290lbs LBS Form Check

[DP3028]

Hi everyone,

Can someone please give me a form check? This is my second set at 290lbs. Please feel free to be criticize. I'm a little unsure if my depth is low enough. I do have some slight knee pain, but I am working on fixing it. Thanks in advance!

290 LBS Starting Strength - YouTube

[VikingCellist]

Hi everyone,

Can someone please give me a form check? This is my second set at 290lbs. Please feel free to be criticize. I'm a little unsure if my depth is low enough. I do have some slight knee pain, but I am working on fixing it. Thanks in advance!

290 LBS Starting Strength - YouTube

Are you still on your LP? How old are you? What have you done to work on fixing your knee pain?

I, just a guy on the internet, don't think your depth is a problem. Wait for the expert opinion on that. What I do see is that you're lifting your heels at the bottom of the squat. To me, it looks like you are getting over your toes and your knees are sliding forward after the point in the descent when they should be set. You know you need to point your nipples to the floor, so the next thing to aim for is having the bar over your mid foot at the bottom of the squat, not getting over your toes. Try getting your knees set earlier, like 1/3 to 1/2 down and sitting back more. Also you need to work harder to keep your knees out. Toes should be pointed out about 30-35 degrees and your thighs stay parallel to your feet. At your next workout, try filming with the camera a little higher and maybe once directly from the side to observe the bar path.

[DP3028]

Thanks for the response!

What is LP? I'm 32 years old. Also I noticed that I was going forward on my toes and that was causing my knee pain. I've been working on sitting back more. I'll work on my knees out.

[Jeff Illingworth]

LP = linear progression.

In addition to what VikingCellist has pointed out, you also need to adjust your upper back and grip. You are driving your elbow up too much. Read the article on thoracic extension and check the squat grip clarification video/articles.

[DP3028]

Yes, I still am on my LP. I have reset the weights a few times to adjust form issues.

I just read the thoracic extension article. That is exactly what I am not doing, which is what must be causing me to go on my toes as well as cause knee pain. I'm definitely not tight enough on my back. Could it be my grip is a little wide also? Also should I drop the weight again and work on my thoracic extension? Thanks again.

Also at what point do I stop doing LP? The 290lbs is starting to feel heavy, but I think I can go higher for sure.

[Jeff Illingworth]

The narrower you can get your grip, generally, the better your back will be with the bar - but how narrow you can get depends on your anthropometry.

I would not necessarily plan on doing a lighter weight, just start fixing your form from your first empty bar warmup and see how it goes. If you don't have a coach working with you real time (where are you located?), be sure to film every set from the start of your warmups and watch it before the next set. This will help you tune in your form.

LP lasts until you cannot successfully add weight to the bar each workout and may stall out at different rates for different lifts. Read Practical Programming for the details. For a short cut, check out Jordan's and Austin's The Bridge program.

[Caleb Krieg]

DP3028,

So to summarize what has already been said, you need to be doing the following next workout:

1. Fix your soft rounded upper back. This should be set before the bar is un-racked. To do this I want you to squeeze your chest up. Think, PROUD CHEST!
2. Leaving your toes where they are at, rotate your heels in slightly.
3. As you descend shove your knees OUT and freeze them in place half way down. Think about reaching your hips back as you approach the bottom.

Doing these things will both help you stay balanced on the middle of your foot, and produce a bounce that's generated by the much stronger musculuture of the posterior chain. It will make your knees feel much happier.

Good Luck!

[Caleb Krieg]

Just work on the things already mentioned and then post another video. The weight does not look heavy, it's barely slowing down...

[DP3028]

Great stuff! It's kind of a pain to video at my gym, since it gets busy. I'm working out a better way to do it though. I live in New Jersey on the south side. I don't know if there are any coaches in the area. Thanks for all of the input. I'll get a video up Monday morning.

[Jeff Illingworth]

You can see where coaches are by checking out the Starting Strength Coaches Association website.