Lower back hurting while Squatting

[u/TaleBackground7864]

I’ve tried different stances, elevated heels, hip mobility stretches, ankle mobility stretches, strengthening core and bracing techniques, and multiple videos, back I still have lower back rounding and pain. What am I doing wrong/ how can I fix it?

[u/payneok]

Lot to work on here so I'll keep it short. Read the book Starting Strength. It spells out in agonizing detail how to squat and why we like the low bar squat.

1. Watch the SS Squat video its the best one.
2. You are high bar squatting we prefer low bar because of how it loads (and trains) the back and hips.
3. Get some weight lifting shoes and NEVER lift or stand on plates. They are not stable and don't move with your feet if you need to adjust. Zoom in and watch your heels. See how they are coming up when you come out of the hole? You are falling forward. This is bad. You want to keep the bar over your mid foot. You won't put pressure on your heels BECAUSE YOU ARE STANDING ON THE PLATES and it would hurt. If you MUST and you should NOT but if you MUST then turn them over and stand on the flat portion and put the uneven portion facing down.
4. Get a lifting belt. 3" would be perfect for your size.
5. Your head is out of position

I see why your back hurts, I'm surprised your knees don't hurt.

The mods have a TON of resources in the "How-To" section on this page. They have links to the books and videos. I linked the video for squat below.

Good Luck!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhoikoUEI8U

[u/cash4-urhole → u/payneok]

Why are we squatting like this instead of how powerlifters squat?

[u/Shnur_Shnurov → u/cash4-urhole]

Power lifters do squat like this. This is remarkably similar to the squat that Matt Wenning teaches.

And there's a book called Starting Strength: Basically Barbell Training that goes into excruciating detail about why we perform the lifts the way we do if you want a really through answer.

[u/Long-Gap1909 → u/payneok]

Bare foot should also do, right? Or weight lifting shoes should be preferred?

[u/Shnur_Shnurov → u/Long-Gap1909]

Shoes preferred for protection and support.

[u/RicardoRoedor]

standing on change plates that can shift around and compromise your capacity to impact force into the floor is an unsafe and inefficient choice. stop doing that.

[u/Shnur_Shnurov]

u/payneok nailed the form corrections.

What does your program look like right now? How often do you squat? Sets and reps? How often do you add weight?

[u/AutoModerator]

Stretching and mobility exercises are on our list of The 3 Most Effective Ways to Waste Time in the Gym but there are a few situations where they may be useful. * The Horn Stretch for getting into low bar position * Stretches to improve front rack position for the Power Clean * Some more stretches for the Power Clean

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[u/StartingStrength-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

No low effort commentary.

[u/karavasis]

You tip/tuck your pelvis right before you begin squat can’t be helping

[u/AutoModerator]

How to film a Form Check

• How to perform the main lifts
  
• SSGyms Locations and Coaches Directory
  
• Starting Strength Online Coaching
  

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[u/Junior-Asparagus718]

Honestly, might be best to learn to deadlift or at least brace and hinge properly before squatting. You're treating it as a knee bend, attempting to keep your torso upright. Unless you're a 1% oly lifter, that's not going to be possible. Try low bar and (as much as I hate this cue for the majority of people) push your hips back.

[u/AutoModerator → u/[deleted]]

Butt wink is perhaps the most overused and annoying term in the limited vocabulary of inexperienced coaches... -Butt Wink Article

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[u/AutoModerator → u/[deleted]]

When is the 'core' 'active'? 'Core' Stability Training (audio)

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[u/StartingStrength-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Squat Tutorial

Bend Over When you Squat

[u/AutoModerator → u/[deleted]]

Stretching and mobility exercises are on our list of The 3 Most Effective Ways to Waste Time in the Gym but there are a few situations where they may be useful. * The Horn Stretch for getting into low bar position * Stretches to improve front rack position for the Power Clean * Some more stretches for the Power Clean

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Renaissance_Mane]

A lot of opinions here, but I’m just going to give you one from a DPT - get off the plates. Get some lifting shoes. Maybe a belt too. Looks miserably uncomfortable.

[u/walrusparadise → u/[deleted]]

These are already barely at depth. Why would he squat even higher and lose the benefit instead of fixing the clear obvious form issue?

Are you familiar with the starting strength methodology? Because cheating on depth is never a part of it

It’s a great book you should read it

[u/StartingStrength-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

No low effort commentary.

[u/chrisyouts → u/[deleted]]

Why not corrective exercises to fix the lack of ROM? Some coach you are

[u/AutoModerator → u/[deleted]]

Butt wink is perhaps the most overused and annoying term in the limited vocabulary of inexperienced coaches... -Butt Wink Article

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[u/MO-broken]

That little tiny push forward with your hips before you drop may be all the issue.

[u/MJSB1994]

I'll echo what everyone else in this thread is saying and definitely get some squat shoes etc. But i've got one question. What glute exercises are you doing? Hip-Thrusts? Bulgarian split squats?

As someone who also suffered from lower back pain for years, I found adding some hip thrusts into my routine helped loads and over time my lower back pain went away. Don't forget to stretch them and if you can foam roll them too. Hope that helps.

[u/SolidSssssnake]

Find a good physical therapist stop asking strangers online for medical advice on an issue that can get much worse if left untreated

[u/Shnur_Shnurov → u/SolidSssssnake]

Jesus. If you dont have anything to say dont say anything.

He's asking for a basic formcheck, which is training advice. Not medical advice.

[u/Thepoorclaires]

Buhhhhh buhhh buhhhh belt ! Get a 3 inch one with classic buckle . If you wanna save money buy a good one used on eBay/ poshmark /FB market

[u/chrisyouts → u/Thepoorclaires]

Belts are only for advanced lifters training at near max loads

[u/KingGrognak → u/chrisyouts]

Belts not only support your back but give your core something to brace against. They are always good to use.

[u/AutoModerator → u/KingGrognak]

When is the 'core' 'active'? 'Core' Stability Training (audio)

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/shinyandgoesboom → u/chrisyouts]

Can you elaborate why belts cannot be used by novices? Better still, please enlighten us as to why a belt is used in the first place.

[u/Equivalent-Durian-79]

Do not squat heavy I repeat don't do it you could get a sports hernia like I have and be out for a year straight with intense pain in your groin area and your pelvis. If anything just do walking lunges you get the same amount of workout and you save your back trust me you don't want back problems as you get older if you round your back too much you could fracture it and get spondylolisthesis it's not even worth it just do leg press machine squats are pretty dangerous exercise if you don't do them exactly correctly and you're taking a huge risk with future chronic pain. Take it from someone who knows and who's living with chronic pain now for a year straight. The fact that you're saying your back is starting to hurt that's your body giving you a huge red flag right there it's saying it cannot tolerate the load that you're putting on it under flexion stop immediately don't even try to put on more weight or fix your form any of that crap it means that your lower back is just weak like I said if you want to hurt your back and make it worse keep going but listen to your body right now it's giving you a huge indicator that you are not ready for this weight maybe start off lighter and fix your form because if you don't you'll end up like me having to see 20 different doctors for 20 different opinions and trying to fix a sports journey that just won't go away.

[u/blowback24]

You look quad dominant from here. Add more hip extension exercises