Squats. Ow.

X

Xab

0
So, I gave my first shot at doing squats at my university's gym just a bit ago. All I can really say is damn, that hurts. I got some help from a few nearby gym goers, but when I found that it was nearly impossible to hold the bar up with just my arms (at 135lbs) and setting it on my shoulds hurts like hell.

I sincerely hope I'm doing something wrong, because if not, I'm just going to have to figure out some other way to exercise my quads and my back.

Any ideas on what I can do?
 
I like to use a squat rack. If your not using one, be sure to have an assist. Also, most gyms have pads for the bar that are velcro. They help with the pain in the neck, but your still just going to have to tough it out for the most part. I had bruises the first couple times I did squats.
I use the squat rack for lunges and squats now. It really helps with balance.

In my opinion, squats are the most beneficial lift you can possibly do. Keep working at it and you wont be sorry.
 
Check your form. Google "squatting form" and read everything. You'll get some good and bad, but pretty much anything authored by Dan John, Chad Waterbury, Mike Robertson, any of the elitefts guys, Charles Poliquin, etc...is good.
 
You shouldn't be supporting the bar with your arms, and your shoulders won't hurt so badly if you try to lower the bar across your trapezius. Do the following:
1. use a relatively close grip.
2. pull your shoulder blades and elbows back (keep the elbows pointed down)
3. stick your chest out.

Lock everything into that position and get the bar pretty low so that it rests upon a shallow U-shaped muscle "shelf" of sorts. This should alleviate the pain without sacrificing control/balance with the foam thingy.
 
I'm with you on this one. I hate doing squats. When I do have enough motavation to do squats I use a smith machine. It's a machine with a regular bar, but it is guided between two rails and it has locks on it, so if you get into trouble you can set the locks and not kill yourself. It's probably not as beneficial as doing free squats, but it's good enough for me. As for the pain with the bar on your neck and shoulders, either use one of those pads that most gyms provide, or you can wrap a towel around the bar to provide some cushion. But if your doing free squats without a smith machine always have a spotter unless your are 100 percent sure you can lift the weight.
 
smith sucks. Pad suckes, it takes the bar further away from the body and center of gravity, you have to lean further forward to balance, many end up with a tricky lower back after doing that too much.
 
Sounds like some good advise. My gym does have a smith machine, so I think I'll get some practice balancing the bar correctly on that, then use a free squat bar once I get that down.

Now I know everyone's differant, but I'm trying to figure out a good weight to start with. My stats are in my sig. I'm a very active person, and I would say I have pretty strong legs, so what would be a good weight to start off with?
 
the bar, practice technique, and not in the smith. It forces its own range of motion on you, which is an unatrual range of motion. Thus, it doesnt really teach you YOUR propper movement pattern for the squat. Just read up on technique and start doing the bar squat. Besides, learning the smith squat and the squat are two different things, you will have to master the squat eventually, and i dont think smith squats are gonna give you much of an edge.
 
I agree, start with the empty bar and add weight slowly, no more than 5 pounds a week. It may seem easy at first, but it only takes 8 months and you will be squating over 200 pounds (and hopefully with good form and no undue pain).
 
Karky stole my line, but don't use the pads for the reasons he stated. Make sure you are putting the bar on your traps and not too high or low. Don't use the smith either, free weights are MUCH better. I do agree with karky and dswithers, start with the bar. Technique is the most important aspect. I started out with low weight so that I had near perfect form, and within 3 months or so I was squating over 200 and my numbers are continuing to go up.
 
Well, a week later, I finally tried out some squats and with a bit of help from some fellow gym goers, I was able to squat 115 lbs. I could only do about 15 reps, and after that, my legs were a world of hurt, but hey, it's a start. Hopefully I'll be able to walk tomorrow.
 
Xab said:
Well, a week later, I finally tried out some squats and with a bit of help from some fellow gym goers, I was able to squat 115 lbs. I could only do about 15 reps, and after that, my legs were a world of hurt, but hey, it's a start. Hopefully I'll be able to walk tomorrow.
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I just started into squats also. Last sunday I did 3x10 with 105 Pounds, and then I did 3x10 with 70 pounds for Romainian Deadlifts and a bunch of calve exercises. My legs are still sore....But we will get used to it like any other exercise.
 
Stay away from the Smith!!! Read some Dan John articles as was said above. I beleive he's got a free e book download somewhere. Also, look up front squats and overhead squats. These are great lifts to add to the arsenal.
 
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g'day all
this sounds like good advice overall. I agree completely with everyone who says dont use the smith for squats. Personally i dont like using pads either, if u be sure to build ur traps up with shrugs and watnot u should be fine in notime.
Easiest way to remember good form is: bum out, head and chest up, heels down and maintain the natural curve of ur spine
catch
 
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