Quads hurting with squats
jnomadica
Posts: 280 Member
I seem to be doing something wrong when I squat. I’m using very light weights (30 lbs) and really focusing on form. I always go just below parallel making sure my knees don’t turn in. I’ve watched dozens of videos on squatting. But without fail, I’m in pain afterwards, much more so than any other exercise (it usually hurts a bit right away and is worse the next day). This doesn’t occur with split squats. Any advice? I guess my next step is to see a personal trainer?
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How many sets and reps do you do? And how often do you do them?0
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How often are you doing those squats? I hurt terribly the first time, after I've taken time off. As long as I squat 2+ times per week, I quit getting DOMS.2
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I’m doing a Nia Shanks plan. There are 4 workouts, full body, that I rotate through three times per week (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday). Squats are on one of those days (3x8), rear foot elevated split squats another, and the other two workouts have deadlift variations. I experienced the same problem in the past when I did NRLFW.1
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quiksylver296 wrote: »How often are you doing those squats? I hurt terribly the first time, after I've taken time off. As long as I squat 2+ times per week, I quit getting DOMS.
Would you suggest switching to a plan with increased squat frequency? I usually do the opposite and hold off on squatting when I’m sore!
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Have you considered opening your stance, in other words going for wider than shoulder width with toes out? The would shift the emphasis of the exercise from your quads to your guts and hams and could allow you to add frequency to your squatting.4
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quiksylver296 wrote: »How often are you doing those squats? I hurt terribly the first time, after I've taken time off. As long as I squat 2+ times per week, I quit getting DOMS.
Would you suggest switching to a plan with increased squat frequency? I usually do the opposite and hold off on squatting when I’m sore!
If it's just DOMS, more squats aren't going to hurt. Yes, increase frequency. Exercise actually makes DOMS better for me.
If it's actual injury, then more squats will hurt.
I do not know which you have.1 -
robertjay6667 wrote: »Have you considered opening your stance, in other words going for wider than shoulder width with toes out? The would shift the emphasis of the exercise from your quads to your guts and hams and could allow you to add frequency to your squatting.
I do keep toes out and have played around with my stance. Hasn’t seemed to help:(
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quiksylver296 wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »How often are you doing those squats? I hurt terribly the first time, after I've taken time off. As long as I squat 2+ times per week, I quit getting DOMS.
Would you suggest switching to a plan with increased squat frequency? I usually do the opposite and hold off on squatting when I’m sore!
If it's just DOMS, more squats aren't going to hurt. Yes, increase frequency. Exercise actually makes DOMS better for me.
If it's actual injury, then more squats will hurt.
I do not know which you have.
So, increase squat frequency, and if I don’t see improvements over a period of time, assume it’s an injury (and seek PT?).
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quiksylver296 wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »How often are you doing those squats? I hurt terribly the first time, after I've taken time off. As long as I squat 2+ times per week, I quit getting DOMS.
Would you suggest switching to a plan with increased squat frequency? I usually do the opposite and hold off on squatting when I’m sore!
If it's just DOMS, more squats aren't going to hurt. Yes, increase frequency. Exercise actually makes DOMS better for me.
If it's actual injury, then more squats will hurt.
I do not know which you have.
So, increase squat frequency, and if I don’t see improvements over a period of time, assume it’s an injury (and seek PT?).
I am telling you that you need to determine if it is an injury before you increase frequency.
I am not a medical professional.
Only you know if it's DOMS or not.4 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »How often are you doing those squats? I hurt terribly the first time, after I've taken time off. As long as I squat 2+ times per week, I quit getting DOMS.
Would you suggest switching to a plan with increased squat frequency? I usually do the opposite and hold off on squatting when I’m sore!
If it's just DOMS, more squats aren't going to hurt. Yes, increase frequency. Exercise actually makes DOMS better for me.
If it's actual injury, then more squats will hurt.
I do not know which you have.
