Count yourselves lucky. If there were more than one or two days a week I could actually take video in my gym without getting scolded and made to stop, you'd all have to put up with more of this nonsense. Nevertheless, I blocked out a big part of the afternoon yesterday for my workout so that I could mess around and attempt to capture some stuff I wanted to look at and/or amuse my friends with.
The first thing I wanted to video was myself doing overhead squats with a medicine ball, because the first time I attempted these, I did them directly in front of a mirror and it was rather shocking to me how crooked my hips looked. I mean, I already knew my pelvis is higher and tilted higher on the left, but I didn't realize how much it affected my squat mechanics. Then, when I went to what we're calling the "fancy pants Y" on Labor Day (my own ghetto Y being closed) and I used a power rack that actually had a mirror right in it, I saw that, yes, my hips are messed up like that when I barbell squat too, if seen from the front. Am I imagining how bad that imbalance looks because I know it's there? I asked myself. The only answer is to film that mutha.
First attempt. I thought videoing myself in the mirror where I first saw the problem myself was a good idea.
Unfortunately, I didn't realize that the camera angle meant you couldn't actually see my hips when I squatted even though *I* could see them in the mirror. Sigh. Okay, okay, I'll drop the artsy shit, put my camera on a window ledge, and film head-on.
So, am I crazy--oh shut up--or do you see how one side of my butt ends up lower than the other because of my crookedness? Should I be concerned about this? It doesn't bother me when I'm squatting.
Then I decided to prove to the world that I can in fact get both a 25lb and a 5lb plate onto my own back without help to do a weighted plank, a fact I only discovered yesterday. Once you see the lulzy technique involved, you might want to stop watching because 70 seconds of me planking is not exciting. OTOH, perhaps you're starved for entertainment. Do as you wish, reader, do as you wish.
Finally, something a bit more serious. The newest, um, trend? amongst my imaginary (i.e. online) friends is doing box squats and everyone's been posting theirs up. I took a little video at the end of the day yesterday, messing around with them. This is 115x8, onto a step which is, I know, above parallel. If I take out a riser as I did on some of my earlier sets, it's a touch too low for me to do a full sit onto for many reps with any significant weight. Will probably continue using both heights to practice. Anyway, how's the form look on these? I was interested in how they were gonna look because they feel weird and like I can't get my feet where they'd be in a regular squat, but meh.
Oh, and for the fashion-minded, those are the Lulus mentioned in the previous post. I lurve them.
xoxo
I have some wonkiness going on with my right shoulder and scapula. It's seated differently than the other. My PT says no one is perfectly symmetrical and we just gotta deal with. It's barely noticable in your OH squats.
ReplyDeleteNice work on the box squats! I used to do them, but it's been a while.
I've never seen anyone do a plank like that! When I do them (hardly ever - ew), I get down on my forearms and keep my back really straight and close to the floor.
Looking good in dat dem der Lulu's.
Peace.
I wonder why the gym objects to people videotaping themselves. How else can you review your form and ask for feedback, unless you have a trainer there the entire time, working only with you. I get the part about getting in people's way or placing your camera on equipment or spots that others need to use but if that is not the case?
ReplyDeleteAs Terri said, I hardly detected any "favoring" of one side and we are all somewhat asymmetrical. If you are not getting injured by overcompensating (as I do sometimes), my own COMPLETELY UNPROFESSIONAL opinion is that there should be no problem.