Tight Hip Flexors While Squatting

Fittreelol

Hi Friends,

As I've gotten to heavier (for me) weights, my hip flexors are really starting to get super tight and hurt between squat sets, and the next day if I sit too long. I do try to stretch really well after my workout etc, but apparently not doing a decent enough job. Just curious if anyone knows if this is a form issue, if I just need to spend more QT with my foam roller, or something else?

Thanks!

DaniH826

Refresh my memory, are you the gal asking for hip stretches that didn't involve knee flexion?

If so, maybe stall yourself on the squats for a bit and focus on becoming more mobile. If you're already stretching well and still getting tight, then maybe back off on the weights and give your body time to catch up before loading further, so that your progression won't be from sore to injured. Just sayin.

P.S. I can't comment on your form without you posting a vid or some pictures, sorry.

sheleen302

I had problems with the same thing about 3 months in to strong lifts. I went to my chiropractor who also does sports medicine, and he really worked on my flexors, much better than I could. I ended up due to these and tendon recovery issues not being able to do stronglifts 3x a week, not enough repair time when the weights got heavy enough for my body. I do a variety of different strength work now, including strong lifts.

Fittreelol

That is me! Good memory. My knee is much more flexible now so I'm able to do more stretches again. (I sprained+bruised it about a month ago.) I'm taking friday off and deloading next week. I guess I just want to know what possible causes are before I get back up to heavier weights.

I don't really have a way to video form, but I didn't know if it was a common issue- like Q"im having knee pain" A " try push your knees out more" or Q "my low back hurts" A"try keeping your chest up"

ETA: I just saw your post, and I think it might be that for me. Just not enough time for recovery all over. If I don't feel better after this deload+ramp up I might just switch to 531 early to give my connective tissue a break.

nexangelus

I don't think form is the issue, they just do twinge when the weights get heavier, I found my right one did really badly until I began hip flexor rotations (like they do before football and hockey games and stuff like that, runners also use this stretch) and doing bodyweight squats really low, held in the low position for about a minute to stretch the glutes and hammies to balance it all out.

They don't twinge at all now and I am squatting heavier than when they began to moan at me : )

tameko2

Hi Friends,

As I've gotten to heavier (for me) weights, my hip flexors are really starting to get super tight and hurt between squat sets, and the next day if I sit too long. I do try to stretch really well after my workout etc, but apparently not doing a decent enough job. Just curious if anyone knows if this is a form issue, if I just need to spend more QT with my foam roller, or something else?

Thanks!

Not particularly likely to be a form issue, not that it couldn't be, but I'd expect something else to be a problem first.

Try not to sit too long? And - if it gets REALLY painful, give yourself permission to rest from squats. Nick had a lot of hip flexor issues when it got heavier and it was kind of a combination of adding more stretching (including stretching on days off), taking a week of rest from squats once when it was really painful until it fully reduced (And just doing stretches), and then going back to it.

i'd say maybe 4 weeks and he worked through it - he never has issues anymore and actually he's gained a lot of strength and flexibility there (he can ALMOST do a full asian squat with me - not quite but its probably 100% improvement from before). And he refused to foam roll so that wasn't even a factor.

Post a form video if you are worried about that issue, but yeah I'd expect to see form issues causing knee or back discomfort first I think - those seem more common.

Also don't forget to take ibuprofen - I don't think its a good idea to do EVERY day because it could disguise how badly its hurting you but if its really painfully inflamed, ibuprofen should help it calm back down. Also icing, etc.

DaniH826

Speaking of inflammation -- try bromelain. It's a pineapple enzyme that comes in pill form and a fabulous anti-inflammatory, minus the liver/GI problems that ibuprofen or naproxen are known to cause when taken chronically. You should be able to find it at any GNC or Vitamin Shoppe or similar store.

Plus it's a digestive enzyme so it'll soften up your poo a little which is still win/win in my book. I take it semi-regularly and it really does a great job, especially for us women since we're more prone to inflammation anyway (comparatively speaking, than the menfolk).

Anyway, that was my gross-out educational post for the day. You may now return to your regularly scheduled programming. :drinker:

Fittreelol

Thanks for your help friends!

fishlover888

Tree, when you say hip flexors do you mean up by your groin, not in your quads?

My favorite stretch... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKFJOTk-cUE
This stretch is more specifically hip flexors (Since your knee has a record of being irritable, put a towel underneath the one on the ground.

