Tall squatters (short torso, long legs). Tips?

[SkinnyMike42]

Anyone else on here tall with a short torso and long legs? I am 6'5" with extreme body proportions...my legs are ridiculously long. I have so much trouble increasing my squat...or even feeling comfortable squatting. Anyone on here have any tips? Anything you did form wise to help the movement feel more comfortable? I always feel like I have to fight myself so I don't squat-morning each rep. It is never a smooth motion for me, unless I cut depth short.

[Carlito Gambino]

I'm 6' myself but I have proportionally really long legs that have always really hindered my squat. What I've done to really work on (and improve) form and depth are:

-Mobility work...lots of it, get real flexible in the hip/glute/hamstring area
-Foam rolling....again lots of it, roll pre and post workout
-Low bar position, I can't hit proper depth without rounding my back when I do high bar squats
-Accept that guys like us are gonna have to lean forward a bit more, don't overdo it but don't expect to have a perfectly straight back either

[youtube]8UI9FTCcq_I[/youtube]

I've never seen anyone with our sort of proportions squat like this (yes, that's Skip btw, yes I'm admiring his incredible tan, I wonder what his secret to that bronze skin is), and I doubt I ever will. Look at Layne Norton squat, guy has long ass legs as well (even if he isn't that tall, his proportions are very off as well), now he does sort of good morning on the way up which I don't think is a great idea either but he's squatting way more than I am and it's working so whatever.

[53greystreet]

Anyone else on here tall with a short torso and long legs? I am 6'5" with extreme body proportions...my legs are ridiculously long. I have so much trouble increasing my squat...or even feeling comfortable squatting. Anyone on here have any tips? Anything you did form wise to help the movement feel more comfortable? I always feel like I have to fight myself so I don't squat-morning each rep. It is never a smooth motion for me, unless I cut depth short.

How much do you weigh?

[Andre Gregoire]

I am really short but I have a short torso and long legs.

1. Low bar position is the most important thing. I even started wearing wrist wraps to protect my wrists when I go heavy.

2. Wider leg stance.

If you keep the bar up high you wont be able to go down deeper than half way without bending forward big time.

I still bend forward more than others but it's how I am built. Good mobility is also important. Check out this article but just skip to the Squat Stretch

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...kIKvE.facebook

Being tall isn't an excuse to do half squats so get flexible enough to get down at least 75% of a full Squat. You can keep leg size by following your Squats with heavy leg presses.

Another thing you might want to try to see where you form breaks down and how you can improve your Squatting is asking someone to film you from the side while Squatting.

[Shawn "Future" Bellon]

Anyone else on here tall with a short torso and long legs? I am 6'5" with extreme body proportions...my legs are ridiculously long. I have so much trouble increasing my squat...or even feeling comfortable squatting. Anyone on here have any tips? Anything you did form wise to help the movement feel more comfortable? I always feel like I have to fight myself so I don't squat-morning each rep. It is never a smooth motion for me, unless I cut depth short.

Practice. That is the short of it. Work on flexibility in the soleus as well. Use small plates under your heals for a while if you need to.

[titanium_spine]

Here's a good suggestion for taller lifters...

Hope this helps...

http://www.t-nation.com/strength-tra...cs/power-squat

[SkinnyMike42]

I'm 6' myself but I have proportionally really long legs that have always really hindered my squat. What I've done to really work on (and improve) form and depth are:

-Mobility work...lots of it, get real flexible in the hip/glute/hamstring area
-Foam rolling....again lots of it, roll pre and post workout
-Low bar position, I can't hit proper depth without rounding my back when I do high bar squats
-Accept that guys like us are gonna have to lean forward a bit more, don't overdo it but don't expect to have a perfectly straight back either

[youtube]8UI9FTCcq_I[/youtube]

I've never seen anyone with our sort of proportions squat like this (yes, that's Skip btw, yes I'm admiring his incredible tan, I wonder what his secret to that bronze skin is), and I doubt I ever will. Look at Layne Norton squat, guy has long ass legs as well (even if he isn't that tall, his proportions are very off as well), now he does sort of good morning on the way up which I don't think is a great idea either but he's squatting way more than I am and it's working so whatever.

Good point, I forgot how much better I squat when I focus on hip mobility. I need to get back to foam rolling like I used to.

How much do you weigh?

I am currently about 222 in the AM coming off a cut from about 245-250ish.

I am really short but I have a short torso and long legs.

1. Low bar position is the most important thing. I even started wearing wrist wraps to protect my wrists when I go heavy.

2. Wider leg stance.

If you keep the bar up high you wont be able to go down deeper than half way without bending forward big time.

I still bend forward more than others but it's how I am built. Good mobility is also important. Check out this article but just skip to the Squat Stretch

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...kIKvE.facebook

Being tall isn't an excuse to do half squats so get flexible enough to get down at least 75% of a full Squat. You can keep leg size by following your Squats with heavy leg presses.

Another thing you might want to try to see where you form breaks down and how you can improve your Squatting is asking someone to film you from the side while Squatting.

