Squat and Deadlift Form Check

[oshirok]

Hi guys,
I'd appreciate any helpful critique on my form.

Squat
http://youtu.be/JgznGl-Ejf0
I'm more comfortable with the wider stance that I use than with a shoulder width stance. Also, I've been using a thumbs around grip since my shoulder flexibility isn't all that great and the thumbs around grip allows me to get my hands closer, so the bar doesn't feel like it's going to fall off my back.

Deadlift
http://youtu.be/3F-DwLQamDg
I think my deadlift form just kind of sucks and it even feels worse than it looks. It feels like my lower back is rounding a lot, although it doesn't look as bad.

Age: 20
Height: 5' 4"
Weight: 153 lbs

Thanks

[Tom Campitelli]

Choose one, por favor, as outlined in the Read Me at the top of this forum.

[oshirok]

Ah shoots, my bad, I missed that part.

Critique my deadlift, please?

Thanks.

[Tom Campitelli]

You may be just a little to far from the bar to start with, but I cannot say for sure. Nice deadlifts. Carry on and add weight.

[oshirok]

Thanks. Usually for a couple days after deadlifting I have some lower back discomfort/slight pain. It's off and on, when I'm sitting or standing or anything. I'm pretty sure it's from deadlifts, because around April I started sumo deadlifting, a friend suggested I try since I was experiencing low back pain from conventional deadlifts, and the pain went away. Around the end of July, I decided that, although I like sumo more and I can pull a lot more, I needed to train conventional, since it is better training tool. There's less discomfort/pain conventional deadlifting now than in April (and I'm pulling more now than then), but there's still enough discomfort that it bothers me when I'm sitting down studying for long enough or I bend down to pick something up. I'd appreciate it if you could offer any insight.

[Tom Campitelli]

Having just watched your squats, I suspect your tendency to lift your chest and slightly overextend your spine are contributing to your back pain. Your deads look okay, but try this. Pause for half a second to a second before you pull. Right now, you are setting up, squeezing up, and going immediately. Sometimes you do this quickly enough to lose tightness. Pause briefly after everything is done and stay as still as a statue. Then, pull. See if that helps. You need to review the squat chapter in Starting Strength and tell my why I might have a problem with your stance width, the direction of your gaze, how you are holding the bar, and how you ascend.

[oshirok]

Thanks, I tried pausing right before my deadlifts and it helped.

I reviewed the squat chapter. My stance is too wide, and I'm looking forward instead of down most of the time. I'm holding the bar with bent wrists instead of a thumbs over flat wrist grip. I'm also guessing that I don't have hip drive.

I will work on fixing the stance, gaze direction, and hip drive. I do have fairly inflexible shoulders, due mostly to injuries from karate and bowling. When I first started low bar squatting it took me nearly a month to be able to hold the bar without any shoulder pain. With straight wrists I can't get my grip in as narrow and the bar feels like it's going to fall off of my back.

[Tom Campitelli]

I reviewed the squat chapter. My stance is too wide, and I'm looking forward instead of down most of the time. I'm holding the bar with bent wrists instead of a thumbs over flat wrist grip. I'm also guessing that I don't have hip drive.

Correct

I do have fairly inflexible shoulders, due mostly to injuries from karate and bowling.

Do not roll on Shabbos.

[oshirok]

I will fix my form and return with a video.

Well, I actually do bowl on Saturdays. But, I'm not Jewish so it doesn't matter.

[oshirok]

295x5 from today. I realize I'm still looking forwards and not down, but other than that, how does it look?

http://youtu.be/TsBfyTLwi0A

Thanks