Using my back to squat when I'm tired
darreneatschicken
Posts: 669 Member
The advice to take a deep breath at the top of the squat and suck in your stomach is really useful because it takes lots of stress off your back. However, I'm doing 5x5 squats now, and sometimes when I get to the last rep of the set, I am really tired and panting for breath. Thus, what I can end up doing is actually lifting the bar up with my lower back instead of my legs. To prevent this, I try to take lots of breaths before doing my last rep, so that I can actually remain tight for the entire movement, but sometimes I am so tired, that doing so is really hard.
0
Replies
-
The only solution I can think of so far is to take longer breaks between REPS, but also between SETS.0
-
You may want to consider some type of cardio training to supplement your strength training. HIIT would be perfect. That will help with the out of breath part.
I would not rest longer. I would also try an alternate to holding your breath. I find it works better to take a deep breath at the start of a lift, hold it until I get to the contraction portion of the lift (up in the case of squats) and slowly let the breath out during exertion. I have found I can push/pull more weight that way than I could strictly holding my breath. And then I don't pass out at the end of a 5 rep deadlift set.
Tom0 -
The advice to take a deep breath at the top of the squat and suck in your stomach is really useful because it takes lots of stress off your back. However, I'm doing 5x5 squats now, and sometimes when I get to the last rep of the set, I am really tired and panting for breath. Thus, what I can end up doing is actually lifting the bar up with my lower back instead of my legs. To prevent this, I try to take lots of breaths before doing my last rep, so that I can actually remain tight for the entire movement, but sometimes I am so tired, that doing so is really hard.
We've all been there dude, fatigue during your sets happens to us all. The correct thing to do is to drop the weight. Remeber what you are trying to do is 5 reps with perfect form. If you aren't dropping your *kitten* all the way down or you are lifting with your back you aren't doing correct form.
Why it matters is that not only are you at risk of injuring yourself but you aren't getting the benefits from doing the exercise. Squats are such an important exercise and too many people let ego get in the way and put too much weight on. When this happens form breaks down or people don't get low enough (done it myslf).
Drop the weight until you can get 5 with perfect form and then build up from there.0 -
Since I haven't seen what you say is a form breakdown at the end of your set, it is hard for me to judge. My question to help kind of gauge how severe of a breakdown this might be is, do you squat low or high bar? If you squat low bar, like you are taught to in a lot of the beginner literature, you sometimes will use your back toward the end of a tough set. While it is not ideal to do that, that is the nature of the squat when it is performed in that manner.
I will agree that maybe you should lower the weight until your form is where you want it to be. But unless you are doing a full good morning out of the squat (look up the good morning exercise on Google or Youtube if you aren't familiar with it), there is a little room for some back english sometimes based on how you are performing the exercise. Just don't over do it.0 -
Bad form< then dropping the weight. I'm not getting this lift with you back thing. If you cannot do the last rep perfect then do like a partial rep with good form is better than bad form that might hurt yourself.0
-
We call this "good morning" your squats. When you lift your hips first then straighten your back. It means your weight is too high. Drop the weight and add in some accessory exercises for quads, glutes and hamstrings.0
-
Bad form< then dropping the weight. I'm not getting this lift with you back thing. If you cannot do the last rep perfect then do like a partial rep with good form is better than bad form that might hurt yourself.
It's when you lift your hips first instead of driving through your heels. Kind of like a squat/good morning hybrid.0 -
Bad form< then dropping the weight. I'm not getting this lift with you back thing. If you cannot do the last rep perfect then do like a partial rep with good form is better than bad form that might hurt yourself.We call this "good morning" your squats. When you lift your hips first then straighten your back. It means your weight is too high. Drop the weight and add in some accessory exercises for quads, glutes and hamstrings.
this. exactly.
you wind up doing the squat in 2 motions- you are driving from the legs- but don't bring the chest up WITH IT. Creating this "back lift" or good morning.
