Back pain from Squatting and DLs, do I need a belt?

Jamie32

Hello all, i've had to stay away from Squats and DLs for the last 6 weeks or so to let a lower back injury repair itself! In the meantime i've been working away on the usual upper body free weights, chest shoulder etc...along with HIIT on t/mill and playing 5a side football for cardio twice a week. So i've got good results in 3 months of working out and eating clean and reducing alcohol intake to one heavy drinking session per month!!

Anyway I think taking my training to the next level will have to involve the dreaded back destroying exercises mentioned in the topic! I think my form is good, i've had people look at it, fellow gym goers that look experienced as well as PTs. I'm just wondering could be as simple as wearing a belt while doing these exercises?? Sorry for the essay BTW!!

Colm_OReilly

You need a stronger back.

Seriously.

I'd also guess your squat/deadlift form isn't as dialled in as you'd like, and/or you started too heavy.

Sets/reps?

Jamie32

Colm_OReilly wrote: »

You need a stronger back.

Seriously.

I'd also guess your squat/deadlift form isn't as dialled in as you'd like, and/or you started too heavy.

Sets/reps?

Thanks for the reply Colm. It could be that my back is weak and it's not impossible that my form isn't spot on but i have tried and tried at this stage! I have been doing groung stretches and exercises to help strengthen my lower back and i'm hoping that that will help when i start squatting and DLing again. My routine on squat and DL was the same:
Warm up with just bar for 10-15 reps,
10 x 30KG
8 x 40KG
8 x 50KG
6 x 60KG

Baldie

Get a belt!! There'ye only about €20.

injured365

I would work at strengthening your back before thinking about buying a belt. Was your back still injured while you were doing all the other exercise you mentioned??

Boston

At those weights you don't need a belt. A squat shouldn't be causing lower back pain if performed correctly.

Baldie wrote: »

Get a belt!! There'ye only about €20.

Could you explain what exactly a belt is meant to do for your bench?

Pugsley

If you get a belt to stop your lower back from hurting because of bad form, you will still use bad form you just won't notice it until you lift heavy weights and then your back will REALLY hurt. At that weight there is no way you will need a belt, anything under 100kg should never need a belt, and even up until 150kg or more you shouldn't need one.

My guess would be poor form. I used to have a bit of lwoer back pain from my lower back on deadlifts due to not lower my hips enough. I'm lifting much strong now by lowering my hips a good amount and using the quads to get the bar the first few inchs before recruiting my back to straighten out. As for squats, you might be putting the weight onto your toes, try to keep the weight to the back of your feet, easiest way to do this is either curl your toes up so they aren't touching the ground, or thrust with the heel of your foot and try to balance it there. But without seeing your form this is pure speculation.

Boston

Assuming its not poor form, it maybe that one of the other exercises you're doing is damaging your back and the strain of the deadlift/squat is only magnifying an existing problem.

Theresalwaysone

Advice in this thread is very good.

One question though, is using a belt for lifting similar to using a knee/ankle support in football as in, its fine for a short time but will become detrimental to overall progression the longer you use it?

Jamie32

Thanks for all of the valuable information guys. I think it's important that I go back to the drawing board here and pay for a couple of PT sessions to get me on the correct path with my form in particular. I would like to get the squattin and DLing right soon as I think a few weeks of doing that along with my upper body routine could work wonders and also if I got these compound exercises right, I could reduce some of the cardio in the gym and stick with the aul football a couple of nights a week for cardio.

Anyway, I know what I have have to do now. Thanks again folks, you've all been very helpful as always.

kumate_champ07

if your back is sore from these exercises you either have an injury that your not recovered from or your form is off. remember to keep your chest up when deadlifting.

a belt is not necessary for any weight except for a 1rep max or possibly above 80% of a 1RM if its very heavy weight being used

wearing a belt all the time or too much will actually make your back weaker. you can wear the belt loosely/not too tight and it will make your body more 'aware' of the lower back, but for 1RM you will need it tight to increase abdominal pressure and aid in lumbar support.

breathing also plays a big role, make sure your lungs are full when you are at the bottom of a squat and dont breath out untill you are near the top.

elverys sell thick leather belts for around 25euro, makes you wonder why trouser belts are so expensive

Transform

post up a video - all other suggestions are null and void until you do that.