Squat - Leg Length?

[AdamZiegler]

After having a month of increasing pain in my left front hip, I started paying closer attention my training videos to see if there was something noticeable with my squat form. I noticed some right knee caving and my hips shifting right, but it was hard for me to see from the angle I typically record from. I changed the camera angle to directly behind to get see my knees better, and I have been noticing that my right knee is noticeably lower than my left when I squat. I can even see it in a video taken back when I was getting some online coaching earlier in the year.

I am working on correcting the right knee to stay out where it needs to be, and I have been through the leg length discrepancy article ( Leg Length Discrepancy | Mark Rippetoe ) a few times. Am I on the right track with considering leg length, or could this be something else?

For what it is worth, I am using lifting shoes when I squat.

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[Tom Campitelli]

It is possible you have an LLD. It is also possible that you have something in your hip or back that introduces an asymmetry. It is also possible you have a habit that results in the shift. It is also possible there is nothing wrong. Let's see a video directly from behind with your head and feet in the frame as well as a video from the rear oblique.

[AdamZiegler]

These are a couple videos from the past weeks. On Saturday, I will try to switch to portrait mode to try to get my feet in frame.

This is as rear oblique as I can get it without knocking out walls. (Yeah, I closet train...)
YouTube

First time I switched to directly behind noticing right leg coming in:
YouTube

[Tom Campitelli]

Video looks fine from the side, although your stance might be wide. Not sure about that, though. Also, don't lift your elbows as you descend. That might cause the bar to roll up your back when it gets heavy. Link from the rear does not work.

[AdamZiegler]

fixed link... sorry about that:
YouTube

[Tom Campitelli]

Yeah, you've got something going on with the right leg. Decent chance of an LLD, although beware of Internet diagnoses. It could be something else, including just a habit of sliding off to one side. Do you have access to a half-inch piece of plywood? If so, put it under your right leg and refilm. It could even be a 3/4" horse stall mat, but that may be too big of a lift.

[AdamZiegler]

I played around during warmups with both a 3/4" mat and 1/2" piece of mdf. I settled on the 1/2" thickens for working sets today. Awkward is about the best description I have just based on today. From behind, it looks like my right knee is a bit more even with the left, but I was also struggling more to keep my right knee out. Feet and head can bee seen in both videos this time.

2017-11-25 Squat 355 x4 @9 (1 of 2) - YouTube
YouTube

[Tom Campitelli]

Honestly, those don't look bad. Now that I can see your feet, I take back what I said about your stance. Make it a little wider. Exaggerate driving your right knee out. As you fatigue, you may need to think, "shift left" at the bottom to stay in the center. If you do have an LLD, the half inch is probably the go-to shim. I reserve the right to be wrong about your LLD, too. I am only some asshole on the Internet, after all.

[AdamZiegler]

Thanks coach,

A little wider stance on feet.
Exaggerate driving right knee out.
As I fatigue think "shift left" in the bottom.

I understand you can't tell me if I have a LLD or not, and that I would need to have someone help me locally. Working on that. I have been squatting without a shim for a few years now. Would I be best to focus on the cues above without the shim for awhile or continue playing around with the shim and see how it goes? I tend to get into this cycle of getting my squat into the low to mid 400s only to tweak my right back, or start having pain in the front left hip that knocks me back a notch.

[Tom Campitelli]

See if the shim helps. If it doesn't, you can always remove it.