Squat Form Check 2 Months Later

[ajt2014]

Today's session
2nd set 255 Squat 2nd Set - YouTube
3rd set 255 squat 3rd set - YouTube

Posted here 2 months ago and got some good feedback (How's My Squat looking?)

Shortly after this post 2 months ago I broke a rib on my back right side (medium belt was too small) and took it easy, did what I could for 4 weeks. Got a bigger belt and started back on the LP.

Today squatted 255 for 3 sets of 5. Feeling good but definitely difficult each session. I have been having nagging, dull brachialis pain in both arms after squats. Narrowed my grip since last check in and that seemed to help briefly. Now it's back, so experimenting with putting a *little* flexion in my wrist to sort of mitigate the pain, also experimenting with locking elbows to my lats. I have been watching videos, reading posts here about similar issues as well. Hoping it goes away again soon.

6'2", 213lbs, 24yrs old (up 13lbs since 2 months ago)

Thank you everyone! I never thought I could get to 255lbsx5 for a squat, I really appreciate all the work and knowledge from the SS crew.

[Pete Troupos]

I don't see any cranking of the elbows or anything too far off with the grip in these videos. I think you mean wrist extension (bent backward).
Does your bar have a center knurl? If the bar moves around and you reflexively try to control it with the arms/hands that can piss things off. Put a piece of tape around it if not.

Biggest issue with the actual squat is getting the knees out. If we put some cymbals on the inside of your knees we could turn you into a one man band.
Get your knees out and tracking in line with the feet. It'll help you out of the bottom and help keep the knees from traveling straight forward further than they need to.

[ajt2014]

Thank you for the feedback.

My bar does not have a center knurl. I will apply tape to it right away. I sometimes feel that with my grip narrow it is feels like the bar is going to move up my back sometimes and I might be subconsciously trying to control it causing the discomfort in my arms/forearms. I started rolling my back and shoulders with a lacrosse ball today and will try to make it a routine.

And yes, I meant wrist extension. I can easily keep the straight wrist position but experimenting different grips to see what relieves the pain. Hopefully putting tape on the knurl will assist in this and I can move my grip back to normal.

I will focus more on shoving those knees out and keeping them out. Has always been an issue that I am trying to resolve.

Thank you for the feedback.

[ajt2014]

Hi,

Im replying to this post but let me know if I should move this to the injury forum...

So after last week's 255, I did 260 two days later with thumbless grip and was in a lot pain during and afterwards. I managed to overhead press since this doesn't seem to aggravate it as much.

I was in pain, unable to sleep great (due to pain) for the next 2 nights, and ultimately decided to skip my 3rd workout of the week last week.

The pain persisted until today, Monday. I was unable to do basic things like drive or pick something up as the pain was really debilitating. Even taking ibuprofen wasn't helping much.

I went ahead today and decided to squat, but try wrapping my thumbs and putting wrist wraps on.

In this video here Thumbless Setup Pain - YouTube , I was attempting to do my first working set with a thumbless grip (did all warmups with thumb wrapped pain free). Just getting into this position (not even lifting!) instantly brought back the pain I just got over.

I went ahead and did my sets with thumb wrapped
(Tried to focus on shoving knees out this time but hard to focus on that and this new grip to avoid pain in my arms).

(2) 265 2nd set - YouTube
(3) 265 3rd set - YouTube

Doing it this way I feel no pain at all in my brachialis while squatting, but it puts a lot of pressure on my wrists which does feel infinitely better than the other pain, but still uncomfortable...

After these squats, I couldn't do my bench press sets (195lbs), as the brachialis pain was back from the first video I posted (just getting into the thumbless position).

From here, I'm at a loss of where to go. I really like the feeling of doing thumbless grip for lbbs but that brachialis pain is not worth risking anything.

It's also unfortunate because this kills my bench press. I'm contemplating doing bench first on bench days (OHP is fine after squat).

I have been rolling my lats, shoulders, inside shoulder blades and my brachialis which bring relief until I get into that low bar position with thumbless grip.

I'm also curious as to if this is a sign i need to take some time off? I have been eating a lot and haven't stalled on anything yet, so I'm not sure if it's an overtraining issue.

Any insight or advice will help. Has anyone ever been able to bounce back from this pain?

[Mark Rippetoe]

What are you doing for chins?

[ajt2014]

I am not doing any accessories currently.

Do you suggest I try the chin up protocol for this brachialis pain? I haven't done a chin up since early December, but willing to add them back in.

I just attempted to do a couple and there was no immediate pain in my arms.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I suggest that you try them and see if this responds as well as the golfer's/tennis elbow situation.

[ajt2014]

Just watched your video on youtube about the chin up protocol for tennis/golfers elbow. I also read the article on elbow tendonitis.

I understand that these tendons wont heal with rest, but need to be healed with an active recovery and under a load.

Starting today, I will start to do the tempo bench press (3:1:2) and stop the OHP for the next couple weeks.

I will also start doing the chin ups at the end of my workout, increasing the amount of volume each workout (going to start at trying 10 sets of 3, two times per week increasing the set each workout for the next couple weeks).

In the meantime with the squat... Should I
A. Keep going with thumb wrapped grip (uncomfortable for wrists but not impossible)

B. Lower weight until I can comfortably do the correct thumbless grip without pain

C. Switch to high bar and lower the load


Thank you