Power Squat recent lower back pain HELP

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Hey recently I have been having issues with my squat form. I have been constantly tweeking and trying to improve on my form. Ideally I would like To have a mid bar squat powerlifing style with less of a quad dominance, as opposed to an Olympic squat. After my strength sets for Jim Wendler 5/3/1 I decided to film a set of the assistance work as pain had cut my main lifts short.

Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up37O5tEEkY&feature=g-upl

5 or so weeks before pain I realized that I was squatting with the bar basically on my neck. So I have implemented little adjustments here and there. I was looking at my form seeing that my knees where shifting way to far in front of my toes. This meant I need to sit back more, which would put more stress on my back?

Any ideas?
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Replies

  • Plates559
    Plates559 Posts: 869 Member
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    If no one else can help you out I'll give this video a look when I get home in about an hour.

    I use a low barbell positioning with a medium stance. I power lift, last competition was just 2 weeks ago.
  • McBully4
    McBully4 Posts: 1,270 Member
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    why are you doing box squats?
  • Plates559
    Plates559 Posts: 869 Member
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    why are you doing box squats?

    Haven't seen the video but why not?
    Lewie Simmons teaches the box squat. Tate and Wendler swear by it.
  • McBully4
    McBully4 Posts: 1,270 Member
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    they just look awkward in the video

    I've never done them and don't know a whole lot about them, I'm not criticizing the exercise, just curious the reason.
  • Plates559
    Plates559 Posts: 869 Member
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    How I would fix things:

    1. Don't take so many steps to get into position. Unrack - step step step - squat
    2. Set your box slightly lower, you want to break parallel
    3. Don't actually rest your weight onto the box, touch and go
  • McBully4
    McBully4 Posts: 1,270 Member
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    yea. he sits then shifts his hips forward to stand back up, I think(i'm no expert on box squats) this is grinding the lower back a bit.
  • medennison123
    medennison123 Posts: 191 Member
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    Thanks man. Feel free to PM me.
  • medennison123
    medennison123 Posts: 191 Member
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    How I would fix things:

    1. Don't take so many steps to get into position. Unrack - step step step - squat
    2. Set your box slightly lower, you want to break parallel
    3. Don't actually rest your weight onto the box, touch and go

    Touch and go/ stopping and exploding are just different types. Ya less steps.

    I get pain on regular squats as well. Its really hurting my game.
  • medennison123
    medennison123 Posts: 191 Member
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    why are you doing box squats?

    To ensure depth and to sit back more to engage the hips. The bench could be a quarter inch lower but that is all I have to work with.
  • medennison123
    medennison123 Posts: 191 Member
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  • Plates559
    Plates559 Posts: 869 Member
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    That was the same exact video
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    break at the hips first not the knees

    And if you're back is hurting then don't do them! There is nothing inherently wrong with the form but persisting through nagging injuries is a great way to make them a lot worse. Trust me :(

    Try some bulgarian split squats with dbs to give you're back some rest if need be.
  • medennison123
    medennison123 Posts: 191 Member
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    break at the hips first not the knees

    And if you're back is hurting then don't do them! There is nothing inherently wrong with the form but persisting through nagging injuries is a great way to make them a lot worse. Trust me :(

    Try some bulgarian split squats with dbs to give you're back some rest if need be.

    Ive tweaked my back the last 3 Tuesday squat workouts. By Friday evening from stretching and foam rolling it is usually 90ish%. So my deadlift workout on friday feels amazing.

    Im guessing I messed up my back doing the regular sets. Might help if I filmed those.
  • FoxyMcDeadlift
    FoxyMcDeadlift Posts: 771 Member
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    You dont look like you fully extend, you need more hip drive at the end of the lift, you are a bit awkward as you sit onto the bench, if you took that bench away, that final bomb might throw you off a bit. Like Chris said, if its still niggly three weeks later, you probably just need a deload, but if you're running 5/3/1 you probably have one worked in now.
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
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    The reason I use a box when teaching the squat is to force them to reach back with their butt, which causes them to keep their back straight and hip hinge correctly. You're walking back to far you end up straddling it. As others have said just touch, and for christ's sake you're miles too close to the bench.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    You dont look like you fully extend, you need more hip drive at the end of the lift, you are a bit awkward as you sit onto the bench, if you took that bench away, that final bomb might throw you off a bit. Like Chris said, if its still niggly three weeks later, you probably just need a deload, but if you're running 5/3/1 you probably have one worked in now.


    Also the bar is a bit high on the shoulders.
    Deload and start with full squats to get good form.
    If you need box after that then fine but get form first.
    Probably from you going down BONK! up....down BONK! UP....
  • medennison123
    medennison123 Posts: 191 Member
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    You dont look like you fully extend, you need more hip drive at the end of the lift, you are a bit awkward as you sit onto the bench, if you took that bench away, that final bomb might throw you off a bit. Like Chris said, if its still niggly three weeks later, you probably just need a deload, but if you're running 5/3/1 you probably have one worked in now.

    Ya deload is next week. Hopefully I can solve it before next cycle.
  • medennison123
    medennison123 Posts: 191 Member
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    The reason I use a box when teaching the squat is to force them to reach back with their butt, which causes them to keep their back straight and hip hinge correctly. You're walking back to far you end up straddling it. As others have said just touch, and for christ's sake you're miles too close to the bench.

    Makes sense. Ill give it a go
  • medennison123
    medennison123 Posts: 191 Member
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    You dont look like you fully extend, you need more hip drive at the end of the lift, you are a bit awkward as you sit onto the bench, if you took that bench away, that final bomb might throw you off a bit. Like Chris said, if its still niggly three weeks later, you probably just need a deload, but if you're running 5/3/1 you probably have one worked in now.


    Also the bar is a bit high on the shoulders.
    Deload and start with full squats to get good form.
    If you need box after that then fine but get form first.
    Probably from you going down BONK! up....down BONK! UP....

    Ill try and film a few sets of a regular squat with a few fixes.