Back squats - is this a flexibility issue?

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punkeson
punkeson Posts: 37 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi
I'm desperate to include back squats with a barbell as part of my fitness routine. However, depsite watching tons of videos on the internet, and reading up on form, and trying various stances, I still can't seem to get comfortable with it!
I love goblet squats, and can do 3 sets of 8 with an 18kg dumbell, and easily break parallel.
I thought the issue with back squats might just be a strength issue, even though I'm just on a 10kg barbell while I try to nail form. Last night I put my hands up as though I was holding a barbell and did a bodyweight squat, and interestingly I felt the uncomfortable feeling then too. The best way to describe it is that on the downward movement my lower body won't move back far enough to allow me to break parallel. I can also feel a tightness in the front of my shins (strange!) and the tops of my legs.
Has anyone else had an issue like this?
Thanks guys

Replies

  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
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    Can you post a video? Hard to tell what you're doing without one
  • bmanlatour
    bmanlatour Posts: 48 Member
    edited March 2015
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    Get into the prisoner squat position (bodyweight with fingers touching ears, elbows back and straight with shoulders, head straight with body the whole time) make sure your stance is similar to your goblet squat position in width and toe direction. You might need to be a little wider than the goblet squat to make space for your gut since you are going to bend at the hips more. Brace your core to maintain your normal arch in your back. As you squat down point your nipples at the ground. Get your hips lower than knees but not *kitten* to the grass depth like goblets. As you rise, straighten your knees and open your hips simultaneously.

    In front and goblet squats, you sit back into the squat and keep a more vertical torso; this keeps the weight balanced over your feet. Unlike goblet squats and front squats, you need to bend at the hips more too keep the weight over your feet. Don't bend too much otherwise it would be like a good morning on the way up with way too much weight. You may want to strengthen your back and hamstrings with deadlifts to assist your back squat.
  • jonniemarie1
    jonniemarie1 Posts: 77 Member
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    You might have low ankle mobility and tight hips. YouTube stretches and include them into your daily routine and continue to open the hips until your hips are able to drop more comfortable. I would suggest sticking with the goblet or front squats and then slowly work your way into back squats until your form improves.

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