You probably won’t read this Omar, but I’ve been following you since the very beginning, learned, laughed, and grew along with your videos. Thank you for everything and I’m effin fucking proud of how far you’ve come. Cheers mate 🍻
here is the best squating tip you will ever hear load the bar, stare at the mirror or stare at the ground, and ask yourself if you are fucking training hard and if you fucking want to make progress or not, man the fuck up and squat hard and deep like you freaking want it. but good tips omar this channel has been a fav for a long time
My "this isint even my final form" shirt came in yesterday. Wore it today for squats and hit a PR! I think your shirts have magical powers! Cheers Omar!
Thanks for making this video, Omar. A while back I had someone check my form and the video he recorded clearly showed me turning squats into good mornings. The video you did with Mr. Hamilton was also very helpful but adding this cue to my laundry list of others will hopefully help me get my squat form straightened out. Sadly, my gym has just recently removed its squat and power rack (singular, very scary indeed) in favour of new and shiny machines. I won't be working out for a long long time seeing as it was the only affordable gym with a squat rack and I don't have the money yet to buy my own equipment. Regardless, thanks for this video and keep up the good work!
Great explanation. I also feel that sometimes people don’t know how to fire their glutes so prescribing simple bridging exercises help improve their ability to recruit their glutes during a squat
OmarIsuf , i love how much attention has been paid to bench/overhead press a over the past month and squatting for past 3 weeks or so (especially the emphasis on squats because i have been noticing as i train for my first powerlifting competition this summer that so few people squat and/or deadlift with proper form and/or much intensity relative to their body weight). through your past few squat videos i've gotten back to weights that i havent hit in years on the squats and the technique fixes have me confident ive got a lot more progress ahead. having said that, any chance we can get similar videos on deadlifting? i've been waiting for you to get Jeremy blaster018 to do a "X Big Beginner Deadlift Mistakes" video!!
Glad I watched this before going to the gym day, my lower back is killing me and you just described exactly what I've been doing wrong with my squats. Thanks bro!
Tip: Engage the glutes by doing your warm up sets with a power band just above your knees pressing outward on the band with your knees to keep tension.
well said my friend. i think a lot of people are scared of forward knee travel which --> too much hip flexion. im not suggesting in low bar have knees come way past the toes as is common in high bar ATG...merely that when initiating the lift most lifters will be strongest with a balance of knees/hips
Hey Omar. You always hear "chest up, chest up" is it also possible to over extend the thoracic spine as well? I know I've been trying to get chest up as much as possible and since I've been getting upper abdominal pain and I think because of it.
I think you should go make a video on what you think is the proper way to come out of the hole. I've always came out of the hole explosively but the back of my knee is starting to get stiff.
Can it be because the weight is too heavy? Because when I push myself beyond, these problems comes in, but if I hit my max just right, perfect form down and up no problems...
I definitely do this, but I can't do it the other way. Too weak quads, ancle mobility? I think my femours are extremely long compared to my torso. Could that be it?
I see alot of people in the gym do this with the bar placed in a high bar position. It only makes it even worse than what is shown here. Most of them barely half squat, because of this. Good video as always. Good information and entertaining as well.
So what Mark Rippetoe says in his book about flexing the spinal erectors which causes a slight arch in the lower back but not hyper extension is not completely correct, compared to just squeezing the glutes before descent? I’m pretty confused about that part any input would be appreciated.
my squat issue is my stronger right side taking more load, I seem to twist a little, and because of this, my right oblique/abs are more developed than my left side now :/ fucked up
I have this problem. I think one of the causes is lack of ankle flexibility. not being able to flex the ankles enough throws the entire upper body off balance, so to compensate for that, guys lower their back to try and bring the bar back over their center of gravity. This, as omar said, pretty much turns it into a fucked up good morning, and too much load is placed on the lower back, hamstrings and glutes, while the quads remain relatively inactive. So in addition to Omar's advice, I would also work on ankle flexibility, so you can maintain proper back position under load, and achieve the quad activation necessary to perform a proper and safe squat.
