Stop barbell squatting???

[hithere123]

Hello, I suffer from chronic quadricep tendon pain which hurts really badly when i perform heavy barbell squats for 12-15 reps where I cannot even complete the first set. The pain is still there during any other form of squat, but hurts a lot more when I have a barbell on my back loaded with weights. I'm just wondering whether it is okay to just stick with hack squats, db squats and leg ext's for quads and could someone give me an explanation as to why barbell squats hurt a lot more than these other variants? is it due to a direct vertical force applied to my spine and knees as opposed to the weights being by my side or behind me with hacks or db's?

sorry I posted a similar thread a few days ago, but got no replies. Thanks for all suggestions!

[InspecktaDeck]

Roll out, your probebly really tight. You do partial rom or sit all day? Also your squat might be sloppy contributing to your problem. U got vids?

[hithere123]

Roll out, your probebly really tight. You do partial rom or sit all day? Also your squat might be sloppy contributing to your problem. U got vids?

Hey, I appreciate the reply. I hit parallel minimum, occasionally i'll go slightly below parallel. Sorry I don't have any vids, but compared my form in the mirror (yes, even strained my neck once looking at my side profile form... biggest mistake with a heavy ass weight on my back) and couldn't see anything wrong with it. I've had this chronic tendon issue for quite a few years, I go through periods where it is fine and days when it hurts like hell. However, it seems that barbell squats are aggravating the condition, causing the pain to occur more frequently. It hurts my knees still when the weight isn't on my back (dumbbells or hack squats), but it doesn't hurt enough to abstain altogether and usually warms up after the first set, as opposed to barbells which just downright kills. I mean it is the same movement right? why would it hurt more in one variant than the other? cheers

[InspecktaDeck]

Depends on whats causing the pain. Another excercise could make it worse, or not effect it at all. Have you tried digging in with a soft ball/lacross ball or laying on a foam roller? Your quads/abductors/psoas might be locked up. Another factor is you might be breaking at the knee's, instead of the hips. This will make you "kneel" instead of squat(aka sitting back) causing tremendous pressure on the knees. To nutshell, when you squat it should be like your sitting back into a chair. Try to get a vid of your squat, even if its bodyweight with no bar or anything.

[hithere123]

Depends on whats causing the pain. Another excercise could make it worse, or not effect it at all. Have you tried digging in with a soft ball/lacross ball or laying on a foam roller? Your quads/abductors/psoas might be locked up. Another factor is you might be breaking at the knee's, instead of the hips. This will make you "kneel" instead of squat(aka sitting back) causing tremendous pressure on the knees. To nutshell, when you squat it should be like your sitting back into a chair. Try to get a vid of your squat, even if its bodyweight with no bar or anything.

Yes, that is one of the main things that i make a conscious effort in doing; leaning back and not 'pressing' with the knees. Could the pain have anything to do with the fact that the bar is placed directly onto my back?

[InspecktaDeck]

Yes, that is one of the main things that i make a conscious effort in doing; leaning back and not 'pressing' with the knees. Could the pain have anything to do with the fact that the bar is placed directly onto my back?

Is it on your traps or rear delts? Both are fine, just dont put it on your neck lol. If your gonna rack the bar high on traps, you gotta keep upright torso to keep the weight over your center of gravity. If you rack it lower you can lean foward more and put a little more posterier chain into it.

[jamesovercome]

If you're not lifting the weight up with your legs and ass, you're probably squatting wrong. What kind of shoes are you using? You should be squatting barefoot, vibrams or get some old school converse chuck taylors to squat in. You need a flat surface help keep that weight on your heels and most other shoes have a drop that automatically puts you in a bad position to squat from to begin with.

A good exercise to use instead is the hex bar deadlift(trap bar). There's no issue of "depth" with it and technique is fairly simple and it will kick your ass.

Or you can go ahead and do the leg press and go the machine route if squats are still giving you problems.

[Retardo-pex]

Hello, I suffer from chronic quadricep tendon pain which hurts really badly when i perform heavy barbell squats for 12-15 reps where I cannot even complete the first set. The pain is still there during any other form of squat, but hurts a lot more when I have a barbell on my back loaded with weights. I'm just wondering whether it is okay to just stick with hack squats, db squats and leg ext's for quads and could someone give me an explanation as to why barbell squats hurt a lot more than these other variants? is it due to a direct vertical force applied to my spine and knees as opposed to the weights being by my side or behind me with hacks or db's?

sorry I posted a similar thread a few days ago, but got no replies. Thanks for all suggestions!

I wouldn't focuses on taking exercises out so much as dealing with what is wrong so you can continue to perform a great exercise. If that means switching to variations of the squat then that's what you need to do, but the goal should be to be pain free for such a big body movement. Basically you would be cheating yourself to take out all squatting entirely, but you should do what you need to in order to address your injury.