Knees won't keep out no matter what I do

[JayvH]

Hello Rip,
I still have a problem with my knees during squats, which is holding me down for a few months now. I 've a video here from last week working with 67,5kg. You can see my first and second set from the front an behind (first set starts from the side but angle is switched after first rep).
Set 1 and 2

As you may see the knees are buckling in a bit. I 've also upped a slow motion version of reps 3-5 of set 1 and the whole second set (with cut out breaks between reps) to show it better.
SlowMo-Version
To make it complete here is set 3 from the side, I don't know if this helps in any way to find a solution to my problem.
Set 3

According to the book I've deloaded (up to 5 or 6 times now) and worked the weight back up. I have also head my training partner yell at me to “keep the knees out” but it only works for the lower weights. As soon as I'm back in “hard area” I can't fight my knees from coming in.

So as the deloads didn't seem to help I also tried some other stuff that you don't recommend but which is for example promoted on Stronglifts (How to keep your Knees out) like using a theraband around the knees. As well as additional adductor and glute activation.

Is it even possible to eliminate a slight knee bend? I don't know if I read it in one of the books or in one of your postings here that it is always a fight against technique at personal records and following linear progression is setting a new personal record every workout.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I don't see anything in your form that worries me greatly. But I am bothered -- if not offended -- by your skinny legs. What do you weigh at what height, and how much have you gained?

[JayvH]

Well my right knee is sending me light pain signals on the day after workout so I suspected the slight knee bend on the squats. It's good to hear that my squat isn't a wreck although I know that I should be faster out of the bottom. I can't find the stretch of the posterior chain and also had in mind that this might has something to do with the knees.

I'm currently 71 kg at 1,77 m height. I know this could come up but a short history if you're interested. I started with 68 kg soon came up to 75 kg with a shitty form on the squat, corrected that (I thought) and got down to 72 kg doing that. Than came up to 83 kg with 23 % BF (starting with 16 or 17) and a squat of 82,5 kg. Technique was still bad and I couldn't progress although using GOMAD plus stretching out a 500$ suit to the limit. So I figured calories were alright, sleep was ok, squat wasn't going up, form was to bad, work on it. I took a 6 week break losing fat (got back to 72 kg) and holding weights on the lift, which worked pretty well, while form was staggering. After this period I got sick and lost another 4 kg of bodyweight and 10 kg on the squat.

Now I'm working myself back up but I'm still not pleased with technique.

[scoppi]

16-17%, 23% bodyfat? you're 1,77m at 71kg. for us yanks thats 5'9-10" and 151 lbs. you're what we like to call "emaciated." i dont know how you think you're 20% bodyfat. youre probably closer to 13%, skinny, and weak. if you want to get strong, its time to start eating and growing. yes, you'll need a new suit (trust me, i know how that is).

i dont want to contradict rip, but to me it looks like your form is good, but your stance is a little off. heels look too close together, and toes spread too far out. try widening the stance a bit, putting the toes at an angle thats comfortable (should be ~30*) and see if that feels any better.

[JayvH]

Hello scoppi,
thank you for your input. The 23% BF was 2 to 3 months ago. What you see in the video is more about 15%. I'll go for a new suit but not to buy one that doesn't pop when I button up instead because of too thick legs or wide shoulders.
I tried a lot of stance variations. But went in further and further cause that decreased the amount of knee bend. I also thought the feet heels should meet the shoulders, that is defined as shoulder width apart. I also don't know why it always looks like I've turned my feet far out. When I look from above it's more like this:

[Gunnhild Bruno]

I tried a lot of stance variations. But went in further and further cause that decreased the amount of knee bend.

That doesn't sound right, if you're saying what I think you're saying.

[JayvH]

I don't know what you think that I'm saying. But what I was trying to say was: My heels were a bit wider apart, so my knees were not able to follow their path over the toes because those were too wide. I have an old video which shows it a little bit. Unfortunately I wore wide sweat pants so the knees are a bit hard to see.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls6pxrr33fM

[Mark Rippetoe]

I don't see anything wrong with this stance. It is certainly within the tolerance. You just have to lean over, sit back, and keep your knees out.

[tescott]

I saw a video a while ago called 'mobilising the hip with kelly starrett' which might help the OP get his knees out. You can get it on the @fit journal or maybe even on a video sharing website.

Tim

[JayvH]

I don't see anything wrong with this stance. It is certainly within the tolerance. You just have to lean over, sit back, and keep your knees out.

Hello Rip, are you referring to the stance, which I use in the videos of the starting post or the stance in my last posted video (the wider one). As I said problem is to keep the knees out when weight is added especially towards te end of the set.

I saw a video a while ago called 'mobilising the hip with kelly starrett' which might help the OP get his knees out. You can get it on the @fit journal or maybe even on a video sharing website.

Tim

Hello Tim, thanks for the adivce, found it at crossfit but 25$ to get just one video is a bit expensive.