Squat Form Check: Left Knee Pain

[Schrodinger23]

I'm a 6'4" 235 pound male that is 43 years old. My left knee has been bothering me in the squat. I'm not sure if the slight forward movement in the knee at the bottom is enough to be considered "knee slide" and the cause of the problem, but two days ago it was tough to do a medium squat because of the pain. I took a video from both sides on a medium squat day in case something asymmetrical is going on.

Medium Squat Day from Left Side: Squat 3rd set of 5 at 315 1-21-23 - YouTube

Medium Squat Day from Right Side on Different Day: Squat 3rd set of 5 at 315 1-14-23 - YouTube





Here is a recent heavy squat day if it helps with the form check.

Heavy Squat Day: Squat 3rd set of 5 at 350 1-3-23 - YouTube

Any help figuring out what is going on would be very much appreciated. I'm thinking about deloading to 225 and running up an LP with as tempo squat, but I'm not sure what form issues to work on to fix things. A tempo squat on my light squat day has been very helpful in fixing some form issues and pain, but I can't get my left knee pain to clear up.

[Mark Rippetoe]

If your knees are irritated, the only way to get them to heal is to squat with a much more vertical shin angle/more horizontal back angle. If your knees are irritated, any knee slide is too much.

[Schrodinger23]

If your knees are irritated, the only way to get them to heal is to squat with a much more vertical shin angle/more horizontal back angle. If your knees are irritated, any knee slide is too much.

Okay. I was going to have a heavy day squat at 355 tomorrow, but I don't think it is a great idea with my left knee aggravated like it is.

Is the best way to retrain my squat technique by dropping back to say 225 and working up with a tempo squat on a linear progression until the low 300s? And if my knee is feeling better at that point, then switch back over to a heavy light medium to work back up to the mid-300's?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Do 3 sets of 5 box squats with a pause at 275. Make sure every rep is correct. Video the sets.