Squatting and lower back pain

[JohnnyPro]

My lower back is always sore and stiff, and I am sure it is because of squats. I really don't want to give up squatting because it is the best exercise for my thighs. Should I just accept the lower back pain or is there something I can do about it?

 

[oldfella]

My lower back is always sore and stiff, and I am sure it is because of squats. I really don't want to give up squatting because it is the best exercise for my thighs. Should I just accept the lower back pain or is there something I can do about it?

Do hyperextensions or good mornings with your back routine. Should help tighten and strengthen lower back and erectors.

 

[maldorf]

Do you do any deadlifts to strengthen your back? I believe in doing those once every other week, once per week seems to overload me.
Another thing I do now that helps out on my back is preexhausting my quads with heavy leg extensions before I squat. this way the weight I use is lowered and I feel it almost entirely all in my legs and my back can handle the weight.

 

[SmellyHat]

My lower back is always sore and stiff, and I am sure it is because of squats. I really don't want to give up squatting because it is the best exercise for my thighs. Should I just accept the lower back pain or is there something I can do about it?

Given that you are resting 8 - 10 hours every night and your not BBing on salad and fruits. I would try the following:

Concentrate on your core excersizes, good mornings, heavy abs, deadlift.

Make sure your lower back is getting the rest it deserves, between squat days. This means moving around those heavy spine compression excersizes around your squat days.

Example: Sub standing heavy calf raises with seated or donkey calf. Standing heavy barbell shrugs with seated shrugs or dumbell, etc.

Wear a belt on whatever day before your squat day to reduce load on your lower back, for that day, to give it a bit more rest. I think I remember Joe Weider recommending this to the former Mr. Olympia.

You can try plates under the heels,if your mechanics are off, but its preferable to keep the heels on the ground.

Study the squat form constantly, leave no stone unturned.

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/BBSquat.html

Asian squat - Yes asians squat too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWTmg4dHiKg

 

[Big Danny]

Try putiing two small weights under you heels . You may find the possition much more confortable for you back.

 

[Tom]

reverse hypers

a real back-saver. belly down over a large exercise ball and raise your legs up like a reverse of doing leg raises for abs.

 

[JohnnyPro]

Thanks to everyone for their advice. I rarely do deadlifts or hyper-extentions, in fact my lower back only really gets any work during squats or rows. So that must be where the trouble is. I am going to start doing hypers and deadlifts. I will try the big exercise ball thing too.

 

[Tom]

Hey JohnnyPro

Here is a link to proper way to do reverse hypers on a ball.

http://www.dietsite.com/dt/exerciseplanner/ReverseHyperextension.asp

 

[Big Bapper]

My lower back is always sore and stiff, and I am sure it is because of squats. I really don't want to give up squatting because it is the best exercise for my thighs. Should I just accept the lower back pain or is there something I can do about it?

The pain you are getting in your lower back is a sign to ease of the squats for a bit. You could do the leg press instead and work on hypers and deads to strenghten your lower back. I had the pain and tenderness in my lower back you described and still continued squating. I was on the hack squat one day and felt a rip in my lower back, I went to the changing rooms and could not put on my trainers. It took 6 years for my back to get back to normal. The worst 6 years of my Bodybuilding life.

 

[skookum]

I also use Good Mornings for overall posterior chain work. Just another suggestion....

 

[Neanderthal]

try stretching your hamstrings

When your hams get tight, they put more pressure on the lower back. Can you touch your toes? I had surgery on my back and two things I learned is: Form is important and stretch those hamstrings. If your lacking in potassium or/and dehydrated stretching wouldnt loosen ya up. Rda for poatassium is 3500mg and you need more than that if your sweating or take in alot of sodium. One can of evaporated milk has close to 1000mg, avacado has like 1000mg and low sodium v-8 has a good dose also. If your low in potassium it usually takes like three days of getting enough in ya to feel the difference.

 

[ufc13]

Here is a link to proper way to do reverse hypers on a ball.

http://www.dietsite.com/dt/exerciseplanner/ReverseHyperextension.asp

thanks for the link..do you recommend high reps for this?

 

[Tom]

reps

I have had major back relief doing 1 set of 12-15 reps every workout but on leg days I'll do 3 sets. I try to do each rep from a dead stop at the bottom to keep the momentum to a minimum. I also try to do a brief pause in the fully contracted position at the top. I hope this is helpful and you get as much out of it as I do.

 

[Larry Bowie]

big bump for stretching the lowerback, hammies, hips to relieve the pain!!!!

 

[Sesshomaru]

If your back hurts during a squat, you may be using it too much than what the movement calls for. The biggest mistake I see is that lifters dont use their glutes on the way up, hence using their back to standup.

 

[keepittous]

Jonny pro

My lower back is always sore and stiff, and I am sure it is because of squats. I really don't want to give up squatting because it is the best exercise for my thighs. Should I just accept the lower back pain or is there something I can do about it?

You are not alone Bro... My lower back kills me after ...The muscles tighten up and feel like rocks.. like a cramp..I can only go 4 plates and this is it..I can do the reps 10-12..below depth... But my back can't take it. I do dead lifts too and my back is oK with that..and I go heavy 600+... I was thinking of taking muscle relaxers after squats just so I can do them...and handel the after lash.

 

[Larry Bowie]

You are not alone Bro... My lower back kills me after ...The muscles tighten up and feel like rocks.. like a cramp..I can only go 4 plates and this is it..I can do the reps 10-12..below depth... But my back can't take it. I do dead lifts too and my back is oK with that..and I go heavy 600+... I was thinking of taking muscle relaxers after squats just so I can do them...and handel the after lash.

how long as that been a serious problem?

i was always used to a certain amount of "crampy" feeling, but not full blown searing pain....

when i started wincing in pain after squating... i didnt think too much of it, it went away in 5 mins....

that went on for about a month or so... then one day, BAM!! back spasms!!

be careful

 

[Putin]

You are not alone Bro... My lower back kills me after ...The muscles tighten up and feel like rocks.. like a cramp..I can only go 4 plates and this is it..I can do the reps 10-12..below depth... But my back can't take it. I do dead lifts too and my back is oK with that..and I go heavy 600+... I was thinking of taking muscle relaxers after squats just so I can do them...and handel the after lash.

So called muscle relaxants are not muscle relaxants (more like a half dose sleeping pill). You'd be better off getting a massage.

There are massage schools where you can get a massage real cheap and the students are good too. Last time I got a massage at a school here cost me $25bucks for 50minutes. The bitch was ugly as hell but, damn, did she give a good massage.

 

[ufc13]

I have had major back relief doing 1 set of 12-15 reps every workout but on leg days I'll do 3 sets. I try to do each rep from a dead stop at the bottom to keep the momentum to a minimum. I also try to do a brief pause in the fully contracted position at the top. I hope this is helpful and you get as much out of it as I do.

thanks bro I'll give it a shot!

 

[JohnnyPro]

Thanks to everyone for your tips and advice. I have started doing about 10 minutes of stretching before work outs. I am not nearly as flexible as I used to be. I am also doing hyperextions now more often and more sets. I am working abs harder too, since I have kind of neglected them. Next week I will start doing deadlifts. So hopefully all these things will take care of the lower back problem.