I do stretch gently before I squat not just after.

The other possibility is hip flexors are making up for some other kind of muscle imbalance/weakness but that is super hard to know without actually evaluating you. I know you were working on your core and making sure your glutes were activating right?

@Dani that anti inflammatory sounds awesome, I definitely need it. My body loves everything inflammation but I like having a liver too.

tageekly

Bump so I can read this later.

My hip flexors hurt so bad with squats that I want to cry sometimes. Thought it was just me.

dafoots0911

What exactly are the "hip flexors"? Have been hearing this term for a while but never asked. Is it your hip area where you hinge?

I've been stalking this group for a while. I am doing NROL the original and am thinking about changing to Strong Lifts because hate lunges. I know that's not a good reason. I'm also short on time. But I do notice that I have low back issues (extremely stiff). Haven't figured out if it's from sitting all day at work (probably) or lifting heavy weight. I have cut down to twice a week.

Now back to the hip flexors. Would that be why I can't go down as far on squats? I try to see if I am parallel but I have a mirror facing me and can't reallyl tell.

Thanks in advance for your response.

Fittreelol

Fish- Um its like in the front of my hip above my quads. I do that stretch on the right, and a standing lunge stretch that someone showed me on here for the left side as I still can't kneel yet. The kneeling stretch seems to work better, but adapt as you can.

Dafoot- Honestly I would just google hip flexors to see where they are exactly. It's hard to explain. As for squats it could be flexibility issues in ankles or hips, or form issues. Typical reasons people can't get low from form- they are sitting down instead of back, they aren't pushing their knees out, or their stance isn't wide enough for their body.

fishlover888

What exactly are the "hip flexors"? Have been hearing this term for a while but never asked. Is it your hip area where you hinge?

I've been stalking this group for a while. I am doing NROL the original and am thinking about changing to Strong Lifts because hate lunges. I know that's not a good reason. I'm also short on time. But I do notice that I have low back issues (extremely stiff). Haven't figured out if it's from sitting all day at work (probably) or lifting heavy weight. I have cut down to twice a week.

Now back to the hip flexors. Would that be why I can't go down as far on squats? I try to see if I am parallel but I have a mirror facing me and can't reallyl tell.

Thanks in advance for your response.

Welcome!
1. Hip flexors - yes you might feel them near your groin where your hips hinge. here is a good picture http://lynnpantingdance.blogspot.com/2010/11/tight-hip-flexors.html (sorry i don't know how to insert pictures)

Hip flexors will actually contract/shorten when you go down into the squat and lengthen as you stand back up. So tight hip flexors probably aren't preventing you from getting parallel. However, it's possible that tight hamstrings could contribute to not getting parallel or, more likely, a complex breakdown of the desired motor pattern... If you are interested in that kind of stuff this is a decent article http://www.tonygentilcore.com/blog/do-you-really-have-tight-hamstrings/ or just msg me, I don't really want to bore anyone with all that lol.

Have you tried box squats to improve form?

2. Back pain - Do you have to sit all day? Can you get up sometimes? A great thing to do would be to get up, put your hands on your hips, and bend backwards about 5-10 times every so often. How is your sitting posture?

If you are using good form then lifting heavy weight should not be hurting your back. Unless cutting to 2 days a week seems to be helping, I would try for the 3 days but that's just me!


@Tree - check out that first link. She is a dance teacher but she put into words what I was trying to say... "The good news:
If you engage your glutes and stomach muscles you are forced to relax your hip flexors as both muscle groups cannot work at the same time. For engagement of the glutes: Practice exercises that engage the glutes and concentrate on how it feels to use that muscle group. Body awareness is going to be what keep you from slipping into old habits. " Then she gives some exercises to help which I like.

Fittreelol

Thank you so much! I will check out that link. Now to figure out when I'm not engaging my abs and glues. I've been having mad doms in both of them so I'm engaging at least some of the time. Hopefully my deload will help me focus on things like this. You are the best.

DaniH826

(sorry i don't know how to insert pictures)

Right-click on the image, and click on Properties. Then highlight the Address and paste it into an img tag.

Which means you put an img tag before and an /img tag after it in square brackets.

(without the blank spaces)

dafoots0911

@Fish, Thank you for your response. I think I will go back to three days and along with your other suggestions. Will continue with NROL original for now but may switch over eventually.

Has there been anyone who has done NROL the original an if so please compare to SL's.