squat question

[ebm1224]

So ive been doing stronglifts for the past few weeks and been enjoying it. The last couple of times i did squats though i found my back hurting. For reference I'm at about 100lbs of weight on these. Just sorta feel like the stress is on the back as well as the legs. Also i think I'm not going as deep in these as i used to. I feel like i go to the bottom of where i can get back up...but I'm not sure its white parallel (by this i mean any lower i don't think i could get up).

Any tips?

[notanartmajor]

Hurting like the muscles are being worked, or hurting like injured? The former is okay, you might just be getting to the point where you're really taxing yourself. If it's the latter, you might be arching your back too far. I sometimes have the same problem. If you could get a video and post that we might be able to figure out what's going on.

[Pat G]

lower back pain on squats. may be from a slight rounding of your lower back at the bottom of the squat.

Perhaps try stretching out your hip flexors to be able to stay more upright down the bottom.

otherwise, not sure.

[Fink]

Upper back or lower back? I've tried squats on 2 separate occasions and I too am experiencing pain but more so my neck were the bar rests. I've tried trying different spots for the bar but it still is uncomfortable. I'm guessing I just have horrible form

[Morrigainz]

I watched a bunch of Mark Rippetoe's vids on YouTube about squats and I definitely picked up a few tips. Also, if you can't get as deep, maybe you could try deloading for a little bit to concentrate on your form?

[cline]

Butt wink? (it's a thing, really). could be. Plus, I like saying it.... butt wink.

Seriously, google it.

[chairohkey]

Butt wink? (it's a thing, really). could be. Plus, I like saying it.... butt wink.

Seriously, google it.

Here's a good description.

http://www.70sbig.com/blog/2010/10/the-butt-wink/

[shiggles]

The best thing to do is to take a video to see what your form is really like. I did it with mine and you see things that you can't see for yourself, even with a mirror.

Post the video up if you aren't sure about your form.

Your back shouldn't be hurting and if you don't have an existing injury it's most likely a result of bad form.

[andygates]

Seconded. This is a great quiet Sunday thing to do: take your phone to the gym and record your lifting from square-on to the side and rear. Slap it up on youtube and let the nerds go to work.

Odds are the sore lower back is a correctable form issue - which issue, a video will help answer.

[Hermione Gainser]

Thirded. Video away. It sounds like a form issue. Read catspaw's blog post about her hour with K-Starr and see if that information his helpful.

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

With low bar squatting vs. high bar and front squatting, you bend forward more and it puts more stress on the lower back msucles. As the weight gets heavier there could be a significant load here, even with good form. It happened to me and I personally get sore in my lower back whenever I squat. Jdanger recommended I do other exercises that have this type of load as auxiliaries help strengthen my back. Exercises that do this include bent over barbell rows (was already doing them) and Romanian Deadlifts (which I added onto the end of my deadlift day, 3x8). My back feels much stronger now and it's no longer a big issue.

If you can't get all the way down in the hole, you're either not confident enough to go down there, afraid of failing, or not strong enough to do that weight yet. I had the same problem when I hit 255ish the first time and for me it was being afraid of failing a rep with all that weight on my back and not being able to get back up. Deliberately letting yourself fail a rep will fix the first two because you'll learn that you can do it safely. I'm fine with failing now. For not being strong enough, you just have to keep trying. You won't know if you're strong enough unless you get your butt down there and try though.

I personally squat in front of a mirror so I can make sure my hip crease is going down below my knee. Also, during my warm ups, I go super low to work on form.

[Anivair]

As has been said here already, it may be that you're rounding your back or bending forward too far. Try to get as much good mobility as you can in the hip capsule and the ankles. Check out Kelly Starette's 1 minute/10 minute squat test. If you can squat for a long time comfortably, you're probably okay in form.

[Pat G]

As has been said here already, it may be that you're rounding your back or bending forward too far. Try to get as much good mobility as you can in the hip capsule and the ankles. Check out Kelly Starette's 1 minute/10 minute squat test. If you can squat for a long time comfortably, you're probably okay in form.

I canna squat for a long without my ankles shrieking at me to stop.

I've always thought that the female race would have had an issue with hypermobility? or at least be more mobile than blokes. (probably a stereotype)

[Anivair]

I canna squat for a long without my ankles shrieking at me to stop.

