Starting strenght - squats... can i switch to leg press? (neck pain with low weight)

[piotrek26]

Hi

I do 300kg leg press on the last 5 reps. The problem is with squats... my legs are strong but i cant lift more than 90kg on my back, it hurts like hell, it hurts so much i fell i need to throw up (strange unpleasant feeling), i though i just need to "train" the area i am holding my weigh on and it will be OK, but after 3 weeks, it still fells the same.

Right now it looks like this : I do warmup squats 50kg x5 reps 70kg x5 reps 90kg x5 reps and then i switch to the main exercise, leg press 250/275/300 x5 reps.

Is this ok or do i need to do it differently?

[paulzee]

Hi

I do 300kg leg press on the last 5 reps. The problem is with squats... my legs are strong but i cant lift more than 90kg on my back, it hurts like hell, it hurts so much i fell i need to throw up (strange unpleasant feeling), i though i just need to "train" the area i am holding my weigh on and it will be OK, but after 3 weeks, it still fells the same.

Right now it looks like this : I do warmup squats 50kg x5 reps 70kg x5 reps 90kg x5 reps and then i switch to the main exercise, leg press 250/275/300 x5 reps.

Is this ok or do i need to do it differently?

Are you sure you have proper form? Go lighter to get form perfect then add the weight, I don't think you can replace squats with leg press it's a key compound exercise in building strength.

[piotrek26]

I checked couple of videos and i hold/position the bar properly, the problem is not the squat movement and leg strenght, but holding the bar up from the stand, i could do 15+ reps with 90kg, the problem is lifting more from the stand.... i know it sounds strange but thats how it is, today i tried lifting 115kg, i lifted it couple centimeters up from the stand and had to put it down, i felt a really strange pain in my neck/back muscles. After that i done my leg presses with 3 times the weight i do on squats....

[TQThailand]

Hi

I do 300kg leg press on the last 5 reps. The problem is with squats... my legs are strong but i cant lift more than 90kg on my back, it hurts like hell, it hurts so much i fell i need to throw up (strange unpleasant feeling), i though i just need to "train" the area i am holding my weigh on and it will be OK, but after 3 weeks, it still fells the same.

Right now it looks like this : I do warmup squats 50kg x5 reps 70kg x5 reps 90kg x5 reps and then i switch to the main exercise, leg press 250/275/300 x5 reps.

Is this ok or do i need to do it differently?

you could switch to front squats so the weights not on your neck

[maxiimee05]

you could switch to front squats so the weights not on your neck

this and I used to have the same problem, I used a foam to protect my back from hurting (I know its gay) but then I remove the foam and it felt good after 2-3 workouts

[Jasonk282]

place the bar on your traps not on your neck...

[batman37]

place the bar on your traps not on your neck...

^^^ This right here....

Neck pain while squatting..there is a problem with how you are placing the bar.
Learn to place the bar on your traps rather than just qutting.

[Jasonk282]

I checked couple of videos and i hold/position the bar properly, the problem is not the squat movement and leg strenght, but holding the bar up from the stand, i could do 15+ reps with 90kg, the problem is lifting more from the stand.... i know it sounds strange but thats how it is, today i tried lifting 115kg, i lifted it couple centimeters up from the stand and had to put it down, i felt a really strange pain in my neck/back muscles. After that i done my leg presses with 3 times the weight i do on squats....

Lower the bar in the rack. The bar should be at chest level so you can get under it and pack it on your back, not on your neck.

[PeterGibbons316]

place the bar on your traps not on your neck...

^^^ This right here....

Neck pain while squatting..there is a problem with how you are placing the bar.
Learn to place the bar on your traps rather than just qutting.

Lower the bar in the rack. The bar should be at chest level so you can get under it and pack it on your back, not on your neck.

^These things.

You want the bar resting on your traps (high-bar style) or rear delts (low-bar style). The key is to rest it on your muscles, not your spine. Get your hands closer in, squeeze the shoulder blades together and flex those back muscles to give the bar a nice shelf to rest on.

[Retoaded]

you are letting it ride too high. and like jason says, a little low is better than a little high from where you unrack it. It should be low enough that you are performing the top 6-inches of a squat to get it out of the rack.

[TakeEverything]

Build your traps. Work on form. Squats will want to make you puke regardless. Do some neck w/Os as well.

Or just do front squats like stated before.

[Farley1324]

No, you cannot sub leg press.

Get your squat form correct.

Post videos here to help that along.

And listen to what was posted above.

[pumplikecuming]

No, you cannot sub leg press.

Get your squat form correct.

Post videos here to help that along.

And listen to what was posted above.

Nonesense!!! Squatting ruins your lower back, destroys the acl, and WILL EVENTUALLY FUK UP YOUR LUMBAR...

[piotrek26]

Thanks guys, but i told you, i am doing everything right, once again i checked all my reference videos, i even asked trainer on the gym to check my form, i am not putting the bar on my neck, i am squizing my back and putting it on my traps (like in this video -> youtube.com/watch?v=x6RIs8-AVwM&feature=related).

are you saing i should do it like this? youtube.com/watch?v=GwPFNs2hqF8&feature=related


I will repeat my question becouse i did not get an answer, is mixing low weight squats with high weight leg presses ok? or should i get rid of squats and do leg presses?

[Farley1324]

Thanks guys, but i told you, i am doing everything right, once again i checked all my reference videos, i even asked trainer on the gym to check my form, i am not putting the bar on my neck, i am squizing my back and putting it on my traps (like in this video -> youtube.com/watch?v=x6RIs8-AVwM&feature=related).

are you saing i should do it like this? youtube.com/watch?v=GwPFNs2hqF8&feature=related


I will repeat my question becouse i did not get an answer, is mixing low weight squats with high weight leg presses ok? or should i get rid of squats and do leg presses?

Chances are that if the trainer at your gym says you are doing right, you are actually doing it wrong.

You should follow the program, you should squat heavy, and you should do what is necessary to make that happen.

[batman37]

Perhaps you are craning your neck back and up.

Keep your head relatively neutral. Focus on a point at about forehead height.

As for any other movement, its "head back" not "chin up."

[piotrek26]

I guess squats are harder than i imagined, to anyone who feels back or neck pain while doing squats i give advice to read this thread becouse you are doing something wrong.

To me the biggest help was not to hold my chin up with head back but get only my head back, and lower the place i am holding the bar few centimeters down. It isnt explained in any of the videos, everyone has slightly different bodies and if you feel pain, lower the bar a bit to your traps and ensure you are securing it with your arms.

If the bar slips down, bend a little (i mean really a bit, you dont want to do it like in a deadlift ) having your neck/back area in a straight line, not curved, and hold the bar tighter, if it doesnt help, lower the weight.

I learned today that doing a squat is very very tricky, thanks guys

[Retoaded]

I guess squats are harder than i imagined, to anyone who feels back or neck pain while doing squats i give advice to read this thread becouse you are doing something wrong.

To me the biggest help was not to hold my chin up with head back but get only my head back, and lower the place i am holding the bar few centimeters down. It isnt explained in any of the videos, everyone has slightly different bodies and if you feel pain, lower the bar a bit to your traps and ensure you are securing it with your arms.

If the bar slips down, bend a little (i mean really a bit, you dont want to do it like in a deadlift ) having your neck/back area in a straight line, not curved, and hold the bar tighter, if it doesnt help, lower the weight.

I learned today that doing a squat is very very tricky, thanks guys

glad its working out. took me 6 months to be able to squat worth half a chit.

[BlindSight720]

I guess squats are harder than i imagined, to anyone who feels back or neck pain while doing squats i give advice to read this thread becouse you are doing something wrong.

To me the biggest help was not to hold my chin up with head back but get only my head back, and lower the place i am holding the bar few centimeters down. It isnt explained in any of the videos, everyone has slightly different bodies and if you feel pain, lower the bar a bit to your traps and ensure you are securing it with your arms.

If the bar slips down, bend a little (i mean really a bit, you dont want to do it like in a deadlift ) having your neck/back area in a straight line, not curved, and hold the bar tighter, if it doesnt help, lower the weight.

I learned today that doing a squat is very very tricky, thanks guys

Awesome! Good job sticking to the plan and not settling with leg press.

One thing we all have to keep in mind is that 99.99999% of the time, we are not significant when it comes to weight lifting. If it seems like everyone except you can do something without it being painful, the chances are extremely slim that you doing everything right. I'm not trying to speak negatively about you. We've all been in your position at some point. This is just a general message.

My friends complain to me all the time that they are working hard and doing everything "right," but they still aren't gaining any results. Most blame the exercises and claim that "they just don't work for me." All that sounds like to me is "I don't work hard enough but if I don't see results by tomorrow, I'm quitting."

Working out is simple, so keep it simple. do your workouts and STICK TO YOUR PLAN. You'll get there the same way everyone else does.

Keep lifting like a boss bro!

/End rant.