Squatting- Not feeling the burn

KimmalyS
KimmalyS Posts: 131 Member
edited November 14 in Fitness and Exercise
I am 5'5 130 lbs, max lift is 125lbs.
Has anyone ever experienced squatting and not feeling it in your glutes?
I feel it mostly on my back. Or not anywhere, at all. 125 is definitely the max weight i can, so I don't think my issue is weight.
Any suggestions?

Replies

  • Sumiblue
    Sumiblue Posts: 1,597 Member
    You should not feel it in your back while squatting. Quads, usually, and if deep squats, in the hamstrings and Glutes. I generally feel mild DOMS in my hamstrings after squats.
    Are you using free weights, barbell, dumbbells? Sounds like poor form.
    Are you doing high bar or low bar squats?
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  • Sumiblue
    Sumiblue Posts: 1,597 Member
    OP, are you using a Smith machine? If so, don't. Use a fixed weight bar light enough for you to start and practice good form.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    You should at least be feeling squats in the legs, if not then it does sound like your form needs some work.

    If you still don't feel it in the glutes, glute activation can help.. but keep in mind while squats work the booty, they are not as glute dominant as hip thrusts or glute bridges.
  • Rerun4733
    Rerun4733 Posts: 26 Member
    Have someone who is knowledgeable check your form. Your form may be off; it may not.

    Some people have short torsos that allow them to squat more upright, hitting the quads more than the hams and glutes. Longer torsos need to bend forward which brings in the glutes.

    You may feel squats in your back if your back is undertrained, you're relatively new to squats, or you are squatting heavy. The lower back has to be engaged in order to keep the upper body in position. If not, you end up folding in half like an accordion and your hips coming up in a position that is higher than your shoulders.
  • BhangraPrince
    BhangraPrince Posts: 123 Member
    Sounds like your form is off.
  • KatzeDerNacht22
    KatzeDerNacht22 Posts: 200 Member
    How low do you go? I stayed with lower weight to go a bit lower than parallel and I def feel it when going up ( I know biomechanics play a part on this kind of things ) I am also 130 lbs.. I think, and my lift is 130 lbs too.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    kimsey978 wrote: »
    I am 5'5 130 lbs, max lift is 125lbs.
    Has anyone ever experienced squatting and not feeling it in your glutes?
    I feel it mostly on my back. Or not anywhere, at all. 125 is definitely the max weight i can, so I don't think my issue is weight.
    Any suggestions?

    If you feel it in your back, your form is off...You shouldn't feel anything in your back at all. You need to go below parallel to activate your glutes. Keep in mind that squats are a full body movement with a primary emphasis on quads...yes, glutes and hammies get some action as well as your core, but it's not a glute dominant movement.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    upper back muscles can get doms from holding the bar, but if you're feeling more joint-like tenderness in your lower back that isn't good.

    it's actually harder than i thought it would be to keep squats 'in' the glutes. pre-activation and some front squats seem to help me with getting them into the game . . . and i also know that if you don't reach parallel your leg muscles don't seem to get the same doms because there's less of a stretch above parallel.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    If it hurts your back, then your form is off. Get someone who knows how to correctly instruct form to watch you do it.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • trudie_b
    trudie_b Posts: 230 Member
    I feel very little in my glutes for any exercises - I usually feel it in my quads primarily. Which is annoying, because they don't need building and my glutes do!!!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    take a video and post up- someone's got to look before we really give you advice.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    trudie_b wrote: »
    I feel very little in my glutes for any exercises - I usually feel it in my quads primarily. Which is annoying, because they don't need building and my glutes do!!!

    It sounds like you aren't activating the glutes.. there are various bodyweight exercises you can practice daily to get those glutes firing! Things like side lying clams, hip abductions, glute bridges etc.
  • trudie_b
    trudie_b Posts: 230 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    trudie_b wrote: »
    I feel very little in my glutes for any exercises - I usually feel it in my quads primarily. Which is annoying, because they don't need building and my glutes do!!!

    It sounds like you aren't activating the glutes.. there are various bodyweight exercises you can practice daily to get those glutes firing! Things like side lying clams, hip abductions, glute bridges etc.

    Yes, Ive started doing these, although I must say I don't feel much in my glutes even so.

  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    trudie_b wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    trudie_b wrote: »
    I feel very little in my glutes for any exercises - I usually feel it in my quads primarily. Which is annoying, because they don't need building and my glutes do!!!

    It sounds like you aren't activating the glutes.. there are various bodyweight exercises you can practice daily to get those glutes firing! Things like side lying clams, hip abductions, glute bridges etc.

    Yes, Ive started doing these, although I must say I don't feel much in my glutes even so.

    It can take time, be sure to incorporate the exercises daily, even multiple times per day if you can. Sometimes you have to play around with positioning in order to really feel it in the glutes.

    Take a look at this video, Kellie talks about activation and walks you through some exercises, I find it really helpful!
    https://youtube.com/watch?v=dqP1qyZiwsk
  • not_a_runner
    not_a_runner Posts: 1,343 Member
    My max squat is currently 295 and I don't really feel it in my glutes, even after spending a few months working on better glute activation. I'm more of a quad dominant squatter, so I do other exercises to target glutes.
    Your sets/reps can make a difference in what you "feel" from squats as well. I mainly use squats as a strength movement, and I do other exercises to feel that burn later in my workout.
    It's not necessarily alarming to not feel squats in your glutes, but as mentioned you shouldn't be feeling them much in your back.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    I don't feel it in my glutes but I do get DOMS around my hip (maybe the rotator) muscles that I feel a day or two later. Starting to work on more glute focused exercises...
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