Lower back pain after squats

[IrkyMoto]

Hi chicas!

So, the past month I've been experiencing lower back pain after leg day (squats). The same type of pain I get (maybe not as severe) after I do deadlifts. So its more of a soreness, not bone/joint pain. But still, its annoying and I didn't get it before. I've received many comments from people are the gym about how good my squat form is and I've read a lot on squat form and would like to think its pretty darn good.

Sometimes this soreness keeps me from doing deadlifts because I often work back and legs in close proximity (day wise). I squat 185x 8,7,6,5 or as many as I can push out. Is the weight too heavy for my back? I deadlift the same amount...so, whats going on ??


thanks!
Irene

[fery321]

Hi chicas!

So, the past month I've been experiencing lower back pain after leg day (squats). The same type of pain I get (maybe not as severe) after I do deadlifts. So its more of a soreness, not bone/joint pain. But still, its annoying and I didn't get it before. I've received many comments from people are the gym about how good my squat form is and I've read a lot on squat form and would like to think its pretty darn good.

Sometimes this soreness keeps me from doing deadlifts because I often work back and legs in close proximity (day wise). I squat 185x 8,7,6,5 or as many as I can push out. Is the weight too heavy for my back? I deadlift the same amount...so, whats going on ??


thanks!
Irene

omg! I get the same lower back pain after my Monday leg days (squats). I was also wondering maybe i'm lifting to heavy?!

[justass]

Hi chicas!

So, the past month I've been experiencing lower back pain after leg day (squats). The same type of pain I get (maybe not as severe) after I do deadlifts. So its more of a soreness, not bone/joint pain. But still, its annoying and I didn't get it before. I've received many comments from people are the gym about how good my squat form is and I've read a lot on squat form and would like to think its pretty darn good.

Sometimes this soreness keeps me from doing deadlifts because I often work back and legs in close proximity (day wise). I squat 185x 8,7,6,5 or as many as I can push out. Is the weight too heavy for my back? I deadlift the same amount...so, whats going on ??


thanks!
Irene

how warmed up are you before you squat? I notice that this happens to me if I'm not quite warm enough yet. Try some hyperextensions (really light) before you squat.

It may also be that your legs are disproportionately stronger than your core. If that's the case then you could back off your squat weight-wise for a while and really ramp up your core work for a few weeks. In the meantime, you may want to add in some pre-exhaust exercises for your quads like leg extensions so you don't lose much when you're ready to go back under the bar with heavier loads on.

[summertown74]

Hi Irene,
Maybe your glutes are getting overly tight? (yay!!)...but if they are toooo tight, they'll pull on their attachment on the pelvis, which will cause the lower back extensors to "pull back" so to speak...Soooo...I would spend extra time stretching out your glutes (like 10 minutes a day as a goal), and your lower back also. And if you can, get a massage
Good luck girl...oh, also, try Arnica. You can get it in a gel or tablet; it's really good for aches.

[Mindi912]

Have you put the weight up recently?

[KyleAaron]

This is very common. It's called "using muscles you haven't used much before."

The muscles that run along either side of your spine are called the "erector spinae" group of muscles. They help your spine stay up. When you deadlift, row, squat, or anything like that, they get extra work - it's harder to keep your spine straight while you're holding an 80kg barbell than without it. After extra work, muscles sometimes get stiff and sore.

Just ensure you're using good form on your lifts. On all lifts, you want to keep your back in natural good posture. For the lower back, that means a slight curve inwards. Stand against a wall, and put one hand either side of your lower back. You should be able to have your bum and upper back against the wall, and to slide your hands freely in and out of that lower back space.

That's called the lumbar curve - lumbar's the lower back. You want to keep that while deadlifting, all the way from the first pull to standing upright, and all the way back down again. And keep it while rowing, and squatting, and so on.

At the top of the motion, consciously stick your arse out, and brace your abs as though someone's going to punch you in the stomach. Hold that brace all the way up and down with the lift. With the deadlift you'll need to pause and reset your brace with the weight on the floor, but should be able to hold the brace at the top of the lift.

If you don't keep it, then instead of your glutes (arse) and other muscles working, your lower back is working - and too much. You end up injuring yourself, and not developing the muscles you could develop.

It's very common for people to round their lumbar spine while deadlifting, squatting, etc. This is because a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and there are a chain of muscles involved in each compound lift. Your body doesn't know muscles, it only knows movement. So when you tell it to move some weight, it will twist and turn your body in all sorts of way to get that movement happening.

For example, in a squat if your glutes/hams are too weak to lift the weight, it'll have you round your lumbar spine - that way the erector spinae can push the weight, too. Great for moving the weight, absolutely crap for your lumbar spine's health and for developing your glutes and hams.

Just keep a normal back posture throughout your compound lifts.

Make sense?

[IrkyMoto]

how warmed up are you before you squat? I notice that this happens to me if I'm not quite warm enough yet. Try some hyperextensions (really light) before you squat.

It may also be that your legs are disproportionately stronger than your core. If that's the case then you could back off your squat weight-wise for a while and really ramp up your core work for a few weeks. In the meantime, you may want to add in some pre-exhaust exercises for your quads like leg extensions so you don't lose much when you're ready to go back under the bar with heavier loads on.

I warm up with some body weight squats, 1 set of 15 for instance, and then 1 set of 135x15...then I go straight to 185 and do 3-4 sets of that. I am sometimes guilty of not warming up too long, do I need a longer warm-up than that you think??

I always do core/abs 2 times per week and I alternate weeks of deadlifts and hypertensions for lower back. I guess my core may be strong, but not strong enough for 185 lbs on my back..will work it more!

thanks!
Irene

[IrkyMoto]

Hi Irene,
Maybe your glutes are getting overly tight? (yay!!)...but if they are toooo tight, they'll pull on their attachment on the pelvis, which will cause the lower back extensors to "pull back" so to speak...Soooo...I would spend extra time stretching out your glutes (like 10 minutes a day as a goal), and your lower back also. And if you can, get a massage
Good luck girl...oh, also, try Arnica. You can get it in a gel or tablet; it's really good for aches.

Thanks summer!
I don't stretch nearly enough. 10 min is probably what I do for the whole WEEK!! LOL..thanks for the suggestion, will up stretching those buns..lol

[IrkyMoto]

Have you put the weight up recently?

I've recently became strong enough to do 185x 8, before that I never got past 7reps for a long time. So maybe having the weight on my back for a longer period of time is bothering it more??

[Mindi912]

I've recently became strong enough to do 185x 8, before that I never got past 7reps for a long time. So maybe having the weight on my back for a longer period of time is bothering it more??

Or it's just your body getting used to it. As long as you're not in serious pain and it eventually goes away (after a few days), then I say it's all good.

check your form always and be careful.

[fery321]

wow i just realized that i don't stretch enough.... btw your hat is really cute in your profile pic! Love it!

[watertoy]

Some people accidentally round their lower back at the bottom of squats.

[IrkyMoto]

wow i just realized that i don't stretch enough.... btw your hat is really cute in your profile pic! Love it!

Awww! Thanks! That picture was taken in Paris on my honeymoon (October) and EVERYONE in Paris wears hats so I had to get one too, lol!