Squat help

[caligirl85]

Hey guys...I need some help with my squats. This has been my year of injury and earlier this year, tore up my lower back muscles pretty good. I've been ramping up training slowly over the last couple of months but have been gun shy getting back in the squat rack. I'm ok on the smith machine or any of the other machines.

I tried this week for the first time and here's what I'm finding. My balance and flexibility completely suck!! I have that instant pull to lean forward and can't get my butt low enough. (This is in the cage with just a barbell). So I put the bar back on the rack and was just trying to do a squat without the bar. If I have one hand on the bar, my form is great but unassisted, with my hands as if they were holding the bar, I'm not good.

Should I just keep practicing and strengthening the muscles? Does anyone have any tips?? I've seen people squat with a little rectangular bar under their heels or a couple small plates...does this help? Some of it is in my head for sure with the fear of re-injury but thought I'd ask.

I wanna do big boy exercises again!

Thanks!

 

[obsessedwliftin]

Cali, I highly recommend that you do it with the bar. It will help you stay more stable IMO. Concentrate on pushing up from the heels. When you are pushing from your heels it is much more difficult to lean forward. Butt out first. Then into squat motion. Are you experiencing pain when you attempt this?

 

[caligirl85]

Thanks for the feedback, OWL. No...no pain...just really stiff and feel off balance but it's been awhile so I think I probably just need to practice it more, before I add any weight.

 

[obsessedwliftin]

Thanks for the feedback, OWL. No...no pain...just really stiff and feel off balance but it's been awhile so I think I probably just need to practice it more, before I add any weight.

Yep. I agree as long as there is no pain. Practice with just the bar. Add the weight as form improves.

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[caligirl85]

Yep. I agree as long as there is no pain. Practice with just the bar. Add the weight as form improves.

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lol..it's fairly comical watching me. I look a little bit "special needs" standing there practicing! lol

 

[obsessedwliftin]

lol..it's fairly comical watching me. I look a little bit "special needs" standing there practicing! lol

Can I please have video? Lol j/k I will help you any way I can ma'am. Just let me know if there is anything I can do.

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[caligirl85]

Thanks owl! You really are the best!!

 

[obsessedwliftin]

Check your email. Lol

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[caligirl85]

Check your email. Lol

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On my way!

 

[moya]

yo, you know you can ask me for help with squats anytime...
get a low bench and sit back onto it (with the bar of course) and dont forget, break at the hips, not at the knees... push with your heels as you get off the bench...

 

[Backtobasicks]

I'll go out on a whim and say flexibility? I have had trouble recently and my hips were pretty tight. I stretched them out..
But also asked someone who used to be a high class power lifter.. And he said split legs a little bit wider, turn out toes ever so slightly. And before you pick up the bar. For a few mins... Get a towel,' ring it out', hold one end in each hand...
Hold above your head and stretch behind you, then hold, relax, grab further in, repeat, etc until your back /shoulders loosen up.
Bad explaination, but yeah.. What it does is it helps leaning forward with a bar... As if you can't have your hands comfortably behind you... With a bar, you'll always crane your head forward and throw out your posture.
I did this and was able to keep back straight and hold bar properly straight away.. Might not be your exact problem. But give it a try once

 

[caligirl85]

I'll go out on a whim and say flexibility? I have had trouble recently and my hips were pretty tight. I stretched them out..
But also asked someone who used to be a high class power lifter.. And he said split legs a little bit wider, turn out toes ever so slightly. And before you pick up the bar. For a few mins... Get a towel,' ring it out', hold one end in each hand...
Hold above your head and stretch behind you, then hold, relax, grab further in, repeat, etc until your back /shoulders loosen up.
Bad explaination, but yeah.. What it does is it helps leaning forward with a bar... As if you can't have your hands comfortably behind you... With a bar, you'll always crane your head forward and throw out your posture.
I did this and was able to keep back straight and hold bar properly straight away.. Might not be your exact problem. But give it a try once

Thank you for the feedback! Flexibility is definitely seeming to be an issue and was even pre-injury. I will try this too and see what happens.

 

[jiggagold]

Your hips are tight. Do some hip mobility and foam roll. Foam rolling is so beneficial and primes your cns (central nervous system) for your workout. Chances r u.have lots of.scar tissue built up in ur glutes which prevents the hips from moving efficiently.

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