I definitely think that this is a problem i suffer from! I wish i had a gym partner that could watch out for these form errors for me. I find it difficult to know if i am getting it right or not. I guess maybe i should just go a little lighter and focus on form until i nail that down. I have not been squatting for long, so still trying to get the form down.
I got sciatica from a series of bad squatting habits (exaggerating the "hip drive", stance too narrow, squatting in running shoes and thus not keeping feet firmly planted, tightness in calves, due to the above muscle inbalance, etc), will these tips allow me to squat without pissing off the nerve?
Dreamtrain Had but only sort of. The doctor said it could come back at basically anytime. Mine was definitely a herniated disc putting pressure on the nerve. The pain was intense in my hip. That was Feb 2013 and no recurrence. Never did any stretching mostly ice and heat and rest.
I had it too. Most definitely a herniated disc. Sorry to break it to you, but a month of stretching ain't gonna do shit. Some people suffer for years, some have it reoccur. But continue doing stretches. Things like sphinx/seal pose temporarily alleviated the pain for me. Long term solution was to fix the faulty recruitment patterns. It took me like 4-5 months to be able to have strong workouts and like a year before I felt no pain at all. Good luck with your recovery.
Omar you got any tips or maybe a video idea on a cue on where to stop on the squat? I notice when I squat as a 6'8 dude I go ATG cause I feel if I stop early I'm only half squatting even though it's probably below parallel still. I know it may be impossible to give advice on and I may need to record myself but any help is appreciated!
Hey Omar, what size wristband are you wearing in thid video? 6" or 8"? Im going to buy one off your website but i just wanted to know how big theu look like on somebody
Hey Omar another great video, however I have one question when you say you squeeze your glutes, do you keep squeezing them on the way down as I find this unusually difficult, would appreciate any comments from you guys.
Finally started squatting 2 days ago after months of just doing leg presses and extensions. MY quad strength is now excellent but unfortunately it's writing cheques my glutes and hams can't cash. Dear sweet lord I had thought DOMS was a thing of the past. My arse is hurting more than Jake Gylenhall's in Brokeback Mountain. I'm a broken man...and I've got more squats coming tomorrow. :(
Hey omar I switched to low bar cuz i feel a lot stronger in the position but its really agravating one of my shoulders. Is this a flexibility issue? I feel a popping sensation then it hurts like fuck. Sometimes I have no problems other times it gets me. Glad your putting out more squat footage bro!
Good day Omar, as a 6'4 squatter that's strained their low back more than they have trained calves... can I send you a video of me squatting so you can look at my form and help me correct it?I've been watching a lot of Thralls and Your videos but I still have low back problems. I'll pay you reasonably to check out my form. Help a calf less brother out. Santa is watching you this year.
So the Cressey vid kinda destroyed yours and Alastair's vid on how to squat. Has your opinion changed? I think Alastair has a very unique squat form that's not particularly suited for everyone.
That's what I'm trying to figure out. I can squeeze my cheeks and feel my back straighten out, but there's no way I keep can keep it like that the whole way down. It starts to relax and I can feel my back hyper extend.
You need to keep it squeezed, your glutes are probably not used to (strong enough) to stay activated throughout the entire movement, so you should honestly restart your current wait to beginner levels to get your glutes up to level with the rest of your squatting muscles.
Those AdiPowers, how much of an advantage would you say you get over regular trainers? Looking to get a pair, but hoping they're worth every penny. Anybody reading this feel free to comment, please.
Look up CanditoHQs video on why you always should use squat shoes when squatting. You don't have to buy the most expensive pairs out there. I know world champions squatting in 50€ shoes.
