Squat Check - Elbow, knee, and adductor pain

[amsgator]

Trying to keep a long story short: I failed 240 three times in a row (240x5x2 each time) last week so I reset to 215 today. I hurt my elbow(s) last week trying to unrack the bar with it too low on my back. I have had pain in my elbows since then and haven't been able to deadlift in a week because of it. I've also had to put my bench/press before squats so I can do them with "fresh" elbows. I've widened my squat grip by about 2" each side and it's been slowly getting better.

My knees and adductors have been taking a hit lately too so I wanted to see if something is wrong with my form that could be causing it or if maybe I'm just not recovering fast enough. My adductors have been hurting, but it seems to be an exhaustive hurt rather than an injury hurt. My knees just have a dull ache but it hasn't interfered with my daily life outside of discomfort.

I ordered a Best belt and have considered switching to advanced novice, I just feel like it's too soon with my last successful 5RM at 235x5x3.



I also have a concern about my DL since I have had to skip it for a week now. Should I take a week off of everything to see if my elbow will heal and then try to resume everything? Or keep doing what I'm doing since my elbows seem to be getting better slowly but surely with the widened grip and extra focus on bar placement?

Thanks for the help and sorry for this thread being packed full of questions.

[Tom Campitelli]

Your shins are a little too vertical in the squat. Let your knees assume a position slightly in front of your toes by about halfway down. Also, your stance may be a tad wide, but I cannot say for sure. I would not stop training everything just because your elbow is bothering you. Do what you can and they will likely heal in the context of you getting stronger. Put in a light day on Wednesdays and see how things go.

[amsgator]

So to "complicate" things, I had a REALLY bad stomach bug the last day and a half and I think whatever it was may have been causing my insane joint pain. If it wasn't for no fever I would have thought I had the flu. I was slammed. I ate practically nothing the day before yesterday, so I'm not sure if I'll be set back or not.

I know I tweaked my left elbow because I felt it happen, but as far as my knees go I think it may have been from whatever just turned me inside-out. I missed one training day from being sick so I'm back at it today.

I'll work on the knees and check my width. I've been trying to work on sitting back and it looks like I may have overcompensated. Now I need to find the happy medium.

[Tom Campitelli]

Being sick can make you ache. Go into your next workout conservatively and see how things feel.