How am I supposed to feel after squatting?

Artunsan · 11-11-2009, 12:13 AM

Hi there,

I started squatting a few weeks ago. I was doing leg presses in my former workout routine. After three sets of leg presses, I could barely walk. However, three sets of squats have no effect on my legs at all. So I was wondering whether my form or lower back form a bottleneck for my squats so that I can't train my legs hard enough yet.

For squats, I am lifting relatively light at the moment. I sweat a lot after squatting. After a set, I am totally wrecked and want to quit. I go on... but at the end, I don't feel much at my legs, as if my legs didn't do anything. My lower back gets actually more sore compare to my legs. Is this normal? Can it be because of bad form?

I am working on my form, doing my stretches and going down to parallel. I started with 3 sets, 8 reps and 40 kg (~88 lbs). Last time I lifted 55 kg (~120 lbs) with 8 reps. It felt very heavy. I probably would fail my reps if I tried any heavier. I want to increase the weights slowly until my form gets better. I could do 8 rep leg presses with 140 kg (~310 lbs)

Any comment is appreciated.

-Lucifer · 11-11-2009, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Artunsan

My lower back gets actually more sore compare to my legs. Is this normal? Can it be because of bad form?

Yes.

Work on your form. I'm betting you're not arching your back. Retract your scapula and arch your lower back.

Also, work on your lower back, since it could possibly be weaker than your legs. Weighted hyper extensions - google it.

lac38780 · 11-11-2009, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -Lucifer

Yes.

Work on your form. I'm betting you're not arching your back. Retract your scapula and arch your lower back.

Also, work on your lower back, since it could possibly be weaker than your legs. Weighted hyper extensions - google it.

This is good advice. After squats i feel it in my legs for sure. especially if i do higher rep ranges.

Artunsan · 11-11-2009, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -Lucifer

Yes.

Work on your form. I'm betting you're not arching your back. Retract your scapula and arch your lumbar.

Also, work on your lower back since it could possibly be weaker than your legs. Weighted hyper extensions - google it.

I am working on my form constantly but I can't say it is good enough yet. I understand how a good form should look like but I can't replicate it myself. I am trying to stick my chest out and arch my back. In particular, I can't keep my lower back fully arched when I get to the parallel position.

I think it is a flexibility issue. I am doing squat stretches, hamstring stretches, supermans, hip flexor streches. They actually helped a lot to keep my lower back arched. I'll keep working on my form and my flexilibility.

Let me ask something else then. Should I decrease the weight a bit as I work on my form? And should I add another leg exercise to my routine until I fix the issue (lunges, leg presses)? Because I really don't think that I get a good leg workout at the moment.

klir_2m · 11-11-2009, 12:39 AM

Your legs may be stronger than your back can support on a squat because of your experience leg pressing. Not necessarily, but maybe.

What type of soreness are you talking? DOMS? If so then yeah I'd say this is fine and normal.

Whether or not to add other leg work depends on your lifting experience, and how often you squat. If you're relatively new to lifting then adding leg work at this point might not have any additional benefit. At your current numbers you should be able to add 5-10 lbs every workout assuming you squat 3x a week. Maybe closer to 5 lbs since you're doing 8 reps. But continuously adding weight will be more beneficial than adding more leg work imo.

As for form, keep focusing on it and try to hone it in as best as possible on your warmups. Personally I wouldn't drop the weight or anything to work on form at this point, as those weights are still so light that by the time they actually get heavy you'll have had plenty of practice.

-Lucifer · 11-11-2009, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Artunsan

Should I decrease the weight a bit as I work on my form? And should I add another leg exercise to my routine until I fix the issue (lunges, leg presses)? Because I really don't think that I get a good leg workout at the moment.

Yes, lowering the weight and working on your form, is not a bad idea. A solid leg routine, would have squats, lunges, leg presses, RDL, leg curls and calf raises.

Stretch your hamstrings everyday, without fail.

vasforhustlers · 11-11-2009, 01:34 AM

These are all really good tips...especially on the form, because it may be very easy to hurt yourself. Some tips that my old strength coach gave me on form:

1. Always try to be near a mirror so you can critique your own form.

2. Always have your eyes up to the sky (I guess this keeps your head/shoulders up?)

3. STICK THAT BUTT OUT! (This was to focus on the ever important arch.) I have noticed a lot of beginners missing this step, but it is so important.

Also, maybe someone else can chime in on this, when I started squatting, it was very helpful to have a flat bench underneath me to keep my legs properly spread and to make sure I came down low enough to where my butt/thighs just slightly touched the bench and then back up. Just some ideas! Good luck!