Yes but I figured if I'm gonna spend money on some shoes, I'd might as well go with the best the money can buy.. on shoes that is. I see lot's of people using these so I assumed these are probably these best.oh, and not to come off as an A-hole... But to discuss. Appreciate all feedback thanks.
I don't think there necessary, I squatted barefoot until my gym told me I couldn't so I purchased them. Unless you plan on competing I say train with No shoes, No belt, No knee sleeves, That's my opinion. Unless of course your gym requires shoes then and only then I say get them.
Daniel Guevara Not only the best, but simply the proper shoes for what you're doing. You can run in chucks, but wouldn't you prefer a more adequate running shoe? That's why I bought WL shoes.
HEY OMAR! I need your help! Remember what happened quite a while ago, when gym memes stole your T shirt "not final form creation" tank top. Well I'm doing an essay on like copyright, intellectual property, remix culture & plagiarism. & I wanted to include your story as part of my essayyy, for highschooool, can I get you to write a statement on your opinions of what happened? Then If i can reference you for the essay, will be of much help! thanks!
You probably won’t read this Omar, but I’ve been following you since the very beginning, learned, laughed, and grew along with your videos. Thank you for everything and I’m effin fucking proud of how far you’ve come. Cheers mate 🍻
here is the best squating tip you will ever hear load the bar, stare at the mirror or stare at the ground, and ask yourself if you are fucking training hard and if you fucking want to make progress or not, man the fuck up and squat hard and deep like you freaking want it. but good tips omar this channel has been a fav for a long time
This is exactly what I needed to know to work on my squat form!!
My "this isint even my final form" shirt came in yesterday. Wore it today for squats and hit a PR! I think your shirts have magical powers! Cheers Omar!
YOU HEARD IT HERE FOLKS...PROOF (ps I will send you the check later)
OmarIsuf OmarIsuf "Steroids...in shirt form"
-Dom Mazzetti
how long did your shirt take?
its been like a month and a half and i still dont have mine
mricecold7
you can e-mail me sales@raskolapparel.com and we'll fix it!
Thanks for making this video, Omar. A while back I had someone check my form and the video he recorded clearly showed me turning squats into good mornings. The video you did with Mr. Hamilton was also very helpful but adding this cue to my laundry list of others will hopefully help me get my squat form straightened out.
Sadly, my gym has just recently removed its squat and power rack (singular, very scary indeed) in favour of new and shiny machines. I won't be working out for a long long time seeing as it was the only affordable gym with a squat rack and I don't have the money yet to buy my own equipment.
Regardless, thanks for this video and keep up the good work!
Jesus Christ, Omar, this is a timely video as I ran into this problem today.
Will be sure to implement these tips on Monday.
Literally focused on these tips a few hours ago. Good thing to know I'm squatting correctly. Solid video as always Omar!
Great explanation. I also feel that sometimes people don’t know how to fire their glutes so prescribing simple bridging exercises help improve their ability to recruit their glutes during a squat
Awesome information as always, Omar. Thank you.
Will definitely have these tips in mind when I squat tomorrow. Thanks very much Omar!
Fantastic vid Omar. Now a Hi Bar one please and thank you.
OmarIsuf , i love how much attention has been paid to bench/overhead press a over the past month and squatting for past 3 weeks or so (especially the emphasis on squats because i have been noticing as i train for my first powerlifting competition this summer that so few people squat and/or deadlift with proper form and/or much intensity relative to their body weight). through your past few squat videos i've gotten back to weights that i havent hit in years on the squats and the technique fixes have me confident ive got a lot more progress ahead. having said that, any chance we can get similar videos on deadlifting? i've been waiting for you to get Jeremy blaster018 to do a "X Big Beginner Deadlift Mistakes" video!!
Absolutely, it is coming up! You are right in that I sort of "Focus" on a movement for several weeks and move on. The deadlift is coming!
Omar's tee is killin it
Glad I watched this before going to the gym day, my lower back is killing me and you just described exactly what I've been doing wrong with my squats. Thanks bro!
