?

I would try a narrower stance.  You're "tucking your tail" at the bottom and need to find your maximum depth without doing that, and I suspect a narrower stance may help you.  Experiment with foot turnout as well.  Your foot placement is fairly wide - that works for some people but not all and, in my experience, not even many or most.

Take a look at a video Aleks Salkin posted - it's a two-kettlebell front squat.  Notice how, after he cleans the bells, he brings his stance in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8xRwxBsdy4&feature=youtu.be

You are also sitting back too much, which contributes to the tail tucking.  Focus on squatting between your legs rather than behind them.
 
Steve, as ever thanks for the speedy transatlantic reply. You asked: does goblet squatting like that hurt your knee?

Today,in the video, no. It is tight usually however. Tail tuck? I noticed that on myself too, despite me thinking and trying not to and it is very obvious to see. So, keep the curve and only go so far before it tucks. I'm on it. Great feedback again, many, many thanks.
 
Alistair-  Thanks for posting the vid!  I think your goblet squat looks really solid other than rounding your back at the bottom.  Regarding right knee.... I notice that your right foot looks to be pronating.  Actually both feet after another viewing.  I tend to pronate as well.  I wonder if you tried "spreading the floor" with your feet what would happen.  That's a powerlifting squatting queue that I remember from Louis Simmons I believe.  Try not to pronate and squat off of the outside of your feet.

Regarding back rounding...I do that as well and noticed it recently in a mirror when I was goblet squatting.  I've been paying attention to it and trying to keep a "proud chest" pushed up and trying to go lower without the tail tuck.
 
Al,

Like Steve said, bring your squat stance in and turn your toes out wider ... you're at maybe 25 degrees? - go to 45 - then track the knees out over the toes.  Pain might reduce just with that change.

Pull yourself down into the squat, don't lower yourself.  Imagine that you are hanging upside down from the ceiling, and I am asking you to pull your hips up to your heels - this. is. a. squat.

Swings are good.

Get ups ... at the start, rotate your pelvis in the direction of the movement.  When standing up out of the lunge, use both legs and keep your pelvis square - you are depending upon the front leg too much, and this may be aggravating your knee.

Great work, Lad ... and I love your "gym"!
 
In the GS your hips track over to your left a bit and although you finish in pronation on the right ankle, it actually looks like your right foot starts to supinate and then you spin out on that heel a bit and then roll it in. I'm assuming the right knee is the problem unless I read it before and am now missing it. I also think your stance starts too wide, but the other gents gave you the goods there.

With the swing, I know Al said that you're good and perhaps there isn't an out-of-standard error,  but I almost feel like here's not enough pop in the hips. I can't say that you're swinging slowly, but something about the timing to me feels off.  Almost like there not enough float, but it may just be the size of the bell.  It may also be that you don't seem to rotate all the way back to get your shoulders square at the top.  You're always rotated away from the bell and I personally would like you suck the swinging shoulder back at the top as well.  The hips look much better to me from the side, so I'm wondering if it's the placement of your free hand that might be keeping you from fully rotating back to square.  I've seen some guys bring the free hand up by their face like a boxer and that might be a better cue to get you rotated back.  I feel like I might be nitpicking, but like I said, something  just felt off.
 
Thanks so much everyone for the details and tips. Taken on board and will apply to today's practice. Not that  I intend inundating you with a live video stream but I will video myself more I think as it was all very revealing. What I thought I was doing turns out to be anything but. Al, glad you liked my gym on the rare occasion it wasn't raining here in scotland and my washing wasn't out! cheers.
 
Sorry team, just another quickie about the goblet: as my back rounds at the bottom, I should go only so low to keep that curve. When I do that it is pretty tough to do the prying version as prescribed as I'm not fully in the hole so to speak. Is it wise then, in the meantime, to solely work on pulling down, keeping upright, maintaining the curve and form before reaching max depth and prying?
 
Al,

The goblet squat is not heavy so there is no danger in losing your pelvis in the hole.  Just keep fighting for control of your pelvis - pull yourself down, stay tight, sit down not back (don't be afraid to let the knees move out past the toes ... you look tall), pry the bottom - and soon you'll have it.  Practice sitting in a good squat frequently throughout the day.

 
 
Joe,

Good call - what you're seeing is common in novice/intermediate with the 1-h swing.

His trunk is rotated in the direction of the bell and, he doesn't look explosive (though I'm sure it feels like it to him) ... the most likely cause is that he is not connected to the bell.  This will fix itself over time ... but, he could work on packing the loaded shoulder better as the bell descends, and letting the hips move the bell.  He, like we all were at one point, is still wrist/elbow/shoulder-centric, initiating movement from the arm rather than the hips - it's slight but you can see it, and it's leaking force.  Again, time will fix this.

Al, stay in the plank until the bell meets you, then violently sit back and snap through.
 
Al and Joe, thank you. I could see that myself even though, as you said Al, it felt right to me. I'll work on it. Working the 32. But I'll drop back to the 24 and get it sorted. Brilliant guys, thank you.
 
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