Some Questions On Squating

[Antanas]

What better place to this than home of Squat Rx him self. Anyways some little form issues on my new quest.

Staying tight?
I seem to have troubles staying tight, especially keeping my lower back and abdominals tight. During the squat when hitting bellow parallel i seem not able in keeping my lower back tight and i'm not able to keep the arch and it dips. Does that mean i have weak core especially the lower back?

Im re-learning how to squat and i am trying to keep the bar travel in a straight path and over the middle of the foot. This especially makes me lean forwards a lot, i think this is because im tall 6'3. My feet placement is at shoulder width and feet pointed out.

Bar hand placement
I think i got the mechanics down but how far apart should the arms be placed? Would placing my arms nearly next to the collar be harmful to my lift in anyway?

That position feels less painful to my shoulders.

P.S Box squatting seems a much easier and a less technical lift than squatting it self.

[Boris]

An inability to keep the arch could be a few things. Body control/coordination/activation and/or flexibility are generally the biggies though - and both of those are related to strength.

Forward lean is fine as long as you have a low bar position and you aren't going rock bottom. Going rock bottom means the hips will end the movement closer to your center of gravity, which means your upper body has to be more upright, which is just easier to do with a high bar position.

Hand placement - IMHO, you should take as narrow a grip as you can that is still reasonably comfortable. It's easier to have a tight upper back when your hands are closer. If you have/have had shoulder issues, it's going to be harder to take a narrower grip, but too wide and the bar might not be as secure on your back (which will put stress on the shoulders, wrists, and elbows)... My grip on the bar has always been a thumbless grip btw.

Johnny might have some things to add as well.

[Antanas]

I wanted to find my squatting "style" still waiting for Mark's book to arrive to explain the lifts more. Flexibility is not that much of an issue, i would say that body control is probably it. Well when i squat i squat medium-wide footing, low bar and hit bellow parallel. The bottom of the squat is when forward knee travel happens mostly.

I practiced and practiced sitting back and performed thousands of wall squats to try and improve my sitting back. I manage to keep my shins mostly vertical during the lift until i meet and surpass it. I've heard that lack of glute strength will cause new lifters adjusting to the squat to fall back.

[Boris]

The further below parallel you go, the more forward your hips (and consequently, knees) must travel. Nothing wrong with that necessarily, but if you have knee issues, you need to be extra attentive.

I don't think lack of glute strength will cause anyone to fall on their ass, but trying to maintain too upright a posture while sitting back most certainly will.

(edit) btw, I've been asked about falling backwards A LOT lately. It is probably worth a short video.

[Antanas]

Lol good idea, i would send in a video of me squatting but the camera is bust. I think you answered most of my questions, thanks.