I've always thought that the female race would have had an issue with hypermobility? or at least be more mobile than blokes. (probably a stereotype)

Girls are often more flexible, but mobility is a different animal. just being able to get into a position doesn't mean you're doing it the best way you can. Play with kelly's squat stuff (Ido Portal also has a great squat workshop video online).

[Pat G]

its been a while since i've looked at MWOD. i'll definately check Ido when i get the chance

Squatting with weight is alright on the ankles, but i'm starting to feel a bit of knee pain. perhaps a form video is in order and the "hips back" cue might help.

[BarefootDawsy]

You may also want to consider dropping the weight down a little to find a point where you feel your form doesn't suffer. You're better off doing perfect squats on a lower weight than bad ones on higher...

[Pat G]

TBH, my maybe form slump comes from my own mental perception of where my body is at, i correct myself in the front on mirror as i see best.

I did recently drop my weight for quite a while and am only slowly putting it back on. up to 90kgs today.

Dawsy, come back to Sydney to monitor me please.

[BarefootDawsy]

TBH, my maybe form slump comes from my own mental perception of where my body is at, i correct myself in the front on mirror as i see best.

I did recently drop my weight for quite a while and am only slowly putting it back on. up to 90kgs today.

Dawsy, come back to Sydney to monitor me please.

Come to Vancouver and I'll give you a free lesson

[ebm1224]

ok so i just got back to sl after being out of town. dropped the weight on my squats down a bit to work on form. i'm not really tech-savy and i have only a mildly bright phone instead of a smart one so i'm not sure if videos are possible...though i'll look into it.

what i found is:

no, i'm not going all the way down in my weighted squats. i get to about parallel or a little above and then come back up. partially because i'm afraid of going off balance and falling but partially because it's sorta uncomfortable down there. after about parallel i feel like i get some body resistance (perhaps because i carry most of my weight in my hips/thighs area...sorry to be crude but it sorta feels like there's just too much "meat" being squeezed into a small area.

anyone else have that feeling?

also, going further down than i have been takes a little extra...oomph. like, i'm so used to stopping at a certain point that i have to really think about "i need to go lower." and once i'm down there, there's usually a second where i'm like "shit, can i get up?"

hmmm...typed all this and realized i probably should just figure out a way to post a video. maybe i can get my bf to video it with his phone.

kthxbai!

[andygates]

Try your feet a little wider and a little toed out.

[js290]

So ive been doing stronglifts for the past few weeks and been enjoying it. The last couple of times i did squats though i found my back hurting. For reference I'm at about 100lbs of weight on these. Just sorta feel like the stress is on the back as well as the legs. Also i think I'm not going as deep in these as i used to. I feel like i go to the bottom of where i can get back up...but I'm not sure its white parallel (by this i mean any lower i don't think i could get up).

Any tips?

https://www.facebook.com/CongruentExercise

[Anivair]

Quick question on this squat topic for my wife. Her physiology has me stumped.

Body weight squats hurt her knees (generally between the kneecap and the shin). Weighted squats do not. Color me stumped. I see no real difference in form.

[Hermione Gainser]

@Ebm, try what Santa said and see if that helps. Go lower and focus on engaging your hamstrings and butt on the way up.

[WizardTrip]

Try your feet a little wider and a little toed out.

^Do this

One of the things that helped me get down low were goblet squats. First, do what Andy is saying with a just a body weight squat. Feet a little wider, toes out. To prepare for a goblet squat without a dumbbell, just hold your hands together around the middle of your chest like you are holding a goblet. Squat, making sure your feet and heels are 100% on the ground. Try to get your elbows to hit the inside of your knees. At this point you should be parallel or even lower. Once you try this with body weight, try it with a dumbbell. Once you can do this, take the same form to the barbell. Obviously, you arms and hands won't be the same, but your squat form should be able to get you lower after practicing this.

Trying to find an article I found very helpful with this. If I find it, I'll post it here.

EDIT: Found the article. I don't know anything about T-Nation, but this is the article I found helpful awhile back: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/goblet_squats_101

[Mama T]

goblet squats ftw. it's what my CF coaches have me do to help with form since i have problems getting below parallel. plus it helps focus on keeping the upper body more upright while squatting. good recommendation, icedtip.