I should have been more clear. I do hit depth...it is just fucking uncomfortable as hell .

Here is an older video of me squatting. I was about 10 lbs heavier. Is the bar low enough? Is my stance wide enough? I have not been able to beat this and it has been 12 months . Granted, I was injured for 4 of those months. Everytime I get injured, it takes me like half a year just to be able to match my old squats. Deadlifts are the opposite...they always go up no problem. I can pull 520, but still can barely squat 4 plates.
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OowDYwlBqMI[/YOUTUBE]

Practice. That is the short of it. Work on flexibility in the soleus as well. Use small plates under your heals for a while if you need to.

I recently started a program that has me squatting 3x every 9 days, so hopefully that helps.

Here's a good suggestion for taller lifters...

Hope this helps...

http://www.t-nation.com/strength-tra...cs/power-squat

Thanks man! That actually helped tremendously. I am going to try that style of squatting next workout.

[Andre Gregoire]

The video titanium_spine posted is great and a much better explanation that I could give. I would put the bar lower and legs wider. In your video the back seems to be behind in strength compared to the legs, maybe it's a timing thing or a lower back strength thing.

Try doing like Thibs shows in the video and perhaps throwing in some extra lower back work.

[SkinnyMike42]

The video titanium_spine posted is great and a much better explanation that I could give. I would put the bar lower and legs wider. In your video the back seems to be behind in strength compared to the legs, maybe it's a timing thing or a lower back strength thing.

Try doing like Thibs shows in the video and perhaps throwing in some extra lower back work.

Thanks Andre. I think I will swap my two machine hamstring movements for RDLs and good mornings to bring up my LB strength.

[nator]

6'2 here with longs leg and short torso. First things first you need to find what technique works for you. At your height the same rules apply for a good squat but you have to tweak them to fit your body. Your form looks to be in good order from the video you posted. Some tips that helped me with my squat.
1. make sure you are locking in your upper back.Think about bending the bar over you shoulders.
2. You will finish your squat the way you start it, lock your hips underneath you before you begin your squat. Don't start with your ass sticking back.
3.BIG AIR!! breathing in deeply through my nose helped a lot more than through my mouth.
4.Remember to keep your chest up.
5. Squat more often. it does not have to be heavy but hitting some squats 2-3 times week at lower percentages did wonders for my squats when competing.

[53greystreet]

I am currently about 222 in the AM coming off a cut from about 245-250ish.

You need to gain weight, at 6'5", 300 lbs minimum. This surely does not need to happen over night. Getting there slowly should serve you better

The form in that video is not even that bad given your leverages, especially on the first rep.

And as the others have said keep practicing. Try rotating some parallel box squats in as well

[SkinnyMike42]

Guys, I tried the new form today. All I can say is...

I love you guys for opening me up to this squat style! IT FELT AWESOME. I widened my stance to about 1 inch before hitting the rack and I put the bar a half an inch lower or so and brought my hands in even closer to create a stable shelf. The result was that I was completely stable at the bottom...no more squat mornings, although my back angle is steeper, it doesn't feel like my lower back gets worked at all. I felt it all in my glutes and hams, which is fine, because I use machines for my quads.

Thanks again for all the responses! I will take some vids when I can.

[MPC5000WATTS]

1) gain weight- build muscle, you need to create better leverages since the aren't being given to you AKA genetics

2) wider leg stance

3) build core meaning abs and back along w glutes, hips, and hamstrings!

Hope this helps! 6' full power squatter w 500+ raw squat on just about any day I get called to do so.

[SkinnyMike42]

1) gain weight- build muscle, you need to create better leverages since the aren't being given to you AKA genetics

2) wider leg stance

3) build core meaning abs and back along w glutes, hips, and hamstrings!

Hope this helps! 6' full power squatter w 500+ raw squat on just about any day I get called to do so.

Thanks man. All things I am working on improving. I recently came off a cut of about 25 lbs. Yes at my size, some may say I have no business cutting, but my body (stomach) fat got a bit out of control and I really wanted to get back to 12-13% and work back up slowly.

[SkinnyMike42]

Ok guys...

Here is only my 2nd time using this form, let me know what you think. Just from my own observations...

1) 335 x 1 was a little high...if I pause the video when I am at the bottom, the crease is still slightly above my knee. I think I just got a little gun shy since I was going beltless. To hit that extra inch or so of depth, I have to get an even steeper back angle.

The other two videos appear that I hit depth...or even if they are high, it is just barely. It looks like my back angle is crazy steep, but I think the video angle is making it look more steep than it actually is. I need to get my wife to film some sets next time.

With that being said, this form feels very comfortable compared to how I was squatting before.

The bottom line is, this is a lower back, hamstring, and glute movement for me due to my proportions. I need to just work on strengthing those areas and I believe the weight will continue to go up. For only my 2nd time using this form, I was pretty happy. I will continue to loosen up my hips on a daily basis, which should help me to hit depth easier.

PS, Those are $10 sport authority knee sleeves .

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FrtjtXTnJU[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGEuptOFtEM[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTt0C0lK500[/youtube]