How can I improve my squats?

I've always had lower‑back issues, so I had to be careful with squats. There are so many pieces to a perfect squat. I studied powerlifters and adopted one key principle: neutral spine — YouTube it. I recommend no shoes or flat, firm shoes. Get under the bar, unrack, take one step back, chest up, shoulders back and down, head slightly inclined down, tuck the chin (press your head back into the bar for spine stability), push the hips forward and squeeze the glutes, brace the abs, feel grounded and drive through the heels. One physio I follow said 'toes up' gives more arch in the foot and better stability. Keep everything engaged and don't over‑arch your back or you'll overload L4/L5. Neutral spine distributes load across the discs. Good luck.

You get better at squats by squatting. If you're avoiding them you won't improve — even the empty bar helps. Focus on form, leave ego at the door. Try different bar positions (high/low) and foot stances to find what suits you. Sit back, don't let the knees pass the toes, and drive up. Practice makes perfect — face them and conquer them.

Try the Smith machine and use mirrors to enforce strict form. Technique is more important than heavy loading. Use weight you can handle perfectly and increase slowly. Like others said, watch your spine — you can do real damage. I had an epidural about a month ago because my L5 & L6 were damaged over the years. I suffered bad nerve pain from the knee to the top of the thigh — like electric shocks — and the epidural eased it. Be sensible and don't push too hard. Good luck.

It's like learning any movement: put light weight on the bar and drill the form. Stay tight. Don't worry about piling plates on right now. Use hip abductor/adductor machines, hack squats, etc. to build strength with good technique. I'm not a big back squatter so I can't claim there's a golden rule — maybe check out some Tom Platz videos.

Being around 6ft might just be about your proportions — people who find squats awkward often have long legs and a shorter torso. That can make you tip forward on the way up, so the rep looks more like a good morning. I struggle for the same reason. Those who find squats easy tend to have shorter legs and longer torsos or balanced proportions. Learn to sit back into the squat and keep your spine as straight as possible when rising. That’s why animals like gorillas sit in a squat — it's an easier position for them lol. I find feet a few inches wider than shoulder width and a wide grip on the bar works for me. Keep your head up and eyes forward, don't look down.

I just watched Tom Platz — mental stuff.

You've motivated me — I did loads of empty‑bar warmups first.

Why couldn't my local coach tell me that? Thanks mate.

Practice, like others said. I squeeze my shoulder blades together to maintain posture through the lift. Also, loud aggressive music and a bit of self‑motivation/self‑berating helps me push through squat sets.

Glad it helped. Hope you nail the form and stay safe. 'Heavy' is relative — master the movement first and the weight will follow. Good luck.

Kettlebell front squats take a lot of load off the lower back. Machines can also give back support. I prefer free squats, but if you strengthen your hips, glutes and mobility it'll get a lot easier. I warm up on the adductor/abductor machines to loosen hips and groin before I squat.

Not every local coach knows all those small tweaks — it's experience. You learn by watching, practising, failing, repeating and refining. A coach also needs time with a client to teach all the details. With basic equipment you've got to perfect the compound movements. I like the word BASIC — BASIC = EXTREMELY COMPLEX. Compound lifts involve the whole body; isolation on a machine is just one joint and much simpler.

This has been said, but it took me ages to realise that body mechanics are hugely individual — what works for one person won’t always work for another. There’s loads of nuance from feet to shoulders and squatting uses the whole chain, so I had to experiment to find what suited me. I ended up putting my knees through a lot doing squats the way others recommended.

Yeah, focusing on multi‑joint functional work has been the best thing for my strength and size so far. Thanks for sharing.

I'd need to see you squat to give tailored feedback, but use a mirror to check your form. Drop the weight so you can focus on technique. Move slowly, keep your back neutral, and don't be shy about watching others (avoid making people uncomfortable). Bodyweight squats to dial the movement in are useful, then add weight gradually.

Thanks mate, appreciate the advice.

Totally — everyone's mechanics are different, so the approach needs to be personal.

Interesting tip to warm up on the abductor machine — I'll try that next session.

Cheers for that.