Form Check

I’m looking for some feedback on my squat and deadlift. Brief background, I’ve been lifting most of my lift. Played pretty much sport in HS and baseball in college. I ended up tearing my hamstring about 7 years back and have tried to squat in the past, but the next day I would wake up in pain. Last summer i started squatting again. I kept it light and worked my way up slowly. Then in October started doing 531 and last week I hit 315 for a fairly easy double. I want to make sure there isn’t anything glaringly wrong with my squat before I start shooting for 400. In the video is 265 for 5.

Also, I’ve always loved deadlifting and have used a conventional stance, however, last summer I hurt my back pulling from the floor and haven’t been able to since. Today, I decided to pull sumo and matched my conventional PR of 405, despite never attempting more than 315 in sumo. I tried to video my 405 tonight, but the camera slid and you only see me knee down. So here is 315 for 2 right after the 405.

I’m 6’5" 260. thanks.

TL;DR: Want help making sure I’m on right track.

EDITED: Added cliff notes.

Squat- Looked pretty good to me, no glaring breakdowns or deficiencies. But it also looked like a fairly easy weight so a heavier set might show something. But looks like you are on the right track.

Deadlift- Also not a whole lot wrong, I would try to keep a more neutral head position. Also you set your hips pretty low and they rise before the bar leaves the ground. So work on setting up with your hips a little bit higher and leading with your chest as opposed to trying to squat the weight up.

Overall you have a good grasp of things and should see a lot of progress

Overall I think they both look good. I would however check your knee tracking on your squats. It almost looks like your knees start to buckle a little.

Other than that I think it looks good.

[quote]cparker wrote:
Squat- Looked pretty good to me, no glaring breakdowns or deficiencies. But it also looked like a fairly easy weight so a heavier set might show something. But looks like you are on the right track.

Deadlift- Also not a whole lot wrong, I would try to keep a more neutral head position. Also you set your hips pretty low and they rise before the bar leaves the ground. So work on setting up with your hips a little bit higher and leading with your chest as opposed to trying to squat the weight up.

Overall you have a good grasp of things and should see a lot of progress [/quote]

Thanks, I’m squatting tonight and will video a heavier set. I might work on DL form too, Sumo was a new thing I tried that day.

Squat looked ok. It looks like the bar is placed quite high, so you might benefit from some lower and middle back strengthening to keep a more upright torso throughout the movement (pulling your elbows forward will help with that); or switch to lower bar squats (although you would still want a nice strong back to stay stable IMO). Front squats, good mornings (if your back is happy with them) and reverse hypers would be good for that. Front squats could also quite probably help you get a little more depth in your squat. It isn’t that you’re squatting high as such, but you probably wouldn’t regret a bit more depth.

I can’t say anythnig about your pulling because I don’t know jack about sumo. That said, if you’re getting your old conventional max with sumo, you’re probably doing just fine.

[quote]MarkKO wrote:
Squat looked ok. It looks like the bar is placed quite high.[/quote]

I might be the angle, It’s actually pretty low. I shoot for mid to low trap.

I’d agree, I need to reintroduce good mornings, and do heavier front squats. I typically do higher rep FS.

The reason I don’t squat deeper is because it’s a bit uncomfortable in the ligament(?) near my knee. That’s where my hamstring tore in high school. I attached a picture of the area I’m talking about.

Thanks, ironically, I’ve always used it as an accessory lift doing higher reps (5-8). It was never an option in HS or college so I always pulled conventional. Figured I’d give it a shot since I squat sumo. That was a 90lb pr. ha.

Picture didn’t attach

[/quote]

The reason I don’t squat deeper is because it’s a bit uncomfortable in the ligament(?) near my knee. That’s where my hamstring tore in high school. I attached a picture of the area I’m talking about.

Thanks, ironically, I’ve always used it as an accessory lift doing higher reps (5-8). It was never an option in HS or college so I always pulled conventional. Figured I’d give it a shot since I squat sumo. That was a 90lb pr. ha.[/quote]

Knee sleeves? They might help with the discomfort to keep the area warm.