Wussup Omar, another great video!! Your tips have helped me out tremendously. I just want to thank you
Thanks a lot for this video. All the other ones out there about correct squat form address all problems people have EXCEPT for this one.
Tip: Engage the glutes by doing your warm up sets with a power band just above your knees pressing outward on the band with your knees to keep tension.
well said my friend. i think a lot of people are scared of forward knee travel which --> too much hip flexion. im not suggesting in low bar have knees come way past the toes as is common in high bar ATG...merely that when initiating the lift most lifters will be strongest with a balance of knees/hips
Totally agree on the latter.
OmarIsuf hey man! just reallllly wanna know how you wrote on your belt. is it whiteout or something?
Can you do more Dead-lift tips, Omar?
Hey Omar, can you do a short video explaining the warm up sets when heavy squatting and dead lifting?
Kelly staret has a great vid like this, the two squat method. Essentially the same thing but he gets tight on the lift out the rack
Hey Omar. You always hear "chest up, chest up" is it also possible to over extend the thoracic spine as well? I know I've been trying to get chest up as much as possible and since I've been getting upper abdominal pain and I think because of it.
Omar, this is a GREAAAT TIIIP! Thanks for sharing this info!
I think you should go make a video on what you think is the proper way to come out of the hole. I've always came out of the hole explosively but the back of my knee is starting to get stiff.
2:11 dat voice crack had me laughing!
I tried to do a Scooby "make sure" voice, didn't inflect right, missed and YOLOed the rest.
NorwegianAquaManiac how in the world did you figure that out? i'm pressing the hell out of 5 right now lol
Amazing how you can keep making these videos.
Awesome content Brolo, keep going
Awesome asdvise! This is gonna make my squats better for sure!
How can you squeeze your glutes and squat at the same time? I don’t understand
anyone know good hamstring stretches for squats? mine are too tight to even do them.. i just lose balance
Im doing highbar , and i dont really feel my quads that much , my glutes and hamstrings do all the work, what am i doing wrong, pls help me
why do I get so much pain on my hip flexors everytime I squat for the last 3 months, never had that problem before
Once I try to prevent my hips from going too far back, my knees tend to go over my toes, any suggestions?
Thanks man! Im gonna make sure Im doing this tonight.
I thought according to Elgin if you drop the bar after the deadlift it is no rep.
Can it be because the weight is too heavy? Because when I push myself beyond, these problems comes in, but if I hit my max just right, perfect form down and up no problems...
What about hips shooting back in the deadlift... any cues for remaining more upright?
Great explanation
I definitely do this, but I can't do it the other way. Too weak quads, ancle mobility? I think my femours are extremely long compared to my torso. Could that be it?
Don't front-squats alleviate this issue as well?
Omar, can you make a video how to build bigger calves? *BADUM TSS*
Any idea on how to help shoulder flexibility for those having issues trying to get their arms back far enough for a low bar squat?
How do you rotate the hips? I think I'm doing this now (not so much in the past) but I want to make sure I got this right.
why doesnt omar train calves?
Can alternate grip deadlifts cause a difference in trap size
tips on High Bar please!
Could these helpful tips result in new squat PR.... Well we'll see tonight.
Thanks for another great video!!!
I see alot of people in the gym do this with the bar placed in a high bar position. It only makes it even worse than what is shown here. Most of them barely half squat, because of this. Good video as always. Good information and entertaining as well.
Thanks!, will be doing this in my next legday
Squeezing glutes pre-descent... Never consciously did this... You got me yet again! hahaha
I had the exact opposite problem; my hips were too far forward pushing my butt in. I ended up not being able to push hard with my hamstrings.
So what Mark Rippetoe says in his book about flexing the spinal erectors which causes a slight arch in the lower back but not hyper extension is not completely correct, compared to just squeezing the glutes before descent? I’m pretty confused about that part any input would be appreciated.
