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How to film your squat for a useful form check

A form checker can only comment on what the camera makes visible. Before worrying about lighting rigs or expensive tripods, get three basics right: distance, height, and an unobstructed view.

4 minute readReviewed by NextSet product team

Put the phone around hip height

A very low or very high camera exaggerates angles. Place a stable phone around the lifter's hip height and far enough away to keep the entire body in frame.

  • Use a stable surface or tripod.
  • Keep the head, hips, knees, and feet visible.
  • Leave space above the head and below the plates.

Choose one clear view

A side-oriented view is useful for visible depth and torso position. A front-oriented view can make left-to-right differences easier to see. Do not move the camera during the set.

  • Keep one lifter in frame.
  • Avoid plates or rack uprights covering the hips and knees.
  • Use enough light to separate the lifter from the background.

Record one normal working set

Use a load and technique you would normally train with. NextSet accepts clips up to 30 seconds and looks for complete repetitions. It rejects clips it cannot assess rather than inventing a correction.

Treat the result as a visible cue, not a diagnosis

A video tool does not know how a movement feels and cannot assess pain, injury, or every aspect of technique. Stop lifting and seek qualified help if you feel pain.