Squats - how do you not strain the lower back?

[Drummer]

I've been doing squats for a long time. The only downfall, I often strain the lower back a bit and as a result cannot do squats, deads or romanians for a bit. My form seems good, i break the hips first, back straight, head up, down to just below level. Currently doing 315 in sets of 8. Cant seem to shake it.... perhaps i will alternate with hacks....

~D~

[MMASTAR]

I think the important things are to keep the c shape in your spine by pushing your chest out.. break hips first and ive been told to look straight rather than up.. heard the looking up thing is a myth but ive done both and cant tell much diffrence..stay on heels... thats all i got..

[tiramisu]

If your back hurts when you are squating you have a form issue.
Check out Rippetoe's site strengthmill.net for some good video examples.

[#8]

you are probably leaning forward and thus most of the load is being balanced by your lower back now instead of being lowered and powered back up by your legs.

dont lean forward.

do front squats.

[AlladdinSane]

Carry the bar lower.

Widen your stance.

Drive your head back into the bar.

Keep a tight lower back arch.

Keep your belly FULL of air while the bar is in motion.

[baza]

Yes, you are probably using your lower back. Especally when you start to struggle, people lean forward more than use the back to get it up.

[nisser]

I used to have this problem; you might not be flexible enough at the lower back to maintain the arch. So if you're trying to go too far below parallel it loses the arch and strains it.

[4031]

all i got to say is dont switch to hacks bro, keep squatting. Add some core exercises to your routine if you havent and see a chiro just to make sure your muscles are firing properly and nothing is out of line. Make sure you stretch and maintain your flexibility too.Seems to me at your level of training your at a point where making gains and straining/injury is fine line, just tough it out and dont give up.

[AlladdinSane]

If flexibility (or the lack there of) is the issue, it'll be with the hams and calves.

[4031]

another option is front squats

here are a few tips

arch your back
never round your back
do not rotate your knees inward, keep them in line with the feet
keep the bar in line with the middle of your foot( the area of balance)
never twist the trunk
descend slowly
dont raise the heels during the exersise, learn to squat flatfooted

[4031]

If flexibility (or the lack there of) is the issue, it'll be with the hams and calves.

could be or the glute max or minor or adductor and abductor

check out www.exrx.net Theres alot tips on squatting and stretching

[JifeLacket]

Flexibility is an issue for most. Get your feet outside of shoulder width and really kick your butt back, drive through the heels. Now your back will be working pretty hard during a squat but you should keep the arch and not feel like ALL of the stress is on your lower back.

In teaching some friends i found that practice with 135 helped them 'sink' into the squat, each rep go deaper, hold at the bottom and stretch it out. Stretch out all of your leg muscles on a regular basis, not only will it help but its great for you as well.

[Winnipeg Muscle]

another option is front squats

here are a few tips

arch your back
never round your back
do not rotate your knees inward, keep them in line with the feet
keep the bar in line with the middle of your foot( the area of balance)
never twist the trunk
descend slowly
dont raise the heels during the exercise, learn to squat flatfooted

Agreed, for some screaming quad work, front squats rock...it is almost impossible to have bad form with these, I actually rarely do back squats anymore as fronts squats allows me to go deeper. I also squat and deadlift barefoot and that has made a big difference in stability.

[ubcpower]

dedicate time to increasing flexibility in hamstrings

[dremen]

Could some one post up a link to a vid that shows a proper squat being done.

I need to see proper form as well as my lower back tends to hurt as well.

Thanks.

[Drummer]

I think im going to re-teach myself to squat. Im going to take all these posts into account even tho Im very familiar with most of it, i could use a refresher. Ill drop the weight and get back into form - ive already come down from 365 in sets after cycle, and perhaps im just not concentrating enough. Thnx for the replies, keep em coming if you have em'

~D~

[Talo]

5/3/1 pages

Your eyes should be focused. Some people believe you should look straight up when you squat. These people aren’t good to listen to. Your eyes should be directed straight ahead or just slightly downward. Don’t take your eyes off the point you choose. Pick something, and stare at it intently. Even if there’s movement and distractions around this point, they shouldn’t stop your stare. This is how focused you have to be.

• Proper bar placement depends on your body type and what’s most comfortable to you. Some people have shoulder problems and can’t carry the bar very low. Others just plain suck at high bar squatting. Place the bar where it allows you to reach depth with good form. It’s just that easy.

• I like taking a full grip on the bar, but I used a “thumbs-around” grip for the first half of my squatting life. I don’t see this as a deal-breaker.

• Keep your elbows down and try to force them under the bar. This will cause your hips to drive first out of the bottom of the squat. It’ll also keep your chest high and prevent you from squatting with your legs first instead of your back. The first thing to shoot up with many people is their ass. Remedy this by pushing with your hips and keeping your elbows under the bar – or at least trying to.

• Descend until the tops of your thighs are parallel to the ground. Go deeper if you’d like, but this is the minimum depth you should shoot for.

• When you begin your descent, push your knees out to the sides and your glutes back.

• Arch your upper back hard for the entire lift. This will cause your lower back to arch, too.

• Grip the bar with the narrowest grip you can manage without hurting your shoulders. This will ensure that you remain tight throughout the lift.

• Once you hit parallel, drive your elbows under the bar and explode up.

