Squat feedback appreciated!

[goflowjon]

Hi,

I've been doing Starting Strength for several months. I had to stop doing lower body for 1 1/2 months because I hurt my knee; I had patellofemoral pain syndrome, which is something like an overuse injury. I suspect it had something to do with my squats. Also, I've always had weak squats. Thus, I would love any feedback on my squat form!

Here are videos of my squat:
From the side
From the front
From the front, diagonal
From the back

Some notes: I am doing sets of 8 because, right now, I still feel some weakness in the knee and am not focused on pure strength. Also, on two of the videos, I unrack stepping forward *but only* so that I can show a video from the front.

Thanks!
Jonathan

[Jacobnorton]

Videos with non maximal weights (non working sets) such as these 95lb squats don't tell us much. Put more weight on the bar. There is no way that after several months of starting strength your squats are weak. After several months you should have a 225+lb squat. Quit dive bombing into the bottom and get strong.

Patellofemoral pain syndrome

Let me google that for you

[carson]

I can readily see how you may have hurt a knee. The cue for squats is "slow down" "fast up". When you dive bomb into the squat there is no way to allow the tendens to lift you back up. You often go too low, beyond where you should go. "Slow down" "Fast up".

[goflowjon]

Thanks for your thoughts.

@Jacobnorton I stopped squatting for a while and started over very slowly because of my knees. So these are my "work" sets right now. I wanted to make sure my form was OK before I started really stressing the knee.

I will try going down slower and cutting off the squats. I may try posting more videos once I get into heavier weights.

[Jacobnorton]

You're clearly strong enough to do more though. Keep progression, but add 15 or even 20 lbs a session for now until bar speed slows down.

[Jonathan Sutton]

Look at what your knees do when you hit the bottom position. That's why they hurt.

[goflowjon]

I'm not sure I understand; could you explain what you mean?

[Jacobnorton]

I think he means your trying to rebound out of the bottom by allowing your thighs to hit your calves and bouncing off of that. This puts serious stress on the knees and causes them to come forward at the bottom.. The rebound happens in the hips.

[goflowjon]

I see; thanks. I tried going slower and slightly less deep this last time I squatted. It did feel more stable.