So, increase squat frequency, and if I don’t see improvements over a period of time, assume it’s an injury (and seek PT?).
I am telling you that you need to determine if it is an injury before you increase frequency.
I am not a medical professional.
Only you know if it's DOMS or not.
This. But, if my quads *don't* hurt the day after I squat, I didn't lift enough or I did it wrong. Squats hit my quads... That's just how my body works.2 -
Maybe drop back to body weight squats and stop short of parallel if you need to, then progress up from there. It's hard to know what you mean about your "quads hurting".1
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Maybe drop back to body weight squats and stop short of parallel if you need to, then progress up from there. It's hard to know what you mean about your "quads hurting".
A burning kind of pain, almost. Equal on both sides. And highly sensitive to touch. I’m really not sure if it’s DOMS or some old injury.
I squatted earlier today and they hurt almost immediately, enough that I skipped the interval workout after lifting and just walked. They feel slightly sore now, and will probably be worse tomorrow.
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I would get checked out to be sure you're not injured. After that, I'd have an appointment with a trainer so you can work on form. In general, increased frequency does help with DOMS but if you're doing a squatting movement twice a week, you shouldn't be hurting that much. Most people find that DOMS is minimal after the first few weeks of consistent exercise, unless they switch exercises.3
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I would get checked out to be sure you're not injured. After that, I'd have an appointment with a trainer so you can work on form. In general, increased frequency does help with DOMS but if you're doing a squatting movement twice a week, you shouldn't be hurting that much. Most people find that DOMS is minimal after the first few weeks of consistent exercise, unless they switch exercises.
Thanks!
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Hurts a bit right away? Doesn't sound like DOMS.2
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So you have an old injury to be concerned about?Maybe drop back to body weight squats and stop short of parallel if you need to, then progress up from there. It's hard to know what you mean about your "quads hurting".
A burning kind of pain, almost. Equal on both sides. And highly sensitive to touch. I’m really not sure if it’s DOMS or some old injury.
I squatted earlier today and they hurt almost immediately, enough that I skipped the interval workout after lifting and just walked. They feel slightly sore now, and will probably be worse tomorrow.
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So you have an old injury to be concerned about?
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No, nothing I’m aware of. I’ve experienced this pain with squatting since I started lifting, always in both legs. I’ve also taken over a year off lifting and all other activity save walking, and when I started back to lifting about 2.5 months ago, the pain was back. If I had an injury, I’d think a year of total rest would have healed it? Not sure.
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Some people just are not mechanically built for squats. If you are doing split squats without pain, stick with those, and substitute leg press on "squat day."0
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So you have an old injury to be concerned about?
No, nothing I’m aware of. I’ve experienced this pain with squatting since I started lifting, always in both legs. I’ve also taken over a year off lifting and all other activity save walking, and when I started back to lifting about 2.5 months ago, the pain was back. If I had an injury, I’d think a year of total rest would have healed it? Not sure.
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If all else fails I always think back to something my old drill sergeant use to say, and I Quote: 'Private, pain is just weakness leaving your body!'
Just kidding, seriously I would go check with a deep tissue therapist, you might benefit from that type of recovery options.0 -
Thanks, all, I appreciate your insights!1
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Out of curiosity, how many reps/sets are you doing? I'm wondering if you might be going gung ho, volume-wise.0
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have you tried foam rolling your quads?0
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Can you post a video, no weight or a weight that doesn't cause pain? Ideally you would post a squat that makes you hurt but this doesn't sound like DOMS so don't want you getting hurt making a video.0
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Can you post a video, no weight or a weight that doesn't cause pain? Ideally you would post a squat that makes you hurt but this doesn't sound like DOMS so don't want you getting hurt making a video.
I could, but I’ll have to wait until this pain passes!
If this isn’t DOMS, what’s the next step? Do I try to see a physical therapist?
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Okey dokey. Yeah, I'd see a doctor.0
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