Sore back from squats

papajimsmooth

Just finished my workout there and on the last set of squats i felt my lower back twinge. Does this mean im using incorrect form or just that my lower back is weak. Also what would be a decent warm up for a weight session at home.

chadmustang

Could be both... Most likely form though! Work with lighter weights and try to get someone to check your form or even better video it and put a link up here.

You're most likely losing your arch/not keeping your back tight out of the hole.

ragg

I actually have a couple of questions about the lower back too.

I'm not injured, but my lower back does feel decidedly shíte after squats and dead lifts lately.

now I know some amount of "pain" is expected after this type of lift, but im wondering if its just over use or something that i can just roll and stretch out.

If we just take squats as an example and because its the topic of the thread

My weight is about 70kg, without looking at my training diary, i think my last heavy session i worked up to about 105kg for 5*5.

For the moment im concentrating on single legs to give my back a rest & see if it helps but should i consider buying a belt or is there any stretches i can do help recover a little better.

d'Oracle

I also get some tightness & Soreness in the lower back after squatting & Deadlift.

I generally assume it is because my lower back is weak and getting a beating when I do these heavy exercises, in which the hips and lower back play a huge part.

Am I wrong?

I suppose though what I feel and what OP is talking about could be totally different.

token

The lower back does take a bit of pounding from low bar style back squats but if it goes past a touch of light doms I reckon it's your form that is off. I managed to do myself a mischief with squats earlier this week attempting 5RM. I couldn't maintain my form I started coming forward and my back angle was compromised.

Mobility, foam rolling and stretching (which you should do regardless) are helping to free out my lower back since and I personally find front squats good for it also which I'll do today. Then back to squatting next week with better form!

Will Heffernan

d'Oracle wrote: »

I also get some tightness & Soreness in the lower back after squatting & Deadlift.

I generally assume it is because my lower back is weak and getting a beating when I do these heavy exercises, in which the hips and lower back play a huge part.

Am I wrong?

I suppose though what I feel and what OP is talking about could be totally different.

1. Most peoples 'backs' are fine...and by back I mean lumbar spine.
2. Most lower back pain has absolutley nothing to do with their back at all.
3. The fact that they get pain is in the majority of cases just how strong your lower back is.
4. You touched on the answer to the problem yourself in your question

ragg

Will Heffernan wrote: »

1. Most peoples 'backs' are fine...and by back I mean lumbar spine.
2. Most lower back pain has absolutley nothing to do with their back at all.
3. The fact that they get pain is in the majority of cases just how strong your lower back is.
4. You touched on the answer to the problem yourself in your question

Can you please elaborate on pretty much everything you wrote??

Will Heffernan

token wrote: »

Mobility, foam rolling and stretching (which you should do regardless) are helping to free out my lower back since and I personally find front squats good for it also which I'll do today. Then back to squatting next week with better form!

I would agree with this....so long as you do not mean mobility, foam rolling or stretching your lower back...because that is the last thing you should be doing.

d'Oracle

Will Heffernan wrote: »

3. The fact that they get pain is in the majority of cases just how strong your lower back is.

Cheers Will.

Just to elaborate, are you saying that the pain/soreness is due to the lower back being stronger than the muscles at the front?

I have some hip issues which have been suggested are caused by tight hip flexors. Is that what you are getting at?

token

Will Heffernan wrote: »

I would agree with this....so long as you do not mean mobility, foam rolling or stretching your lower back...because that is the last thing you should be doing.

Yep don't actually touch the lower back with the foam roller. Just everywhere else.

TheSegal

Hi,

I'm just wondering why you shouldn't foam roll the lower back? Always thought it was best to use the foam roller as much as possible with sore and tight muscles?

Thanks

Will Heffernan

ragg wrote: »

Can you please elaborate on pretty much everything you wrote??

I really need to go pro on the interweb

It's lucky I can watch everyone training outside the window of my office and I have Grant my assistant here making me coffee. It's also good that Barry is off on holidays...I will be roaming the internet at every opportunity next week.

Ragg if you want to play...you have to answer the same riddle as I posed to d'Oracle...what do YOU think I am talking about?

smcclaw

Will Heffernan wrote: »

I would agree with this....so long as you do not mean mobility, foam rolling or stretching your lower back...because that is the last thing you should be doing.

I usually do some light good mornings in my warm up which tighten up the lower back muscles and then allow me to feel very quickly if I'm letting the lower back round at the bottom of the squat. Tight glutes and hip flexors are usually the cause of bad positions (and hence back pain) for me though

Will Heffernan

d'Oracle wrote: »

Cheers Will.

