Squat/DL form

[Zian91]

Hey guys,

i have been trying to learn the squat and dl from ss for a couple of weeks now.
I think it looks fine but i still get lower back pain from the squat.
Unracking the bar hurts and during the movement it feels like too much painful stress on my lower back.

Squat:
YouTube
YouTube
YouTube

The third one is from the side. I had to put the camera under a machine(not enough space).
But i think it looks like the bar travels in a vertical line over mid foot.
So everything seems fine? Maybe am i not keeping my back tight enough? I hope you can help me.

With the dl right now i dont experience any pain but i want to make sure my form is correct. I
dont have anyone in the gym, whom i can ask, as no one does dls or low bar squats.

DL:
YouTube

Thanks for helping and greetings from Austria!

[Matthew Phoenix Pennisi]

Where is the pain? In the spine or the muscles? Have you looked into getting a pair of weightlifting shoes?

For the deadlift, make sure you grab the bar with straight legs, and THEN bring your shins to the bar. Right now you are doing them simultaneously and your hips are starting too low as a result. See how your hips shoot up first at the beginning of the pull? Do you have any history of a lumbar spine injury? I had a herniated disc a year ago and when I started with my hips too low on the DL, it would get aggravated.

[Zian91]

I cant really say if it is the spine or the muscles. It is on the left and right side of my spine, sometimes only on one side
and i experience pain exclusively during/from the squats.

Any history of lumbar spine injury:
Last year i went to an orthopedist because my back hurt really bad after trying to learn the squat at home(without ss book).
He had my back x-rayed and told me everything is fine and i should go to a gym to learn it properly.
And two weeks ago during squats my back got really tense and on this and the next day i was running around like an old man. But i tried to move a lot and train
with lower weights and after a few days my back was completely normal and there was no pain or anything like that.

Are my shoes a problem? Thought it is okay to train with them.

Thanks for the suggestion! I will try to do it better next time.

[Matthew Phoenix Pennisi]

Unfortunately I don’t notice any glaring issues with your squat form that could be causing you this pain. The only reason I brought up shoes is because the shoes you are wearing have a soft, compressible sole and that will dilute the force you can exert on the lifts. I don’t think that is the root cause of your back pain though. Sorry I am not of more help

[Zian91]

Still i am thankful to you for reading/watching, helping me with my dl and shoes!

Today i squated with lower weight and tried to concentrate on keeping my back tight.
It didnt really look any different but right now i dont feel any pain. Next time i will try
with more weight, hope it stays that way.
Until then i would appreciate any advice, if someone sees any mistake.

[Matthew Phoenix Pennisi]

I do have one suggestion that may or may not be useful. When I herniated a disc in my lumbar spine, I used the Bill Starr Rehab Protocol to fix it:
How to Rehab Muscle Strains and Tears | The Art of Manliness

If you do have some un-diagnosed lower back injury, this rehab protocol may be helpful in recovering.

[Zian91]

Interesting article, thanks! Seems kinda like what i did when my back got so tense?

And yeah last squat workout did not really help, my back still feels sore...does no one see any mistake with my squats?

[Jeff Illingworth]

Squat: your grip is too narrow and the bar ia touch high. You are not tight enough nor do you exhibit an acceptable degree of thoracic extension. Hip drive is insufficient which is partially tied to your lack if knee control. At the start of the squat, break at the knees and hips simultaneously and get your chest pointed at the ground immediately. Keep your knees/thighs pushed out laterally so they stay over the long axis of your toes. Keep them in said plane (squat, not Charleston). Your knees forward movement should cease shortly after your knees pass your toes and this needs to be accomplished by the time you are halfway down. Keep your knees in this position until you are halfway up. Use a TUBOW is likely to help.

Where are you located?

[Zian91]

Wow, thats a lot. I hope, i can correct everything. Thank you very much for such an detailed answer!

I am located in Vienna, Austria. I do not know of any SSC in my area. I would love to train with one...

[Zian91]

Update:

Grip: Widened my grip a bit. If i go any further i will touch the rack.
Bar position: Feels like it is under the scapulae. Still to high?
Upper body: It doesnt really look any different but I really try to tighten everything up and get my chest out. Is my back angle ok?
Knees/TUBOW: Used a foam roll at home. My knees stop right at the end of my toes. Tried to do the same at the gym(couldnt find a tubow), break at the hips and knees at the same time, push my knees out and to control my descent.

It still fucks up my lower back...it starts to hurt halfway down. Did my form get any better? I appreciate any further advice and I really try to incorporate everything.

Rear + side view:
YouTube
YouTube

Lower weight, rear + side view:
YouTube
YouTube