Squatting and getting a slight lover back pains

[Czar]

I have been doing squats for a few years, only doing about 60-80kg each time. I'm starting to push higher but occasionaly I have these slight stings in my lower back afterwards.

Should I start usinga belt or do some excersizes to strengthen my lower back?

 

[Koing]

Don't use the belt.

Where does it hurt in your lower back?

Do you warm up properly and stretch before training? It may be a case that your lower back is rounding because your not flexible enough to keep your spine neutral as you go down in the squat.

Do more mobility work and get your spine, hips more flexible and this will get rid of the pain.

Post a video of your squats. This will show what is wrong with your form.

Koing

 

[Czar]

It hurts in the lumbar area, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I...l_column_curvature.png

I usualy warm up just by doing lower weights... and probably not enough. I feel that when I'm taking 40-60kg my posture is good, but when I push myself it goes sometimes wrong. If the oppertunity shows I'll try to take a video.

What sortof mobility work should I be doing?

 

[purbeast0]

i honestly just do not do squats anymore because in jan07, i hurt my lower back doing them, and to this day it's not 100%. i've tried squats again when i thought it was 100% but the next day it hurt pretty bad, and it was bothering me for about 2 weeks after that.

now i just do the leg sled machine, and while i know it's not as good for you as squats will ever be, it's as close to squats as I will ever get. and the whole time doing this, your back is forced to be straight and you don't really put strain on your back at all.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: Czar
It hurts in the lumbar area, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I...l_column_curvature.png

I usualy warm up just by doing lower weights... and probably not enough. I feel that when I'm taking 40-60kg my posture is good, but when I push myself it goes sometimes wrong. If the oppertunity shows I'll try to take a video.

What sortof mobility work should I be doing?

Definitely shoot a short video of your squat form. If you're breaking your lumbar curve at any point, you can severely injure yourself. You should warm up with stretches AND lower weights and make sure you can get some good squats in with good form beforehand. Form is everything and I've often heard this same problem from people who thought they had great form, but didn't. Also, just in case, you should do some lower back exercises in general (good mornings, weighted hyperextensions, etc) to get your back strong.

 

[Czar]

Thanks I'll try to get a buddy to take a video when I get a chance, not likely soon though

Untill then I'm going to slow things down, and do less weights just to get the form.. at least a bit better. And I will definetly start to do some good mornings or something like that. .. And stretches, tried some good mornings just earlier without weights.. I definetly need to do stretches.

Also I found this page which is very nice, http://stronglifts.com/50-ways-to-increase-your-squat/

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: purbeast0
i honestly just do not do squats anymore because in jan07, i hurt my lower back doing them, and to this day it's not 100%. i've tried squats again when i thought it was 100% but the next day it hurt pretty bad, and it was bothering me for about 2 weeks after that.

now i just do the leg sled machine, and while i know it's not as good for you as squats will ever be, it's as close to squats as I will ever get. and the whole time doing this, your back is forced to be straight and you don't really put strain on your back at all.

I wouldn't call them off for the rest of your life. I was hampered for months by an upper quad injury from squatting, but am back squatting almost as heavy as I was before.

If it's just not your thing then I really don't care, but if you've seen success with squats before then take some time off and try again.

 

[maluckey]

The lower back seems to be the most commonly neglected muscle group. Funny thing, is that the lower back is one of the most important.

How many people do deadlifts, extensions and full range rowing? If you don't, you really should. Squats require strong lower back as do many sports and even good sex!

Start lighter than you think that you should if you are new to these excercises. They can be a quick ticket to injury if done wrong. Done right, they PREVENT lower back strains.

Also, as Koing said

Don't use the belt.

Weight belts are a crutch for bad form or a support in maximum lift where a minute slip-up can be catastrophic.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: maluckey
The lower back seems to be the most commonly neglected muscle group. Funny thing, is that the lower back is one of the most important.

How many people do deadlifts, extensions and full range rowing? If you don't, you really should. Squats require strong lower back as do many sports and even good sex!

The deal is, once you fuck your back up as in a ruptured or herniated dick your back will never be the same. I had both injuries to my back when I was in my late 20's and now in my 50's my lower back is toast. If I had developed my lower back muscles when I was younger I might not have had those injuries and wouldn't be hampered by a bad lower back now that I'm older. My conclusion is that it's smart to develop those lower back muscles, in fact it's almost mperative to do so if you want a healthy back when you are older, just be really careful.

 

[Czar]

Okey, lower back work is a priority now dead lifts (like those) and good mornings for the next weeks.

 

[jiggahertz]

When I am near failure I catch myself rounding my back on squats. I really have to focus on keeping my back arched. I've found it helpful to practice your form in a mirror off to your side to view your profile and focus on how it feels. Then try to replicate that feel on each rep.

 

[Kniteman77]

I've been subscribing to this blog for a couple months now, quite informational.

Check it out, it may apply to you.

http://stronglifts.com/lordosi...ck-pain-how-to-fix-it/

I'm just starting the workout schedule he outlines in his e-book, it seems like a very simple balanced routine. Let me know if you have any more questions and/or if that link was helpful at all.

Oh, that and . . . .as an echo to everyone else, good form!!

Always put the form of the lift before the amount of weight you're lifting.

 

[maluckey]

Always put the form of the lift before the amount of weight you're lifting.

Exactly!! Unless you are paid by the amount of weights that you lift, injury isn't worth it. Even if you DO get paid for lifting (bodybuilding/power-lifting) you need to figure out how much that lift could cost you...as in your career and retirement.

It's just not worth ruining your body for the rest of your life.