Squats and lower back

[davyy]

I have a bad lower back. Been doing front squats for a while, switched to back squats. Good form, controlled, did them for a long time before. My back didn't start hurting all over, but on the deadlift i suddenly lost ~50lb of weight. I believe this is because deads and squats are very taxing on my lower back. Anyone experienced this, should i just go back to front squats?

Edit: it seems that i lost some weight on many other exercises for legs, like the leg press

[steve_py]

I have a bad lower back. Been doing front squats for a while, switched to back squats. Good form, controlled, did them for a long time before. My back didn't start hurting all over, but on the deadlift i suddenly lost ~50lb of weight. I believe this is because deads and squats are very taxing on my lower back. Anyone experienced this, should i just go back to front squats?

Edit: it seems that i lost some weight on many other exercises for legs, like the leg press

Hi Davyy,

Sounds to me like (if i'm understanding correctly) When you've been doing front squats, you have workout your quads a lot, but not your hamstrings, glutes etc so much.
In a front squat because of the position you are forced to be quad dominant and in back squat you can utilize the hips, glutes and hammys way more. This is why people back squat more than they front squat.

The deadlift too is very focused on the hamstring glutes and hips as well as a bunch of other stuff, so those muscle groups have fallen behind a bit. This would explain the weight drop.

But don't worry about it, muscle memory is a great this, because you've had that strength before, you will get back to it pretty quick. Give it a month maybe two and it'll be all back to how it was.

Just remember to keep you form in check and know your limits and you'll be just fine.

[hossjob]

Great response above. Something else to think about is taxing of the CNS. I've always been a decent squatter and could handle some relatively good weight for my size, but I was a POOR dead lifter. Recently I've hit multiple PRs on dead lifts, but my squats are suffering. It happens.

Some other things: As mentioned above focus on some hamastring work. 1 day a week spend some time doing RDLs, GHRs, and if possible reverse hypers.

[Jayjoe]

I had a lower back injury from doing deadlifts years ago.
My physical therapist said that her proffesion, the deadlift is reffered to as the "spine crusher"

I would suggest that you forget about traditional deadlifts, maybe try Sumo Deadlifts, which share the load more with the legs.
And squat however you want, maybe just dont go too low.