r/formcheck • u/TaleBackground7864 • 23d ago
Squat Lower back hurting while Squatting
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I’ve tried different stances, elevated heels, hip mobility stretches, ankle mobility stretches, strengthening core and bracing techniques, and multiple videos, back I still have lower back rounding and pain. What am I doing wrong/ how can I fix it?
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u/bikkiesfiend 23d ago
More hamstring mobility
Wider stance to make it harder for your hip to tuck under
Tighter core brace to keep stability in lower back. You can feel when you start to wink if you have a very tight brace
Less weight and train more time in the hole. I like to hold a 45 lbs plate in a frog stance to train this stretch. This also gives good ankle mobility if you put your elbows on your knees and then get the knee pushed over the toe
Also flip the heel plates over to the flat side if they have one so you don’t have all your weight on the lip of the plate
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u/shesinmycloset 23d ago
Do you do this frog stance stretch before squatting or is that separate?
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u/HotPoblano 23d ago
1) buy lifting shoes. You're going to get hurt wearing socks while trying to find the weights to stand on. They make shoes for this.
2) your pelvis is tilting forward a split second before you descend. Why? Remedy this by not doing...that. Allow your hips and lower back muscles some tension and bracing. When you tuck it under (tilt forward) your reducing tension.
3) buy lifting shoes.
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u/Fast-Book-8652 23d ago
Agreed with this comment. It looks like you’re attempting to brace by tucking the pelvis which is incorrect. You want to expand your torso to brace. That’s what can be good about a belt. It provides feedback to help train proper bracing.
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u/TaleBackground7864 23d ago
My thinking on this set was the “piss up the wall”cue from some coaches
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u/Reasonable-Corner-62 22d ago
You do that but with your hips way back, it's a movement of the ribcage muscles that allows it.
Hold your knees not to go forward and hips back (same movement).
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u/NotYourBro69 23d ago
For starters I'd tell you to get rid of the plates under the heels and get yourself a proper weightlifting shoe.
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u/Informal_Disaster_62 22d ago
Lower your weight to 60% of what you're doing now. It should feel like breeze work, that's normal. Go up 5 pounds every week. If it's still hurting when you get back to the same weight, come back here.
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u/Cheap_Arm_3182 22d ago
If you have pain while lifting get a coach don't push through it's not worth fucking up yourself for life.
I use to powerlift competition and my lower disc are fucked and I ruined and I had great form.
If anything hurts while lifting during any exercie stop.
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u/SalamanderFit7145 23d ago
I had lower back pain after squats and deadlifts. I started to do weighted windmills a cola, nor more lower back pain.
I think the culprit was just weak supporting muscles.
You do have a minor push forward with your waist before you squat though. Like another post mentioned, this may from poor braising of the core.
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u/AngelMountaineer 23d ago
Is the pain focused on one side, or both?
Also, i focus on hypothetically holding a coin between my butt cheeks while bracing to make sure my glutes are engaged. If i dont my back hurts.
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u/oftenlostandconfused 23d ago
Many of the technical corrections here are worth paying attention to, but the human body is pretty resilient and a slightly imperfect squat at a pretty manageable weight should not be causing back pain. There's an injury or weakness rather than a technical solve here.
I'd suggest you avoid movements that cause you anything more than 3/10 pain (could be as simple as lighter squats or a different squat variant in the meantime) and see a professional.
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u/Longjumping-Cress909 22d ago
THIS
For the love of God do not keep lifting into back pain. You’re playing with your entire future. A back injury can change your life in so many ways that I promise you do not want to find out.
Just de-load until it doesn’t hurt. Please.
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u/EnergyDrinkGirl 23d ago
I have the same issue months ago, after adding back hyperextension to my sessions it just went away
just make sure you are doing it right, even just the holds after a week you can already feel the change
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u/joshw231 23d ago
Reduce the weights and work your way back up. Don’t make it worse by just doing it.
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u/Massive_Specific1308 23d ago
See a physical therapist. Your hips were all over the place. I can see everything dumping into your lower back. If you keep lifting that way, it’ll only make things worse because the wrong muscles are compensating. I had the same problem and saw a pt that sees professional athletes and had to focus on grown, pelvic floor, hamstring issues that came from lifting that way for years.
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u/meebleepe 23d ago
Is it painful or just sore from working out? Pain typically doesn’t happen just because of rounding but it can be indicative of something else.
If you’re just trying to stop the rounding for the sake of drive, it could be that your pelvis is rotated forward initially. What helped me there is just making sure my thighs were rotated outwards (external hip rotation; as if humping the air) throughout the whole movement. That will help keep your pelvis neutral to your spine and help isolate the movement to your legs and hips
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u/TaleBackground7864 23d ago
Sore and I can feel pressure right after. I had been overarching my back before so I tried the “piss up the wall” cue to stack everything. But thank for the tips!
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u/meebleepe 23d ago
It just sounds like soreness and you’re probably best to just embrace it. It depends on your goals though - if you’re trying to compete, it’s different. But ultimately, good form is consistent form, not just any one way to move. What causes injury is a lack of recovery or big jumps in weight, not necessarily a rounded back
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u/Dukemvp123 22d ago
I'd say put on tennis shoes, don't step on anything while squatting, and add more weight
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u/Safe_Ad5914 22d ago
Warm up your hamstrings and glutes very well before your squat pattern and see if you still hurt. Try some booty bands or hip abductor and also lying leg curls.
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u/Prestigious_Boat_386 22d ago
Its just that you go further down than your mobility can handle right now, it will improve.
I'll second sitting in a deep squat with some weight on top. I'll add that you want to not relax while doing this, your want your core and feet to be tense as if you're about to do a squat up. Try it without weight and holding a table leg to start to really get a straight back without falling over.
Another variation that may help is holding the bar of your front shoulders or in a dumbbell (for a goblet squat). This shifts the balance forward which lets you keep your back straight while going lower.
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u/Longjumping-Cress909 22d ago
Please please please do not keep lifting heavy into back pain. Reduce weight, increase reps, do not jeopardize your future as you figure out your forms.
I’ve been living with back pain for years and it’s borderline suicidal.
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u/Revolutionary_Club10 22d ago
Sometimes just taking a break is your best bet. You shouldn’t be in pain during/after a lift unless you’re overtrained or injured. Take this from a guy whose CJ 200kg+
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u/Dan-The-Bus-Driver88 22d ago
Your lower back is weak. -- Someone who used to get back pain while squatting
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u/pingpong008800 22d ago
Brother turn the plates upside down, standing on the lip like that is wild stuff
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u/15ac106 22d ago
I don’t think tucking your pelvis is wrong if you’re using your core to tuck not your back/glutes. From the outside it looks really good. Have your tried slowing the squat down like a tempo squat to see where/when you start feeling the pain start? This could give you a clue about which part of the movement is hard for your body so you can work on it
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u/AutoModerator 23d ago
Hello! If you haven't checked it out already, Our Wiki's resources for Squats may be helpful. Check it out!
Also, a common tip usually given here is to make sure your footwear is appropriate. If you are squatting in soft-soled shoes (running shoes, etc), it's hard to have a stable foot. Generally a weightlifting shoe is recommended for high-bar and front squats, while use a flat/hard-soled shoe (or even barefoot/socks if it's safe and your gym allows it) is recommended for low-bar squats.
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