Please help with squats / flexibility

J

johnnyg2008

0
Ok i know i've posted a couple threads on this recently but i have major problems with squats

To start.... I don't have a barbell only dumbbells..

Now i get lower back pain from even doing bodyweight squats and i've looked up every form guide on the internet and looked at plenty of youtube videos.... i check my form infront of a mirror and it seems ok? They say keep the weight in the heels but i don't even have the flexibility to go parallel without arching my back a LOT (too much) and if i go even a little lower than parallel i just fall over nearly and have to transfer all the weight to my toes..... and remember these are just bodyweight squats i'm talking about.

I just tried some good mornings..... with ONLY bodyweight and i cant even bend to a 45 degree angle.... let alone parallel to the floor.... and it KILLS my lower back when i get up again??

I don't get it... i am a healthy 19 year old male with no health problems.... 5 foot 7, 124 pounds (obviously looking to increase that).... why do i have such flexibility problems and lower back trouble?

This is really bugging me... i cannot gain muscle mass without squats.... i still do my upper body workout and i try do squats but i'm worried im damaging my back (it feels like i am)....

help??!
 
can you post some videos of the squatting and good mornings?
With squats, put a chair behind you and try sitting down on it with your heels on the ground and without bending your back (arching it is fine arching is the oposite of flexing the back (which is bad)). Try to get more and more control of the movement, and try to control it all the way down until your butt touches the chair, then go back up.
 
If I were you I'd forget about adding weight for now and just practise your body weight squats. Go down as far as you can with your feet flat on the floor and hold yourself in that position. Do that every night until gradually you'll be able to get lower

This article is what you really need to read

TESTOSTERONE NATION - The Third-World Squat
 
CCR said:
If I were you I'd forget about adding weight for now and just practise your body weight squats. Go down as far as you can with your feet flat on the floor and hold yourself in that position. Do that every night until gradually you'll be able to get lower

This article is what you really need to read

TESTOSTERONE NATION - The Third-World Squat
Click to expand...


Thankyou so much....

That helped me a LOT.... just as i've been watching tv tonight i've been practicing and i have improved a LOT just over 30 mins or so...

I'll just do dumbbell lunges until i can squat properly?
 
johnnyg2008 said:
Thankyou so much....

That helped me a LOT.... just as i've been watching tv tonight i've been practicing and i have improved a LOT just over 30 mins or so...

I'll just do dumbbell lunges until i can squat properly?
Click to expand...

It's up to you really, some people say you can gain strength from 'quarter squats' but personally I'd wait until you can go parallel or below before doing them

Lunges and split-squats can be good, they allow you to go deep while making balance easier. At least until you can do deep squats :beerchug:
 
I second the idea for split squats, I was doing them in a program along with squats and I think they helped me along greatly. Obviously, back position is always important, but I think there's less risk with split squats and lunges.
 
Threadjack Alert!

I do parallel squats just fine and I'm flexible enough to do full squats, but full squats (even just 3rd world squats with no weight) kill my knee.

It's weird. I feel fine while I'm squatting down but when I stand back up my right knee pops really loud and aches almost unbearably for up to 2 days.

It's frustrating...I would love to do full squats but I figure if it hurts that bad, stop doing it!
 
You might have also tried simply widening your stance a bit and pointing your toes away from your body. Glad the article's working for you.
 
Karky said:
that's not normal, get it checked out by a doctor!
Click to expand...

I should have said before that I hurt it on a long hiking trip a few years ago, plus my family is blessed with "bad knees" My doc wasn't able to pinpoint what was wrong. I haven't been to a specialist, but I'm not going to get surgery, so I don't see the point:D
 
Do some static stretching on your off days. You will get better flexibility in your muscles and joints; and have less chance of injury. I can touch my toes now from doing this. Just do all the stretches you can think of.
 
CCR said:
If I were you I'd forget about adding weight for now and just practise your body weight squats. Go down as far as you can with your feet flat on the floor and hold yourself in that position. Do that every night until gradually you'll be able to get lower

This article is what you really need to read

TESTOSTERONE NATION - The Third-World Squat
Click to expand...

I found doing this dident help me at all and was much harder then actually just doing the squats. When i first tried with just the bar in the squat rack it some how made me balance much more :confused: i also tried a wide stance not the standard shoulder width one which made it allot easier also :) I can go all the way down now :)
 
Well i just did my first FBW since i posted this...

I did lunges not alternating... just do one leg then the other and WOW it was intense i was on the floor after feeling nauseas for a bit... after 3 sets of 12 reps on each leg increasing weight each set....

They seem better than dumbbell squats?

One thing though... my grip started to give out before my legs.... can i improve grip strength?
 
johnnyg2008 said:
Well i just did my first FBW since i posted this...

I did lunges not alternating... just do one leg then the other and WOW it was intense i was on the floor after feeling nauseas for a bit... after 3 sets of 12 reps on each leg increasing weight each set....

They seem better than dumbbell squats?

One thing though... my grip started to give out before my legs.... can i improve grip strength?
Click to expand...

Hey, if you are getting sick, you're doing them right! Grip strength will come, just keep it up and don't get straps. You don't need them.

You might want to get started on deadlifts. When I started lifting about a year ago, I had a previous problem with chronic lower back pain. Ever since I started squats and DL's the back problem is not only gone, but I'm getting a nice looking posterior chain and tons of strength. Start easy, and make sure you have good form to avoid injuries, but I think it will help both with your pain and squat abilities.
 
SmithMachine said:
I found doing this dident help me at all and was much harder then actually just doing the squats. When i first tried with just the bar in the squat rack it some how made me balance much more :confused:
Click to expand...

Yep, same with me, the bar provides balance but I still think that until someone can deep squat their bodyweight with flawless form they shouldn't be squating heavy.
It's just a case of learning to walk before you can run

I love that other article you posted about misconceptions, it's important that people realise how deep a parallel squat really is
 
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