• Before you take the bar out of the rack, fill your diaphragm with air, place the bar on your back, then confidently push it out of the rack with your back and legs. Don’t “wimp” the bar out. I like to do this with a large breath, which I won’t let out until I’m in my stance.
13

• Any more than two or three steps back is a waste of time and energy. Be efficient. I mentally count, “One, Two” when taking the bar out to make sure that I take only two steps out of the rack.

• Squeeze the bar hard during the lift. This will keep your entire body tight.

• Before the descent, take another breath and go. Keep this air in until you’re about 2/3 of the way back up. Then you can let it out. I’ve taught myself to hold my breath for 3 reps, but this is very difficult and I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone.

• Bouncing out of the bottom position (the “hole”) is not a bad thing. Losing your air and tightness when you do so is. Don’t do that.

• Your descent should be slow enough to permit you to maintain good form, but it should be fast enough to not waste energy or kill the stretch reflex at the bottom. Many lifters will “dive bomb” their squats. This is a fancy term for dropping very quickly and almost catching the bar in the bottom position before squatting back up. This is okay for advanced lifters who know their bodies and have great technique, but it’s probably unacceptable for about 99% of the rest of the population.

• Your toes should be pointed out at about a 30-45 degree angle. This will allow your knees to track correctly.

[Talo]

Could some one post up a link to a vid that shows a proper squat being done.

I need to see proper form as well as my lower back tends to hurt as well.

Thanks.

This is Jim - squatting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue_GrU4mhqc

And Dave talking about the box

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue_GrU4mhqc

[swolegantor]

I've been doing squats for a long time. The only downfall, I often strain the lower back a bit and as a result cannot do squats, deads or romanians for a bit. My form seems good, i break the hips first, back straight, head up, down to just below level. Currently doing 315 in sets of 8. Cant seem to shake it.... perhaps i will alternate with hacks....

~D~

Get a video its impossible to go by what you "think" you are doing.

This thread is just being redundant. You have no idea how you squat and unless you post a video there is noway to critique form.


Your lowerback/core might just be weak. Train the **** out of it with Abwheels/planks/weighted sit ups/back extensions

[swolegantor]

If flexibility (or the lack there of) is the issue, it'll be with the hams and calves.

This

[cog]

I think im going to re-teach myself to squat. Im going to take all these posts into account even tho Im very familiar with most of it, i could use a refresher. Ill drop the weight and get back into form - ive already come down from 365 in sets after cycle, and perhaps im just not concentrating enough. Thnx for the replies, keep em coming if you have em'

~D~

Drummer.Try the f#$%^&@ box squats!

[Mr Ontario]

I got myself one of these....seem to help allot :)

[Drummer]

^^^thats a nice hack machine. I have those at my gym, and im using it till my back feels better. Too bad I work automotive production and Im using my back every day... cant get rest.

~D~

[Mr Ontario]

No bar shoving you on the middle of the neck and no lower back stress as well :)


^^^thats a nice hack machine. I have those at my gym, and im using it till my back feels better. Too bad I work automotive production and Im using my back every day... cant get rest.

~D~

[theboss]

there is one of those at my gym....i am a bit too tall to use it correctly, it just seems awkward.

[Shortdave]

I kinda want to see videos of how you guys squat. The bar shouldn't dig into your neck and lower back pain shouldn't be normal.

[Drummer]

I think that this is the muscle I strained a bit. Seems in the perfect location. It only on the left of the spine, from the hip to about 6 inches up. Maybe my balance was off.

~D~

[cog]

there is one of those at my gym....i am a bit too tall to use it correctly, it just seems awkward.

They are useless.

[Mr Ontario]

Wonder why they made this machine then?


I kinda want to see videos of how you guys squat. The bar shouldn't dig into your neck and lower back pain shouldn't be normal.

[cog]

Years back Frank Zane was the first,IIRC,to popularize this movement.He wore a device that straddled his shoulders and he would hang on to a stand similar to that machine of yours.Frank beat up his body pretty bad,he had pain in all his joints.So he had to be innovative.But no machine replaces squats,and that one in particular can be misused.


Has anybody seen or heard of Frank Zane lately?

[Shortdave]

Wonder why they made this machine then?

Because most people squat incorrectly.

[Drummer]

Forgot to post the link to the muslce i think i strained... oops. Here it is :

h t t p://exrx.net/Muscles/QuadratusLumborum.html

[Shortdave]

Remember that a strain is a slight tear, the QL is a bitch if it doesn't recover right. Go get that checked out, ART saves lives.... well it doesn't really, but it does help save muscles.

[Mr Ontario]

Must be because your not squatting right ;)


Forgot to post the link to the muslce i think i strained... oops. Here it is :

h t t p://exrx.net/Muscles/QuadratusLumborum.html

[Drummer]

Going to see my chiro next week... we'll see from there. Im thinking I may have pulled it another way, but aggravated it squatting. Being what it is, seems like you pull it while twisting or have unneven weight distribution. Not sure tho.



~D~

[Shortdave]

Must be because your not squatting right ;)

Please don't think I am attacking you bro, I actually really like the machine you have, but the reason for machines is to make movements easier for people who can't or won't do it with free weights.

[Mr Ontario]

I take the easiest/lazy way possible yet my body parts came out fine! :)


Please don't think I am attacking you bro, I actually really like the machine you have, but the reason for machines is to make movements easier for people who can't or won't do it with free weights.