Squat + Deadlift Form Check

[Josh K]

Previous Thread: http://startingstrength.com/resource...ad.php?t=38519

First clip is of the last set. Second clip is a side view of the second set as I wasn't happy with it at all. Third clip is deadlifts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PULJdbBSEs

SQUATS

Decided what the hell and flung on 5kg to make 70kg. Amazingly, the hip problem was all but gone, not sure what happened but I'm not going to complain. Hopefully it stays that way next time. This time I tried to have a less upright back angle which felt fine. How do I fix the bar coming forward out of the bottom? I've always had this problem and it usually crops up in a few reps.

Also did some measuring and it turns out the unknurled section to the left of the centre knurl is about half a centimetre longer. Will this make any difference to anything? I just ordered a B&R bar so this won't be a problem much longer anyway. I'm hoping it arrives safe because it has a long way to travel and I've heard of customers in the US having it arrive in less than stellar conditions and this one has to travel from the US > Finland > UK.

DEADLIFTS

Not sure if the eccentric is much better, the weight felt so heavy on the work set that the practice I was doing with the warm up sets kinda got pushed out. More worried about my lower back not being straight enough. I think the brightness/camera angle/what I'm wearing kinda exacerbates the issue on the video but nonetheless I'd appreciate if you guys had a look. I had to take a 1 min break between rep 4 and 5 because I couldn't get the thing off the ground and I was completely out of breath. Don't think it was my grip but I'm still using double overhand without hook grip and my grip still feels pretty damn solid.

Should I add 5kg next time? and when would be a good time to invest in a belt/use mixed grip or is it fine to keep doing it this way until I hit a big wall in progression?

EDIT

Figured I'd include the squats I did since then, last two sets, one with belt and one without (belted seemed much better). Also fired in the last two sets of power cleans I did just in case you fancied a laugh. This is my third time doing them and they're pretty damn ugly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jcnq0pZlNWM

[Steve Hill]

I don't see any videos in this post.

[Josh K]

Yeah, that dawned on me pretty much the second I submitted the post. Sorry about that guys:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PULJdbBSEs

[Steve Hill]

The problem with wearing black on any surface we need to see, like your legs, for instance, is that especially in dark videos it tends to obscure stuff. Important stuff. Stuff we need to see. Same, apparently, goes for floral prints.

Your squats seem to be a bit high, but that could be the pink camo shorts, and your knees, to me, sheathed in the latest black stealthex light-absorbing fibre, could probably stand to actually travel out over your toes a bit more. And it looks like you're trying to overextend your low back. Don't.

Beyond that the lighting and the clothing make it tough. Pretty good effort. I think. Subject to review of a video lit by something brighter than wax candles.

First few reps of the DL were good, your only problem is you're losing back extension as you tire. Or seem to. You fix it (almost) on your last rep, so I think yo're not trying hard enough to get squoze up.

[Josh K]

sheathed in the latest black stealthex light-absorbing fibre

10/10, I laughed.

I editted in a second video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jcnq0pZlNWM) to original post and I rolled up my black thermals (I won't wear them or my lovely pink shorts in future form videos, honest) so you could see my pasty shins for a better reference to where my knees are. I also tried using a belt which felt really good and seemed to immediately help my depth, especially when the belt just seemed to get in the way when I tried using it for deadlifts.

I do a sort of back extension before every squat rep, I take it I should just stop doing that? Just it seems like when I don't focus on trying to extend it then it does all sorts of shifting around at the bottom of the movement. I still don't fully understand the whole deal. I mean, people make it sound like it will never be an issue as long as you know how to put your lumbar into extension. Does that mean, because I know how to do it (when standing up straight without a barbell on my back), I never have to worry about it during a squat because I'll subconsciously do it anyway or something? Will valsalva + tightening my core and focusing on keeping those two things in check be sufficient?

Thanks for the response, will focus on squeezing chest up as much as possible.

[Steve Hill]

I do a sort of back extension before every squat rep, I take it I should just stop doing that?

You're actually doing a back overextension and it's important to understand the difference between normal anatomical extension (like your spine is when you stand normally without slouching) and overextension (usually lumbar, like you're doing).

Here's what you do: for the squat, unrack the bar, step out of the rack, and lift the chest slightly along with your elbows. Take a deep breath, and squeeze down on it hard. That's it.

The drill we do to illustrate / teach anterior pelvic tilt is NOT what you're supposed to be doing under the bar - we do that to make sure you can control the isometric contraction of the low back in order to lock the low back in place and prevent it from rounding / collapsing when the hamstrings start fighting it for control of the pelvis.