Just to elaborate, are you saying that the pain/soreness is due to the lower back being stronger than the muscles at the front?

Nope

I have some hip issues which have been suggested are caused by tight hip flexors. Is that what you are getting at?

You are so warm I'm starting to sweat a little.

Will Heffernan

token wrote: »

Yep don't actually touch the lower back with the foam roller. Just everywhere else.

That I can live with.

d'Oracle

Will Heffernan wrote: »

Ragg if you want to play...you have to answer the same riddle as I posed to d'Oracle...what do YOU think I am talking about?

Damn you, Jim Carrey.

By question do you mean the whole post?
Or just that I am suffering I am wrong. Possibly in some unrepairable way.

ragg

Will Heffernan wrote: »

I really need to go pro on the interweb

It's lucky I can watch everyone training outside the window of my office and I have Grant my assistant here making me coffee. It's also good that Barry is off on holidays...I will be roaming the internet at every opportunity next week.

Ragg if you want to play...you have to answer the same riddle as I posed to d'Oracle...what do YOU think I am talking about?

Oh shít - what have i gotten myself into here

1. Most peoples 'backs' are fine...and by back I mean lumbar spine.

Basically i'm a bit of a nancy for thinking that the lower back is my limiting factor in a squat.

2. Most lower back pain has absolutley nothing to do with their back at all.

that it's likely i have a weak "core", glutes, hipflexors etc.. also my form mightn't be spot on, when the squat is loaded so much that i have to grind out reps.

3. The fact that they get pain is in the majority of cases just how strong your lower back is.

do more lower back work?

4. You touched on the answer to the problem yourself in your question

Pretty much doubt that...

how did I do?

Will Heffernan

TheSegal wrote: »

Hi,

I'm just wondering why you shouldn't foam roll the lower back? Always thought it was best to use the foam roller as much as possible with sore and tight muscles?

Thanks

You shouldn't do it because I say so...and because if I answer this question properly I am going to be here all day and there are hundreds of other questions here that I have to poorly and inadequately answer today....I'll just get bogged down...got to keep moving

Don't stretch it...don't roll it...just strengthen it.

Your ankles, hips and thoracic spine...these are things you should focus your mobility work and stretching around...your knees your lumbar spine and neck...leave alone...you want as as much stability and control in these areas as possible.

Can I get away with that answer? Can I say just trust me on this one and move on?

Will Heffernan

smcclaw wrote: »

Tight glutes and hip flexors are usually the cause of bad positions (and hence back pain) for me though

Bingo!

You know what would be good...foam rolling, mobility work and stretching

Will Heffernan

d'Oracle wrote: »

Damn you, Jim Carrey.

By question do you mean the whole post?
Or just that I am suffering I am wrong. Possibly in some unrepairable way.

You're grand...it is pretty much all out there now...problem solved...we can all have a protein shake...go anabolic and move on.

TheSegal

Hi,

Thanks for the answer Will, probably should have realised that a tight rigid back with loose everything else would be better for squat form!

ragg

Ok, think I have pieced it all together now, Thanks Will, much appreciated!

Will Heffernan

See this is awesome...this thread should be a sticky...we had a discussion...went through all the pertinent points and more importantly SOLVED the issue of lower back pain forever.

d'Oracle

Will Heffernan wrote: »

You're grand...it is pretty much all out there now...problem solved...we can all have a protein shake...go anabolic and move on.

Thanks Will.

seadnamac

You know what would be good...foam rolling, mobility work and stretching

Someone should do up a post on these three topics going into their importance and the correct methods of each and get it stickied.

Edit-Actually I just found IPs youtube page and they have many videos dealing with it. Awesome.

smcclaw

seadnamac wrote: »

Someone should do up a post on these three topics going into their importance and the correct methods of each and get it stickied.

Edit-Actually I just found IPs youtube page and they have many videos dealing with it. Awesome.

Have a look at some of Transform's posts, he has a few good vids on the subject too

sfag31

squats will always work the back.
two days soreness is fine. If more stop at a lighter weight and do more volume.
dont do heavy deads and heavy squats in the same session.

golfchiro

+1 for Will's suggestion on foam rolling, mobility and stretching

The other advice I would give is that the majority of people do not squat with their feet wide enough apart,they need to be a lot more apart than you think. Stuart McGill has shown that we are all more or less going to cause buckling of one or more of the lumbar spine vertebrae when we squat with the feet too close. This hypermobile segment is the most likely cause of squatters back ache and pain.