Hmm… are you leaning a bit forward? Check out page 21, Figure 6. Try leaning just a bit forward to alleviate some stress on the knees. At this point, if your stance is good and you’re pretty sure you have the form right, then it simply might be joint pain. This is normal if you’re a first time trainer. If you have been doing this for a while, check out flaxseed oil as a supplement. I’ve heard they’re good for prevent joint pain. Also try Glucosamine supplementation.

The power clean is the most difficult exercise to learn I find. I was lucky enough to have a random veteran at the gym critic my style when I was doing them. He said what I was doing was excellent (all I did was follow Rippetoe’s chapter on the power clean).

I felt it yesterday (a day in which I never worked out), so I thought it could be DOMS, but I didn’t think you could DOMS in/near the knee.

The width of my stance is shoulder-width, as recommended in the book. I get a good depth, much further than parallel. In fact, if I were asked to “squat down, all the way” (as Rippetoe recommend you say to whoever you’re training), my hamstrings would be fully touching my calves and maintaining this position wouldn’t be taxing on my quads/glutes/hams.

Does this mean that in my most natural position my knee does most of the work? Does this mean I’m too flexible? In the book, Rippetoe talks about those who are too flexible and he recommends using the cue of remaining tight in the legs at the bottom of the squat, I’ve been trying this but given I know have knee pain, could it be due to my flexibility?

With deadlift I think the only problem with form is my back sometimes rounds when lowering the barbell, I guess this can be fixed by just trying harder to keep my back straight.

I’m not sure about my power clean technique, it’s getting better but I still don’t know if it’s any good. I’m trying to find somebody near to where I live who knows the correct technique.

Thanks for the help

The deadlift and power clean can also do this, but when are you feeling the pain exactly? During or after?

I’ve been squatting (full squats) for ~ 3 weeks however I’ve started feeling pain in my knees. It doesn’t feel mechanical like tennis elbow does, but like DOMS in my knee? Should this happen? If not, do you know what could be wrong with my technique?

Tom

PS. I also deadlift and power clean, which could be causing this, I just figured it was probably the squats.