Squat Pain

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hncary
hncary Posts: 176 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've just started lifting recently and I'm really just working on form right now and making sure I understand everything (not worrying about how much weight yet), but after working on my squats I have a bruise under my neck at the top of my spine and it hurts there quite a bit (where I have been resting the bar). I'm just wondering if this is normal or if I'm doing something wrong with my form so I can correct it if so.
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Replies

  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
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    Post a form video.

    You could be placing the bar wrong.
  • hncary
    hncary Posts: 176 Member
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    I'm not sure how to post a video on the threads, but I have one I could send to someone's email if they are willing to help
  • melishhha
    melishhha Posts: 10 Member
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    If you think it's from the bar, try using one of the cylindrical pads that wraps around it so that the bar doesn't press directly on your neck.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    I think you are doing high bar, incorrectly. Are your traps squeezed, and bar placed on traps?
  • williamwj2014
    williamwj2014 Posts: 750 Member
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    could always try dumb bell squats..
  • Walter__
    Walter__ Posts: 518 Member
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    The bar should never rest on your spine. You have to pull your shoulder blades together to create a shelf for the bar to rest on. If you are doing a high-bar squat, the bar will rest on your traps. If you are doing a low-bar squat, the bar will rest on your rear delts.

    high-bar-vs-low-bar-on-back.jpg
  • hncary
    hncary Posts: 176 Member
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    Here are some stills from the video56pxkugy6zrd.jpg
    ogjglkre3qvw.jpg
    84srlqq7btw3.jpg
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    hncary wrote: »
    I'm not sure how to post a video on the threads, but I have one I could send to someone's email if they are willing to help

    Oh you have one! Good. Do you have it uploaded on vimeo or anything?
  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
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    hncary wrote: »
    I'm not sure how to post a video on the threads, but I have one I could send to someone's email if they are willing to help

    Post the video on YouTube. Then post the YouTube video link here.

  • hncary
    hncary Posts: 176 Member
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    melishhha wrote: »
    If you think it's from the bar, try using one of the cylindrical pads that wraps around it so that the bar doesn't press directly on your neck.

    I will look and see if we have those in my gym. Thanks for the suggestion
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    hncary wrote: »
    melishhha wrote: »
    If you think it's from the bar, try using one of the cylindrical pads that wraps around it so that the bar doesn't press directly on your neck.

    I will look and see if we have those in my gym. Thanks for the suggestion

    But get a form check before you go throwing one on. If the bar is too high and/or not sitting on your traps, you're going to want to start with fixing that regardless.
  • hncary
    hncary Posts: 176 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    hncary wrote: »
    melishhha wrote: »
    If you think it's from the bar, try using one of the cylindrical pads that wraps around it so that the bar doesn't press directly on your neck.

    I will look and see if we have those in my gym. Thanks for the suggestion

    But get a form check before you go throwing one on. If the bar is too high and/or not sitting on your traps, you're going to want to start with fixing that regardless.

    I definitely agree. I just want to make sure I'm doing everything right, but I go to the gym at night and there's never anyone there to help. Can you tell from the pictures if the bar is in the correct spot? Not sure if the video will really show anymore than the pictures already do, but I can try uploading it if needed.
  • uconnwinsnc1
    uconnwinsnc1 Posts: 902 Member
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    Seems fine to me but your hair is sort of in the way. Make sure the bar doesn't roll forward onto your neck.
  • hncary
    hncary Posts: 176 Member
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    walterc7 wrote: »
    The bar should never rest on your spine. You have to pull your shoulder blades together to create a shelf for the bar to rest on. If you are doing a high-bar squat, the bar will rest on your traps. If you are doing a low-bar squat, the bar will rest on your rear delts.

    high-bar-vs-low-bar-on-back.jpg

    Thank you. This definitely helps for a visual. I'm thinking it may have been a bit too low judging from the pictures I posted above, but I'm going to use this as a reference the next time I go to the gym to see.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    hncary wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    hncary wrote: »
    melishhha wrote: »
    If you think it's from the bar, try using one of the cylindrical pads that wraps around it so that the bar doesn't press directly on your neck.

    I will look and see if we have those in my gym. Thanks for the suggestion

    But get a form check before you go throwing one on. If the bar is too high and/or not sitting on your traps, you're going to want to start with fixing that regardless.

    I definitely agree. I just want to make sure I'm doing everything right, but I go to the gym at night and there's never anyone there to help. Can you tell from the pictures if the bar is in the correct spot? Not sure if the video will really show anymore than the pictures already do, but I can try uploading it if needed.

    No, I can't tell unfortunately. Just really try to squeeze your traps together and make that little shelf for the bar to sit on.
  • hncary
    hncary Posts: 176 Member
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    uconnwinsnc1 wrote: »
    Seems fine to me but your hair is sort of in the way. Make sure the bar doesn't roll forward onto your neck.

    Thank you. It wasn't on my neck- it was resting just below it. I didn't have any pain while doing the squats only in the next couple days after and I have a bruise. It doesn't hurt unless I touch it- the only reason I even knew it was there was because I went to try to do squats a few days later and felt the pain when the bar touched it. I wasn't sure if it was just going to take some getting used to or if it was abnormal.
  • hncary
    hncary Posts: 176 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    hncary wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    hncary wrote: »
    melishhha wrote: »
    If you think it's from the bar, try using one of the cylindrical pads that wraps around it so that the bar doesn't press directly on your neck.

    I will look and see if we have those in my gym. Thanks for the suggestion

    But get a form check before you go throwing one on. If the bar is too high and/or not sitting on your traps, you're going to want to start with fixing that regardless.

    I definitely agree. I just want to make sure I'm doing everything right, but I go to the gym at night and there's never anyone there to help. Can you tell from the pictures if the bar is in the correct spot? Not sure if the video will really show anymore than the pictures already do, but I can try uploading it if needed.

    No, I can't tell unfortunately. Just really try to squeeze your traps together and make that little shelf for the bar to sit on.

    I will work on that. Thank you everyone for the help
  • uconnwinsnc1
    uconnwinsnc1 Posts: 902 Member
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    If the pain is just on the skin then you're fine. It happens when you rest weight on a part of the body that isn't used to it. As long as there is no bone or muscle pain you aren't in any risk.

    There are pads they make you can put on the bar if you want to do that.
  • hncary
    hncary Posts: 176 Member
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    uconnwinsnc1 wrote: »
    If the pain is just on the skin then you're fine. It happens when you rest weight on a part of the body that isn't used to it. As long as there is no bone or muscle pain you aren't in any risk.

    There are pads they make you can put on the bar if you want to do that.

    Thanks. It was just the skin that was sensitive so that sounds like good news. I'll make sure to check everyone's suggestions just to ensure I'm doing it right, but hopefully its just from my body not being used to the weight being there like you said.

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