Thanks omar i learned alot love your vids btw
Hi,
When I do squats, my knees have pain in them afterwards
Is this due to form? How could I correct this?
Could be so many things, but without even looking at your form, check out "IT-band and knee pain".
What about your hand placement? sometimes when squatting my outer tricep muscle burns and hurts when squatting
thank you Omar, many blessings!
does this tip also apply when doing the front squat?
What is the best squattype for people with long femurs?
OMG! today i just lifted 315lb x 1, but this tips will boost me up really quick!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Omarisuf I wanted to buy one of t shirt s you sold called a wild gain has appeared will you come out with more?
my squat issue is my stronger right side taking more load, I seem to twist a little, and because of this, my right oblique/abs are more developed than my left side now :/ fucked up
I have this problem. I think one of the causes is lack of ankle flexibility. not being able to flex the ankles enough throws the entire upper body off balance, so to compensate for that, guys lower their back to try and bring the bar back over their center of gravity. This, as omar said, pretty much turns it into a fucked up good morning, and too much load is placed on the lower back, hamstrings and glutes, while the quads remain relatively inactive. So in addition to Omar's advice, I would also work on ankle flexibility, so you can maintain proper back position under load, and achieve the quad activation necessary to perform a proper and safe squat.
OMARRRRRRRRRR IIIIIIIIISUFFFFFFFFFFFF
Great video man
good video omar
Omar but when you go down you lose the glute contraction, am i right? Thanks bro!
I definitely think that this is a problem i suffer from! I wish i had a gym partner that could watch out for these form errors for me. I find it difficult to know if i am getting it right or not. I guess maybe i should just go a little lighter and focus on form until i nail that down. I have not been squatting for long, so still trying to get the form down.
set up your phone and film yourself from the side.
Where did you get your knee sleeves in Toronto?
Great video
I got sciatica from a series of bad squatting habits (exaggerating the "hip drive", stance too narrow, squatting in running shoes and thus not keeping feet firmly planted, tightness in calves, due to the above muscle inbalance, etc), will these tips allow me to squat without pissing off the nerve?
Had sciatica too. I feel your pain brother.
Had? What did you do to alleviate it? I been doing stretches for about a month, anti-inflamatories only work for about as long as I use them.
Dreamtrain Had but only sort of. The doctor said it could come back at basically anytime. Mine was definitely a herniated disc putting pressure on the nerve. The pain was intense in my hip. That was Feb 2013 and no recurrence. Never did any stretching mostly ice and heat and rest.
I had it too. Most definitely a herniated disc. Sorry to break it to you, but a month of stretching ain't gonna do shit. Some people suffer for years, some have it reoccur. But continue doing stretches. Things like sphinx/seal pose temporarily alleviated the pain for me. Long term solution was to fix the faulty recruitment patterns. It took me like 4-5 months to be able to have strong workouts and like a year before I felt no pain at all. Good luck with your recovery.
Thanks for this! I really think this has been my problem!!!
How do you keep your glutes tenced during the squat?
what are your thoughts on the old style of training high bar until ~1 month before a meet then transitioning back to low bar?
Omar you got any tips or maybe a video idea on a cue on where to stop on the squat? I notice when I squat as a 6'8 dude I go ATG cause I feel if I stop early I'm only half squatting even though it's probably below parallel still. I know it may be impossible to give advice on and I may need to record myself but any help is appreciated!
Nice video Omar, thanks. Do you want to squeeze your glutes at the top for high bar squats too?
Awesome Video!
@omarisuf what if I experience shoulder pain for low at squats?
Great tip thanks!
Righteous video!
Hey Omar, what size wristband are you wearing in thid video? 6" or 8"? Im going to buy one off your website but i just wanted to know how big theu look like on somebody
8 inch and I roll it up my wrist. 7 inch would fit snug.
OmarIsuf 7 inch would fit snug on your calves lol
Very informative!
So you're saying our squat depth should be determined by the depth at which a butt wink begins to develop?? Or should we try and alleviate the wink??
Good informative video
Hey Omar another great video, however I have one question when you say you squeeze your glutes, do you keep squeezing them on the way down as I find this unusually difficult, would appreciate any comments from you guys.
omar how fast can you run 100m?
Omar, I do this with my high bar squat. Do the same problems and solutions apply or is it likely some other case, like weak core/back? Thanks!
Finally started squatting 2 days ago after months of just doing leg presses and extensions. MY quad strength is now excellent but unfortunately it's writing cheques my glutes and hams can't cash. Dear sweet lord I had thought DOMS was a thing of the past. My arse is hurting more than Jake Gylenhall's in Brokeback Mountain. I'm a broken man...and I've got more squats coming tomorrow. :(
Omar, what is your favorite Mortal Kombat movie?
Y does Layne Norton skwat like that
Hey omar I switched to low bar cuz i feel a lot stronger in the position but its really agravating one of my shoulders. Is this a flexibility issue?
I feel a popping sensation then it hurts like fuck. Sometimes I have no problems other times it gets me.
Glad your putting out more squat footage bro!
Good day Omar, as a 6'4 squatter that's strained their low back more than they have trained calves... can I send you a video of me squatting so you can look at my form and help me correct it?I've been watching a lot of Thralls and Your videos but I still have low back problems. I'll pay you reasonably to check out my form. Help a calf less brother out. Santa is watching you this year.
Paul Singh same boat as you bruhhh
So the Cressey vid kinda destroyed yours and Alastair's vid on how to squat. Has your opinion changed? I think Alastair has a very unique squat form that's not particularly suited for everyone.
Omar, do you keep the glutes squeezed throughout the whole movement? Or is it just a cue at the top to position yourself?
That's what I'm trying to figure out. I can squeeze my cheeks and feel my back straighten out, but there's no way I keep can keep it like that the whole way down. It starts to relax and I can feel my back hyper extend.
You need to keep it squeezed, your glutes are probably not used to (strong enough) to stay activated throughout the entire movement, so you should honestly restart your current wait to beginner levels to get your glutes up to level with the rest of your squatting muscles.
Thanks, bro!
Thanks Omar :)
thanks for the vid man
Those AdiPowers, how much of an advantage would you say you get over regular trainers? Looking to get a pair, but hoping they're worth every penny. Anybody reading this feel free to comment, please.
Look up CanditoHQs video on why you always should use squat shoes when squatting. You don't have to buy the most expensive pairs out there. I know world champions squatting in 50€ shoes.
Yes but I figured if I'm gonna spend money on some shoes, I'd might as well go with the best the money can buy.. on shoes that is. I see lot's of people using these so I assumed these are probably these best.oh, and not to come off as an A-hole... But to discuss. Appreciate all feedback thanks.
I don't think there necessary, I squatted barefoot until my gym told me I couldn't so I purchased them. Unless you plan on competing I say train with No shoes, No belt, No knee sleeves, That's my opinion. Unless of course your gym requires shoes then and only then I say get them.
Daniel Guevara Not only the best, but simply the proper shoes for what you're doing. You can run in chucks, but wouldn't you prefer a more adequate running shoe? That's why I bought WL shoes.
Daniel Guevara I have them, They are really great shoes, but if you don't have the money, don't save up for them, cheaper ones will do
HEY OMAR! I need your help! Remember what happened quite a while ago, when gym memes stole your T shirt "not final form creation" tank top. Well I'm doing an essay on like copyright, intellectual property, remix culture & plagiarism. & I wanted to include your story as part of my essayyy, for highschooool, can I get you to write a statement on your opinions of what happened? Then If i can reference you for the essay, will be of much help! thanks!
Cant wait for my "Warning massive gains ahead" T-shirt.
good info and humor, nice body and sleeve, would husband