2 things- if you lift with your hands in closer- push your elbows forward- think about using the elbows to push the chest up as they go. It will help.
Secondly- actually don't look down- and think about t!ts up. I know you don't have them- but open the chest UP UP UP- and think about your legs driving your CHEST up- not your butttttt. That should help too.
Honestly if it's just the LAST rep of the latter sets- and you aren't having physical pain (stabby/hurty/pain) just do it. Putting some English on the last reps of the last sets of sets is 100% normal.
But if it's on the front end- like sets 2 or 3 set of 5 you're doing this- it's too heavy. If you're doing this on rep 5 in set # 1 it's too heavy- deload.0 -
Bad form< then dropping the weight. I'm not getting this lift with you back thing. If you cannot do the last rep perfect then do like a partial rep with good form is better than bad form that might hurt yourself.
It's when you lift your hips first instead of driving through your heels. Kind of like a squat/good morning hybrid.
I think I got it now. Like the weight and your back are too far forward in the bottom of the squat. When you com up you basically just show every your butt coming up while bending over.0 -
Bad form< then dropping the weight. I'm not getting this lift with you back thing. If you cannot do the last rep perfect then do like a partial rep with good form is better than bad form that might hurt yourself.
It's when you lift your hips first instead of driving through your heels. Kind of like a squat/good morning hybrid.
I think I got it now. Like the weight and your back are too far forward in the bottom of the squat. When you com up you basically just show every your butt coming up while bending over.
Yes, but it's not from bad form. Their placement is fine at the bottom of the squat, but fatigue causes them to lift the weight in two movements, like jrocka said. You raise your hips, then good morning the weight up with your back. I'm pretty sure we've all done it, lol.
I haven't done 5x5, but isn't there a procedure outlined when you hit a plateau?0 -
Are you trying to do a 5 rep max on every set? Only the last set should be the 'hard' set. If you're using the same weight each set, then with the first few sets you should be dominating the weight.0
-
The advice to take a deep breath at the top of the squat and suck in your stomach is really useful because it takes lots of stress off your back. However, I'm doing 5x5 squats now, and sometimes when I get to the last rep of the set, I am really tired and panting for breath. Thus, what I can end up doing is actually lifting the bar up with my lower back instead of my legs. To prevent this, I try to take lots of breaths before doing my last rep, so that I can actually remain tight for the entire movement, but sometimes I am so tired, that doing so is really hard.
We've all been there dude, fatigue during your sets happens to us all. The correct thing to do is to drop the weight. Remeber what you are trying to do is 5 reps with perfect form. If you aren't dropping your *kitten* all the way down or you are lifting with your back you aren't doing correct form.
Why it matters is that not only are you at risk of injuring yourself but you aren't getting the benefits from doing the exercise. Squats are such an important exercise and too many people let ego get in the way and put too much weight on. When this happens form breaks down or people don't get low enough (done it myslf).
Drop the weight until you can get 5 with perfect form and then build up from there.
^^^THIS!!!!!!
Lift safe!!!0 -
Ok guys, I'll drop the weight. Also, my trainer said to grip the floor with my toes. What do you guys think of this?0
-
I tried that, it made me less stable.0
-
Deleted. Wrong thread.0
-
I tried that, it made me less stable.
This, if anything my toes are arching up off the floor a little bit. I've heard of the gripping with your toes thing, but it feels like it brings my push too far forward for me.0 -
squats you drive through your heals. If you grip with your toes you are shifting the weight to the balls of your feet. You should be able to be in the hole, lift your toes and feel stable.Ok guys, I'll drop the weight. Also, my trainer said to grip the floor with my toes. What do you guys think of this?0 -
hmmm, i think the trainer told me to do this because it addressed my specific glute problem...which i am also trying to fix by doing accessory exercises.
