It hurts when I squat

[Kristian16]

I have always had problems squatting, my legs really hurt when I squat even without the weights. It hurts me exactly where the leg joins the waist, probably my psoas muscle. What could be causing this and why am I not getting any better?

[TheStreetKing]

We need more information man.

Hows your form?
Is this from a injury in the past?
Are you new to squats?

I mean there could be a million reasons as to why it hurts you when your doing squats, We need to narrow it down as to what could be causing the problem. I would suggest having someone take pictures of you squatting so we can critique your form!

[Kristian16]

We need more information man.

Hows your form?
Is this from a injury in the past?
Are you new to squats?

I mean there could be a million reasons as to why it hurts you when your doing squats, We need to narrow it down as to what could be causing the problem. I would suggest having someone take pictures of you squatting so we can critique your form!

Well I had a injury last year but that particular muscle was hurting me from the very first time I started squatting, I think my form is excellent since I use very light weights, but at the same time you could say Im relatively new to squats since I haven't been squatting in a while.

[__Iceman__]

Well I had a injury last year but that particular muscle was hurting me from the very first time I started squatting, I think my form is excellent since I use very light weights, but at the same time you could say Im relatively new to squats since I haven't been squatting in a while.

Light weight =/= good form. I've seen plenty of people squatting 100lbs with horrible form. Take a video.

Though you say the pain is where your leg and hip are joined? It could be you have weak hip flexors. Post up a picture of a model of a body (not like a fashion model fyi) and circle the area that hurts and try to make it as accurate as possible. Give a better description as well.

How low are you squatting as well? Are you at least going parallel? I'm a supporter of ATG myself.

[Kristian16]

Im pretty sure its the psoas muscle look it up on the internet, and In my case the actual movement of my leg hurts nothing to do with the weight or the form. I could experience same pain doing leg presses. It feels a little bit better with front squats or lunges.

[400Lb Gorilla]

Im pretty sure its the psoas muscle look it up on the internet, and In my case the actual movement of my leg hurts nothing to do with the weight or the form. I could experience same pain doing leg presses. It feels a little bit better with front squats or lunges.

Alright then sounds like you need to find some exercises that strengthen that area(look them up on the supersite) and possibly work on flexibility. Most likely since it hurts with a wide range of weights it is a flexibility issue or a form issue. Take a vid of you doing a good working weight for you and post it in here, that way someone can hook you up

[__Iceman__]

Well I'm not very familiar with the psoas muscle and have never heard comments about it before when people comment on squat pains. I'd find it more likely to be the hip flexors. Pic below:

[Kristian16]

Well I'm not very familiar with the psoas muscle and have never heard comments about it before when people comment on squat pains. I'd find it more likely to be the hip flexors. Pic below:

Yeah, it is exactly that area

[__Iceman__]

I just did a bit more google work and have realized the psoas muscle falls under the "hip flexor" category. :P So we may very well both have been right.

If your problem is your ROM then you need to work on flexibility and strength for your hip flexors (I like this term better). Stretch every morning and night and before+after workouts. Many abdominal exercises also work the hip flexors. Here's a random site with some exercises:

http://www.myfit.ca/exercisedatabase...e=Hip%20Flexor

[ltbs]

........I think my form is excellent since I use very light weights, but at the same time you could say Im relatively new to squats since I haven't been squatting in a while.

Likely a form issue has caused the pain and it will be present in everything you do that requires you to lift your leg, putting shoes/socks on, getting in cars etc. Likely it's a strained flexor (psoas). Not much to do apart from let it heal, no good stretching a torn/strained muscle/tendon, it's a bitch and is easily strained when you squat without good form, it can get pinched/impinged between the femur and pelvis if the knees buckle in/aren't turned outwards enough and/or feet are straight ahead instead of toeing out slightly, also occurs if your knees slide forward at the bottom of a squat, that cause a pulling motion on the hip flexors leading to pain. Get a squat vid up.