Q&A: Casey Williams – “What is wrong with my Squat?”

By: Brian Carroll

Casey Williams and Squat Form:

Question: “Why do I feel unstable? I never fall back on a squat. My Squat is off in general. I know that I’m still ahead of schedule on the squat (compared to other cycles) but form is off. I feel like I’m babying it on the way down as well“

What I See

Hello Handsome Bob,

To start, the un-rack is a bit off. You don’t look totally wedged from the go. You rotate your head down as soon as you take the bar out of the rack. This tends to flare your upper back (watch your elbow as the weight gets heavy, IT RISES!). If you get that reference, I like you even more.

The falling back: IMO – it’s a result of your upper back not being locked it and head position. You kind of hinge on the way up as you drive your heels, especially when the weight gets heavy. The movement causes you to be unstable and therefore rock back on your heels as you try to compensate for bad leverage.

Potential Solution

Get your head up a little more and lock in your upper back. Don’t wait to ‘pull your elbows down’ during the transition, get it right from the start. No micro-movement. Lock your lat’s in and don’t let them budge.

You’re still early in cycle to worry too much. Fix what I see is the major cause now, and you will find your descent speed and groove.

Make sure to hammer your upper back; i.e. barbell rows, chest supported rows, McGill chins, shrugs etc.

Also, work on the thoracic mobility movements that I showed you last time and get your upper back in the best position possible. If you don’t have anyone that will let you lap your face, I feel bad for you. JK – use a bench!

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Brian Carroll

Owner and Founder at PowerRackStrength.com
Brian is a retired world-class powerlifter with over two decades of world-class powerlifting. From 1999 to 2020, Brian Carroll was a competitive powerlifter, one of the most accomplished lifters in the sport's history. Brian started off competing in bench press competitions 'raw,' then, shortly into the journey, he gravitated toward equipped lifting as there were no "raw" categories then. You only had to choose from single-ply (USPF) and Multi-ply (APF/WPC). Brian went on to total 2730 at 275 and 2651 at 242 with more than ten times his body weight in three different classes (220, 242, 275), and both bench pressed and deadlifted over 800 pounds in two other weight classes. He's totaled 2600 over 20 times in 2 different weight classes in his career. With 60 squats of 1000lbs or more officially, this is the most in powerlifting history, regardless of weight class or federation, by anyone not named David Hoff. Brian realized many ups and downs during his 20+ years competing. After ten years of high-level powerlifting competition and an all-time World Record squat at 220 with 1030, in 2009, Brian was competing for a Police academy scholarship. On a hot and humid July morning, Brian, hurdling over a barricade at 275lbs, landed on, fell, and hurt his back. After years of back pain and failed therapy, Brian met with world-renowned back specialist Prof McGill in 2013, which changed his trajectory more than he could have imagined. In 2017, Brian Carroll and Prof McGill authored the best-selling book about Brian's triumphant comeback to powerlifting in Gift of Injury. Most recently (10.3.20) -Brian set the highest squat of all time (regardless of weight class) with 1306 lbs – being the first man to break the 1300lb squat barrier at a bodyweight of 303 lbs.
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