gripping my toes; curling them towards my body actually makes me feel more stable on both the squat and deadlift, but i know what you mean: the weight isn't really on my heels
also, if on my first set, i put 45 lbs on each side, and i am squatting with my back on the last rep, what should i lower the weight to on each side?0 -
And if i deload, and take my back out of the equation, what's going to stop my back from working when I get back to 45 lbs on each side again?0
-
Deload till you can squat with correct form. Squating with correct form is what will make sure your back stays out of it. Don't increase weight till you have 100% correct form 5x5, rinse repeat.And if i deload, and take my back out of the equation, what's going to stop my back from working when I get back to 45 lbs on each side again?0 -
Deload till you can squat with correct form. Squating with correct form is what will make sure your back stays out of it. Don't increase weight till you have 100% correct form 5x5, rinse repeat.And if i deload, and take my back out of the equation, what's going to stop my back from working when I get back to 45 lbs on each side again?
When I squat with lower weight, I don't feel my back working. So I feel like I'm doing it right, therefore, I work my way up. But once I hit around 45 lbs on each side, I feel it in my back.0 -
Your trainer should be there to help you with form and correct you. If they won't do that find a new one.
Deload till you can squat with correct form. Squating with correct form is what will make sure your back stays out of it. Don't increase weight till you have 100% correct form 5x5, rinse repeat.And if i deload, and take my back out of the equation, what's going to stop my back from working when I get back to 45 lbs on each side again?
When I squat with lower weight, I don't feel my back working. So I feel like I'm doing it right, therefore, I work my way up. But once I hit around 45 lbs on each side, I feel it in my back.0 -
Deload till you can squat with correct form. Squating with correct form is what will make sure your back stays out of it. Don't increase weight till you have 100% correct form 5x5, rinse repeat.And if i deload, and take my back out of the equation, what's going to stop my back from working when I get back to 45 lbs on each side again?
When I squat with lower weight, I don't feel my back working. So I feel like I'm doing it right, therefore, I work my way up. But once I hit around 45 lbs on each side, I feel it in my back.
I haven't done 5x5. Is there not an outline of what to do if you plateau? Like in 5/3/1?
I would suggest deload, more reps, and accessory exercises for glutes, hamstrings and quads. This should get you through the plateau.0 -
High bar or low bar? If low bar are you sitting back or just dropping down?
I was having the same problem with leaning too far forward at the bottom and then doing a sort of good morning out of the hole. I switched to hinging at the hips first, then pushing my butt back and going down. On the way up, drive the elbows forward and it helps to lift your upper body so your butt isn't going too far up too fast and getting ahead of the upper body.
Video would probably help to see what is going on.0 -
High bar or low bar? If low bar are you sitting back or just dropping down?
I was having the same problem with leaning too far forward at the bottom and then doing a sort of good morning out of the hole. I switched to hinging at the hips first, then pushing my butt back and going down. On the way up, drive the elbows forward and it helps to lift your upper body so your butt isn't going too far up too fast and getting ahead of the upper body.
Video would probably help to see what is going on.
In his case, its not a form problem, but a fatique problem.0 -
Just quickly scanned through an article on accessory work for squatting:
http://robertsontrainingsystems.com/blog/accessory-onslaught-1-the-squat/0 -
Just quickly scanned through an article on accessory work for squatting:
http://robertsontrainingsystems.com/blog/accessory-onslaught-1-the-squat/
.....
sooooooo did you learn anything? have any thoughts about the article? changing how you lift????0 -
Post a vid
0 -
Just quickly scanned through an article on accessory work for squatting:
http://robertsontrainingsystems.com/blog/accessory-onslaught-1-the-squat/
.....
sooooooo did you learn anything? have any thoughts about the article? changing how you lift????
i need a trainer to teach me these exercises0 -
Post a vid
I got the vid on my phone, just gotta figure out a way to get it onto my computer... tried emailing it to myself through my phone, but it said the file was too large, so i dunno, i gotta like send it to my friends phone and get him to email it to me.0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 427 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions